2024.11 KENDOJIDAI
Translation: Pepijn Boomgaard
The reason why high ranked Sensei are able to overpower younger players is because they have the adaptability to make up for the physical difference. Noguchi Sensei was taught adaptability training by his lifelong master Nakano Yasoji (Hanshi 9th Dan). In order for your Kendo to be able to respond to any opponent, it is important to gain experience and increase the knowledge you can use to handle things impromptu.
Noguchi Shinichiro (Hanshi 8th Dan)
Kendo allows older people to compete against younger people on equal terms. In fact, there are many occasions when even young All Japan champions are overwhelmed by their older teachers in practice.
I have seen many times how younger players who are absolutely superior in speed and power, are not able to make use of this and are comfortably handled and overpowered by their teachers. I always hoped to one day practice like this myself.
As I wanted to know what kind of training these Sensei had done to develop their strength, I decided to ask them. The answer was simply “practice.”
Now that I am older, I don’t know how much more I can do, but I will try to keep going for as long as I can, focussing on lifelong Kendo, making the most of what I can do now. I think it is important to try to do everything I can do at the moment, no matter what the situation is.
When I graduated from university, my master, Nakano Yasoji (deceased, Hanshi 9th Dan), told me that next I should practice with many different people to gain experience and develop my ability to deal with various people.
I cherish those words and have trained much so far. Now that I am older, I try to make use of that experience in every practice session. I draw from my experience to handle different types of opponents, and I try my own style of Kendo on my opponent, and I think that by doing so, I will always enjoy Kendo.
Kendo is the practice of the principle of the sword. I consider this principle (Rihou) to be the three principles of the mind, body, and sword. I would like to describe what I usually keep in mind.
Creating a Maai that is “close for me, far for my opponent”
First, you have to stop being concerned with not being struck. When the opponent comes, try not to be surprised and lose your readiness. Also, if the opponent breaks your posture or makes you move, and you strike, even if you hit the target, will you be satisfied?
A satisfying strike is one that your opponent is also satisfied with. Even if you are pressured, it is important to think “It’s okay to be hit, come anytime,” and respond to any movement of the opponent, as if riding them from above.
The Maai from which you can strike is the Maai at which you can be struck. Try not to be afraid of being struck. It is important to suppress this feeling of fear and be prepared for when your opponent attacks as you move in, or as your opponent moves in. It is important to always be ready to welcome the opponent the moment they attack, or to overwhelm them if they don’t come, as if telling them, “Come anytime.” If you are struck in this process, reflect on why you were hit and try to correct it immediately and move on. Also, it depends on the situation whether you enter striking Maai yourself or let the opponent enter, but it is necessary to know the Maai from which your own strikes can reach. When you are in that Maai, prepare your mind and body so that you are ready to perform a technique at any time. During Uchikomi-geiko, you must understand the Maai from which you can reach your target and when you can’t.
It is often said that Maai should be “close for me, far for the opponent.” As I was watching someone’s Keiko, they were asked why they were so close. The person replied that to him, it felt very far.
This is because he was pushed mentally and his Maai became smaller. When you assume Kamae, be conscious of projecting your spirit forward widely, and try to advance and overwhelm your opponent’s spirit.
When you pressure and move in, but your opponent does not move, try not to flinch or doubt yourself. If your mind and heart become tense, and your opponent returns the attack, your hands will unintentionally go up, your shoulders will become tense, your feet stop moving, or your spirit becomes tense. Try to avoid these situations. When you enter Issoku Itto No Maai and your opponent does not attack, try to pressure them and wait. Be patient and always ready to respond. If you see your opponent moving, try to immediately execute your technique.
It is also important not to be confused about what to do and fall behind on in your subsequent moves. If your opponent does not move, you should try to get them to move through various ways of Seme, such as projecting your Ki, tensing your Shinai, or using Maki. Try to avoid striking with a confused mind when there is no opportunity.
Ippon with the mind and body working in tandem without strain
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