Hanshi - The path to 8th dan: Shimizu shinji Hanshi

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"When judging for a grading, I always pay attention to whether they move from the legs or not."

Shimizu Sensei talked about the common factors for candidates who fail the examination. He talked about the common denominator of failed examinees: "The examinee often makes unnecessary strikes, and the examinee is half-hearted in terminating the strikes. It would be better if the they could make a decisive strike, but many of them are not able to make one because they are confused by the opponent's movement or intention. Shimizu also pointed out that the candidates' kendo bogu at the judging was not aligned, and that the color of their kendo uniform was faded. He said that these points can be improved if the examinee is aware of them, so they should be checked before the examination.

The items pointed out could not be improved simply by the examinee practicing hard. As for the issue with the examinees hesitating depending on the opponent's movements, it is necessary for the examinee to have the spirit to have faith in their own kendo during keiko and to be determined when facing any opponent.
In addition, I think one of the ways to improve examinee dress is to be conscious of dressing neatly on a regular basis, and to have someone around you check your appearance in a mirror and look at your appearance objectively. What I learned from listening to Shimizu's talk is that it is important for the examinee to always approach practice with the attitude and attire of an examinee.

Hanshi - The Path to 8th Dan

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