Basics and then sparring. I need to work on more random evasion and better use of block-and-counter.
Category: Uncategorized
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Kneeling iai one through ten, standing iai one through six and fighting techniques one through six.
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I went through my Red Rope requirements twice tonight, repeating a few of the named moves several times to work on getting back into their flow. My desire is to begin training in the Western Circle style in earnest again in order to prepare for and take the Red Rope test by the end of this year.
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Class tonight was primarily focused on standing iai five through seven and fighting techniques one through six.
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Brad led class tonight, though he had me lead warm-ups. We paired off and worked on mai te, mai geri, and combo mai geri mai te, with the uke always just trying to maintain a good mah. We then worked on Heian Sandan, teaching it to some of the newer students, including a short break-out session where we paired up to practice the escape and counter after the nukite.
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Class led by Chuck tonight. There were some beginners in class, so we did all the standard kihon, heian shodan, and did some partner practice one step below ippon kumite, then stepped it up to regular ippon kumite with specific blocks dictated.
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Tonight we reviewed kneeling iai 1 – 5, standing iai 1 – 3, and combos 1 – 6 (of which 5 and 6 were new for me).
Combo 5: attacker makes right waist cut, defender makes right waist block, knocking the attackers blade downward, then steps to the left making a cut to the opponents exposed right side.
Combo 6: attacker makes left waist cut, defender makes left waist block, levels blade and shuffles in with a thrust to the chest, blade horizontal.
We then were video taped doing the kneeling and standing iai for Master Shaw to review when our sensei visits him next week.
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Mori Sensei, Lindsay and myself arrived in Stanford at the SKA Winter Special Training on Friday shortly after 6pm. We signed in and got changed for the first practice which was scheduled for 7:30pm.
The details of the practices I will not log, but there was a lot of training to be had.
Final practice ended Sunday afternoon around 1:30pm. We gathered ourselves, said our goodbyes, and went back to the house the women had been staying at for showers and final packing, then headed homeward.
It was a full weekend of training, distinctly different from PCKD special practices. It was an interesting experience, but not one that I expect to repeat unless necessary (to obtain 1st rank black belt with SKA, you must attend one special training, I believe). My primary source of dissatisfaction comes from the way some of the practice session are held and how some of the other attendees act and interact. I do not take favorably to the “drill sargent” approach at all, and it was a distinct presence. All in all, I do not regret going, and I am pleased to have surpassed this requirement.
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I attended the Saturday morning class today at Mori Sensei’s request. She had me lead warm-up, then we went through kihon. We focused most on kumite as Mori Sensei wanted to be sure that Lindsay and I are prepared for the up-coming Winter Special Training. I still need a lot of work on maintaining proper distancing, and in making my counter-attack more timely (either pre-emptive, or “as one breath” rather than one-set-two).
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Before class, Dave asked me to take some of the younger students through kata. We we went through several times, I made a few comments, including timing and how to make the turns tight and fluid, so that as they improve, hopefully the ideas will be stewing inside them and one day it will just click.
We bowed in with Dave leading class tonight. First kihon, then ippon kumite, then the lower ranks were released. Afterwards we did sanbon kumite, then drilled penetrating as the defender, and finally ended with jiyu ippon kumite. I need a lot of work on minimizing the mah, penetrating the attacking opponents mah as they attack, and staying close as they pass by. -
There were a couple new students tonight, so we reviewed the basic cuts and blocks (head, temple, wrist, waist, thrust) , then drilled on them. Near the end of class, we machine-gun drilled the head and temple blocks.
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Tonights class was led by Brad. We did warm-up, kihon and worked on Heian Shodan for the first hour. The class is trying a new format, so at the end of the hour, the lower ranks were released and the upper ranks that were interested stayed for the final half hour to work on advanced techniques. Tonight we did Ju Te a few times through, then finished with iai.
