Monthly Archives: February 2014

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Another Tuesday class

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Hoping to be able to get back on a Tuesday/Saturday schedule again.

Zack led the class today.  Stretched and worked on blocking/punching drills. Went through all kata up to Pinan Sandan before breaking into groups.

Starting with Fukugata Ni and in all Pinan kata, the first move is a short step forward with a turn to the first block.

In Pinan Yondan, after the first two kicks, there should be a slide forward into the hiji-ate attack. Following the second kick, the next move is a strike with the right hand and a head block with the left. That should have the proper angle and distance for jodan-uke even though the hand is open.

Worked on Naihanchi Sandan with Sensai Lara. The first and third front punches should be followed by a chest block. She said the tendency is to rush through the Naihanchi kata, but that it’s important to perform each move.  Performing these kata slowly to emphasize the individual moves is perfectly acceptable. Afterwards Sensai Alvin said that for the moves that have a supporting hand, it should just touch the punching/blocking arm.

Worked on Fukyugata Ichi/Ni bunkai with Sensais Zack and Alvin.
I remembered more of each than I thought, but don’t feel especially comfortable with them yet.  I think I need to practice both parts regularly like I do kata.

Lastly, we worked on nunchaku basics:

inside kasa-uchi

jodan-uke followed by an around-the-head strike

chudan-uke followed by a figure-eight

lower/uppper cross block in zenkutsu-dachi

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Spring tease

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First Saturday class this year that there wasn’t ice and snow everywhere. Actually wore my sandals in bare feet.

Worked on basics as partner drills. Sensai again reminded that most uke waza should include a cutting motion. Worked on applying that using:

gedan shuto-uke when blocking kicks. The outside hand pushes the kick away and the second (inside) hand can be a strike to the thigh. The twist adds power.

chudan shuto-uke to trap a chest punch then using the other to cover the opponent’s fist and ultimately perform a wrist lock.

a single outside uchi-uke to block a chest punch and also a double uchi-uke (outside, inside) where the second can also be trapping, as in wari-uke in Pinan Shodan.

Performed all Fukyugata and Pinan katas before light sparring. I made a mistake at the start of Pinan Godan, but recovered and was able to finish. I think that’s a good sign that I know the kata well enough to recover, and at the same time that I need to do more work on it.

Pinan Sandan is the only kata where a punch is delivered without both feet firmly planted (ushiro hiji-ate).

In Pinan Godan, the otoshi-uke should drop down (from ear height to block a kick according to O Sensai’s book, p70).
Also, to maintain balance in the following kizame-zuki from zenkutsu-dachi, Soke said it was alright to move the left foot a step further to the left.

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Made a kata class for a change

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This Tuesday’s kata class was pretty full and the first in a while led by Sensai. I’ve also missed several due to our schedule at home or weather-related dojo closings.

Worked through all kata through Pinan Sandan twice as a group. Performed Pinan Yondan/Godan and highest Naihanchi kata in smaller groups. The first chest punch in Naihanchi Sandan can be interpreted in several ways, one of which is a punch followed by an inside chest block.

Worked on tonfa blocking and striking basics in main class and practiced Fukyugata Ichi with tonfa in ni-kyu class.
Tonfa is still pretty uncomfortable for me. Obviously need to practice more with it for that to improve.

Sensai said that Matsubayashi-Ryu kobudo is focused mainly on bo and sai. There are really only about 3 kata each for tonfa and kama.

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Wednesday for a change

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Needed to get out of the house for a bit and karate has become a positive outlet for me.

Sempai led this class and the focus was on fitness and sparring.

Sempai complemented my front punch.  While sparring with Sensai Edelen he suggested coming straight in with a front/screw punch to the face.  He is very good at sparring  – fast with good vision and focus. I don’t get a change to train much with him but today has definitely helped me. He has also started home-brewing.

While sparring with Lara, I caught a side kick in the left chest. It didn’t bother me much at the time, but later one spot in particular hurts when I put pressure on it. I’m wondering if I cracked a rib.

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Kumite week again

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Sempai led class.

Worked on yakusoku-kumite, with emphasis on defensive stances.

No 1 – shizentai-dachi, jigotai-dachi, zenkutsu-dachi
No 2 – shizentai-dachi,  shizentai-dachi, shizentai-dachi (stepping to right)
No 3 – jigotai-dachi, jigotai-dachi
No 4 – shizentai-dachi x3, shizentai-dachi
No 5 – zenkutsu-dachi, kosa-dachi, (turning to) nekoashi-dachi

Worked on blocking random attacks. Started in kumite-dachi on defense. Felt much more natural from ready stance. Sempai commented that my blocks were more relaxed that way.

