1) Ganmen Ate
James said put left foot behind after blow while doing saya biki to get in right position for tsuki. Bit confused about this to be honest - check with Mick. It makes me off balance?

2) Morote Tsuki
Brought sword way too far back down back for cut - remember to pass through Jodan on both cuts. Sword shouldn't be behind back. Use the Kashira as a targetting system all time and sword will follow in right place

3) Soete Tsuki
Remember to 'pull out' tip before dropping sword with hand and watch fingers dont intrude onto blade in a risky way

4) So Giri
Good but dont stop and cut - try and keep it going.

5) Kesa Giri
Draw blade out more to 60% to fool opponent, and point kashira at opponent for more accurate upward sword path. Chiburi needs to be down a bit and tip not angled

6) Sanpo Giri
Watch feet on first cut to chin - still slightly wrong. Get in right place and hips automatically square when doing second cut
dont get glommed on to an opponent you have cut, keep moving and looking at next opponent

7) Noto - blade should be flat when doing noto, then it won't ride on your hand in a dangerous way

General points
* Feet still not always square, particularly left foot, still tendency to turn out
* Hakama was rubbish, it fell apart. Try tying not so high up belly, also make it easier to draw and do noto. So long as main flower KNOT is over tanden, all is ok. Not sure I am tying my obi that well

DONT PAUSE KEEP IT MOVING OR PAUSES SHOULD BE MINISCULE

1) Mae - bigger cuts! Still too high on first cut. Back foot not straight enough on Noto. Hooking on Noto. Knees hurt a bit.

2) Morote Tsuki - aim for straight cut on head to chin and it will appear diagonal (Jim said).

BIGGEST THING WAS THIS: dont pull the blade back to do tsuki. Keep it in position from after first cut, and then move your body to give power to the tsuki. Don't bring feet up so far that they are even, need to keep stance. If you pull blade back to your centre to do the tsuki, it's telegraphing, and is very weak.

CUTS INCLUDING SANPO AND SHIHO GIRI - finishing cuts too far out with left hand too far from your centre. I could do it when i did it slower. Mick said 'bringing in biceps' has same effect as pulling in left hand to centre. Big elliptical cuts like casting a fishing rod.

3) Nuki Uchi - chiburi was better but still a bit high. Watch this. dont angle tip down either

4) Kesa Giri - Mick reckons blade is about 60% out before you turn saya. Try it. This does make it easier. I was not drawing blade out enough before turning left hand so saya flips

GENERAL TIP - KEEP LEFT HAND MOVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, USE AS A PIVOT on all cuts, keep blade moving. Makes it more flowing and dynamic

GENERAL TIP - NOTO, absolutely it's about PUSHING saya on with the LEFT hand.

Here is the full Ogura sensei Seitei and Reiho in colour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5_JaRaOtQ

Lesson 15 January.

Dont look too camp or angry. Keep expression neutral.

When doing Ukenagashi, make sure there is plenty of saya biki and the sword is raised to protect your body - not too far back. Try angling the arm to keep the tip on your knee. LOTS more saya biki on that difficult noto.

Nuki uchi. You are adding an extra movement on the chiburi. Try pulling your centre back first (this applies to a lot of the katas) then simple arm movement, imagine you are sweeping peas or carrots off the top of a table. Dont overextend chiburi and dont cross your centre line.

Soete tsuki - push left shoulder forward before the tsuki to make it more pronounced. Watch you dont get tip tangled with your sageo which happened TWICE

Sanpo/Shiho - i got them mixed up. Remember on Sanpo Giri, make sure hips facing opponent (look first too) BEFORE the cut. Kashira is targetting system, as always

Good digest of main teaching points from the dreaded book:
http://ejmas.com/tin/2012tin/tinart_taylor_1212.html

NOTE on Morote Tsuki, only cut down to chin. And dont let blade drop during Mae. Tighten little finger of left hand to keep it up

This is interesting. I am going to try the 'palm' tip for morote tsuki. http://ejmas.com/tin/tinart_taylor1_0300.htm

I like this quote. "The index finger overlaps the thumb, and is used in the grip. See how this changes the angles between the blade and the forearms, and how it is now impossible to extend the tip forward, or touch the right thumb to the left wrist without "breaking" the wrists. This grip is common in beginners, and gives a short, circular shaped chop as opposed to the lovely elliptical slice we so prize in iai."

An ellipsis looks like this

Lesson 8 January 2017

* Cutting – move tip first by tightening left hand. Tip needs to be firs thing to move

Kesa Girl

* Keep right hand in place draw blade and simply turn saya upside down with left. Right doesnt move. You then need to do a cut up but make sure blade is in right place for cut down

* Chiburi on Shiho Giri

Move centre and bum back first before sword

* Chiburi on Kesa Giri

Kind of push out sword before making chiburi for seme