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.