- Being back further does not help me attack better, or give me any advantage: it takes longer to attack, and my opponent has more time to defend because they see it coming, and when I hit men we will be the same distance apart anyway, so there is no advantage at all.
- Other people's ma-ai will not be so big, so they will move in closer to attack. What is the point for me trying to stand back so far?
- When we are at the "normal" ma-ai I have a disadvantage because I have not practised attacking from there, or closer. I actually had to learn anew how to do small stamping cuts when I came here.
Being short in kendo may be a disadvantage, but being tall is more a hindrance than anything else. Being "normal" size is the real advantage. People who are of average size can have strong kendo.
4 comments:
Hi:
It would probably irk you to say that I think your teachers are right re the ma-ai thing, and your own thoughts wrong. I've practiced kendo for 9 years, but I say that not to brag, because I think I'm fairly crummy for having practiced 9 years. I said it, so you can see where I'm coming from.
Cheers!
Why do you think this? Please explain.
Explanation:
Generally speaking:
1) Many concepts in kendo are difficult to verbalize. Even between people who speak the same language, it is not easy to explain, let along between your Japanese sensei and you. As such, sesei are often uttering observations to students without supporting details, and leave students to "get" those observations through diligent practicing and self-reflection.
2) Your teachers are actually good teachers (according to you), and they wouldn't make the ma-ai observations to you without sound kendo reasoning. And odds are 1 million to 1 that their reasoning is better than yours:)
And now specifically speaking (addressing some of your comments that I can see you being wrong, given my limited kendo training):
1)"it takes longer to attack, and my opponent has more time to defend because they see it coming" - That is you being too slow and inefficient with your motion, and not an issue of distance, at your current level. When you get to a higher level, and if you still have the same problem, then it's because of your lack of seme and sutemi, but again not an issue of distance.
2) "when I hit men we will be the same distance apart anyway" - I think this is patently false. With your long reach, when your shinai touches the aite's men, the aite's shinai will be short of your men by at least an inch. And kendo is a game of inches.
3) "Other people's ma-ai will not be so big, so they will move in closer to attack. What is the point?" - The point is that when they start to move in to attack, you should be all over them already. Remember, when they move, they can't hit. And when they try to move, they are already within your striking distance, so hit them!
If I could be 22 again, and were afforded the chance to do the same thing in Japan as you are, and have the experience and knowledge that I now have, I would just not think. Just do what your teachers say. Try not to think. Practice hard. And enjoy the country and experience.
Cheers!
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