Pyjamarama

Thursday night is Kobudo night.

After three weeks of training in tracksuit bottoms and polo shirt, I finally ponied up twenty squids for brand new pair of ninja pyjamas (or a Kobudo Gi as it is more technically known). Very swish, and certainly a lot more comfortable for moving around and getting sweaty with a sword.

The work tonight was mainly sword katas - drawing the sword, making several formal cuts, cleaning the blade with a flick of the wrist and sheathing it cleanly, finishing with a bow. Translating the cuts into our terms we were alternating tondo cuts for the first kata, squalembrato for the second, fendente for the third, ridopio and stop cut for the fourth and we didn't quite get onto to the fifth. More practice on break falls and disarms, and the two hours seemed to go very quickly.

One thing I hadn't realised is that the sword curriculum includes things like knotting cords to your sword hilt in decorative patterns and also techniques for tying up your opponent in humiliating positions. I wonder who I know who might be interested in that *coff* Rachel *coff* ... ;-)