The grind begins. But after the kirikaeshi hell that was day one, everyone is back for more. Maybe we should change our normal trainings to morning; we seem to get a better turnout.

Quick warm-up, then into bogu and into it. Start with a couple of kirikaeshi, the memories of 24 hours earlier come flooding back, not liking this at all. But then it changes to gohan waza, I can do this. Then it’s kubungeiko, oh, can we go back to gohan waza, please??

Kubungeiko; what we all got up so early for and what we will be doing for the rest of the week. It goes like this:

• 1 minute kirikaeshi – about 7 or 8 sets
• more or less 3 minutes jigeiko
• 30 seconds kakarigeiko
  
• change sides
  
• then kotai (change partners)
•  rinse and repeat

So all up, one-and-a-half minutes of hell and six minutes of getting beaten up, with a bit of a rest being good motodachi in between.

First couple of sets, oh this is bad. I’m tired, my back hurts, there’s something in my eye, think I can stop to get it out, maybe miss a set, or two. This is taking more than a minute, surely time is up.

Third set, I’m at the end of the line, which means I do two sets of hell back-to-back, I’ll think of something to get out of this… hey, he blocked my shot, why didn’t I get it. Another opening, too slow this time. Watch for his movement, there it is, damn he’s too quick, but at least he didn’t get me. He’s going back, sucked in, try tsuki, fall short. But sucked in to the fight. Times up and he comes at me, full of energy, I struggle to keep up to offer openings, doesn’t really matter as he’s hitting me anyway. Ok, my turn for kirikaeshi, let’s get through this so we can get back to the fight. I get a couple of good shots in, he gets more, but I’m happy with that, it was a good tussle. A bit of kakari and we’re done.

Oh that’s right, quick turnaround, can I take a break? Nah, do one more, we’re half way there. Ok this kitikaeshi is a struggle, maybe I should have stopped, now take a breather.. bam, he comes straight at me, so that’s how you’re going to play it is it? Tries again, but not a clean shot this time. Third time’s the charm, I hit him with a beautiful debana-kote. Now I’ve got him. His turn for kitikaeshi, do I hit him as he’s turning around to teach him a lesson? Nah, better to teach by example, I make sure he’s ready then hit him with a nice straight men. That’s how it is done.

Fifth set, hey almost at the end. Breeze thru the kirikaeshi, but notice my steps are pretty small. Try to keep moving, but my feet seem stuck to the floor, the words ‘lead’ and ‘weight’ come to mind. Hey his kirikaeshi is pretty good, nice and big cuts and using the whole dojo, ok have to lift my game.

Last set, my best kirikaeshi, at least until the last couple of sets, ran out of voice. Good fight too, legs are moving again, probably moving in slow motion but it feels fast. Then we’re done. Finished.

Bowing out, we say ‘arigatougozaimashita’ just like at the end of every training, but this time we really mean it. We truly are thankful to everyone for turning up and getting us all through it. Times like this that you understand how Kendo is not an individual sport. And there are smiles all around, we all hurt, but we start comparing blisters as though they were old battle scars, badges of honour.

Till next time, oh f@%! that’s tomorrow!