Quadrant drill

The Quadrant Drill was originally taught to us as a paired exercise in the Dojo.   There are two roles, one primarily the aggressor and the other primarily the defender.   The role focussed on here is the  aggressor role, and it is this part that became a staple part of the video lessons of our dojo, along with the 5 pad drills based on the Naihanchi kata.  I will also add text descriptions of the complementary action of the defender role where I can remember them.

Quardrant Drill, 1st 3 elements

The first three elements are: Jab, Cross, Hook

The counters: FH parry, move head away from parry

BH parry, move head away from parry

Step in, triangle block (forearm to neck)

Quadrant Drill, 2nd 3 elements

The second three elements are: Hammer fist, Looping left, Hook

Counters are, Cross arm block,

Triangle block to right,

Triangle block to left

Quadrant Drill  part 3, 6 elements

The next 6 elements are: LH backhand, Right elbow, LH uppercut to ribs, RH uppercut to ribs, LH shuto to RH side of neck and hold, RH shuto to LH side of the neck.

Counters are: Step back into Cat stance, shuto parry,
Step in to elbow attack, back of LH, re-enforced by open RH over the top of the right arm of attacker,
RH gedan uke, LH gedan uke,
No counters to shutos, brace arms for knee strikes

Quadrant Drill Part 4, switches and knees

The next three elements are: hands clasp behind neck in gable grip (fingers and thumb on each hand together); switch stance, dragging head left then left knee; switch stance, dragging head right then right knee.

Counter: Braced arms to receive knee strikes.

Quadrant Drill Part 5, head, sweep, shoulder

The final three elements of the first part of the drill are as follows: (release gable grip to allow to come back up) Head butt, sweep arms down, Shoulder barge, with rear hand up by front shoulder.

Counters: Braced hands to receive head butt

Quadrant Drill Part 6, 2nd half of drill.

The first part of the drill formed the main focus for most of the time when going through the quadrant drill during Covid, but we did recap the second half too on many occasions.  The elements for this part tended to not be separated out so much, but gone through as a succession, and that it how I will cover them here:

Mawashi Geri; Mawashi Geri holding kicking leg extended; Mawashi Geri with follow through back to stance; Ashi Uke; Mai Geri to mid section; Mai Geri to mid section; Mai Geri to groin; Back fist. followed four punches to upper torso; Three punches to mid section; Duck and weaver under punches; Arm trap; Back off.

With counters, I only ever learnt as far as the Ashi Uke part, that I can remember.  So to the first Mai Geri, the counter is Ashi Uke, to the Mai Geri with extended kicking leg the counter is trapping the kicking leg between hip and arm and to the final Mai Geri is to step back and scopp round with the front hand.  For the Ashi Uke, there is a return Mai Geri.

Below are a few videos taken of the Quadrant Drill during Covid through both 2020 and 2021.  I still include the Quadrant Drill in my solo practice to this day.

Quadrant Drill x2 3 July 2021

Quadrant drill 08 March 2021

Quadrant drill April 26 2020

REY 26/03/2022

September to December Karate Diary

September to December 2021 was quite a rough period for me, but karate practice as ever was a part of my routine to keep going.  I worked it in with my mental health techniques as well, in the form of Kata for mindfulness and relaxation.  Below are a few sample videos and the playlists for Shorts, Solo Practice and Lessons for this time. 

September to December 2021 Shorts

September to December 2021 Solo

September to December 2021 lessons

Covid, karate and pennies dropping

 Due to work, I haven't been able to train as much as I did earlier in the Covid-19 outbreak, and that compounded by some stressful factors led to a flair up of my chest complaint.  My doctor insisted I got a Covid test done, even though I have been working from home and not socialising, waiting for the results only added to the mix.

2010 Kata as Breathing Exercise

Since I already have my own issues, mentally this set of circumstances didn't help either.  Medically I was told to take my crash pack of antibiotics and steroids, and as I had struggled on the previous Saturday lesson, I had to take it easy for a while.  I had to find something to compensate and focus on, and as is typical with me it was Karate.

