How to get to Homerton College (CB2 2PH)
The structure of a session may vary according to circumstances. People should arrive a little earlier so they have time to get changed, prepare their equipment and clean the dojo, which occasionally involves stacking hundreds of chairs out of the way. The announced start time is the time the session starts, not the time you should arrive at the practice venue.
- Ritsu-rei on entering the dojo
- Brief warm-up and stretching
- Kendo Kihon Keiko Ho or Nihon Kendo Kata (sometimes at the end of the session)
- Suburi: Students will complete between 30-100 of all/some of the following:
- Jo ge suburi
- Men uchi ni kyo do suburi
- Zenshin kotai men suburi
- Zenshin kotai sayu men suburi
- Sonkyo suburi
- Matawari suburi
- Kote men suburi
- Katate suburi
- Haya suburi
- At the command of the most senior student, everyone lines up:
instructors on the side of the room opposite the door; students lined
up with most junior nearest to door.
- Sei retsu: line up in correct order
- Chakuza: all sit down in Seiza
- Shisei o tadashite: straighten back/sit up straight
- Mokuso: a brief moment for meditation
- Yame: stop mokuso
- Shomen ni rei: bow to the flag
- Sensei ni rei: bow to the sensei (when we are so lucky as to have one)
- Otagai ni rei: bow to each other
- Men o tsuke: seniors put on men (and kote)
- Kirikaeshi and kihon practice
- Uchikomi geiko and/or Kakari-geiko
- Ji-geiko sparring. For safety reasons, at least one of the two partners must be 1-kyu or above.
- Cooling down exercises
- Line up in seiza as before
- Seriretsu
- Chakuza
- Men o tore: take off (kote and) men
- Shisei o tadashite
- Mokuso
- Yame
- Sensei ni rei (note slightly different order!)
- Shomen ni rei
- Otagai ni rei
- Ritsu-rei on leaving the dojo