Today we worked on ikkyo and shihonage for 6th kyu, 5th kyu, and 3rd kyu.  None of us are so good (me included) that we can not benefit from more basics.

We also worked on flow – doing kote gaeshi and flowing to maximize effectiveness and minimize effort.  We did it a la Barbarella, with a sword, and empty handed.  All of these ways should be the same.

Flow is particularly important for smaller people, as they can’t just muscle their uke when they don’t quite get it.  But if you move well, even a small person can be effective.

However, we then worked on kaeshi waza and henka waza from ikkyo, mostly for the advanced folks.  It is all about flow there too.  For either one, it is important to not take uke back along the same path you used to take his balance.  If you do, you will put him back on balance.  Instead, you should be like the Boers, and go back by a different route.

We did the 7 bokken suburi and shihogiri, then finished up with randori.  Very important to keep moving and keep turning, so people don’t sneak up on you from behind.