!0 weeks and counting ....

This blog is very late due to work and other issues 😟 However, I still want to keep on blogging, so here goes.   Week 10 of lockdown was challenging to say the least, there was a big down after the good ending to the previous week, with the Kata with family call that I did.

Kata with family

Work was starting to ramp up up with preparations for offices I cover region wide making preparations for re-opening, and the tensions within a family of 4 being cooped up together for 10 weeks bubbling along, there was not as much quality time for training.

Monday kata after the lesson

That said, formal training is an absolute lifeline.  With the extra kobudo lesson my dojo are now doing, plus a free lesson on the Sunday by Brian Bates, that I was invited to by my Sensei, I managed over four hours of training that way, best ever ☺☺☺  Because I have been keeping up my training, my physical health hasn't been too bad despite the lockdown, however it has taken a toll mentally.

Practice 1905

The worry for me about what will happen when the lockdown ends is starting to kick in.  I have been lucky enough to get mental health support, unlike some members of my family,  and this has been really helpful for me at least.   If we don't try facing up to our problems, they become even harder to deal with 😟😟

Two things that have become clear to me with time are that:

1) You can only be responsible for your own feelings and behaviour, not those of other people

2) Whatever the mistakes of the past, you can only deal with what is here and now

Going down the route of what if and if only is the route to complete bitterness and confusion 😟

For me, without family, a job and karate, I would be lost.

1805

Kata - Naihanchi Shodan, Nidan (Sandan)

Kicks

Front leg Mai geri, back leg Mai geri, both sides

Front leg Mawashi geri, back leg Mawashi geri both sides

Front leg Yoku geri, back leg Yoku geri both sides

Spinning back kick, both sides

Balancing, knee up, front leg Mai geri, Mawashi geri, Yoku geri, rotate 45 deg then back kick without kicking leg touching the ground, both sides.

Shadow sparring, first practising jab, cross, upper cut,

 and jumping front kick then free form.

Naihanchi Shodan

Naihanchi 2105

2105

Flowing Naihanchi - continuous smooth

Hands only Naihanchmovementsi

Then interpretations of Naihanchi

Pre-emptive strike (2 palm strikes), crash, two knees

Elbow strikes to arm, eyes closed,

Back slap, elbow, pull in, two knees

Front hand hook and forearm strike, back hand hook

Developing into Front hand hook, forearm strike and pull, two back hand hooks

Imagine someone holding clothing.  Back hand strike down (onto holding harm), back fist

(Open hand slap to face) Back hand strike down (onto arm), back fist, strike down (onto arm), front hand punch, back fist

As Drill: Back hand - open palm strike, strike down, backfist, Naihanchi double block (front hand up and outside, back hand down, front hand back fist

Then equivalent kata movements in fighting stance as drill, back hand block, double block, front hand back fist

Back fist, front leg stomping heel kick (to knee) forearm strike (to side of neck)

Back foot stomping kick, back hand pulling (arm), front arm chudan uke. (represents pulling opponents arm out straight and rolling over nerve point with other arm then hyper-extending)

Step out with front leg, double arm sweep (represents step behind, back arm clears opponent's arm, front arm pushes opponent over leg)

Flowing Naihanchi - continuous smooth

A bit of a workout

2305

Kata

Kihon gata

Bo lesson

Shushi no kon

2405

Pad work

Palm, elbow, elbow, knee (groin) , drag down, stomp (first four going forward)

Crash, forearm strike, clinch head into shoulder, knee, drag down, stomp

Crash, forearm strike, clinch head into shoulder, elbow, elbow , knee, drag down, stomp

<you are in a clinch> eye gouge, (bite, head butt), elbow, elbow, knee. dragdown, stomp

Nunchaku, Family and commitment

Last week was week 9 of lockdown for me, and being on the "at risk" list is more worrying than ever, with it seeming like people are being asked to go back to work before there is any proper kind of control on Covid-19. That said, karate training is my rock in uncertain times and never fails to deliver in terms of variety with stability, kata, fundamentals and the quadrant drill always feature somewhere in the mix.  

Sunday working (1005)

The variety this week was in the form of one lesson featuring the use of fundamentals in a dynamic rather than static setting, working on various stance transitions away from the kata, and some variations in pad work.  My kata work is improving, so I now get to perform our second kata as my highest known in lessons, and we had another lesson in kobudo, this time in Nunchaku fundamentals.  ☺☺☺ This is when commitment pays off ☺☺☺.

