Class with Jesse B, Risa, and Miriam. Derek observed their second class. Stretch and requirements, and then a focus on Thorn again. After the break, Jesse and I had 5 bokken matches and 10 steel matches, then we left our armor on for the remainder (except helmet and mitts). We discussed some of the lessons observed in the sparring, then the class did 100 continuous full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel), then a few rounds of Refined Strikes.
Tag: full circle cuts
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Class with Jesse B, Bryce, Risa, Chris, Miriam, and Ben. Derek observed his first class. Stretch and requirements. Paired the other four off while I worked with Miriam and Ben on the requirements format and improving their Cutting Pattern 1. Brought the class back together for a focus session on Thorn. After the break, we worked on stance and combat movement, Advanced Response Training, Pel Gambit, Machine Gun Drill (Head/Decap), and finished with 100 continuous full circle cuts (steel for Jesse and I).
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Class with Jesse B, Risa, Chris, Miriam, and Ben. Stretch and requirements. I paired Jesse with Ben to review basics and then teach Cutting Pattern 1 while I worked with Miriam to review her basics and add Decap Block and Leg Block. We all reviewed Jumping Tiger 2 (learned in case of Miriam and Ben). After the break, we did our 100 full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel), machine gun drill for Neck target, and finished with Balance 1 & 2.
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Class with Jesse B, Bryce, Chris, and Ben. Stretch and requirements. Worked with Ben on improving current skills and added Decap and Leg blocks. Reviewed some of Chris’ technique. After requirements did a study session on Jumping Tiger 1. After the break, we did 100 full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel), followed by several rounds of Refined Strikes (I worked with Ben some, then had him do the rest with a pel). We finished with a round of machine gun drill, doing just head attacks/blocks.
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Class with Bryce and Miriam. Stretch and requirements. I worked with Miriam, starting her on 1-handed sword tonight, going over Defensive Stance and Full Circle Head and Neck cuts, and Bryce worked solo mostly, though I joined him for his cutting patterns and reviewed a few of his practiced moves. After the break, we did continuous full circle cuts (me 100 steel, bryce 100 bokken, miriam 50 bokken). Next we did Refined Strikes, Bryce with me and I had Miriam practice her few cuts with one of the pels. We did a couple rounds of Advanced Response training, and then finished with Balance 1 & 2.
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Class with Jesse B, Belladonna, Bryce, Risa, and Chris. Stretch and requirements. I placed Bryce and Risa together, Chris with Jesse, and I reviewed Belladonna. We then did a focus session on Jumping Tiger 1. After the break, during which I scattered bricks and sundry about the dojo for altered terrain for the enter second half of class, we started with 100 continuous full circle cuts (Jesse, Belladonna, and I with steel), then machine gun drill, first just head cuts, then just neck or leg cuts. We finished with an elimination round of Add-On with a max of 10 exchanges.
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Class with Bryce and Risa tonight, and Miriyam observed their second class. Stretch and had Bryce and Risa go through requirements while I reviewed mine solo. We then briefly touched on Cutting Pattern 2 review, and then did a study session on The Tradition. After the break, we did 100 continuous full circle cuts (myself steel), refined strikes against the pels, then refined strikes with an uke, and finished with several rounds of Advanced Response training.
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Class with Jesse B and Risa. Stretch, after which I reviewed each of their reqs up through cutting patterns, then paired them to go through practiced moves and kata while I observed. We did a study session on Double Thrust, focusing especially on the footwork and movement.
After the break, we started with 100 full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel). We then then scattered the balance materials (bricks, cabers, smaller cinder blocks, and some trimmed tree trunks and large limbs) around the dojo space and spent a while doing “The Floor is Lava” (Balance 1), first with no bokken, then carrying the bokken, and then lastly we took turns so we could practice blocks and cuts. We finished with a three person variant of silent sword (I opted for boffer for this first time).
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Class with Jesse B, Risa, and Chris. Stretch and requirements (I paired Jesse with Chris, and I matched Risa on White Rope reqs). We then did a focus session on The Mantis. After the break, we did 100 full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel) and then a couple rounds of advanced response training. We finished with dagger training, reviewing the critical targets and then doing Refined Strikes with daggers.
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Class with Jesse B and Chris. Stretch and requirements (they worked together while I reviewed mine solo with two handed steel). I reviewed the six deflections with Jesse and then we all did a focus session on The Tradition. After the break, we did 100 full circle cuts (myself two hand steel (and Jesse)) followed by a few rounds of Refined Strikes. We set down our boken and worked a bit on a drill passing just by your opponent, relating it back to The Tradition (among other things). We returned to our boken and I paired off alternately with Jesse and Chris for several rounds of Silent Boken.
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Class with Chris. Stretch and we both did his Green Braid requirements, then reviewed both Thorn and The Tradition for a bit. After a break, we did 100 full circle cuts (myself two handed steel), a couple rounds of Refined Strikes, a few rounds of Advanced Response training, and finished with a couple rounds of Add-On.
