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Kyudo - August 15-16 - Class and Garage

Class on Saturday was focusing on exercises to strengthen and correct movements and a bit of, what I would call "visualization practice". Which is, once again, not something I haven't been told in the past.

For class, we practiced TORIKAKE (grabbing the bow with the METE and setting the grip). We took quite a few turns at imagining exactly where we wanted our hands to end up and then attempting to move into that form without fidgeting. I hadn't realized how much faster some moves are when you don't waste time. This practice will be important for my shinsa, but also for everything else.

Fast forward to today, and I started applying this to other areas of the HASSETSU where I was struggling. HIKIWAKI into DAISAN, then DAISAN into KAI and lastly, KAI into HANARE in particular. 

At each stage I would focus on where I wanted to end and how I wanted to get there. From HIKIWAKE into DAISAN I was focused on getting my YUNDE rotated toward the target without extending too far so that I can successfully resist with the METE.

For DAISAN into KAI, it was a bit more active. I had to reinforce it mentally the whole way through. The focus here was just opening outward at the elbows, evenly. If everything else was setup properly I pretty much devote myself to focusing on that.

And into HANARE I would think on where I wanted my hands to end up.

Now I just need to build up a list of these for the entire sequence for shinsa, focusing on my weak points. I think if I can build up that mental list and practice it, I should be able to get myself to a good place.

Side notes... TSURU wasn't really hitting chest at the dojo. Differences are pretty much all clothing related. Footwear and hakama/dogi. The immediate thought was shoes. So I swept, setup a yoga mat and went barefoot. Things improved, but didn't go away. 

Also, my quest to improve YUGAERI by not attempting to improve my YUGAERI goes well. Got full rotation 3 times out of 7 and about 75% rotation 3 more times with the worst shot in that respect being half.

The only (intentional) change was the focus on the even draw. A lot of the other changes have started to settle in. And the even draw further helps reduce both intentional and unintentional shifts in my grip. In addition, pulling the focus away from my YUNDE also tends to "lock in" whatever grip I established at the end of DAISAN. 

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