Karate helping to deal with a heart condition:
Karate fighting, Cardiovascular workout, confidence, rebuilding stamina, fun, self defence, over 50s but not only, over 50, is it too late, exercise, nerd, okinawa karate, shorin ryu, full contact karate, heart, aging
This last month definitely felt stranger than many of it's predecessors: Motivation has been much harder than previously due to all sorts of factors, including pressures of work, periods of feeling down, worry about facing up to some difficult challenges and trying to work out some things at home.
Tandoku #1 1409
The continued worries about Covid-19 often plays on my mind, being on the high risk register, but no longer having the protection of government advice, and very often this colours my judgement on other issues. But no matter what, I have still tried to train, even if not as much as I would or should like.
Tandoku #2 1709
The onset of darker nights and worsening weather have also played their part. The ability to practice outside during the summer was a great help. Also, kobudo inside isn't too practical with bo and nunchaku. The one time I tried it, one vivarium and a light fitting nearly took the brunt, and a fly catcher was cleanly dispatched.
Naihanchi Pad drills #1-3 1909
From a karate standpoint, pad work has become a staple of our lessons over my period of isolation. This kind of makes my dojo's first offering on the month even more appropriate. We started working on an Iain Abernethy solo pad kata called Tandoku which translates as "isolation".
Compass points 2009
This was followed by the introduction of pad drills based on Nainhanchi which will be used in future gradings. Might be just me, but elements of these bore a strong resemblance to the moves in Tandoku. This probably bears out the the idea that there are only certain basic moves that the body can make, and they can be found in virtually all kata, if you look hard enough.
Homework 2409
When the weather was better I did some work on turns, aided by a video from my Sensei, based on moving the foot nearest the direction I wanted to face, whilst pivoting on the ball of the other foot. I worked on that a few times with both nunchaku and elbow strikes (thank you Brian Bates for that idea).
After the Jamie Clubb lesson 2609
Whilst work needs made it difficult to train, I have still been practicing my Naihanchi (Shodan and Nidan). I like to do them in three different ways, slow, deliberate (slow movement but sharper strikes) and normal (with full intent). Seems to be paying off, as my Sensei seem to think it's now much improved.
Kata 0310
I now have to work on the speed of my wave kicks (more snap), lower hand position (sometimes my wrist droops), front block (hand occasionally wanders off to the side) and leaning into elbow strikes (leaning is giving bad posture). I think my movement and general posture has been one one the biggest improvements.
Naihanchi Technical 0810
One of the basic tenets it to maintain a stable base, and I seem to be getting there slowly. In amongst it all were a couple of different points. We had Jamie Clubb giving the fifth session of his seminars based on child confidence and self defence, plus on the 18th I attended an online seminar given by Hanchi Nakasone.
Naihanchi Pad Drills #1 and 3 followed by kata 1010
There was also a kobudo lesson based on the legal use of improvised weapons for self defence. The core of this are the nunchaku kihon gata we do, applied to things such as belts, dog leads, hand bags and socks containing something like a battery, mobile phone, or padlock (remenber to carry a key or the latter is an offensive weapon)
Pad Work and a bit of Nunchaku
A note on Hanshi Nakasone's seminar on Pinan Sandan and Yondan, the former referred to by a member of my family as the "Chicken dance (I will leave you to work out why ☺☺☺). A lot of it was very advanced, as you would expect, but it should have been no surprise that he uses a style similar to Goju, applied to Shorin Ryu kata and the end result looks very similar ro Tuiti (similar to Motobu Udundi). The seminar covered from themid section of Pinan Sandan through Pinan Yondan. Including shoulder rolling uke followed by back hand strikes, how to harden your stance, soft techniques but hard bones, muchimi and feeling your opponent's moves, taking your oppenent's space etc.
