Video: Me at the USNF Nationals

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I was working on a video of me doing shiai at the recent US Naginata Federation's National Championships. The video went live on Google Video this morning.



Some may say I'm a bit of a narcissist to post such highlights of myself for the whole world to see. Take this in whatever way you wish, but I've always believed that, yes, even martial artists (and in this case, competitors) should use technology to help them improve. With modern video technology, the everyday person is afforded an invaluable tool he/she can use any time to pick apart not only their strengths and weaknesses but also those of their competitors. Of course this kind of study is mainly for people who to take a more hands-on approach to their training, rather than expecting to be spoon-fed by their sensei. well, I made this video to study, and I posted it much for the same reason that I write this blog: to share my thoughts with whomever cares to read or see. (I added the music to make it a bit more interesting.)

With that said and done, although this video is ostensibly a collection of "highlights," it actually represents just as much a testament to my folly: It is a compilation of almost all the action in all of my matches -- whether initiated by me or my opponent; whether the action resulted in a score or resulted in nothing. As one can see, the vast majority of my strikes did not score ... many were off target (slipping off the men, for example) or did not exhibit proper distance or zanshin. My speed and timing, however, wasn't so bad ... and except for the two times that Magpayo scored off me, I had reasonable responses to almost all attacks thrown at me. (I was scored on three times that day: twice by Magpayo and once by Saxton.) Even so, compared with my matches two years ago in Bryn Mawr (naginataka.com/bryn.htm), I seem to be less mobile. This, according to my sensei, is a mark of maturity, though I have to tell you, moving around the ring is much more fun.

Watching the video, I realize that Magpayo was able to get past my defenses not necessarily because he was quicker than what I could handle, but rather because his attacks were so smooth they didn't trigger my automatic responses. In fact, I hardly responded at all to the sune he threw to end our shiai in the team match (shown at the 1:23 mark in the video). Dealing with smooth attackers is something I must work on, because it seems that is a definite trait of the European naginata fighters who I will face in Belgium next year, and who I played with in the 2003 INF World Championships. (Click here for a video of the Belgian mens team in action)

I think that in general, the U.S. men -- particularly people like Saxton and Lowe -- are much more explosive in their attacks than the Europeans. We *might* be quicker, but the Europeans seem more smooth. And to me, their smoothness masks their formidable speed -- and their reach. It was very "interesting" fighting them in the 2003 INF worlds. And I'm sure it'll be interesting matching with them in the 2007 INF worlds as well.

Oh yeah, if any of you can point me to some videos of Japanese men naginata matches, please do so. I'm very much interested in checking out their style.

Well, enough for now. Back to work ....