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[Minamoto Yorito]

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Minamoto arose after preparing for training with techniques for breathing he had been taught."Yea, we breathe all the time (or else we die) but sometimes we stop breathing, or stop breathing correctly, in the middle of a sword fight!Usually this is due to poor or lack of concentration (the mental game), and a lack of training. Unfortunately, the stress of fighting can cause us to actually breathe less. Breathing less, or shallowly from the upper chest, tends to produce rigid movements, slow thinking, and poor reactions."Oxygen to working muscles if a huge key most forget about.Lack of oxygen sets in fatigue faster,which is not good in fighting.

Minamoto now found himself balancing atop a rope line stretched 10 feet high , 10 meters long. This was training for balance.
Something so average has balance alot take for granted. Having good balance and knowing you bodies limitations go hand in hand
during combat.Great balance is not something simply obtained by being, one needs to work at it and never stop.Balance is the difference from
stumbling over an object clumsily and receiving a mortal blow,or stumbling over an object and regaining fast your balance has to
not present the opening for a strike for extended length.

The next hour was spent still training, but in the heat Minamoto decided to train his timing in a stream filled with fine quick little fish.
Standing still against the current he practiced several things together. Breathing , to drive the point home for its need.Balance,trying to stay perfectly still against the current that is forcing his body down stream.Now a fish swims near,Timing, waiting not rushing his strike into the water to soon.Waiting, waiting,it draws near.in a flash he strikes down at it sending a plume of water head high.No such luck, but he did feel the fish,perhaps next time.

Now he would work on conditioning,often times he would cover two forms of his training during this.the first and most obvious, conditioning,while running long distances he would mentally run techniques and scenarios threw his mind.This of course,is the Mental aspect of training.Running the hardly used trails,Minamoto is left to his training.Most fights don't last long,but if the rare occasion occurs one had better be well conditioned.Lack of training in any one area leads to the domino effect.

Todays was a good day for a full day of training.Now he will inspect his weapons .Making sure they are sharp,he slides a silken cloth with uchiko over the blade cleaning it and applying the sweet smelling choji oil to the blade.

How often do people forget their training?

[Minamoto Yorito]

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This day was dedicated to swordsmanship, rising from his knees after prayer Minamoto drew his Katana from its sheath.
Wearing it with the blade up gave a offensive as well has defensive movement in the initial second of drawing the blade.
This practice would be very technical has well has mental in the fact ones katana is the soul,an extension if you will.
While moving threw various deflecting , downward slashes ,he usually ends in the gedan no kamae.

After practicing happogiri" series of eight direction sword cuts" ,he begins a serious of more katas to become at ease with the sword. jo-ha-kyu: a formalistic organizing principle, which has been variously interpreted as "slow, medium, fast" and "beginning, middle, end." In iaido it is characterized by a sense of rising action; for example, from an initial draw and small cut (or parry), to the larger, "killing cut.

Ending after long hours of training with "chiburi": moving the sword blade in such as way as to remove blood and tissue.

After taking great care of his weapons ,Minamoto now heads in for some time studying an abundance of philosophies.
He knows all well that the real key to anything is knowledge gained.having no real idea of where he comes from,one day he hopes to unlock this secret.For he understands there will be something somewhere explaining the tattoo of a dragon wrapped around his body with it majestic head poised to strike on his chest.These are just a few of the more rigid things he does has if preparing for something.Certainly everyone must feel the same.