Sweet thanks, that means I am well past 200. Do you know if on the test you get more than one try to reach 200?
One try only. You get two tries to reach 50 to get your 1 Kyu grade, but only one try for all the Dan levels. And each cup is a count.
My understanding is that you start with the tama in the ozara (big cup). As for the rest: A) 1 catch is a count of 1 B) you can use a kendama that does not have a string so you don't get tangled up C) the speed of 135 catches per minute is the required but they tend to go by "feel" and usually don't time it unless you are attempting a "marathon," then it is checked every 10 minutes D) moshikame is usually the first trick of the level test because it takes so long E) the number of tries for Dan level tests is 1 but this is somewhat flexible and can be re-administered if there is enough time (they'd really rather it only be 1 per day for most levels) And since we're on the topic of Moshikame, here's the song that is connected with the trick.
@lategreat808 Just remembered about this older thread and have merged them so everyone can check out the older replies too.
BTTT. Just curious if anyone has found some secret mojo trigger to hit high count moshikame (MK)? I'm hoping to take a JKA test this year and really need to improve my long haul MK counts. So far the best I've been able to do is a tick over 600 both right and left handed but can't seem to push through to the 1000 count goal I have. It seems that I tend to do better when I listen to music but while that's great for practice I don't know if I'd be allowed to do it for a test. While I realize this thread is in the "Beginner's" section and listed as "A Beginner Must" it's also required for JKA testing through 4th Dan. With all the joking about "Big Cup" in various threads I have to admit that I do actually miss Big Cup (and Base Cup for that matter) when I'm practicing this so for me it's only half a joke. In the FYI category the JKA requires these MK counts to pass (One attempt at 135 bpm): 1st Dan - 200 2nd Dan - 300 3rd Dan - 500 4th Dan - 1000 I've been using this app for counting: Clap Counter
Stamina training absolutely helps. Start your day with 3-5 minutes of straight moshikame-ing (don't worry if the tama drops), then after a week or two (or when you're comfy), up it to 8-10 minutes, and repeat as desired. Try to stay within the 135-bpm range. What works for me is to keep the counting in the head to a minimal. Employ a four-step count (counting only till four, and repeating the process). Why? Because counting all the way up to 1,000 tires you mentally, and counting only to four makes you forget how far you've gone (which absolves you from unwanted stress), and nearly all numbers above 4 contain two (or more) syllables, which can be a mouthful, and also put you at stress. You really just want a "one-two-three-four, one-two-three-four, clack-clack-clack-clack" in your head. As i recall correctly, music is allowed. On a personal note, lyric-less tracks work best (lyrics can mess up with the count).
@azleonhart It's funny you mention a 4 count I used to use a 4/4 count like in a waltz for the longest time. Speed-wise I usually have to slow myself down so I use a metronome periodically. That app I mention above gives you a bpm which is handy so now I don't count at all I just go until I drop. I did notice that going stringless really helped especially left handed. I was always snagging the string between my thumb and the big cup. I'll have to check into the music thing, that would be great if they allowed it for a test. I kind of zone out when I use music and I have a rough idea of how many I've done based on song lengths. I did ask them, only half joking, if I could do two-handed and only do 500 each hand for a total of 1000. . . they said no. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ When I have a new kendama I always end up using it for MK training string and all. It helps break it in quickly and puts an even texture all over the tama. I switch and do MK with the small cup as well just to change it up.
mannn i always go stringless, no matter what. There's really no point to practice strung, then go stringless during the test itself.
I dunno, i think it’s over complicating things. When going for Dan counts or record counts, there’s usually someone invigilating/counting, so i don’t need to know what the number is. I just need to keep my concentration and stamina up.
I usually feel a cramp inside my palm when doing moshikame some minutes through practice. Will this go away as I progress or is there a grip technique to avoid this? My sara grip is usually my pen grip. Thumb and index fingers touching above the ken (position of ken is horizontal with big cup facing me) while middle finger rest below the ken and the rest of the fingers supports the middle finger. For variation, I sometimes move my middle finger 'up' so it and index fingers and thumb are above the ken. PS. The heavier the tama, the greater the discomfort/cramp.
If you notice that your fingers are turning white around the fingernail then you're holding the kendama too tightly. Just dial back the death grip a bit and you should be OK. Also make sure you're using a "supported" sara grip with the middle and ring fingers in the kozara. (Check here for a photo, second and third pix top row) You should be able to remove your thumb and have the ken just sit there level on your hand. To break it up and tweak your neural paths a bit try doing it left handed.
When i had the opportunity to visit a kendama dojo in Tokyo, one of the daily drills is to just Moshi for 5 mins straight. Some simple maths : regulation sets Moshi at 135bpm, so 5 minutes should give you about 600+ Moshis, which is a great work out. As @goenKendama puts it, ease down on the grip. It should be firm enough to hold the ken, yet loose enough where someone could take it out of your hands. You’ll notice that after a few minutes of Moshi, the arm and fingers start to tense up. Take a breath, and loosen up the shoulders, the arm, the elbow, then the wrist, and the fingers. It gets easier with practice.
Follow up: No, I don't have a hard grip on the kendama. Supporting the ken with middle finger and ring finger is helpful - needs getting used to. Practice time will help with this. I also do moshi kame on a kendama with strings attached. I think I get the strain from when the ball drops. It kind of yanks your hand down and you have to pull up. Once this happen for more than a couple of times during practice -- the hand's palm part hurts for me. I just discovered one way of practicing: not sure if it has merit but it does ease on the hurting a bit. Simply put, the ball and string got separated from the ken. I used my non-ken hand to hold on the string and then do the moshi kame. This way, no dropping and picking of ball and also no strain on ken hand. Downside, sometimes the string got tangled on the kensaki and that will mess with the handle.
I when I went stringless I got tired of chasing the tama under the bed so I just started practicing over the bed. Now even when I'm having a bad day I only have to reach a little to pick up the tama.
Since this is an endurance skill I pretty much mastered moshi kame except for the repetition (w/c is the whole point to moshi kame). My goal for now was to get 100 straight - so my practice is 5 minutes non stop (with lots of dropped balls). Using the clap counter app suggested by @goenKendama, I managed to clock over a 100 clap/minute for around 600 claps. This is my routine daily. There is the strain on the inside of my palm still -- but will manifest much later compared to before. Now, the pain I felt remains even after practice. I feel it when I press on the part. It is below the pinky finger. I don't feel pain using my hand normally. Just when I press on the palm just below my pinky finger that I felt the pain. I'm thinking that it's a sore muscle under development. I'll observe for a week or two if this is the case. Just sharing. Good day, all.
@bencan There shouldn't be any "pain," aching muscles from the repetitions maybe but not pain. The pinky finger is throwing me, are you putting the pinky in the small cup in addition to the middle and ring fingers? If there is actual pain, not discomfort or ache, I would recommend stopping for a week or more to see if it gets better. It's possible that you could be causing RSS (repetitive stress syndrome) or something similar. If it continues to be painful after a week off you might consider seeing an Orthopedic specialist or Sports medicine doctor.