Fumikomi and length of stride

Got to try this:

Two things you can try: first, incorporate a lunge stretch into your warmups. Hold your shinai horizontally across the small of your back and stretch out with one foot forward and the other back. The forward leg should be bent at a right angle, shin vertical. The back leg can have the heel up, but the feet should be straight. Keep your back straight. Twist towards the front leg (to the right with right foot forward) and push into the small of your back with the shinai.

Second, from the same position stretched out, but this time with a target in front. Hold the shinai tip on the target as if you'd just hit it, arms straight (whoever is holding or being the target should help adjust distance). Make sure you're good and stretched out, thigh horizontal. Keeping your left foot in place, draw back into chudan kamae. Now attack the same target, and when you hit freeze into the stretched out position (no follow-through). Check yourself for straight back, straight feet, straight arms. Rinse, lather, repeat. After maybe 10 reps, hit the target and follow through.

Written by Neil Gendzwill sensei in this thread.