Tadanori Ota Sensei -- 8.dan Hanshi
Tadanori Ota Sensei -- is a master of masters. I asked him how many 8.Dan Hanshi there were....140.----140 out of 2+ million worldwide Kendoka. He is in the TOP six-tenthousandths of the kendo world (.006%)
I have had the honor of a personal practice with Tadanori Ota Sensei - 8.dan Hanshi. The sensei who is in the world famous kendo kata video.
http://youtu.be/0NsrGI8AQP4
He was visiting Uchida Sensei a long time friend. To be able to practice, and have a critique and analysis from a kendoka of his level is beyond comparison.
There are 7.dan sensei Japan that don't feel worthy of speaking to him, or practicing with him. They are afraid of doing poor kendo for this man, who, by all measures is world famous. The height of his Kendo is beyond comparison.
I hurt my left heel and have been fighting pain for the past two months. Yesterday I spent a total of 6 hours stuck in traffic, I had a hard working day, I was exhausted. I wanted to give up and relax. I wanted to stay at home. But in the back of my head I was ashamed for thinking this - I am attempting YonDan in 1.5 years- I would not live with myself if I talked myself out of this practice with Ota Sensei 8.dan Hanshi.
I skipped dinner and kissed my family goodbye and left for practice another hour of rush hour traffic away...(I'm sorry girls I only saw you for 30 minutes today -- )
When I arrived at Uchida Sensei's private dojo. I was the only one there. Uchida Sensei opened the door-- and a smile came over his face. It turned out, that I was the only student able to make it to the private practice and I think it was a relief to him that a student took this RARE opportunity.
I wrapped my foot. Stretched...and tried my best.
I didn't get very far before being corrected by Ota Sensei. He stopped my saburi about 3 minutes in -- and corrected my hand position and strike. (instructions were through a translator, so I will do my best to replicate what I heard and saw Ota Sensei demonstrating)
- Keep Elbows in. Don't allow them to open. Hands near Jodan at top. Shinai should go no lower than parallel to the floor.
- Strike in Suburi with your foot. You HAVE to visualize your opponent. Move from your hip, strike/snap your foot. Elbows in-- Extend loosely -- then tenuchi.
After warm ups Ota Sensei observed my Uchikomi.
But before that -- he corrected the way I put on my men. I have been putting it on too tightly and not tied correctly.
...so for 8 years, I've been doing it all wrong....I was tieing it too low. the himo needs to ride above and below the ears. allowing a gap. This felt unnatural at first, it felt like it was going to fall off...but after about 30 minutes it felt perfect. I used to have the knot below the curve on my skull, but it should be at the ridge/apex of the skull.
Over 8 years, my men was fused into the "bad shape" due to by incorrect himo tie....he said I should look into getting a new men so it can form the correct way. This men is "too late" to reform.
MEN: Practice same arm movement, elbows in, jodan(ish) strike. One motion. Loose arms. Strike with Hara not shinai - shinai will follow. Think of your feet and core first. Strike with core. Once you launch men, all motion must be at once, no pause or break, no inhale...only exhale. This amazed me, I didn't even realize that I was breathing wrong in my men strike....but Ota sensei saw it, and once he corrected me I noticed the difference. I was taking a split second inhale at the top of my men strike, this slowed my body down, made it hesitate by a fraction of a second. I needed to correct this to move higher in my Kendo.
Kiai: Spirit Sensei complimented me on my strong Kiai, but I wasn't correctly using it. I was having a strong Kiai, but then dropping it lower while striking then raising it up again during zanshin. This was causing my breath pattern to change, my body to slow, my pattern to change. I was confusing my body .Kiai needs to be instant at the moment of impact - Voice Powerful - Strike Powerful (crisp not muscle), Fumikomi. ..all powerful at that moment...then zanshin. He told me I was inhaling again to try to raise up my voice during zanshin. I needed to control my breath to allow an uninterrupted exhale. Peak its at the strike, Kiai is powerful -- then allow exhale beyond and into zanshin, turn...end exhale. Inhale prepare for next moment.
