Progression

I've been shown nearly all of Seitei kata set now.

I'm hesitant to say that I've learnt it but I guess that we never consider ourselves to be good, no matter what level we reach. There's only one more kata left for me to see and then I will prepare for the Omote set.

The kata are getting interesting now. Obviously Seitei is for beginners and the early kata are fairly basic, but the last few have quite a number of moves and they make me concentrate a lot more. There's 12 kata that make up the set. The Omote kata set also comprise of another 12.

I like jodo and I'm starting to see all the kenjutsu that's hidden in the jo kata. Kenjutsu is what jodo has come from and eventually what jo goes back to. So we are told. I think it will be many years before any of us see the full circle of learning.

Anyway, for now, I enjoy what I do.

Thinking of Concepts

I find it harder to write for this blog.

Because Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo doesn't have any gradings there is no monthly build up like in other martial arts. It's easy to write for my other blogs, usually they are entries on my preparation for an event.

This is more challenging as I'm not building up to anything. I have to find where my focus is with this training. I think I have to look more inside myself.

Kata

Good kata practice today. I learnt two new ones, the names of which I can't remember.

Next week I'm going to take a notebook to training and write down all the names of the kata I have learnt. It's time I know the names as well as the movements.

Kihon Practice

Did some good kihon practice last Saturday. Two hours of solid work.

It's good that we are getting back to basics, establishing a firm foundation on which to build. I think I feel improvement, but it is hard to tell.

Monday night at kenjutsu some of the sword movements felt good. Smooth and strong. Hopefully a sign of progression.