Keep hands up and elbows in while sparring. Also, turn the body by rotating the hips. Both improve your spacing, ie diminish the space an opponent has to land an attack.

Opponents are likely to be right handed, so moving to the right will put you to the outside of most first attacks. More generally, to stay on the outside, move to the same side that the attack is coming from. Moving forward will help decrease the distance making a counter attack more effective.

Getting closer to completing chinese splits.

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Kata in parts

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Focus today was on application of techniques in the kata – especially twisting the hips. Used to generate power in attacks and also hip motion to create blocks when distance is not possible (when cornered or pushed against a wall).

Techniques

Practiced several methods of trapping incoming punches.

chudan soto-uke kosa-dachi (from Pinan Shodan)
morote soe-uke in zekutsu-dachi (from Pinan Shodan, Godan)
wari-uke, trapping the punch between both wrists (transition from first-second move in Pinan Shodan)

Worked on morote-barai-uke in various ways. The block can be either up or down, but Sensai emphasized cutting with the attacking hand, either upwards or downwards. Can either push the opponent away or pull him in depending on whether the block is up or down.

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Calm before the storm

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Sempai led class this Monday of kata week. I’m glad I came since we’re supposed to get more snow tomorrow. Focus was on technique within the kata, and application of techniques in real world situations. I overheard him telling the previous class something along the lines of: “It’s better to perform one kata well than to learn many just to say you know them.”

Technique

While working on moving basics, we worked on rotating our hips to drive punches (kizame and gyaku-zuki) and blocks (chudan shuto-uke, gedan-uke).

I’m leaning forward too much with my gedan-uke, zenkustsu-dachi. I need to block from the shoulder while driving the block with my hips. Pushing my hips forward will help me maintain a more upright posture.

When performing oi-zuki, the punch should start at the same time you plant your forward foot.

Kata

Each of us selected and practiced one kata three times and then demonstrated and explained one particular part.
I chose Naihanchi Nidan, because it doesn’t take much space, and because I find it helpful for working on balance. From that, I singled out the two opening moves.

The first move, hazushi-uke,  I think of in terms of an escape when being grabbed from behind. But that didn’t make much sense with the next move. Sempai pointed out that the second move (attack) could always be applied in the oppposite direction. I realized that I was thinking too narrowly. Zack, Sempai and I talked about it further after class. Sempai also said that the Naihanchi kata were designed to be performed in a circle, and that the blocks and attacks underscore Matsubayashi Ryu’s close-in fighting style.

At the end of class, Simon said that Fukyugata Ichi starts with an attack since you turn and move forward. Sempai agreed. I appreciate Simon’s eagerness to learn and participate in class. He doesn’t seem intimidated by inexperience.

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February first

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Ido Kihon

Kizame-zuki sliding forward – Sensai said my basics were good, but that I need to get more hip rotation to drive the punch.
Chudan/Gedan shuto-uke both forward and backward. Sensai complimented my gedan shuto-uke.

Added a few other techniques moving across the floor:

chudan soto-uke kosa-dachi, front kick (from Pinan Shodan)
gedan kosa-uke
morote soe-uke

Also need to work on my hip rotation with gedan uke, gedan kosa-uke and morote soe-uke.

My gedan kosa-uke was awkward when blocking down with my right hand. In Pinan Yondan and Godan the blocks are with the left.
Partner drills, with 2 partners

worked on kicks (front, side, roundhouse and spinning back) alternating legs and direction.

blocking/punching drill from Yakusoku kumite #6. Partner on left steps and does a right front punch. Block right with inside chest block followed by uraken. Then, partner on right steps and does a left front punch. Block by covering with left hand, then step in left while switching blocking hands and finish with inside left-hand uraken.

Kata

Fukyugata Ichi/Ni, Pinan Shodan/Yondan, Naihanchi Shodan

Need to focus on Pinan Yondan this month – especially stance after kicks and turns.

Kumite

Didn’t feel my sparring was especially good – hesitant, and poor use of combination attacks. Accidentally, landed a punch to Sensai Palmer’s chin while sparring. He rushed in with several quick attacks and with the distance, it just happened. Apologized several times, but felt bad and couldn’t help feeling that I should have had better control.