People begin practicing Kyudo for many different reasons. Among them are health, sport and mental discipline. My personal reasons for starting were rather spurious. Whatever the reason you must train to advance.

   Miyamoto Musashi tells us in his Book of Five Rings that the way is in the training. Training is obviously important.

   So how do you train? The first step is to seek out a qualified instructor. There are few instructors in America. You must each seek out the most qualified person that you can find.

   The Hassetsu is a rational progression. You must start at Ashibumi and work your way through. If Ashibumi is incorrect if the Sanjujumonji is incorrect then everything after will be incorrect. Nerai, the aim, is one of the last things on which you need instruction. I see many with Sandan or higher who hit the target but the arrow was not aimed at the target. This means that you are compounding mistakes for the sake of hitting. Sei sha hi chu means to correct your mistakes and you will hit the target.