1105 after the lesson ends, one more kata outside

I especially enjoy being allowed to perform Naihanchi Nidan, but will still keep the emphasis on practising Naihanchi Shodan. There are many common elements I still need to work on, such as transitioning, the double uke and backfists.

The Nunchaku lesson consisted of the start of the kata taught in by dojo, the "Hamahiga" kata broken down into simple actions, then put together into a longer sequence practised on both sides.

1405 Kata calling

The final action of the week involved something I had actually planned as a FB live feed between me and my sister, with a few others invited online to attend.  I originally had the idea of me doing kata for 30 minutes, whilst my sister did her Tai Chi forms. with maybe her grand childen doing their exercise routines.  On the day though. it developed into something else, as my son wanted to join in.  So we did a live chat instead, where my son and i took turns to demonstrate kata or kobudo basics, whilst the other chatted with our family in France.  They in turn shared videos of what they were up to.  All in all, a brilliant end to the day and the week ☺☺☺

1305 Outdoor session including the Quadrant drill

1105

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
Kata
Quadrant drill

Lesson reminder from 1405

1405

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
KataShuto Uke
Cat Stance steps
Yoi, turn right into Cat Stance, RH Shuto Uke, Left foot forward into Zenkutsu dachi, LH Gidan Tsuki. Retutn to yoi, turn left into Cat Stance, LH Shuto Uke, Right foot forward into Zenkutsu dachi, RH Gidan Tsuki.
Naihanchi Steps
R side then L side fighting stance, Jodan Uke, backhand punch.
R side then L side fighting stance, Chudan Uke, backhand punch.
R side then L side fighting stance, Gidan Uke, backhand punch.
R side then L side fighting stance Jodan Uke, Chudan Uke, Gidan Uke, back hand punch
R side then L side fighting stance, front foot sweep kick, kneeling Gidan Tsuki
R side then L side fighting stance, jab, cross, front foot sweep kick, kneeling Gidan Tsuki
Kata, practice to Naihanchi Sandan, performance to Nidan

Time lapse of Padwork recap of 1605

The final action of the week involved something I had actually planned as a FB live feed between me and my sister, with a few others invited online to attend.  I originally had the idea of me doing kata for 30 minutes, whilst my sister did her Tai Chi forms. with maybe her grand childen doing their exercise routines.  On the day though. it developed into something else, as my son wanted to join in.  So we did a live chat instead, where my son and i took turns to demonstrate kata or kobudo basics, whilst the other chatted with our family in France.  They in turn shared videos of what they were up to.  All in all, a brilliant end to the day and the week ☺☺☺

1605

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
KataFundamentals (Punches, Receiving techniques kicks)
Pad work: Crash, left knee, right knee, RH slap, elbow, pull in to R hip, hook, hammerfirst hook

Kata with family including Nunchaku

Nunchaku

Nunchaku by left side
Step out into yoi, tension Nunchaku at eye level
Step forward RF into Shiko dachi, hammer down RH (LH Nunchaku held horizontal, RH Nunchaku held vertical.
Touch both Nunchaku to R forearm, then Front hand and Nunchaku comes through the middle to vertical over the R shoulder.  Back hand and Nuchaku go round the outside to vertical behind the R shoulder.
Back hand releases and comes back to guard, front hand flips Nunchaku forward, and from the wrist performs several figure of eights.
Nunchaku flipped to guarding hand and trapped step out to Yoi.

Step forward LF into Shiko dachi, hammer down LH (RH Nunchaku held horizontal, KH Nunchaku held vertical.
Touch both Nunchaku to L forearm, then Front hand and Nunchaku comes through the middle to vertical over the L shoulder.  Back hand and Nuchaku go round the outside to vertical behind the L  shoulder.
Back hand releases and comes back to guard, front hand flips Nunchaku forward, and from the wrist performs several figure of eights.
Nunchaku flipped to guarding hand and trapped step out to Yoi.


kata with family

Naihanchi shodan elements

Naihanchi Shodan is the first and most important kata of my style of karate (Ryukyukan Shorin Ryu).  It forms the basis of what we are taught as a system of fighting, which is basically for self defense.  I'm getting to the point now where the kata itself is pretty decent, but my Sensei are picking up the small faults.