22100 Slow kata gentle breathing

I put my kata to good use, both as a series of breathing exercises and as relaxation.  But then came the better news, I was Covid free: Thought it was time to start training again, even if only for a part of the lesson and not full speed: Form, rather than strength and speed. So on Saturday I did train again.  some of it I got near to full power, but the best part of it was a penny dropping......

 Kihons and knees 2410

This was my post in one of the Facebook forums:

"Muchimi, pad work and kihon: My dojo has concentrated on online training, plus outdoor training where possible, since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak. I have possibly trained more as a result and attended more seminars, but reached a "lights turned on" moment today. Recently, we have started working on knee adaptations of our kihon gata in place of kicks and today our sensei added pad work.

The kihons are very clean, with punch/ kick combinations, so swapping to knees was a change anyway, more in keeping with Shorin Ryu roots. But the addition of padwork introduces the idea of muchimi, as I realised afterwards. For example, the first kihon in my dojo is "jab, reverse punch, mai geri". the knee interpretation without pad is "jab, reverse punch, back leg knee".

Add in the pad, and this becomes "Jab, reverse punch, knee" but because the jab isn't retracted to keep the pad as a target, and the the reverse punch hand isn't retracted to support the pad for the knee: It becomes "Jab grasp, reverse punch grasp, knee" Maintaining contact with the head. Suddenly practice drills developed real intent for me. Does that make sense?"

My Sensei are always telling us about keeping contact in close quarter situations, but finally the penny dropped with some of our basic drills. One of these is given below as an example:

Kihon gata Shodan - different forms

The following day was "Karate Day" and the 100 kata challenge.  I signed up for it ages ago, but given the recent circumstances, I approached it with a certain amount of trepidation.   We were mostly going to do Naihanchi, so that wasn't a problem, but how long I would last potentially was.   I needn't have worried:  The first 20 were a real struggle, but then managed to clear my chest.   I managed the full 100, and though the other 80 weren't a walk in the park, they certainly felt more comfortable than the first 20 ☺☺☺

100 kata challenge

Much to my surprise, I even managed to make a midweek lesson on the following Thursday, and there was yet more new material introduced.  We worked mainly on kata and an old favourite: The Quadrant drill.  However towards the end of the lesson we were also introduced to some new pad drills, Naihanchi drills 4 and 5, so something more to work on ☺☺☺  The Saturday lesson was taken up by a Jamie Clubb webinar, featuring grappling and ant-grappling techniques, but for once I wasn't able to take an active part due to a few technical issues.  My son did though and he seemed to enjoy it ☺☺☺

That's it for now, thank you for reading if you got this far ☺☺☺

2410

Kata

Kihon gata to 7, knees and elbows

2510

100 kata challenge 3 Naihanchis (for me)

2910

Kata

Quadrant drill

5 Naihanchi pad drills

The two new ones:

4: push down and uppercut, roll into backfist, clinch and knee into heel stomp, cm neck crank takedown.

5: Percussive clinch, knee, hammerfist into side of head/jaw, forearm strike into base of skull (forgot to do this in tonight's lesson), turn and throw into wall/person/ environment.

3110

Jamie Clubb - grappling

Troubling times - time to keep on carrying on

It's hard to describe how things are at the moment, I'm on a short break at the moment, as work has been fairly intense lately.  Still no news on when I'm expected to start back to work, but my shielding is over.  There are some issues in my personal life which are causing a worry and mentally things are a little on the tough side.

0908 - Slow kata

There are a good few things I could have done, or organised better to say the least. However with the massive uncertainty of the times we live in, nothing is certain and I have to try not to beat myself up too much about some of the things.  That especially applies to things over I have little or no control, but sometimes that is easier said than done.

1008 - Cool down kata

I am still training, an obvious must given my conditions, but have felt less inclined to make as many videos as I have in the past.  From the feedback I've had though, my Sensei think I am making good progress, which is also a positive for me.  I still don't feel comfortable with the idea of meeting up in groups to train, so have missed the open air classes that my dojo have started to do one a week.

1508 - Nunchaku practice

However, we (both me and my son) have not had to forgo the lessons, as my Sensei have been kind enough to share them via Zoom.  As ever therefore, karate still forms a major focal point of my life, something that is both good for me physically and mentally and gives a framework of something to do in which I can feel I am making progress.  

