Tag Archives: free sparring

Kumite routines

20150117 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Sensai recommends developing kumite routines of 3-4 attacks to use when free sparring.

Worked on a combination routine he practiced:

Step forward left, strike uraken with same side. Shift to the right, punch right gyaku-zuki. Then, leaning back slightly for distance, kick mawashi-geri left.

This became the theme of the class, first on the punching bag, and then in partner drills.

Worked on Fukyugata Ⅰ, Pinan and Naihanchi Shodan

In Naihanchi Shodan, the fists should be on the same plane when executing the double punch (kiai).

Free sparring for the last 15 minutes of class. Sensai asked us to work on our own combination attacks

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Welcome to October

20141004 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Class led by Sensai

Moving drills applied techniques out of Pinan Shodan and Nidan

Worked on timing and distance and avoiding a chudan-zuki by turning at the hips. Started in nekoashi-dachi and turned into kosa-dachi while blocking. The initial block can turn into a grab and be used to draw the attacker in. A counter attack can be delivered under the opponents arm if necessary.

Also applied gedan shuto-uke as a block for a front kick. Sensai said to think in terms of again twisting somewhat at the hip to deflect the attack while catching the opponent’s heel and delivering a blow to the leg with the other hand. Think of twisting the heel/leg after catching.

Performed all of the Pinan kata by the count and renzoku. Sensai talked about the mentality of attacking the attack in Matsubayashi-ryu kata. For example, in Pinan Shodan even though the first move is defensive, it is followed immediately by forward movement pursuing the attacker.

Suggested that our karate will ultimately become, over time, an extension of our own personal style – more defensive or aggressive depending on individual personality.

Sparred with Tom and Bill Palmer. I always get a lot out of training with Bill. I admire his focus, his speed and the way he works on incorporating previous ideas in class into his sparring. I find myself still working on basics – thinking about what I’m doing rather than just relaxing into whatever the sparring session and opponent happen to bring at the time.

Finished with more stretching at the end of class.

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No Kata Monday

20140722 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Class led by Sensai.

Worked on moving and blocking drills with Sempai. Emphasis was on avoiding attacks while limiting movement and at the same time generating power.

One drill was to block an incoming punch by stepping back and blocking uchi-uke. Then move the opponents arm out of the way by blocking down gedan-uchi, followed by a counter-attack. Sempai stressed turning the wrist of the blocking arm on the uchi-uke, relaxing and allowing the natural arm motion to move the opponent, rather than trying to use a lot of muscle. Twisting at the waist as you transition from jigotai-dachi to zenkutsu-dachi on the downblock generates the power.

Another was to block an incoming punch by stepping back and using an elbow block. The point was to move out of the way and touch but not block the attack with power.

A related drill was to block a mai-geri attack by stepping back into jigotai-dachi and blocking gedan-uchi on the outside of the attackers leg.
This can transition into the same motion as uchi-uke and if timed correctly, naturally traps the opponents leg as they try to rechamber the foot.

Worked on a drill using makite-uke (winding block) to block an incoming front punch. The block comes up and across the body and is augmented with the other hand below the elbow of the blocking arm. Sensai said this is one of the easiest techniques to see how power can be generated from the center of the body. Sempai talked about this move being in the opening part of Wankan.

Yet another was to simply step to the side to avoid a mai-geri attack.

In sparring, Sempai talked about my need to relax, deliver a combination of attacks and move to the side. Feints and leg movements can be used to disrupt an opponents expected attack, but should be followed up with an immediate counter-attack. I need to work on moving and closing distance without making it obvious.

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7/19

20140719 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Class led by Sempai.

As usual, lots of stretching in the beginning of class. I’ve been bad about doing my stretching at home lately and felt the results today.

Performed Fukyugata Ⅰ/Ⅱ each a couple of times. Worked on basic partner drills out of these kata with Tom.

Rotated free sparring. Bill Palmer wanted to work on left-handed techniques, and I tried to follow suit.

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Second Saturday in May

20140510 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Class was led today by Zack.

Worked independently on kata for the first 10 min. before stretching.

After that, we worked on blocking drills alternating left and right.
The first round was to move to the outside of the attack using uchi-uke and counter punch. The second round was to move forward and block a chest punch with uchi-uke and jodan-uke, then block down and counterpunch as in Pinan Shodan bunkai. It is important to cross your arms (protect your center) before the blocks.

Next we alternated through Yakusoku kumite Ⅰ-Ⅶ. Some notes:

I need to remember to stop my hiji-ate in Ⅲ rather than follow through.
When attacking, there should be no hesitation between the punches in Ⅳ.
Ⅴ is the only one that has a kizame-zuki, which is important because it sets you up to deliver the kick from the rear (right) leg.
In Ⅵ, the attacker starts in kumite-dachi and the defender feints left twice, then right twice, then once forward before the attacker steps in punching right. The defender taps down, grabs and strikes with uraken.
In Ⅶ, the attacker grabs the defender’s gi with the right hand and pushes backwards twice, then pulls forward twice. The defender uses left outside uchi-uke to contain the attackers grabbing hand and when the punch comes, taps down and counters with the right.

We ended up with a short session of free sparring. Sempai pointed out that I am generally aggressive when I spar, but that my attacks are predictable. That make it easy for an opponent, who can get me out of rhythm by hesitating before attacking. I can work in the same technique, a shoulder fake for instance, to add variety to my attacks. He also pointed out how trying to step around the opponent actually closes a lot of distance and can open me up to an attack.

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Happy Birthday

20140503 Jeff Reasoner Leave a comment

Class was led by Sempai and at the beginning had an extra focus on stretching. He feels that he gets a better stretch in Chinese splits when rolling forward and up from a seated position as opposed the the traditional Okinawan way.

Sempai commented that in sparring or self-defense, where you are is as important as what technique you use. His point was to be aware of how you close distance and where you end up relative to your opponent. Your location not only impacts your options, but can serve to limit his counter attacks as well.

Performed Fukyugata Ⅰ/Ⅱ as well as each person’s highest kata (Ananku).
Worked on bunkai oye of the third move in Fukyugata Ⅱ with Tom. The interpretation we came up with was as a leg trap instead of simply a downblock.