After class I spent a little over fifteen minutes (a mile and a half of variable speeds and inclines) on the tread mill as a part of my push to prepare for winter training at the end of this month. -
The Myo Sim Kendo class is back on Monday evenings and I attended tonight. I had intended to review my past journal entries in preparation as I have not kept up my practicing, but I didn’t make the time. Luckily, I had forgotten very little and the class went well for me, though I do need to recondition my body (hands, legs and feet).
We reviewed standing iai one through eight (skipping seven) with our boken, then did attack and defense drills with shanai. There were three students including myself, so a small class tonight. It was good to be back. -
I led class tonight. There were three others; Sean, Ricky, and Ashley. We warmed up and bowed in, then did kihon, including going through the uke sets a second time stepping backwards. We then worked on Taikyoku Shodan and Heian Shodan, including using proper timing and focus. I followed this with bunkai (interpretation/application) for Taikyoku Shodan. For the last twenty five minutes of class, we did ippon and sanbon kumite, chudan level, rotating so that everyone had a chance to face each other student, finishing with a demonstration by Sean and myself to give Ricky and Ashley and idea of the intensity level and focus they should be striving for. With a short cool-down stretch and bowing out, we ended class.
I was pleased that I remembered to include bunkai. The last time I had a chance to lead, I forgot I wanted to do that. Next time I have the chance, I want to have the class analyze one of the Heian katas (nidan or higher), or a portion of one.
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I attended a special brown/black belt practice with Mr. Jim Sagawa today in Auburn. As the only brown belt in attendance, I hope I performed well. The practice was very good, the primary focus was on the kata Jion. There were several details that were clarified through out the practice. We also touched on nearly every Heian kata and Taikyoku Sandan in exploring the techniques and movements used in Jion. At a rough estimate, we performed Jion thirty times through, total.
I am placing the Winter Special Training on my calendar as a tentative. It is at the end of January, and consists of three days of heavy training. All SKA members must attend a minimum of two special training events prior to testing for their Shodan rank (1st degree black belt).
Mori Sensei also noted that, if I am truly interested in achieving Shodan with the SKA, I had best begin practicing 5000+ times through Bassai, the required kata, now. -
Class led by Brad tonight. Kihon, then interesting drills in kiba dachi, followed by kata. Notably, we reviewed Jion.
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Made it to karate tonight. Class was led by Sean. Basic kihon warmup drills, followed by kihon bag work, and the remaining class was kumite oriented, including jiyu kumite. I got to work with Lindsay for the kumite, which was good.
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Class led by Dave again tonight. Straight in to kihon, then followed by ippon kumite, then sanbon kumite, and finally some machine-gun ippon drills. It’s good to be back.
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Finally got back to karate tonight. Of all the nights to pick, tonight was a “Dave” night. Actually, it was really good, and I was quite pleased to be back. We did a heavy warm up including kihone, then paired off and worked ippon and sanbon kumite the rest of the evening, ending with some machine-gun ippon drilling.
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I made the Saturday class today, lead by Mori Sensei. She asked me to lead warm up, then we bowed in and began directly with partner kihon. Initially the defender just worked on mah (distancing), then later added kihon uke and gyaku zuki. Next was some basic ippon kumite. We then practiced specifically with a forward 90 to the outside with an empi uchi (elbow strike), and also a back 90 to the outside with an elbow locking/breaking technique. For the last of this set, we use a ‘go no sen’ throwing technique, best used against an opponent that make long penatrating oi zuki. The defender lunges forward with the outside leg into the attack, brushing the tsuki to the inside with their own outside hand as the their inside shoulder drives forward through the opponet, putting them off balance. If necessary, the hind leg then sweeps the opponents forward leg and/or the defenders outside hand may be used to grab the opponents hair or back to add leverage.
For the final segment of class, we practiced close-range combat for situations where someone is holding on to you and/or you are in confined spaces. It was all about the elbows and knees and such.
