It's interesting how the shinsa-prep season can seem so little like real kendo, even though it's supposed to be reaching for the real. Today was lots of kata-cramming and practice, which does not seem like the everyday, somehow: too too many small conventions to be followed, which are not often enough enforced. My kata is okay, but just needs continual practice by June.

Then after a few rounds of regular men-uchi and kirikaeshi, we moved into one-on-one shinsa practice with criticism from Sensei. Against my perpetual sempai, I did reasonably well, although I was told that I rush too much and am still too tense with my hands. Still, I heard a few good thwocks at least and some kote-nuki-men type waza. I didn't think too much and so barely even went for kote, although I guess I could have and should have. Then it was just watching other people keiko, which was interesting if only because it wasn't a shiai context.

Then we had four or five rounds of "shinkendo" practice--three menuchi, kirikaeshi, and then kakarigeiko until Sensei gets tired of watching you flail. Whew.