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Today was brown/black belt class. Mike as usual was the first one in dojo. Still can't understand how this guy comes at 6AM every day to open the door. I came later and sensei came right after me. Mike wanted to do some techniques with tanto, but was worried that no other brown/black belt arrives this morning. I can't participate in this class being only 5-th kyu who just passed his first test. So I was doing my usual rolls on a side. Luckily Lucy arrived until we finished bowing, so Mike had a great class doing randori (though without tanto).
To bring some freshness in my Thirsday lonely classes I added some cutting with bokken excersise into my ration. The simplest one - just raise the sword and cut. If I try smth more advanced I'll do it wrong and sensei will have to correct me and therefore shorten the time of the actual class. The class was good. I was trying to correct my usual problem of cutting not coming from the center and I guess it improves. Also I found out that turning a little bit while standing in uchinokamae (not sure if spelled correctly) removes tension from hands holding the bokken.
When class was over sensei called me to bow with the class and in a hurry I layed my bokken on the mats and left there. After bowing I've gone to pick it up and sensei approached me when I was about to pick it. He asked me to never leave my sword on a mat like that. "Lean it against the wall or place next to you". I said "hai" and from sensei's face understood that question "why" is inappropriate.
Well, if I have to guess, I would say that the sword being alive should not be dropped like that. We should not treat our friends like that. Another thought - the sword is dropped when the warrior is dead. Anyway I trust my teacher and will not do it next time.
Tomorrow is a hard day. Class in the morning. Then I'll drive to Reno for about 6 hours if I'm lucky and then evening seminar with Saito Hitohiro sensei. Very exciting. I don't like the pain in my knees. They are tired and I wish I were in a better shape during that seminar.
09-30-2004 02:04 PM 