Ichi's humble deception is one The Shadow can well understand. While it's sometimes aggravating to be misjudged due to his age, he's learned that playing the part of a feeble old man can have its advantages.

"Oh, certainly. I have knee pads..." Yoga and tai-chi can only do so much, and his knees are likely not quite as resilient as Ichi's. He does try on his knees a few times, however, just to get the feel of it for more extensive practice later. Ichi will find him a very quick study, although that's hardly a surprise. When he feels he has the movements down well enough to know how they should feel, he takes a moment to stand and rest. "Would you mind a brief practice at the proper speed? It might be nice to get a feel for it all with an opponent, and I'll pull my blows." His tone is light, careful to not pressure Ichi into a sparring session if he doesn't feel up to it, or doesn't quite trust The Shadow. On the other hand, Ichi has a sword in his cane, while The Shadow does not.