When we first started to learn it, we learnt in small sequences.  Once the first sequence would be repeated, and second small sequence would be added. Then another, etc. until the first half of kata was learnt.  Then we had to learn on the other side, as the kata is linear and basically done in one direction and repeated in the other.  

Along with the moves as we learned them, we were given examples of how these could be interpreted, and drills to practice the many possible combinations and uses it contains.  

Now I have got to the more advanced stage of understanding the kata, I have to break it down again and practice it in elements.  These take the form of:

1. Stepping, to make sure I transition correctly and maintain the correct stance.
2. Kicking, to make sure this element is executed correctly (the kicking in Naihanchi is highly stylised, into an inside leg flick and the combination is often referred to as the "Returning wave".
3. Arm kata, just arm movements on their own, in order to correct minor defects in arm positioning and techniques.

After this comes putting the elements together, but practicing slowly to ensure that I fit it all together correctly.  It's still work in progress but by practicing it in it's elements and then slowly but with intent, I hope gradually to get more confident and start to doing it accurately and and more sharply.

Thank you for reading if you made it this far ☺☺☺

Basic bo and the value of variety.

It's been an interesting week.  Workwise challenging, karate wise, a few unexpected variations thrown in.  At least one new technique to me (jumping front kick), and an extra lesson (in bo).  What was good was that something I had been struggling with in bo clicked into place, always a good feeling ☺☺☺☺

5th and 6th of May

On a personal level, karate is one of the things that keeps me motivated, and definitely the one that most helps me stay calmer in challenging circumstances.  There are a good few of those when there are four of you all under the same roof for what is now the eighth week, I would imagine even people without issues would struggle. Deep breathing, being able to let things go for the most part, doing kata and working on the pads ll play their, part.  Lessons and practice give something to effectively plan the week on, work allowing, and so we get by.

Just as the Sun goes down

This week the lessons concentrated on fundamentals, kata, a different interpretation of some of Naihanchi, kicks, the quadrant drill and pad work.  The different interpretation of Naihanchi involves a pull back into Shiko dachi, coupled with a palm strike, covering pulling hand, step back into Zenkutsu dachi to extend arm then arm bar.   We also did a few less often practised kicks in the jumping front kick (I actually got off the ground! ☺☺☺), spinning back and hook kicks.  The spinning back kick I can just about do now, but the spinning hook kick is a little ways off.  

Then there was an unexpected extra, a bo lesson, before my tablet ovrheated (hot day on Saturday!!).  It was just going through the kihon kata (outlined below).  I finally worked out what I was doing wrong on the up strikes of the first four (sometimes drawing back to the wrong side), so now I can practice them correctly ☺☺☺☺

Another good week in the virtual dojo! ☺☺☺☺

Bo kihon and improv.

Contents of the lessons

0405

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
Receiving techniques - slow and fast both sides
Punches - slow and fast both sides
Kicks  - slow and fast both sides
Other techniques, hisa geri, ashai uke, shuto,
Kata

0705

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
Kata
Naihanchi Shodan, Nidan
Fighting stance,
Step back into Shiko dachi
Rh pull back, Lh pslm strike
Lh cover on Rh
L leg step back into Zenkutsu dachi
Lh, Rh drag back to left hip
R leg step through into arm bar
Quadrant drill, through to Ashai uke

Sunday working

0905

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal opening
Working on kicks - with and without chair
Yoko geri, Ushiro geri. Mawashi geri, Mai geii
Then
Jumping front kick. Fighting stance, swap guard, raise leg as if going to do Mai geri, hop and do front leg Mai geri.
Spinning back kick. Fighting stance, front leg across then continue rotation 270 degrees  until side on.  Deliver back kick, rotate same direction back to fighting stance.
Spinning hookkick. Fighting stance, front leg across then continue rotation ??? degrees until ??????.
Extend back leg out straight and continue spin with leg out back to fighting stance
Pad work, hook RH, LH, hammer fist RH, LH, palm strike RH, LH,cutting elbow, RH, LH,
Combinations, RH LH, hook, hammer fist, palm strike, elbow.  RH LH, 4 each hook, hammerfist, palm strike, elbow.
Naihanchi Shodan

