Learning Experiences

I spent my weekend basically doing kendo. The two people I fought were probably the two best fighting of my division that day. Of course my whole team got wiped by them.

The first guy I fought was someone who had okay, but not so great kendo. Granted I lasted like 15 seconds, but his kendo was still...off. It didn't feel good. That's all I can say. Perhaps it was that his kendo was bad, or perhaps it was that I didn't feel like I had a good fight with this guy.
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The second guy also kicked my ass. But he was good. There was definitely a different feeling fighting him. Perhaps it was that I felt I didn't want another 15 second match, or that his kendo was good, or maybe it was something else. Or maybe it was just that my pride wasn't completely dismembered. But I admit, his kendo was good, and the fight was intense. I guess that's what constitutes a good match to me. Is when I feel something pulsating, when I feel like I lose or win fair and square. That's a good match.

More interestingly I sat with a sensei, Hashimoto-sensei. I think that was the most enjoyable helping-scorekeeping experience I've ever had. I learned a lot about kendo history, player history, and player styles. This sensei was also the sensei that one of my senseis Matsueda sensei first learned from. Or really learned kendo from. I think actually meeting someone who taught him, was an honored experience.

I've noticed that most senseis I've met are very fun and easy going. I suppose that's what makes them such good senseis, is that they're easy going, and able to see the best in everyone.

In this tournament I think I learned more from not fighting than I did from fighting.