Today we got a bit esoteric. Tried working on the subtle difference between changing maai (distance) and getting the hips into the cut.
Usually we practice some basic patterns: step left start drawing, step right and cut, step left and ready the sword, step right and cut again. Problem is there is no distinction between the movement -- closing in on a retreating opponent -- and the final enter-and-cut, which both closes and powers the cut.
So we mixed it up and tried stepping only once, stepping three times, stepping back and cutting, etc. Trying to get people to think about distance and about powering the cut with the hips. Should not matter which direction you move, what matters is the distance to where you're cutting, or more specifically the distance between where you are, where he is, and where you will be and where he will be when you connect the cut.
This tied nicely into the kata gyokko, my absolute least favorite kata simply because I really, really cannot do it worth any beans whatsoever. It's the perfect way to concentrate on moving (back, out of the way) without losing the hips which must immediately return and drive the cut forward.
And btw it looks like Elvis rocked his 2dan in aikido. Nice job; back to work!