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Class with Risa. Stretch and our respective requirements (I did mine with sword and dagger). We then worked on Akira for a while. After a break, we 100 continuous full circle cuts (myself one handed steel), then some unarmored parry (aka switch parry), followed by unarmored initiative parry (i.e. like centered cuts in that the role switches if there is a pause in the attacks). Wrapped up with Advanced Response Training using shinai.
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Class with Risa. Stretch and once through our respective requirements (I used one handed for everything tonight). Took a break, then did continuous full circle cuts (myself 100 steel one handed while holding my steel dagger in off hand). Next we did a couple rounds of Refined Strikes, then a couple rounds of Add-On, and we finished with boffer parry (one attack, three attack, and switch variants).
I had to cancel the last couple classes due to schedule conflicts.
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Class with Risa and Chris.
I ruminated on the nature of martial training, and indeed many sports, how we push ourselves outside our comfort zone in order to discover our true limits, whether it be environmental (rain, snow, heat, cold), physical (thousands of strikes, nonstop battles), or other.
Stretch and requirements once through (myself full solo reqs with steel). Focus session on The I Move. Break. 100 continuous full circle cuts (myself steel). Advanced Response training, Refined Strikes, and finished with round robin limited target parry (we stood in a triangle and defended from one direction and then attacked the other direction, started with just head to get the flow, then added neck, and finished with any of head, neck, or decap).
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Class with Jesse B. Stretch and requirements for both of us. We reviewed Kata Ni a bit, then reviewed his steel requirements which I matched, including a little extra time on Cutting Pattern 2 and worked a bit on Jumping Tiger 2 in steel.
After a break, we did 100 continuous full circle cuts with steel, a couple rounds of refined strikes, reviewed draw cuts a bit, and finished with a couple rounds of Add-On.
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Class with Jesse B, Risa, and Chris. Stretch and requirements (paired Jesse with Chris, I matched Risa on White Rope requirements). Did a study session on Thorn, emphasizing aggressively closing the distance to interrupt the opponent’s technique. After the break, we did 100 continuous full circle cuts (Jesse and I with steel), and a couple rounds of Refined Strikes. Next we had several passes through a gauntlet, first just the wooden pel dummies, then added us in amongst the pels as additional targets. We finished with some multi opponent training, putting one person in the middle with the other three arrayed around them, announcing their attack and then making only head or neck attacks with the person in the center only blocking.
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Class with Risa and Chris. Stretch and requirements. I reviewed Chris first, then paired Risa with Chris to go through their requirements while I soloed mine. We took some time to do a focus session on The Mantis then took a break. We started the second half with 100 continuous full circle cuts, then a few rounds of Refined Strikes. Finished with Balance 1 & 2.
It was a steady rain all class with a good bit of soggy, mushy areas throughout the dojo making for uncertain footing.
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Class with Risa. Stretch and our respective requirements full through. We then did a focus session on The Tradition. After a break, we did 50 continuous full circle cuts, Advanced Response Training, and finished with one round of Add-On.
(I was back to two handed tonight. Last week class was cancelled due to no students.)
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Class with Risa. Stretch and we both did White Rope requirements (myself one handed). Did some study on Dragons Tail and Double Thrust. Took a break. Did 50 continuous full circle cuts (bokken), advanced response training (boffer), and Refined Strikes.
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Class with Bryce. Stretch and then we both did White Rope requirements, myself matching him in one handed. We reviewed Akira and The Tradition then took a break. Afterward, we resumed with 100 continuous full circle cuts (bokken), followed by refined strikes, and then we donned helmets and mitts for Advanced Response training, switch Parry, Centered Cuts, and finished with a round of Add-On.
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Class with Bryce and Risa. Stretch, some leap frog and kneeling advance warm up, and requirements once through. Focus session on Akira, then a break. 100 full circle cuts (bokken), Several passes through pel gambit, refined strikes, and finished with Move Builder.
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Class with Bryce and Risa. Stretch and had them go through requirements while I solo’d my own (steel). Reviewed one of their practiced moves then took a break. Afterward, did 100 full circle cuts (mine steel), refined strikes, advanced response training, and pel gauntlet.
(missed a few weeks due to back to back travel)
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Class with Bryce and Chris. Stretch first, then I reviewed their respective cuts and blocks individually before putting them together for requirments while I soloed my own requirements. We then took some time to work on The Mantis, including examining variations in application. After a break we did 100 CFCC (myself steel), a few rounds of Refined Strikes, and finished with Balance 1 & 2.
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Class with Bryce and Chris. Stretch and had them do requirements while I soloed mine. We then did a focus session on The Tradition. After a break, we did 100 continuous full circle cuts (myself steel), a few rounds of Refined Strikes, and some Pel Gauntlet.
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Class with Chris. Stretch and our respective requirements, with him repeating his practiced moves a few times through. Focus work on one of his moves, then a break. After the break, we did just 50 continuous full circle cuts (myself steel), then a couple rounds of Add-On, then we donned helmets, mits, and legs for armored parry ( 1-attack, 3-attack, and switch- ).