The Swedish Kendo Federation has been honored to have had Kurt Schmucker sensei and Karen Yesowich Schmucker sensei, USA, attending and leading our Naginata seminar this summer. The three-day seminar consisted of engi, shiai and Zen Nihon kata practice, where the teachings of Schmucker sensei and Yesowich Schmucker sensei helped the attendees improve their naginata profoundly.
Through great knowledge, skill, and creative methods Schmucker sensei and Yesowich Schmucker sensei carefully demonstrated shikake-oji waza, shiai exercises, and kata for us before observing our own practice. Through intensive training and valuable feedback, every attendee improved on an individual level, which has helped improve Swedish Naginata overall. We have now been introduced to new helpful methods to continue help us improve our Naginata, which we will implement in our own everyday practice.
It is with great pleasure we summarize the events of this weekend, and we hope to be able to see them in Europe soon again. A big thank you to Kurt Schmucker sensei and Karen Yesowich Schmucker sensei and to everyone attending this seminar – doumo arigatou gozaimashita!
Elin Sandqvist
Swedish Naginata federation