1409 and 1709
Kata and Tandoku
Fighting stance right
Going forward, teisho, teisho, hammer fist
(go back to starting point)
Lh block, clasp head, bump into chest, head butt, two close in hammerfists (inside clasp)
Step to side (back leg moves round 90 deg) and open up, Lh slapping to neck, rh pulling hand to hip)
Teisho, elbow, teisho, knee (clasping head)
Bring right leg up behind left leg, crossing with right foot at 90 degrees to left
Pivot on right leg (twist providing torque) through 180 degrees whilst grasping head, head throw
(Opponent gets up - still controlling with clasp) - head butt knee, short upper cut x2, right cross
Repeat from fighting stance left (right foot forward) on other side
Upper cuts and right cross were the additions from 1709 lesson
1909
Kata
3 x Naihanchi pad drills
2409
Kicks
Tandoku
2609
Jamie Clubb lesson
0210
Kata
Cat stance and shuto practice
Padwork - teisho, hammerfist, knee, drag on back of head take down, step back into Naihanchi dachi, or shiko dachi, dropping weight to assist take down
1010
Fundamentals
Kata
Pad work
Naihanchi pad drills 1 and 3
#1Teisho, hammer fist, elbow, knee, step back drag down
#3 Step back foot across to side, low block, hook, back knee, front knee, head grasp, rotating drag down.
<#2 Teisho, head clasp to shoulder, shoulder bump, head butt, back knee, front knee, head clasp, turning drag down>
17/10/2020
Fundamentals
Kata
Pad work - elbow, shuto, head bump (3 in one), back leg knee step through, back leg knee step through, elbow, step back drag down (Shiko dachi)
Kubudo - sock with weight as weapon
Nunchaku drills applied to a home made "weapon" legal to use in self defence
18/10/2020
Nakasone Koichi; Pinan Sandan/Yondan/Godan kata bunkai seminar
From mid section of Pinan Sandan through Pinan Yondan. Including shoulder rolling uke followed by back hand strikes, how to harden your stance, soft techniques but hard bones, muchimi and feeling your opponent's moves, taking your oppentent's space etc.
The last few weeks have been even more demanding from a work perspective. I haven't trained as often as I would like, but when I have there have been some interesting sessions. Perhaps the strangest was at 01:00 hours on a Saturday morning over Zoom with Sensei Tuari Dawson and the Cairns Dojo, at the invite of Sensei PJ Broomy. 😀
2408 - Compass point work
The lesson was in kobudo, and I needed to do it outdoors due to the lack of space inside, when wielding a bo or nunchaku. I did a bit of a warm up on my own, but then the lesson started. It was to cover a lot more than I expect as it turned out to be an introduction to bo, tonfa, nunchaku and sai. 😀
2908 - Before the Lesson
We learn bo and nunchaku in my doji, but not tonfa and sai. Not at my level anyway, so learning something new is always a fun challenge. Tonfa I just had to watch, as I don't have any, but was able to borrow my son's sai (onlysmaller ones) to have a go it that. It started to rain part way through, so trying to learn in the rain whilst keeping my tablet dry was a challenge on it's own 😀
2908 - Bo, tonfa, nunchaku and sai
Fortunately I was able to move back inside for the sai part of the lesson, which is just as well, as handling sai proved to be tricky enough as it was, without adding to it by trying to handle slippery weapons in the rain! All in all though, was a fun lesson, with an excellent Sensei. 😀😀 Plus I still managed it fit in my regular Saturday training in both karate and bo.
2908 - Working the compass again
Even on days where I miss training due to work, I still try to fit something in later on, and one of the predominant themes at the moment are the 10 kihon gata. I can finally remember all 10, though not in random order as yet 😀 However, that spinning hook kick in gata number 9 just isn't there yet.
3108 - An Evening workout
I think from my own dojo, the best lesson for me was one where they taught combinations of knee strikes, and elbow strikes. My limited abilities make the use of knees very attractive, as well as being effective. What was the clincher for me though was the realisation that the whole range of kicking techniques we use include knee strikes. 😀😀
0509
At close range, a mawashi geri is of no use, but if you do a roundhouse knee and they move away, it turns immediately into a mawashi geri. Similary a straight knee can be turmed into a mai geri, and I guess something like a ushiro geri could be a knee to the side followed by a kick behind. Similar extensions can also be applied to elbow strikes, a downward elbow can be extended into a hammer fist, a crashing elbow can be extended into a back fist, and so on.
