A Warrior’s Spirit!
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
It is with a heavy heart that I write this final post on behalf of my beloved father, Geoff Salmon Sensei, who passed away on the 9th November 2018, joining my mother, his dear wife, Valerie who passed in July.  He was a true warrior until the end – and despite the ferocity of his final opponent, cancer, he never let it conquer his fighting spirit, dignity and inimitable sense of humour. As you will most probably know, Dad dedicated his life to mastering and teaching the art of Kendo. A pastime which began in his teens as a hobby and evolved in to a true passion and an integral ..read more
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I still love Kendo!
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Apologies everyone for my long absence from posting in this blog! Last November we moved home. At the same time my wife was operated on for Brain Cancer, so kendo took a back seat. In December I got the news that I have Stomach Cancer (one of Japan’s most popular). For a lifetime henna gaijin, it seems a remarkably appropriate disease. My lack of blogging is not so much a direct response to my illness, but for me training, teaching and writing are inextricably linked and I need the stimulation of all 3 (4 with refereeing) Thanks to  great medical care and friend and family support I am co ..read more
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Fixing fumikomi
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
There seems to be a tendency amongst newer kenshi to lift the right foot too high when making fumikomi. This results in a seesaw motion and makes it difficult to equalise the balance between the feet and to bring the back foot up quickly in hikitsuke, ready for the next move. There are lots of exercises designed to fix this fault, ranging from traditional footwork patterns up and down the dojo to lunges, with or without suburi. Some teachers use the idea of standing behind a line or court marking and throwing the right foot forwards as far as possible without moving the left.  In this way ..read more
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Not drowning but waving!
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
I have been asked to deliver a referee’s seminar in the in UK in late spring. The purpose is to prepare people to take on this onerous task before those currently doing it become too old or too frail or too dead to continue. I have very seldom heard of becoming a top referee as being high on the average kenshi’s bucket list. It comes a long way down from passing 8th dan, winning the All Japan/ World/European Championships, but like paying taxes we know we have to do it at some stage. Frankly refereeing is not cool. The last thing you are likely to hear from an exited group of high school kendo ..read more
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Making the most of every keiko
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
The Japanese university kendo club is the perfect environment for learning and improving kendo. Usually with at least one high grade teacher to direct training and correct faults, members rely on each other as training partners.  Given that there is a maximum 4 year age and experience gap, groups are usually highly cohesive and supportive, with the more experienced seniors leading and encouraging their juniors. This encouragement may have occasionally in the past created some pressure for those at the front-end of the process, but most ex-university kendo players look back with appreciati ..read more
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Lost Heroes
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Firstly apologies for taking my longest ever time out from writing this blog. A troublesome house move and both my wife and I running into some health problems slowed things down a bit. 2016 has been a year where my baby boomer generation lost many of its heroes. The list of famous people who passed away seemed long and relentless. We were by no means untouched in kendo with the sad loss of Chiba sensei and now Toda sensei. I was fortunate enough to get to know Chiba sensei well enough to write about him when he passed away earlier this year. Toda sensei I knew less well but had met him a numb ..read more
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Time out!
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Excuse the silence. Kendo info is taking a week or two off to cope with the chaos of last week’s house move, Back as soon as I find the box with my hakama ..read more
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Martial Aids
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Friends from a nearby dojo have developed an addiction to doing suburi with a device that looks like a bicycle pump. When recently asked for my opinion of such a thing, I took the view that if the ZNKR had thought it a good idea, they would have issued a book on “kendo kihon practise with a bicycle pump” or “jitensha no kūki-ire ni yoru kendo keikoho”. Apparently the device in question is supposed to slide open if you make a correct swing and stay closed if you don’t. I think it might be improved if it rang a bell or made a honking noise for each successful yuko datotsu. It may be that my view ..read more
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Zanshin – All or nothing
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Helton asks the difference between kigamae and zanshin.  This question deserves more than a two word answer. Kigamae  in everyday Japanese means mental position or approach. According to the AJKF Japanese English Dictionary of Kendo the meaning of kigamae is “the state where one’s entire body is alert and ready to react to the moves of the opponent’s mind and body that precedes a strike”.  In effect it is your “mind posture” a state of awareness where you are completely tuned into your opponent. The focus of kigamae is anticipation of your opponent’s movement in readiness to str ..read more
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More on good manners in keiko
kendoinfo.net | Kendo information from Geoff
by Geoff
2y ago
Last week’s post prompted some interesting questions. Tsuki as a technique is as important as men, kote and dou. As with attacks to all of these targets ippon is generated by a sharp, accurate on-off strike. Debana tsuki like debana men is made just as the opponent starts an attack. You should strike just as he starts to lift his hands, so it is up to you to step-in and hit the men dare. Mukaetsuki is a tsuki that meets your opponent’s forward movement as he steps in to attack. Not only are you holding him off with the shinai’s point, you are increasing the force with which you receive him by ..read more
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