Uncategorized

One of my favourite photography quotes is from an old TV show where the fashion photographer was enthusing about some great shots he'd taken. Wonderful was the reply, you managed to take some nice pictures of an incredibly beautiful woman. Despite all the Dove ads out there, neither Dove nor photoshop is the reason for … Continue reading A Good Enemy – Nov 21, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

A friend of mine in Japan expressed some sadness a few years ago when reporting on a national iaido championships over the sameness of everyone's iai. This wasn't really all that surprising of course, with a set of judges who have standardized idea of what they want to see, you will get a serious attempt … Continue reading I Don’t Look Like My Sensei – Nov 15, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

Something my son said the other day triggered a quick calculation in my head. I figure I might have another 15 good years to do what I want to do with my life. After that I'm likely going to be doing a lot of sitting around or mouldering. So when the "powers that be" start … Continue reading Fifteen Good Years – Nov 14, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.ca/2011/07/glimpse-at-bubushi-escape-techniques.html

The Kendo Federation and other such multi-art organizations with standardized curricula can create some confusion in students about who is in charge, who's their teacher and who you learn from. At a koryu seminar recently I found myself going into a bit of a rant about it all. I was standing in front of a … Continue reading Sensei, teachers and guys you learn from – Nov 11, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

In most budo clubs I know sensei says, at some point or other, "even if I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to you". It's always a good idea to listen to sensei correct someone else because in all liklihood you are making the same mistake. This is especially true if you're at around the … Continue reading It’s not always you – November 12, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

My sensei said that some advice from Japanese Admiral Yamamoto on training went: Show them, explain it to them, make them sweat and then praise them. My sensei said that he uses: Show them, explain it to them, make them sweat, then criticize them, tell them what's wrong. If you praise students they think they … Continue reading Stuff my Sensei Said 1 – Nov 3, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

I received a question about Niten Ichiryu recently which touched on kata and theory and real-life fighting (as any discussion of Musashi almost inevitably does. The question: Can we find the principles and techniques Musashi talks about in the Go Rin no Sho in the modern kata of HNIR? Musashi describes a wild, realistic fight … Continue reading Kata and Theory in Niten Ichiryu – Nov 3, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

A bit more on the idea that budo is training for war. Mostly I'm talking about the koryu and yes I know folks argue over budo vs koryu, I had the same argument with my brother when I was a kid. I had a little metal wheelbarrow and he said it was steel. We had … Continue reading Budo as the Art of War II – Oct 26, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan

Late 1500s Japan: Trench warfare. Volley firing in 3 ranks of 1000 guns each rank . A battlefield with more guns on it than existed in all of Europe at the time... Whatever would make anyone think that the koryu were to train people for war? You don't need, nor have you ever needed the … Continue reading Budo As The Art of War – Oct 21, 2014, Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan