Getting home from work: A son's enthusiasm 😊

While our Sensei Ben and Alison have been in Okinawa, my son has been working with Sensei Graham on Saturdays and doing quite a  bit of back to back work.  This evening, was something different though, the Sensei of our honbu Dojo, Sensei Craig was taking the lesson.

They did "take to ground" and ground work in quite some detail, and my son was chosen to work with Sensei Craig to demonstrate.  He was really happy and eager to try his skills on me when I got home from work.  We managed to get the take down worked through, but we simply didn't have room for the ground work, so I guess will have to find time later in the week to practise that, when we can make a bit of space 😊

For the record, the take down was to trap a mawashi geri, take hold of the gi with the other hand, then leg sweep and push.  He had fun with that 😊😊  As a parent, there is nothing better than coming home to a son's (or daughter's) enthusiasm and wanting to demonstrate new things 😊😊

On a practical note, my reading is starting to convince me to keep my kicks low when I practise, and try to get my technique better, before I try to get the kicks higher.  Also to practise more slowly at home and try to get the form better.  Hopefully that should start to improve the accuracy, especially of the yoko geri and ushiro geri kicks.   

I'm pretty sure that this is what my Sensei have been trying to tell me for some time, but I obviously need it drumming in.  Seeing others get their kicks higher makes me want to try too, but I need to master the basics first  😊

In the Dojo: Self defence, knives and baseball bats

Today as the last day for me with our visiting Sensei, Graham.  The usual warm ups, then on to self defence drills.  Last week we did knife defence, if you can't get away.  This week we repeated the drills learned, then went on to facing a pick axe handle or base ball bat attack.

I document what we did in my blogs as an aide memoire for later times, as I'm not the best at remembering 😊 So the two attacks we went through were:

Bat swung from the side to the head:  Step in and block. opposite side leg in between their stance.  Wrap non-blocking arm over their arms and grasp, then privot, dragging them over the pivoting leg to trip.  Then get away if you have grounded them.

Bat swung from overhead: Step to side and deflect away with nearest arm.  If possible, set past front leg and drag back, using blocking arm to peform a "clothes line" to the throat at the same time, putting them to ground.  Get away.

My rolling and falling when taking on the attackers role needs a fair amount of work, and I instinctively did a cross wrist block to one of the overhead swings, ouch 😣 Very much work in progress.  

Our regular Sensei, Ben and Alison are back next week, so things will go up a gear, but hopefully they can include a little of this in the dojo as well, as I still need some more  tuition, so that I get good habits to practice 😊😊

In the Dojo: Knife defence

My usual Sensei are off to Okinawa;  good luck to Ben and Alison and the others for our Dojo who have gone, enjoy 😊

Our visiting Sensei, Graham, did some drills in knife defence with us, which given some videos I have seen from friends posts recently, was kind of appropriate.   One was so intrictate it was a work of art, but in no way practical for my level:

Silat Strikes and Finishes - Silat Suffian Bela Diri

This link was shared by Noah Legel originally, thank you 😊

The other would defintely not work for me either, but maybe its a technique not related to Karate:

Is this effective?

Sensei Graham show us pratical (ie. for me simple) defence techniques against various forms of knife threat and attack, all of which are simple enough to apply.  I hope I never have to testify as to whether they would be effective, but think they will work.   The obvious two are observe and avoid, then given them what they want, but there is always a what if?

We were shown techniques against knife threat to throat, , slashing strike, axe strike and knife to the kneck from behind.  the last technique would defintely result in cuts, but worthwhile to avoid something worse.  I will try to describe, but can't promise being 100%

1. Knife threat  - to throat; Hands up whilst distracting, push away with opposite hand.  Nearest hand over the top of wrist and grip.   Opposite hand, kneck strike then rotate arm and hit knife arm on elbow from underneath.

2. Knife threat - to chest; Hands up whilst distracting, then similatiously twist body 90 degrees to avoid thrust and grab knife hand (thumb in middle of back of hand) with nearest hand  then grab with other hand and rotate knife arm up and away.

3. Knife slashing strike, Chudan-uke outside block, then punch to jaw or strike to kneck.

 4.  Knife axe strike, crossed wrists overhead block, take control with one arm, reinforce with other.  Take control with one hand, reinforce with the other then rotate away.

5.  Knife to the kneck from behind; Hands up whilst distracting, grab wrist with arm following knifeman's arm, and reinforce, then duck under attackers arm and bring their arm up behind their back. 😊😊😊

Hope this is of interest, thank you Sensei Graham 😊😊😊

Practicing Naihanchi Shodan

With Shorin-Ryu being one of the earliest styles of Okinawan Karate, the fighting element is still a major part of the syllabus.  Choki Mobotu is quoted as saying  “The only kata that was necessary for one to be a good fighter was Naihanchi” (Naihanchi Shodan, Niedan and Sandan being originally all one Kata), so it is no susprise that the three Naihanchi Katas are the first to be learnt in my style.

Naihanchi Shodan isn't needed until my third grading, for blue belt, but we start practicing it from the very beginning, so that by the time we get to grading we are reasonably proficient.  It also forms the basis for the main drills we are taught, to explain the techniques encapsulated in the Kata.

My Senseis have told me that my performance of this Kata has much improved from my first attempts, with elements such as posture and stepping being big plusses.  This might be because I practice this the most frequently of all elements of Karate, both to improve my technique and as a form of Cardio-Vascular exercise.

For the record, I have included my earliest and most recent training videos I've done here for comparison.  These include both the ways I practice. Please feel free to comment

First video (February this year)

Slow style (Tai Chi - Cardio-Vascular workout)

Naihanchi Shodan - recording 1

Naihanchi Shodan - recording 2

There is still plenty of room for improvement, not least in consistency, but I trust my Senseis, and believe I am improving 😊😊😊

Karate for Cardio-Vascular Exercise

Apart from sharing a common interest with my son, the other main reason I had for starting Karate was as a form of Cardio-Vascular exercise, as a response to finding I have a hereditary heart condition.   Both my Senseis have been really helpful and understanding, and my health has definitely improved as a result, than you Ben and Alison.

In addition to this, one of the Karate groups I am a member of on Facebook offers a Mentorship scheme, which I asked for and was accepted.  My mentor is helping me add aspects to the home exercises I do (mostly basic drills, stretches and Kata) at home to tweek these further to gain the most out of them.

I have already tweeked at least one stretch (to avoid a bad back) and added a trunk stretch to my routines, but his other suggestion was to do two versions of my Kata, one for the proper practice of the Kata, and the other version to be for exercise and relaxation.  This form he suggested by done in Tai Chi style, slower and smoother.  I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now, and have had a couple of videos done to see how its coming along.

Naihanchi Shodan Slow 1

Naihanchi Shodan Slow 2

A lot of work needs doing; not doing it as consistently as I would like, not relaxed enough and perhaps not slow enough.  But I think when I get used to doing it this way, will be really good to help me relax, whilst providing a good work out at the same time.

Have shared this with my mentor, so that I can get some constrsuctve feedback: But I have to practice the correct form as well, perhaps even more so, so that I don't lose anything from that either.  Keeps me busy and out of mischief, so can't complain. 😊😊😊

Dojo time

I don't think I've ached as much after a session in the Dojo as I do today.  Probably had its roots in starting off with more sit ups and press ups that I've done in years.  Didn't manage the squat thrusts tho. 😞😞

Then we had stretches, basic elements (punches, blocks kicks), toughening (leg kicks, inside and outside blocks) and on to the lesson.  That was ground work, how to work out from beneath an opponent, Naihanchi Shodan drills with pads, and then large pad work with spinning kicks.  Finally, had a couple of attempts at axe kicks.

Excellent work out, but its the last time I will see my Senseis for a couple of weeks as they are off to Okinowa (lucky souls), but we will have a couple of Senseis visiting from our other dojos, so no excuses 😊😊😊.  Hope Ben and Alison enjoy their trip, they deserve it and maybe one day I will be able to make the same journey. 😊😊

A Nerd Post: Ryukyukan Shorin-Ryu

The dojo I am a member of is a part of the Ryukyukan Federation, headed by Sensei Koei Nohara.   Sensei Nohara as far as I understand studied under his father and Sensei Shugoro Nakazato.

Sensei Nohara's father, Kaoru, was a student of Chotoku Kyan, and was trained in the style of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu.  Sensei Shugoro Nakazato was a student of Chosin Chibana and was trained in the style Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu, so Sensei Koei Nohara has studied both.

Based on this, I guess Ryukukan Shorin-Ryu is a fusion of both the Matsubayashi and Kobayashi styles.  Both Chotoku Kyan and Chosin Chibana were students of Sensei Ankoh Itosu, so I guess that Ryukukan Shorin-Ryu is quite close to the orginal form of Shorin-Ryu.

I am sure my Senseis will correct me if I have got this wrong 😊😊😊

A Father and Son blog: Training time

It's school holiday time, but I'm still at work.   My son had a Karate lesson with our Senseis and they have now started to set him specific teaching tasks:  To help me stay in touch with what I'm missing out on 😊😊😊

His latest lesson consisted of Kata work, step transitions, drills and a little bit of Kobudo (bo drills).  The teaching tasks they set him were to teach me the Neko Dachi stance and step transitions, then go through the Naihanchi Shodan drill with me. 

It was a bit late when I got home, but he still wanted to show me 😊😊😊  I suppose I am a difficult pupil, as I am used to asking him to show me things, not hoim wanting to teach me things.  I need to work on that, but nonetheless, we spent some time going through both.

The drill is good but will need a good few gos to learn the full sequence, and all I will say about the other is I am no cat; neither smooth nor very flexible 😞😞😞.  However, the good thing is, he is willing to teach me some more and I am willing to learn.  Here is to a new type of father and son relationship 😊😊😊.

An Extra Day in the Dojo

Monday evening is a session I normally miss in the dojo due to work commitments, but made it tonight because I took a day's holiday for family commitments.   It was a bit of an eye opener because there are some new students I hadn't even met, and a reminder that lessons are not repeats.

