Trying to do both kata and kihon bokuto waza does not lead to learning twice as much, but rather half.

No sensei for keiko today, mostly kohai--some I was satisfied with, others not so much at all--I should be trying for bigger men, and more degote beyond my usual debana-men routine. I'm reminded again to relax more--sing and dance a little, but above all just take it a little easier.

Saturday sensei tells us also that we should all have a concrete goal in mind--however simple--for each keiko. He gives us an example of how he is trying to change the grip of his left-hand, to be more v-shaped, even though this gives the last two fingers less power. In watching him hold the shinai from the side, I saw for the first time just how lightly the right hand holds the shinai--not holding, but attached, encircling. Something to further emulate.

Also, I finally understood what "kaeshi" means in "kirikaeshi," "kaeshi-do," and "kote-kaeshi-men"--I always thought it meant to hit, or deflect, or bounce--it it just means to return: the difference between kaeshi-waza and suriage-waza is just whether the shinai passes over and around the other, attacking shinai. Now that makes more sense--less of a bounce, and more of a minimal arc to go all the way around...