Final class of 2012, with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A and Chance. Jesse B called out. We went straight into requirements tonight, myself working with Jesse A. Chance arrived late, at which time I put him with Sal. After the break, we had dagger training, covering the general mentality that weapons are everywhere in various forms, differences in knives versus daggers, and the primary (killing) targets for knives and daggers. We then did refined strikes with daggers, followed by light unarmored (except mitts) dagger sparring, and we finished with some dagger throwing.
Classes will resume late January 2013.
Tag: wcos
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A and Jesse B. Requirements for the first half (I worked with Jesse A). After the break, we had balance 1 and 2 plus a mud zig-zag and hurdle. It was a challenging course; Sal made it once or twice, Steven a few times, and only myself multiple consecutive times (all but two). After I closed up the formal class, I did some more steel cutting practice with another pumpkin, and Joshua, Jesse A and Jesse B stayed for it as well.
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Class with Sal, Steven and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements. I worked with Jesse, including instructing him on Double Thrust, while Steven and Sal worked together. After a break, Sal, Steven and I had one on one matches, 30 total using a five-match-set round robin to get 20 matches for each of us.
During requirements, there was rain from moderate to torrential and the ground was quite muddy. As we began sparring, the rains generally abated though the mud was still quite prevalent. -
Class with Sal, Joshua, Jesse A, Elijah and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements. I reviewed Jesse B while Sal reviewed Elijah, then I reviewed Joshua while Sal reviewed Jesse A. I also instructed Joshua and Jesse A on Warrior Stance.
Near the end of the break, Sal and I did cutting patterns 1, 2 and 3 with steel, then for the second half of class we did a few rounds of refined strikes and finished with 2-attack machinegun drill for any upper target (head,neck or decap). -
Class with Sal, Steven and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements, then a break. After the break, we did add-on for a bit, then finished with 360 machinegun drill (i.e. opponents on all sides).
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I journeyed to the Half Moon Bay Dojo for the 2012 Best of the Best tournament. I achieved a 68% victory rate, which did not place, but I fought cleanly and was happy enough with my performance.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A, Jesse B and Elijah observed due to ankle injury. Requirements and a break. During the break, Sal and I did some steel parry and centered cuts. After the break, we paired off and did the Myo Sim partner drills 1 – 5 (attack, attack/block/counter, attack/block/attack, attack/block/preempt, attack/block/preempt/block/counter). We finished with balance 1 and 2.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Elijah and Jesse B. Mark H. (from kendo and karate) observed and may join at a future date. Stretch and requirements one through. After the break, we had one on one matches (Jesse logged). I tried out my new shield tonight for some of the matches.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Elijah and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements (once through for Sal and I, twice for the other four). We took a break, during which Sal and I did steel Refined Strikes and Cutting Pattern 2, then in the second half I started with a new drill where we stood in a loose circle and every other person was designated attack left, block right, and the alternates were block right, attack left. On the count, we went back and forth, attacking any target, the blocking the incoming attack. Next we split into two groups of three and did defend/attack/observe parry. We finished with a round of three-upper-attack machine gun drill.
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Class with Joshua, Steven, and Elijah. Stretch followed by requirements. I reviewed Elijah in full while the other two worked together. Took a break to armor up, then had 27 one on one matches.
Posted via LiveJournal app for Android.
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Class with Sal, Steven and Jesse B. Stretch, then a focus session on Jumping Tiger 1 (a new move for Jesse). Followed with requirements, myself reviewing Steven to check his progress toward White Rope. After a break, Sal and I did worked briefly with steel, choosing three of our practiced moves to go over, then the main class resumed with some advanced response training, followed by refined strikes, and finishing with machine gun drill at half-ish speed, two attacks for any target (and Sal and I were permitted one counter attack).
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Class with Sal, Joshua and Jesse. Stretch and requirements the first half, then we armored up and had 24 one on one matches for the second half.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Joshua, Steven, Jesse, and Elijah. Requirements in the first half, then a break near the end of which Sal and I did steel Cutting Patterns 1 through 3. The second half I started with four dojo lengths of kneeling advances making decap cuts, followed by a study on basic movement, then 100 full circle cuts (Sal and I with steel). We finished with two-attack machine gun drill with any upper target (head/neck/decap).
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Class with Sal, Steven and Elijah. Stretch and requirements (paired Steven and Elijah, and Sal sith me). I gave Sal the move Umi and discussed striking to the hand. After a break, we had 18 one on one matches.
Temperatures were between 95 and 100.Posted via LiveJournal app for Android.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A, and Elijah (though Steven had to sit out most due to continued injury). Stretch and requirements once through, then I instructed on Akira for everyone (a new move for Jesse A and Elijah). We took a break, then doe one attack parry, switching through a few partners, and finished with a pretty simple balance 1 and 2.
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Class with Joshua, Jesse A, Elijah and Jesse B. Sal, Chris and Steven all called out. Stretch, then requirements once through. After a break, we started with a multi-opponent drill. I had constructed a four-opponent kata for bunkai (roughly, “application”) during the break, and as we resumed I taught it to the students.