Bo

Lost video for warm up

Kihon kata

Shodan - Fighting stance - Cat stance strike up, step forward into Shiko dachi, strike down, back into Cat stance, strike up.
Nidan- Step out into left fighting stance, transfer bo - Cat stance strike up, step forward into Shiko dachi, strike down, back into Cat stance, strike up.
Sandan - Fighting stance - Cat stance strike up, step back into Shiko dachi, strike down, forward into Cat stance, strike up.
Yondan - Step out into left fighting stance, transfer bo - Cat stance strike up, step back into Shiko dachi, strike down, back into Cat stance, strike up.
Godan - bo in front horizontally hands at 1/3 point either side,.Put bo out from body and look at left tip, rotate to right swapping over hands, eyes track tip, pull bo into body look to centre. Put bo out from body and look at right tip, rotate to left swapping over hands, eyes track tip, pull bo into body look to centre.
Rokudan- bo in front horizontally hands at 1/3 point either side,.Put bo out from body and look at left tip, rotate to right swapping over hands, eyes track tip. Step out right into Shiko dachi, leaving bo in postion, strike out at rotate bo, right arm full length with bo under left armpit. Pull back from Shik dachi and bring bo back to centre, pull bo into body look to centre. Put bo out from body and look at right tip, rotate to left swapping over hands, eyes track tip. Step out left into Shiko dachi, leaving bo in postion, strike out at rotate bo, left arm full length with bo under right armpit. Pull back from Shiko dachi and bring bo back to centre, pull bo into body look to centre.

Then my tablet overheated, bringing the lesson for me to an end.

No Dojo Video diary #7

Where I left off last week, starting to work with "Naihanchi Hands"

Kata when lesson ended

2804 Early Morning

Mon270n2904

Competition kata

Naihanchi Hands 3004

Kata after lesson 0205

Synchromised kata event 02-05-20

Synchronised kat 0205 pt2

Short workout based on lessons etc

Playing with effects

Lockdown blues

The lock down is beginning to take it's toll mentally now, as we are in to the 7th week for me.  Karate is one of the main mechanisms for me to recharge my batteries and attempt to stay fresh, but it is a challenge to battle the lockdown blues

Short workout based on Monday's lesson

Being able to go outdoors (albeit only into the back garden) to practice and train helps, but with the rain over the last week, that wasn't always possible.  Still we have to keep going.  Thursday was the hardest lesson to make, as some work needed finishing off before I would start, so I missed the first part of the lesson that day.

Still, some training is better than no training and I wasn't going to miss out.  During the week we worked on the usual mix of kata, drills and fundamentals, with some simple pad work, but mixed up so that we do the same things but in different ways and different combinations. This emphasises that outside of kata, it's the substance of what you do that's important.  

Naihanchi hands

Found out the results of the online kata competition I took part in, which was that I came last in my group.  However, my Naihanchi Shodan does look like it's improving so I can't complain.  I have been working on a hands only version of the kata over the last week, to try and improve that side of the kata and hopefully it's having an effect.

Did what I thought was going to be a Synchronised kata event after the Saturday lesson, but looks like I may have been one of the few people who gave it a go.   There was no live stream with it, so didn't know until afterwards, but doing 45 minutes of kata isn't a bad thing anyway ☺☺☺☺☺

Short workout on Sunday based on lessons, etc

The weeks lesson content:

27-04

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal start to lesson
Kata, practice all through to Pinan Shodan, performance of highest kata known properly
Doing blocks in yoi rather than shiko dachi
Jodan uke - reverse punch
Chudan uke - reverse punch
Gidan uke - reverse punch, remember to make both arms work together on Gidan uke

30-04

Missed first part of lesson (warm-up) due to work
Mokosu
Formal start to lesson
After Palm strike (escape)
Multiple palm strikes (escape)
Palm strike, crash (escape)
Palm stike, crash, knees (escape)
Talk through many interpretations of Naihanchi
Padwork - Palm strike, crash, knees, stamp, 

02-05

Warm up
Mokosu
Formal start to lesson
Kicks (Mai geri, Ushiro geri, Yoku geri, Mai geri)
Solo drills, jab cross, hammer fist, stamping kick, elbow. as individual techniques then combinations
Padwork, hooks, elbow and shoulder striking Combinations 3 in 1
Punching from a sit down to upright position and punching to a pad from our knees,
Kata

Competition kata