East Coast Tai Kai 2013 - Personal Recap
Tai Kai has come and gone! Whew. It was an exciting, amazing, fun experience, but also extremely tiring. Still, I believe it was successful, and hopefully we will have even bigger and better ones to come in the future. From what I can see, the participants outside of the NYC area truly enjoyed themselves and everyone competed to the best of their ability.
Since rejoining the dojo around late May, this event had been looming over my head. For a long time, I was unsure if I would even compete. Though we are encouraged to try our best and let that be enough, one just can't shake the feeling of unpreparedness that comes with taking time off. Still, I went in there and did what I could.
I got a lot out of the experience, and I'm extremely happy that I chose to participate, despite any lack of skill and preparation I was imagining prior to the Tai Kai. I learned a few things about myself and reaffirmed my initial thoughts on community (see my thoughts on it from an early post a few years ago).
1.) Throw expectations out the door and just try your best. As a musician who used to compete in competitions (and win lots of medals) I know full well how expectations can cripple you. Regardless of how you think you will do or where you are in skill, focus and perform the best you can. You may surprise yourself. I think I cut better this weekend than I have in the last two months since coming back. Nothing was perfect...but it was an improvement. Concentrate on what you're doing, not how you think you'll do.
2.) Regardless of where you are, believe you can win. This is not the same as expecting to win, but believing you have a chance can give you the confidence needed to perform your best. Things happen - people may have a bad day, and you have a good day. Nothing is pre-ordained. Don't let negative belief undermine your potential. I didn't make it past the first round in any event I tried ... but this doesn't mean I will never compete in those events again. I did well (for me) and after seeing some of the things that happened, I'm even more certain that I had a chance. You've trained hard...so just do it.
3.) Be confident but recognize your skill level - choose your events wisely. Yes, come to Tai Kai to have fun, and maximize your experience...but use the seminars as a way to try out new stuff...not the tai kai events. If you are at a skill level where you may be able to compete safely without ever trying it (such as Hayai Nuki) then that's one thing...but Waki Tameshigiri or Iai Tameshigiri probably aren't good events for first-timers...(unless it's something you train in, as part of your style). Try and do whatever you want, but be honest to yourself.
4.) Everyone is here to share the Sword Arts with each other. Talk to people...develop friendships, learn from other styles. Try not to limit your experience to things you already are familiar with - you may learn some interesting stuff. Incorporate what is useful and learn everything.
5.) Regardless of where your skill is, you can contribute. If you can't compete, then help out. One of the first things I ever attended with the Dojo is Swordfest, at Drawdy Sensei's dojo. I had been with the Byakkokan for 3-4 weeks. I could not help with demonstration, but I could certainly help with setup and cleaning. This is part of the spirit of Budo...it's not just about attaining rank and gaining strength, but also lending your time and hard work to help sensei and sempai. Other dojos notice this, whether you think so or not. Show everyone that our spirit is not just limited to Kata, Cutting, and Gekken.
Everything I mentioned is taught to us in class all the time, so hopefully they are not new to anyone. Still, Tai Kai was a good reaffirmation of these things, and an overall confidence booster for me. Though I won nothing, and pretty much washed out in the first round for everything, I feel I performed better than I had been before, and I feel good about the progression I've had in the last couple of months. It was not the pressure of winning that drives me, but the desire to do better than before, and in that I think I succeeded. Hopefully this progression continues.
whew. long post. well, if you didn't read any of it, I guess it can be summarized easily: GANBARE! Which in Japanese means hang in there / Do your best!
Since rejoining the dojo around late May, this event had been looming over my head. For a long time, I was unsure if I would even compete. Though we are encouraged to try our best and let that be enough, one just can't shake the feeling of unpreparedness that comes with taking time off. Still, I went in there and did what I could.
I got a lot out of the experience, and I'm extremely happy that I chose to participate, despite any lack of skill and preparation I was imagining prior to the Tai Kai. I learned a few things about myself and reaffirmed my initial thoughts on community (see my thoughts on it from an early post a few years ago).
1.) Throw expectations out the door and just try your best. As a musician who used to compete in competitions (and win lots of medals) I know full well how expectations can cripple you. Regardless of how you think you will do or where you are in skill, focus and perform the best you can. You may surprise yourself. I think I cut better this weekend than I have in the last two months since coming back. Nothing was perfect...but it was an improvement. Concentrate on what you're doing, not how you think you'll do.
2.) Regardless of where you are, believe you can win. This is not the same as expecting to win, but believing you have a chance can give you the confidence needed to perform your best. Things happen - people may have a bad day, and you have a good day. Nothing is pre-ordained. Don't let negative belief undermine your potential. I didn't make it past the first round in any event I tried ... but this doesn't mean I will never compete in those events again. I did well (for me) and after seeing some of the things that happened, I'm even more certain that I had a chance. You've trained hard...so just do it.
3.) Be confident but recognize your skill level - choose your events wisely. Yes, come to Tai Kai to have fun, and maximize your experience...but use the seminars as a way to try out new stuff...not the tai kai events. If you are at a skill level where you may be able to compete safely without ever trying it (such as Hayai Nuki) then that's one thing...but Waki Tameshigiri or Iai Tameshigiri probably aren't good events for first-timers...(unless it's something you train in, as part of your style). Try and do whatever you want, but be honest to yourself.
4.) Everyone is here to share the Sword Arts with each other. Talk to people...develop friendships, learn from other styles. Try not to limit your experience to things you already are familiar with - you may learn some interesting stuff. Incorporate what is useful and learn everything.
5.) Regardless of where your skill is, you can contribute. If you can't compete, then help out. One of the first things I ever attended with the Dojo is Swordfest, at Drawdy Sensei's dojo. I had been with the Byakkokan for 3-4 weeks. I could not help with demonstration, but I could certainly help with setup and cleaning. This is part of the spirit of Budo...it's not just about attaining rank and gaining strength, but also lending your time and hard work to help sensei and sempai. Other dojos notice this, whether you think so or not. Show everyone that our spirit is not just limited to Kata, Cutting, and Gekken.
Everything I mentioned is taught to us in class all the time, so hopefully they are not new to anyone. Still, Tai Kai was a good reaffirmation of these things, and an overall confidence booster for me. Though I won nothing, and pretty much washed out in the first round for everything, I feel I performed better than I had been before, and I feel good about the progression I've had in the last couple of months. It was not the pressure of winning that drives me, but the desire to do better than before, and in that I think I succeeded. Hopefully this progression continues.
whew. long post. well, if you didn't read any of it, I guess it can be summarized easily: GANBARE! Which in Japanese means hang in there / Do your best!
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