Class with Bryce and Chris, Rakta Nadi called out, Alucard observed. Stretch and requirements, continuing to refine Chris’ basics and demonstration of requirements. Focus session on Jumping Tiger 2, Chris’ first practiced move. After the break, we did some move builder, and Balance 1 & 2.
Tag: balance
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Class with Bryce and Chris, Rakta Nadi called out. Stretch and requirements. Had Bryce go on his own while I reviewed Chris and instructed on neck cuts and head blocks, then I reviewed cutting patterns and moves with Bryce. After a break, we practiced combat movement and did continuous full circle cuts (100 steel for myself, 100 bokken for Bryce, 50 bokken for Chris), then took a jog (approx 0.6 miles) through the forest, followed by a few or so rounds of refined strikes, and finished with Balance 1.
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Class with Chris G, both Bryce and Rakta Nadi called out. Being his first night, we started by covering the Three Rules of Swordsmanship and the Six Traditions, then went through stance, how to hold the sword, and head cuts. In the second half, we practiced moving in stance (combat movement) and finished with Balance 1.
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Class with Bryce, and Chris G observed. Rakta Nadi called out due to work. Stretch and Bryce’s requirements, with me wielding one handed matching him on every technique. We then spent some time on Jumping Tiger 1, working on dropping into the second full circle instead of rebounding, and varying the final target between forearm and head or even clavicle. After a break, we did a couple rounds of Add-On, taking them up to easily 20 or so techniques before I would feed him one that was too difficult to defend against. We then did a few rounds of Refined Strikes, and finished with Balance 1 & 2.
Chris is so far very interested and will be back next week for his second observation.
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Class with Bryce. Once through our respective requirements. Focus session on Kill the Tiger. Break. Continuous Full Circle Cuts (100 him, 150 me). Three target Gambit (25 pass for me). Then we took 3 turns each making four passes, at the two groupings at opposing sides of the dojo, running between them on each pass (i.e. group A, run to group B, run to group A, run to group B). Finished with Balance 1 & 2.
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Class with Bryce, callout from Rakta Nadi. Stretch and we both did White Rope requirements, after which we did some focus work on The I Move and on The Tradition. A key focus was speed and movement, getting in and out of ma/measure effectively. After a break, we started with two-target gambit at 90 degrees, then a left-hand line of four-target gambit, and last a left-right staggered gauntlet-style four-target gambit. Next we did cuts and blocks while balancing first on end-wise retainer blocks, then on end-wise bricks. We finished with 100 Full Circle Cuts. As per usual, I used my new steel for everything.
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Class with Bryce. Call-outs from Rakta Nadi and Risa. Stretch and full through our respective requirements. Focus session on Akira. After a short break, we used the new free standing targets along with a couple of the previous targets such that we were both surrounded by four “opponents”, allowing for several rounds of Multi-Opponent Refined Strikes. We then did 100 Full Circle Cuts, and finished with Balance 1 & 2.
In addition to the new targets, this class was the inaugural night for the new free standing sword rack and an additional light array opposite the current strand of lights to cut out the severe shadows from the previous one-sided lighting.
I performed everything with steel except the Refined Strikes.
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Class with Rakta Nadi. Stretch and a review of his requirements. Focus on Kata Ich and The Lightning. Also worked on how to better incorporate his off-hand dagger. After a break, worked on stance and movement, then incorporated the sword back in for 100 Full Circle Cuts. Finished with Balance 1 & 2.
As usual, I did everything with steel, mostly two handed, but occasionally switching to one handed to match Rakta Nadi for a particular demonstration (and adding off hand dagger, too).
This was the belated final class for 2020, regular class will resume maybe late January, probably early February.
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Class with Bryce. Stretch and once through his requirements. Focus session on Jumping Tiger 2 and The Mantis, then a bit on Kata Ich. Break, followed by 100 Full Circle Cuts, some Move Builder, and finished with Balance 1 & 2. I used steel for everything (one handed for Move Builder to match with Bryce).
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Class with Rissa. Stretch and once through her requirements. Focus on thrust, advanced thrust, and Dragon’s Tail. Discussed how we present, through force of will, training ourselves to not telegraph when we know we’ve made a mistake, so an opponent cannot take advantage of it. After a break, 100 Full Circle Cuts, followed by Move Builder (we took turns creating a 3 — 6 technique sequence, teaching it to the other, and trying it out), and Balance 1 & 2.
Everything I did was was with steel.
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Class with Bryce and Rakta Nadi. Stretch and then they went through requirements while I observed and did minor training on the side. We then reviewed Cutting Pattern 2 for a bit, followed by Jumping Tiger 1.
After a break, we did 100 Full Circle Cuts (myself steel), a few rounds of Refined Strikes against the targets, and then I had everyone use blunted steel for target cutting practice against tossed pumpkins, which started out softball-sized and we took down to a pieces mostly no greater than a couple inches. We finished with Balance 1 & 2.
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Class with Bryce. Stretch and all of our respective requirements (myself wielding steel), then a focus on Dragons Tail. After a break, we did 100 Full Circle Cuts (again, myself with steel), a few rounds of Refined Strikes against the targets, and finished with cutting and blocking while standing on the planed and full round cabers (Balance 1).
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Class with Sal, Steven, Elijah, Dalton, Michael, Caleb and Nick. Stretch and requirements. I worked with Nick and Caleb, going over leg blocks with Nick and thrust block with Caleb. Before the break, we did a focus session on Thorn (new move for Caleb and Nick). After the break, we started with a few rounds of Refined Strikes, then Dodging 1 (I asked Sal to bring his bean bags), followed by 100 full circle cuts (bokken only), and finished with Balance 1 and 2 (including light contact facing off with Sal, Steven and Elijah on the raised beam).