The person in the middle (Primary) starts with The Tradition as an attacker comes in with a head attack, then the Primary pivots 180 right with a thrust toward a second attacker that is closing from behind. The second attacker begins to step back, evading the thrust and Primary completes Dragons Tail. A third attacker attacks from Primary’s right with a neck cut to Primary’s left. Primary rises in right stance with a left head/neck block, making it a deflection to dash the third attackers blade to the side, causing the third attacker to begin to retreat. Primary cross steps in with a short chop to the neck or temple. The fourth attacker comes from behind with a left leg attack. Primary rotates 180 with a downward leg block, then continues the sword arc combined with a cross step diagonally left and forward to make a counter leg attack. With all four opponents down, Primary rotates 90 to the left, returning to the original orientation.
We cycled everyone through the center (Primary) position, taking turns as the various opponent roles. The key focus that I stressed was on flow, precision technique and economy of motion, not on speed.
We then moved to a multi-point machinegun drill (triangle, Jesse B having had to step out due to an issue with his knee). All targets were open, though each opponent had to signal they were coming (kiai or equivalent) before making their attack. We finished with linear two-attack machinegun drill, still with all targets open. -
Class with Sal, Chris, Joshua, Steven, Jesse B and Elijah (Jesse A called out). Stretch and just five or six pushups with lateral extenders. Requirements a couple times through, while I first reviewed Jesse B now that he’s rejoining, and then reviewed Elijah to see what he needs to work on for his Green Braid. After a break, we had 31 one on one matches.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Steven, and Elijah. Stretch and five burpees, then requirements once through. I instructed Elijah on Jumping Tiger 1 (reviewing for Steven). After the break, we constructed technique chains (3 to 5 techniques), practicing them a couple to few passes back and forth across the dojo. We finished with some machinegun drill, but I changed it to be two attacks from each opponent to improve the attackers’ stances.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse and Elijah. Stretch and frog burpees (2 dojo lengths). Paired off for requirements (once through for Sal and I, twice for everyone else), then I had Sal instruct Elijah on The Tradition while I covered Double Chop with the other three. During the break, we armored up and in the second half had one on one matches in a limited quarters sparring square.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua and Elijah. Jesse called out. Stretch and requirements. Sal and I went through our cuts, blocks and cutting patterns, then he worked alone while Steven and Joshua paired and I worked with Elijah, reviewing his requirements and adding The I Move to his list. After a break, we had one on one sparring totaling 34 matches.
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Special class with Kaiden Gad today, and I handed over my sword book for review. Vea and I reviewed Silver Chain requirements with Gad at the Half Moon Bay dojo. We went over Battle Stance, the 9 deflections (with steel), and reviewed some of the advanced blocks, plus I discussed some of my ideas regarding head blocks. Gad suggested I do a full write-up and submit to the council for review. We went over several new practiced moves:
– Aku (and Flying Aku): From shinkageryu with sword vertical, make and arching thrust to the chest
– Shadow: From defensive stance, make a decap, pull back, pause for a reaction, and then chop
– Gad’s Bane: From warriors stance, make a leap to close distance while making a pinwheel full circle cut to the neck
– Rolling Thunder: From battle stance, make a high right to left feint followed by a right to left torso draw cut, returning to battle stance
– Spike: From defensive stance, thrust one handed to the face (generally, eye opposing dominate hand)
After a break, we reviewed some notes on sword and shield, including modifications/application for The Tradition, Thorn, Dragons Tail, The I Move, and Jumping Tiger 1.
We finished with some hand to hand training, with Gad getting a sense of my current hand to hand level and then covering two restraints, a take down, and some tips on escapes. -
Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse and Elijah. Stretch and requirements (once through for Sal and I paired, twice through for the other four paired). While working with Sal, covered Draw Cuts and the first six deflections. Break, then fortress defense (defend a roughly one meter circle, back to a fence), first for just head or neck, then for any attack. Followed with 100 full circle cuts (Sal and I with steel). Finished with Balance 1 and 2.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Jesse and Elijah. Both Chris and Joshua called out. Stretch and requirements, then I reviewed The Mantis (new move for Elijah). After the break, we had one on one sparring totaling 21 matches.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Steven, Joshua, Jesse and Elijah. In seiza and briefly introduced the issue of ensuring a victory is certain. Quick stretch, and then reviewed the various kill targets, and why they are a kill. We then began going through requirements, myself observing and correcting. I finished the first half with a few rounds of refined strikes.
After the break, I started with 200 full circle cuts (myself 100 with iron sword, the second 100 with steel). Elijah was all boken, everyone else had 100 with steel, 100 with boken. We finished with multi-opponent machinegun drill, first with head attack only, then a second round with head or neck attacks. -
First day of Shadowwood. There were a number of melee matches, with a field of 16 fighters. In addition to several last-fighter-standing matches, there was a two team match, a Hunger Games inspired match (half as many weapons as fighters in a pile at start), and an additional two-person team match where one had the last used weapon of the previous match, and the other started with none.
Before taking dinner, I tested for and received the rank of Crimson Chain and was awarded full Kaidenship. Details to follow in a separate log.
After the dinner, there were two castle sieges, for which I was on the attacking force both times (and died both times at the gate in our attempt to break through).