Class with Bryce, Rakta Nadi and Chris called out. Stretch, his requirements once through, a focus on Mantis, break, sparring for 25 matches.
Tag: portland dojo
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Class with Rakta Nadi, Bryce, and Chris. Stretch and requirements. After the break, we reviewed the primary targets and intent and I noted how the targets don’t necessarily change when using a dagger or knife, only the way in which you reach them. We then worked on combat movement, followed by continuous full circle cuts (50 for Chris, 100 for everyone else – just bokken for myself, I didn’t place my steel at hand). Next was several rounds of Refined Strikes and we finished with a few rounds of Add-On.
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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 Kaiden The Severer and Bryce. Stretch followed by requirements. First The Severer went through White Rope requirements with Bryce, then he and I stepped in together to cover the remaining requirements up to Silver Chain. After a break, we did a focus study on The Tradition, then a couple rounds of Refined Strikes, and finished with a couple rounds of restricted defense drilling, with opponents on either side taking turns making proscriptive attacks that the person in the middle had to defend against, first head or neck, the second round being neck or leg. It was a very good class, I always particularly enjoy training with The Severer, we have excellent discussions.
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Class with Rakta Nadi and Bryce tonight, shifted from Thurs to Monday due to conflicts. Stretch and had them pair for requirements while I observed. We then worked on Cutting Pattern 2 a bit more, myself pairing with each of them, and then did some focus on Mantis. After a break, we had one on one sparring matches, myself 15 with each of them, and a total of 43 for the night.
I challenged both Rakta Nadi and Bryce to 10 matches, but I did not achieve my 8 cathan goal with either. I need to continue working on retraining my defensive retreat into lateral offensive evasion, as well as improving my ability to strike between/around the defense.
Turns out Mondays work for Bryce now, and they are good for Rakta Nadi, so we’ll be shifting to Mondays as of the 28th.
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Class with Jesse B. Stretch and our respective requirements once through. Focus session on Double Chop. Break. Combat movement, continuous full circle cuts (100 for him, 150 for me), and then Sequence Builder (four ad hoc technique sequences).
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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.
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Class with Bryce. Stretch and requirements for both of us full through. Focus sessions on Dragons Tail and Jumping Tiger 2. After the break, we worked out a couple ad hoc sequences each, followed by continuous full circle cutting (me 150, him 100), and finished with three more times through Kata Ich.
All steel for me, and I joined him on one handed for the dragons tail and sequence building.
My two sequences were:
Right defensive stance, cross step left neck cut, right advanced neck block, drop blade horizontal and torso draw, cross stepping through to the left.
Right defensive stance, I Move, cross step torso thrust, cross step low thrust (between legs / beside opponents forward right leg, with an opportunity top drop your right shoulder into opponent at same time to unbalance them), shuffle back with draw up and right across femoral, cross stepping back with a descending left-to-right clearing slash to disengage.
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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.
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Class with Bryce and Jesse B (guesting). Stretch and then paired them for requirements while I went through mine solo and observed them. Focus session on The Illusion. After a break, I had three stations of two targets each, and we went through a number of rounds of Gambit (3 sets of 10, myself, as we rotated). I then reorganized the six targets into a Gauntlet Gambit where we did several or more passes through it (definitely more than 5, though I forgot to count exactly how many). We finished with Balance 1 & 2. All steel for me.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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.
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Open Dojo by myself. 30 minutes to stretch, review all of my requirements, do a little focus on Whispering Wind and Phantom, do 100 Full Circle Cuts, and set up a couple targets for a multi-opponent gambit/Refined Strikes. I used my new BKS Slayer for everything tonight. The balance point is a couple inches or so from the guard, compared to my old BKS Slayer where the balance point is within a half inch of the guard. I miss the agility and ease of use, but the new sword is straight and has a good clean feel to it, and I’m already starting to get used to the difference.
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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.
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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.
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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 Risa. Stretch and then a couple times through her requirements. Tonight’s theme was “Full Circle Cuts”. Took a break, then started in on a focus session on The Mantis. Next was a few rounds of Refined Strikes with the targets, then 100 Full Circle Cuts. Finished with a focus session on just combat movement, taking it slow and working on awareness of quad and glute activation and weight transfer. Worked in a very brief primer on front punch & front lunge punch.
Entire night was steel for me.