Kendo Camp

Returned from what i would say the most physically demanding camps. Comparing it to NCC camps, NCC camps are really really very slack. It was also a really fun camp. A camp that i have learnt alot from, a camp that was a refreshing experience to me.
Checked in on Tuesday, also known as day zero where everyone settles in to the rooms and gets ready for the next day. Everyone headed off to Ang Mo Kio Hub, NTUC, to get drinks, snacks and various items. After everyone got back, we awaited for Suresh’s mom’s dinner.
Ai say, good job auntie. Love the rice!! It was delicious, really does go well with the chicken.
After dinner, everyone retreated back into their rooms or just sitting around outside, chatting or PSPing. The rooms are relatively big as compared to the classrooms of my secondary school days. It has air-conditioning, so no complains there though it switches off at about 11pm, that’s where the industrial fan comes in. All hail the mighty industrial fan.
The room is pretty comfortable in my opinion, one can really sleep well in there.
Everyone watched a “documentary” on a particular practitioner of kendo, named Naoki Eiga of the Japan national team. It was about how he has been as a kendoka. I shan’t go into details as it be frightening. It’s really inspiring to see how he has picked up from defeats and just decides to go back to the very beginning of his training. He finally realized he was too obsessed with victory and decides to put all his focus to putting that one hit on his opponent no matter be it victory or defeat. It really reminds me of how a natural flow of mind can be a powerful factor.
Day 1, the beginning of training. PT was horribly tiring. The jogging was still manageable but when it came to the exercises, it was TEH killer. After morning PT and breakfast, we began learning katas. In my opinion, it was like the footdrill of kendo. All that seriousness and focus together with precision of movement. Katas are really fun, interesting too. Then it was on to the bogu training. Training would be spilt into about 3 to 4 sessions a day. This carried on till Thursday. The after-trainings were just basically free time/rest time. Everyone would be out at AMK, chit chatting, some already deep in their sleep, PSPing, and even PS2ing thanks to kian chew for his contribution =x
If i recall correctly, the seniors had an evening training at Clementi on one of the nights. Respect to them for their hardwork(bows). By Friday, everyone was bushed out, at their limits, and thank goodness everyone had a half day break before our final night training.
Other kendokas from NUS, SMU and the AKT, gathered at our humble NYP hall/dojo to train. Damian sensei was also present at the training. It was a really heart warming, encouraging and fun training. As the numbers were great, everyone’s morale was boosted and all trained their hearts out on this final training of the camp. Though we were training our very most basics, i feel that it was also good as it is important for one not to forget their very basic foundations that are important for performing wazas correctly and as accurately as possible. After training ended, Damian sensei ended it with a traditional banzai cheer. Everyone though exhuasted both mentally and physically, all still had high spirits.
Dragging our burned out, muscle aching bodies back to the SA forum, everyone retreated back into the chilled rooms and just laid still to rest. Cold showers rock by the way. Washing up and all done, everyone decided to order in MacDonald’s for dinner. I turned in at about 4am.
The camp was a really tiring camp, but still a lot of valuable lessons have been learnt from it and i can never forget them. I personally feel that i have brushed up on my basics and took note of the many mistakes that i have committed and will definitely do something about. Sorry Nabil, still working on that left foot! I will make it parrallel if it’s the last thing i do! Also, everyone bonded even more in the camp, got to interact more and played games together, it was great. Wearing the hakama with a t-shirt is cool !!
Special mention for the muslims in the camp. Totally salute them as it was their fasting period but still went through the entire camp. Thank you to all seniors that have put this camp together, it was great. Though honestly i would dread the next camp, solely because of the trainings that i would expect but still i would endure with all my strength.
So, i shall end my post about camp here, till next time.
Cheers.