150 continuous full circle cuts and then a long slow review of my requirements, pausing to examine and take notes on certain techniques that I want to ask Kaiden Gad about when I see him in a couple weeks.
Tag: full circle cuts
-
35 gambit passes (four targets, close bunching), 150 continuous full circle cuts, focus session on several practiced moves: The Samurai, Blood Fountain, The Mantis, and finally Defense Cut including variations.
-
Class with Bryce. Stretch and once through our respective full requirements. Spent some time on movement, really focusing on length of stance and maintaining as we moved about. After the break, did our full circle cuts (150 for me, 100 for him), then did some sequence building, and finished with a flow drill where we had to continuously chain practiced moves with no pause.
-
150 full circle cuts, then spent time on precision targeting against one of my targets. Ended up constructing a sequence I’m currently dubbing “Blood Fountain”. It is a three cut flow sequence, opening with a feint high (face-ish) to draw the guard (either starting in left stance or stepping into left with the feint), then swings into a rising femoral (right stance), rising brachial on the return (left stance), and finishes with a carotid (right stance). Each cut is accompanied with a cross step stance shift to engage and incorporate lateral movement. It should work really well for a one hander, especially with a small shield, but should be good as a two hander, too. These should be fast, slashing cuts against these soft targets, there is no need to cleave.
-
35 Gambit passes (three target grouping), 150 continuous full circle cuts. Continued working on movement and speed with moves such as The Samurai and Phantom. Small bit of flow work, chaining a succession of Practiced Moves together non-stop. All with my newest steel.
The recent new sword is very nice but has a point of balance (POB) about 3.75″ from the guard. My old sword has a POB at 1.5″. The relative difference in handling is sufficient that I decided to see what was available and there happened to be one sword left with a 1.5″ POB and all the other same dimensions, so I picked it up. This means I now have a “battle blade” with a nimble disposition and I will sharpen the other. All are BKS Slayers of the same dimensions, just varied guards and pommels.
-
my requirements, 150 continuous full circle cuts (recorded for review), worked a bit on distance accuracy with three of my steel swords (new, old, and the one I won for performance in Best of the Best), sword danced to Type O Negative’s “My Girlfriends Girlfriend” (meant to do “Cinnamon Girl” but misclicked and just went with it).
I have discontinued the official “Open Dojo” after discussing with my only active student as there is no reason to hold it if he cannot or chooses not to take advantage of it, hence today and future Tuesdays are simply solo training.
-
Gambit 35 passes, 150 continuous full circle cuts, and spent focus time on The Shadow and variants of it, plus misc other bits. All steel.
-
Class with Bryce. Stretch and once through his requirements. Focus sessions on Kata Ich and on The Illusion. After a break, gambit against a grouping of three targets (I did 35 passes), followed by Balance 1 & 2 in the form of; walking forward and backward on the flattened and full round cabers with no sword, then standing on two edgewise bricks will cutting against a target, then standing on two endwise bricks cutting against the target, and finally advancing on the cabers into range and standing on the full round while cutting against a target. We wrapped up with continuous full circle cutting, 100 for him and 150 for myself. As usual, all steel for me.
-
Solo practice. Requirements full through, some focus for a bit on Kata San, then spent a while working on Akira with variations on foot work. 150 continuous full circle cuts. All primary steel.
-
150 continuous full circle cuts with my primary steel hand-and-a-half
-
Solo training, stretch and my Silver Chain requirements. Focus on my Cutting Pattern 4, evaluating if there are any adjustments I should make to it (ultimately, I determined no changes at this time). Also spent time on Cutting Pattern 3, double checking the footwork. 150 continuous Full Circle Cuts. Also reviewed my other moves: Dragon’s Bite, Kodiak (one-hander), and Hidden Phantom (sword-and-shield, a variation on my move Phantom that I first noted several years ago during Arata’s Farm combat). Everything performed with steel, as usual.
-
150 Full Circle Cuts with steel
-
Solo training because Bryce called out ill. Stretch, my Silver Chain requirements, some focus on Cutting Pattern 3, 100 Full Circle Cuts, and some Refined Strikes against one of the targets. All steel.
-
Solo training (Bryce called out). Stretch, my requirements, focus on cutting patterns 3 & 4, 100 Full Circle Cuts. Focused on slower movement to examine quality and precision. All steel.
-
Class with Bryce. Stretch and once through Bryce’s requirements. Focus sessions on The Illusion and Jumping Tiger 1 & 2. After a break, we worked on multi-opponent gambit passes for a bit with two targets at 30 — 45 degrees, then going through the middle of four staggered targets. Finished with 100 Full Circle Cuts. Used my steel throughout.
Rakta Nadi has let me know he will be unable to attend for a while due to work.
-
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.
-
Solo training, warmed up a little with some Shotokan kata review, then stretched and reviewed my Silver Chain requirements. Spent some time doing some focus on The Samurai, both two handed and one handed, looking at footwork, distance, and speed. Also briefly looked at Whispering Wind a little, I’ve been noticing an awkward pull on the second cut and I’m trying to find how to improve so I’m not fighting the sword. Finished with 100 Full Circle Cuts.
My petition for Silver Chain training and testing was accepted a few weeks or so ago and my evaluation period official began March 1st. I had sent a draft training contract proposal and at the end of last week I received it back with my testing council’s changes. I’ve arranged to meet with Kaiden The Severer in a couple weeks for a final discussion before the 4/4 start date for the training contract, which will run to 8/1. I have a lot to accomplish over the next several months.
-
Class night but no students. Rakta Nadi no-show, call-outs from Bryce and Risa. I stretched and reviewed my Silver Chain requirements, after which I set up three targets in a triangle and spent some time on multi-opponent gambit/Refined Strikes. I finished with 100 Full Circle Cuts. Everything performed with my new steel.
-
Class with Bryce. Both Rakta Nadi and Risa called out. Stretch and once through Bryce’s requirements. After which, we did a focus on Akira again. After a break, we did some Move Builder, each constructing a couple sequences, followed by 100 Full Circle Cuts, and finished with a few rounds of Refined Strikes (with the 6′ targets). As usual, I wielded steel, including the Refined Strikes.
-
In addition to regular weekly formal class, I have begun a weekly “Open Dojo” night, with tonight being the first occurrence (though no one came tonight). This serves two primary purposes. First and foremost, I am embarking on the final steps toward my Silver Chain and need to train more at my level. Likewise, each of the current Portland region students are working toward their White Rope. Open Dojo will provide a training space with the usual resources, and an opportunity to train with anyone else that attends. There will be no formal instruction, though attendees must arrive by the 7pm start time for a semi-formal session opening.
Tonight I stretched, reviewed all of my requirements wielding steel, including some focus on Cutting Pattern 3, Whispering Wind, Musashi, and Kata San. I 100 Full Circle Cuts and a single pass of Refined Strikes against one of the new targets (6′), about 30 minutes or so all told.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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).