0809
The brain also needs to be fed, and after the lesson in knees and elbows, I had the privilege of attending a zoom lecture by Patrick McCarthy, but more of that in another blog. The important thing is the variety and mental stimulus it brings. In times of uncertainy, an anchor point for anybody can be something such as karate. The routine of training being maintained is a conforting one, however if all it contains is endless repetition of the same things trhen the end result cam be couner productive.
1009
For me, the lockdown has given many challenges, but the constant of having more opportunities to train, and the regular nature of the framework, has been a constant about which I have been able to build a routine to cope with both my physical and mental health issues However, having done this for over five months now, if there wan't any variety the value would have been greatly reduced.
1209
As well as doing the routine training, it has been necessary for me to go outside the box as well as rely on the lesson, but I think anyone who wants to progress in any direction has to do this anyway. I have been lucky in that my Sensei, Ben and Alison Slack, always try to work something in over a period of time that we haven't done in the same way before, or expand on what we have done before.
Also, if people wanted to (and I did), they have offered the opportunity to work with different instructors as well, via Zoom. I have had the incredible luck to be able to train with Brian Bates, PJ Broomy, Les Bubka, Don Came, Jamie Clubb, Chris Hanson and Sensei Nohara, and though PJ train with Senei Tuari Dawson. I have taken part of a "lockdown" pub quiz with my dojo, hosted by Iain Abernethy and attended lectures by Andreas Quast and Patrick McCarthy, so what can I say?
To cope with massive uncertainty, a strong routine is a massive plus in being able to be able to cope. But to to be of any value, the routine has to have a degree of variety built in, and preferably with the opportunity to develop things further for the students if they wish. I am glad to say that my Sensei offer all of that, and on a personal level have been so supportive I can never thank them enough
2408
Kata, all 10 kihon gata
2908
Sensei Tuari Dawson
Kobudo - Bo, Tonfa, Nunchaku and Sai - introduction and drills
Regular lesson
Teisho and escape practice Step back Zenkutsu dachi with hooking receives (FH) - upper tudan uke, tudan uke, gidan uke, to receive same sided stirke and open up the back. Working in the after.
Kata, pad work. - Face slap (to ear cup). head to chest clasp, shoulder barge, head but, elbow. Then wall trap drill. Slide to side, groin slaps, head control, turn into Zebkutsu dachi to drive head into wall, then hammerfirst or downard elbow strikes to finish.
Bo,
First 6 kihon gata, followed by short run through of what each person remembers from Shushi no kon
3008
Jamie Clubb
Discipline - including cued padwork, with one and two attackers
0509
Kata
Quadrant drill
Pad work - gross motor skills, hammerfist, teisho, elbow, knee, turning takedown
Nunchaku
Kihon gata, including one legged stance
1009
Fundamentals
Kihon gata
Pad work
Teisho, hammer fist, elbow, knee, step through, turning throw (back leg move across, front leg pull back)
Its been a while now since my last blog and so much has been going on, it's been kind of hard to keep track. I've kept my usual notes on the lessons, done a few videos but that was about it, not been writing anything else down as too much else is going on.
0907 Slow kata and press ups after lesson
In the end I suppose all I can do is try to summarise. Working from home can be both a blessing and a curse. early in the lockdown it was a blessing, as it allowed me the flexibility to train three times a week for the first time ever. Later in the lockdown it has become a bit of a millstone, as there has been so much work going on to get ready for offices re-opening that it has overflowed at times into home life and time. On balance though, I still believe it to have been good for me, as it allowed me to keep working full time even though I have had to shield. Now comes the uncertainty of when I will be asked to go back to the office, and how that will be done when travelling on public transport will become a major issue for me.
1107 Tensho to go
On the family level, the lockdown has put a strain on all concerned. I think even the best of families would have been pushed to all stay in the same house 24x7 for four months. I had some mental health issues going into the lockdown and I think it is fair to say that all of us have suffered with various issues over this period. My biggest mistake I think was trying to deal with my issues in isolation from other things that have been going on, and that added somewhat to the tensions we have all geen suffering from. In recent weeks, though things have eased somewhat as we are all talking to one another and are trying to work things through.