After class I demonstrated Junro Shodan to Mori Sensei and Sean. I need to practice it much more, of course, and she mentioned my chudan oi zuki was really more gedan (In considering this, I suspect I was simply thinking too much about pattern, not enough about good technique). -
I have been remiss in my training lately due to a number of excuses, but they’re really only excuses. However, I just returned from the 2nd Annual Pacific Coast Karate-Do Summer Gasshuku. It was an excellent weekend of training, camaraderie and companionship, and it was really good to see old friends again. I believe no matter how many Shotokan schools I train with, my heart will always be with the PCKD group.
Saturday morning after breaking our fast, we all trouped down to the lake shore either on foot or by car. We cleared a section of the beach of objects detrimental to bare feet as best we could and warmed up on our own. Bowing in at 5600 feet elevation with the beautiful lake and granite mountains as the “front” of our “dojo”, we began with medium speed kihon. Rabbitt Sensei took us through all the usual kihon including multi-technique sets, then moved us into kata. The gravelly sands began to heat up as we partnered and started in on footwork and body movement drills, practicing rotating to the outside 90 degrees back or forward, and sliding to the outside. For each motion, after first practicing just the footwork, we would then add counter attacks. By the end of the drills, the sand was reaching blistering temperatures (I swear I got one or two from the heat – they certainly weren’t friction blisters!) and the elevation and workout was likely taking its toll on many, though I didn’t see much outwardly. We bowed out and returned to camp for a much needed lunch break and some afternoon relaxation (in whatever form suited each individual – whether it be a nap, mountain biking, or a refreshing swim).
In the early evening we all reconvened for an informal session at camp. The yudansha were placed in one group with Rabbitt Sensei and the remainder in another with George Sempai. Under George’s tutelage, we learned Junryo Shodan, a form intended to train good footwork and body motion, using a great deal of stance transitions and alternating standard and gyaku technique. Details may follow (I wrote it down, but it’s a long list of technique!).
The evening passed pleasantly with good food and company and everyone did their best to get a reasonably good nights sleep in preparation for the next day of training.
The Sunday breakfasting was a bit slower than the previous day, as I don’t believe anyone escaped at least some minor stiffness from the previous day. I say it just goes to show everyone was making their best effort. Returning to our beach front “training hall”, we again warmed up individually, then after bowing in went through the kata from the previous evening a few times to get the blood flowing and re-enforce the memories. This day’s focus was primarily awareness of your opponent and of how the body moves. We did several add-on drills, including a group elimination circle and one-on-one partner work. Each drill took us closer to Jiyu Kumite, and eventually that was where we ended, trading partners several times. After adequately working each other over, we lined up a final time to bow out, with that beautiful backdrop staring back at us.
It has been an excellent weekend and I look forward to the 3rd Annual event next year.
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Class lead by Brad. We did a bit of kihon, working on our ‘ki’, or ‘feeling’. For kata we went through Taikyoku Shodan, Heian Shodan, and Tekki Shodan, the last extensively. To finish off class, we had sanbon kumite.
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Tonight’s class began with Chuck leading and myself plus five others as students. We worked on our form for oi zuki, gyaku zuki, mae geri and yoko geri all from zenkutsu dachi, plus uraken in kiba dachi. We then got bags and applied the techniques with partners. During this, Chuck had to leave and I took over class. I had us finish the bag work, then we practiced some combinations. First oi zuki, mae geri, gyaku zuki. Next shuto uke (kokutsu dachi), mae geri off front leg, gyaku nukite (zenkutsu dachi). Last we did tettsui uke, shift to kiba dachi and empi, uraken, gyaku zuki (zenkutsu dachi). Everyone did very well.
Following this we went through kata’s Taikyoku Shodan, Heian Shodan and Heian Nidan at least a few times each.
To finish off the night I lead through a brief cool down stretch before we all lined up for makso and bowed out to the dojo. -
Class lead by Hiroko Sensei. The main gym was being worked on, so we were in a raquetball court. Kihone, ippon kumite and kata tonight.
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Training lead by Hiroko Sensei.