Once I corrected this over a few more repetitions I could see he was correct...my body was trying to do two different things in opposing influences. Now corrected I felt more powerful with less energy expended. Even Uchida sensei commented on the differences. Noting that my body, although injured, had much more seme to it during the strike.
Kote: Soft hands Sharp strike. Move through core - strike with foot. Kiai same.
Kote-Men Soft arms, strike though men. Propel your feet. Kiai...strong, stronger! Pressure with your Core not with your arms -- Proper KiKenTaiichi. Don't lean forward keep pressure and movement through posture not arms.
Do: (my arch enemy) - Extend OUT! Right elbow should not be bent. You should strike out. Correct posture is critical. Do not lean forward, this will expose you and cause you to slow down. You need correct posture, move -- basics, posture-- you can't extend your arms if you are leaning in. You need the distance your posture grants you if you stand up straight over your core. Don't hesitate it will be too late. Loose arms no power, rotate wrists - extend.
Keiko Surprisingly. Alright. He complimented me on the LACK of blocking and the willingness to accept a strike from an opponent. He said that for Yondan you will most likely fail if you block unless it is a oji-waza.(men kaeshi do) Being able to accept your opponent's strike without blocking is a mature kendo. He was very happy to see that my Kendo had developed beyond blocking. Keep your core engaged. Relax your arms. Strike with all of your presence, one fluid motion. Mind your breath, do not let your opponent control your breath. It they control when you breathe and how you breathe you stand no chance.
Even though I am still very bad (need a lot of practice - Ota Sensei said I still did immature kendo, but it showed promise) he mentioned that I was a quick study and that I had already applied the corrections he gave me. And he could tell through our Keiko that I had changed only in the short time we had to practice. He told me to write these down and study them often, to refer to them before practice.
Its amazing to see the level of Kendo from Tadanori Ota Sensei -- all the movement are precise. There is zero wasted energy. He was able to look into my mind and read every thought. He was able to READ MY BREATH. I stood no chance. His Seme threw me around the room. I had zero opportunities. I was soundly and utterly defeated, there was no part of my Kendo that he didn't already control, didn't already own. He knew everything I was going to do, attempt, thought...it was impossible UNLESS he left the opening for me-- hanging there for an eternity before his seme vanished in the air infront of me, a fog I could not get through...then after eons, I saw the opening and struck....
It was a truly Kendo-life changing moment.
He is a very kind man. We shared many smiles and laughter over dinner.
I felt like a little kid -- when I changed my Kendo he gave me a thumbs up.....and my heart was SO Thankful.
Uchida Sensei invited me to stay for dinner, a very generous and very delicious dinner. Over dinner we asked Ota Sensei some clarifying points about Kendo, Shiai etc.
Tsuba-zeriai We asked about the hansoku given sometimes for incorrect Kote on Kote Tsubazeriai, instead of Tsuka to Tsuka. He said that the young/college kendoka often to Kote to Kote in front of their chest, this is incorrect, but shouldn't be given a hansoku. It may occur if one's Kote is on the other's shinai, but usually Kote to Kote doesn't result in Hansoku. The judges may instruct them, but this is usually a sign of "immature kendo" they just haven't applied the correct practice yet.
Stopping Shiai by a Player For sometime now, after one of the more advanced students was verbally reprimanded in the middle of a semi-final shiai for raising his hand without verbally calling out "Yamae" or "Time" we have wondered what the rule is for a Kendoka to stop a match correctly. Ota Sensei was very puzzled why a shinpan would reprimand for this...it seemed inappropriate. Ota Sensei says that the rules say one can request a stop to the match -- but doesn't say HOW except for raising a hand. It is the Shinpan who then needs to call Yamae. If the judges don't the Kendoka can always say "time" or "yamae", but if they do or do not say it, should not be a point of reprimand.
I will post photos soon. Need to get them off my camera. But I doubt anyone will know....no one reads this anyway!