1107 No Lesson so Fundamentals
On the karate front, I still use my karate to help both my phyiscal and metnal health. Even my wife gave it a go for a few lessons, before deciding it wasn't quite for her just now. I think the different ways me and our son approach karate and try to show things didn't help, at times that can get confusing for a complete beginner, I'm still a novice myself of course. There is still a lot of variety in the lessons, but it's obvious that many are chomping at the bit to get back in the dojo. That cxan't happen for me anytime soon, so the online lessons will still continue for some time to come, even when the dojo does re-open.
1407 Compass elbow drill practice and Naihanchi
Work and family issues have limited training over the last month or so down to one or two times a week on average, but during this time have at least had the opportunity to train with PJ Broomy again. This time both me and my son took part, and managed to get some partnered drill work in, another great lesson, thank you PJ.
1507 Kicks, take downs and kata
For my own part, when I have had no lessons, I've been trying mostly to do forms for exercise and practice fundamentals and kata as a more formal kind of practice, rather than working on aide memoires from lessons. Usually we would have gone over the material over the course of a couple of lessons and some of the ideas would have stuck, but the sporadic nature of my attendance has mean this hasn't always happened, so made the aide memoire style of working much more difficult to do.
1507 Open handed Naihanchi and Tensho
Until I have to go back to the office full time, I am aiming to train at least two times a week if at all possible, so as not to have to knock off the ring rust again. Will have to see how things go.
Lessons 0907 Fundamentals Kata - Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan, technical performances 1607 Kata, single move and performance, Naihanchi Shodan Speed combinations Jab, reverse punch, hook, upper cut, knee, then three variations to follow: Drag down, stamp Encircle waist with arm, turn away, hip throw. Step through after knee, leg sweep and reverse punch to ground Last 5 kihon gata -
Rokudan
Ashi uke, jab, cross, Mawashi Geri
Nanadan
Mae Geri (land in front) right jab, back kick
Hachidan
Mae Geri (land in front), back kick, reverse punch
Kyudan
Shuffle, backhand forehand punch, shuffle, backhand forehand punch, right then left mawashi geri, spinning kick
Judan
Shuffle, backhand forehand punch, shuffle, backhand forehand punch, right then left mawashi geri, hisa geri
An Australian lesson
1907 - lesson with PJ
Advanced stuff comes from understanding the basics correctly. We did 3 levels of tzuki. Looked at wrist alignment. The importance of breathing. Considered the workings of the modern and primitive brain under stress. We did a combo Gedan barai (arm clear), yoko uraken (which includes the empi uchi) and a gyaku tzuki to change the relationship and facilitate a rudimentary nage waza. Followed this up kote waza (kansetsu waza) to stop conflict immediately.
2007 Kihon and kata
2307 Forms and kata
2307 Kata then Naihanchi Sandan drills
Double grab, trap and forearm smash into neck while turning body away and to the side (zenkutsu)Step in front of attacker into zenkutsu for taiotoshi (body drop throw)
trap grabbing hands, forearm strike into neck while turning body away and to side (zenkutsu), elbow, backfist, knee
block / trap hook with one hand, taisho, push past head, circle under arm to lock elbow with other, secure second arm and free up original blocking hand to strike.
2307 Kata peformance
Warm down form and kata 2507
2507 Summary of today's lesson: Kata, escaping from headlock (elbow, slap, hammerfist, followed by knee then escape). Stepping to one side to evade, then attacking. Emphasis on moving back foot across the using an appropriate technique) Bo was first 4 kihons plus walk through of Shushi no kon.
0608 Kata practice and questions. I got the one about the opening of Naihanchi Nidan and answered with it being a counter to a bear hug, sink and open up the shoulders and arms to break the hug. Worked on a short drill from one of the Pinans, as pad work. Intercept punch (symbolised by pad hand), ear slap then head control, front leg knee strike, then front hand goes under the arm, back hand controls the head. Pivot on front black, back leg moving away to effect a throw.
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)
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