We did Kata, Kata drills and stranglehold breaks, and I realised that I am missing out a lot on not doing the second lesson regularly.  I do practice in between sessions and will progress, but I had brought home to me that students who started after me are overtaking me in development.

However, life is what it is, and it is good to see other people learning and willing to share 😊  If circumstances change, then I will definitely want to be in the dojo more often.

On a positive note, the idea of doing Kata in tai chi style, seems to be very much the slow practice we have been encouraged to do to improve technique.  To learn the accuracy, you need to do it slowly first. 

Today, I was told that elements my Kata (Naihanchi Shodan) have distinctly improved 😊😊😊😊 So a big positive, thank you Senseis 😊 

Today's work out: Kata, Drills and Kobudo

So actually back in the dojo today, was as ever a good work out 😊 My son helped out with the Shisa class, before joining his own class. then it was my class.  Today was Kata, flow drills and Kobudo.

The yellow belts (including me 😊 ) focussed mainly on Naihanchi Shodan, especially the points that need improving (of which there are still many), but also got to start working on Naihanchi Niedan and go through Naihanchi Sandan.

The flow drill consisted of (from the recievers side), deflections, jodan uke to a haymaker punch, cross wrist block to a hammer first, then open hand block and strike to another haymaker punch.  Apologies for not having all the correct terminology.  The big emphasis was stepping in close to work the blocks, a big feature of our style of karate 😊

After that was going through the Bo Kihon Katas, which is something I really enjoy 😊😊 However, I think I might have been a bit out of time with the drills in places, and look to have made a bit of a dog's dinner on my Neko Dachi 😊😊😊

After the workout, a bit of a communal mat scrubbing and drying. I'm a bit of and old slow coach but I tried! As did my son 😊  Thoroughly enjoyed this session, thank you Senseis Ben and Alison 😊😊

Back in the dojo

Tomorrow is my first day back in the dojo after promotions.  I know that, no matter how much better I performed than my own expectations, I can always do better.   

I always look forward to trying to learn something new, but a big chunk of my effort will always need to go on improving on what I know already.  I'm probably happiest with my punches and blocks, but know these can still improve.  My kicks still need lots of work, and though I might know the basic forms of the first two Kihon Kata I need for my next grading, knowing and executing are two separate things.

I want to be able to do so much more, but anything worth doing is worth doing well, so patience and practice are the order of the day.  I think I should be proud of what I have achieved, but with those virtues should be able to achieve so much more.

So back to the dojo and back to the basics 😊😊😊

Trying something new, kata tai chi style

I chatted with my mentor today. He likes the idea of my blog to record where I'm at, and from the videos made some suggestions on how I might improve my exercises.  On my existing stretches, my Zenkutsu dachi stretch needs to be made safer, by being my knee more to reduce the risk of popping my lower back muscles.

An additional stretch has been suggested; a forward fold, to stretch the lower back.  Bend forward at 90 degrees with hands on knees, this augments the Zenkutsu dachi stretch, without going too far and damaging muscles.

Hes also keen on Kata as a form of excersise, but says at the moment my shoulders are too rigid.  He says the movements are natural and to relax into them more.  Exactly the point my Senseis make to me.  For exercise he suggests doing them tai chi style, slow and flowing if possible.  I've spoken to my sister on this one, as she is older than me and actually does tai chi when her health allows.

I've tried this a couple of times already, and when I feel more confident with it, may share of video of Naihanchi Shodan done in that style for exercise purposes.  As a comment on my Kata as it stands, again reinforcing my Senseis points, my strikes are floppy at times, and lack intent.  But hopefully this is something that good practising will correct.

Will let you know how it goes 😊😊😊😊

A Nerd post, low kick combinations

Being of the more senior age range for Karate with not the most flexible of bodies, there are limits to what I can achieve.  On the advice of my Senseis, I keep my kicks low, but aim to improve my technique.

This doesn't mean that I can't be effective, just not spectacular 😊  Even youngsters employ low kicks to good effect.  At my first tournament, watching the Cadet's Jissen Kumite competition, the most successful kick I saw employed was the Mawashi Geri to the back of the knee.

Probably not very good against veteran Karateka, but certainly effective against not so experienced practicioners.  It put me in mind of one of my favourite videos by Jesse Enkamp, and gives me a nice in to sharing:

10 Karate Low Kick Combinations - Something for me to aspire to 😊 😊 😊 

Jesse's 10 Low kick combos

There are still definitely some elements I will struggle with, but there are a good few that I might eventually be able to make work as well 😊 😊

Kyukyu rank promotion (yellow belt)

This is by way of a diary post for looking back on.  The elements of the promotion at the time I took the test were:

Punches:

Jodan-Tsuki
Chudan-Tsuki
Gedan-TsukI

Blocks:

Jodan-Uke
Chudan-Uke
Gedan-Uke

Kicks:

Mae Geri
Yoko Geri
Ushiro Geri
Mawashi Geri

Hand Strike:

Shuto

Pad Drills:

Mawashi Geri
Kihon Kata Shodan

😊😊😊

#cardio-vascular #karate #heart #over-50s