1708 - Quadrant drill and a little kata

I regret having to miss lessons because of my workload, but that is unavoidable.  However, it makes me appreciate the lessons that I do make even more.   The time I really do appreciate in the lesson in Mokosu or "silent time", as for me it helps to focus on a complete reset.  I find it helps me to shut out the outside world for a little while and concentrate on other things.  A "haven from the storm" if you like. 

From a personal point of view, I have started to work on changing direction with various forms of compass drills, as this is something that doesn't feature heavily in the Naihanchi kata, but something I will need in the future  ☺☺

2008 - Nunchaku and elbow compass workout

When there are mental health issues involved, this is even more important, and the lockdown and subsequent period have certainly thrown up a few of those.  Karate wise, over the last few weeks, apart from fundamental, kata and padwork, our main focus has been the Quadrant drill.  It is best done in it's paired form, but can be done solo almost as a more explicit version of a kata if you like.  That is definitely something that I enjoy doing ☺☺☺

2208 - Oops up too early

Today, we had the honour of taking part in a Zoom lesson with the head of our Ryukyukan federation, Sensei Nohara, and there are a few more interesting lessons and webinars to come, so still much to lokk forward to a ficus on, outside of the stream of the humdrum.  So time to keep on carrying on, as ever ☺☺☺☺

Lessons 

0808

Kata
Pad drill. (2 to 3 attackers) step off to side (to see if anyone behind and line them up if so). Teisho x 2, crash.  Hammerfist x2 knee ( rugby tackle ) sprawl, hasmmer fist x 2  (neck lock from behind) 2 to 3 hammerfists to back of kneck. open shoulders to break lock and push away

1008

Quadrant drill: jab, cross hook, hammer fist, looping left, hook, back hand slap, elbow, upper cut, uppercut, ridge hand, ridge hand, (gable grip) Swap stance, (dragging head to left) left knee, swap stance (dragging head to right), right knee, head butt, sweep down tto clear arms, shoulder barge.

Right mawashi geri, back to stance, swap stance, left mawashi geri, back to stance, swap stance, right mawashi geri, hold out, right mawashi geri, follow through back to stance, Ashe Uke, Mai geri, ball of foot to stomach, Mai geri, ball of foot to stomach, Mai geri, top of foot to groin, left back fist, cross, jab, cross, jab to head, cross, jab, cross to body (solar plexus, liver spleen), duck left moving legs circle head under punch, step back hands up

1608

Quadrant drill, padwork - Teisho, hammer first, elbow

Nunchaku 

 Figure of 8s both hands,  Striking both hands: Crosswise strike towards body, crosswise strike away from body, upward strike over shoulder, downward strike.   How ordinary items such as a belt, a hadbag, or a doglead, can be used to carry out similar strikes to nunchaku.  Kihon kata: 
1) Step back into Shiko dachi, front hand downward strike, emulating bike handle, both sides.
2) Step back into Shiko dachi, ront hand downward strike, emulating bike handle, touch to front wrist, back hand under, front hand up to bring Nunchaku behind front shoulder, both sides.
3) Step back into Shiko dachi, ront hand downward strike, emulating bike handle, touch to front wrist, back hand under, front hand up to bring Nunchaku behind front shoulder, front hand figure of eight five times, catch at waist on back hand, both sides.
Free sparring Nunchaku

2008

Fundamentals, kata, pad work, different forms of teisho, straight, upwards, hook then short slap with double hip movement.

2208

Fundamentals and kata (with Sensei Nohara)

Covid Blues and Dancing in the rain

This blog is one of the hardest I've had to write, as I think the best way to describe what I suffered from was a dose of the Covid blues.  It's been over eleven weeks now since I left the house, and the and after the 10th week it was like running into a brick wall.  Being on the at risk register makes you more aware of the risks, and seeing the country gearing up to go back to work, but coupled with the lack of responsibly some people seem to show put extra worries on top an already fraught household. 

After the 25th May lesson...

It's fair to say that my family has more than it's fair share of issues, some relating to mental health, which sit on top of my own health concerns.  My own mental health hasn't been the best, making more distracted and tetchy than usual.  The worrying prospect of having to go back to work on insanely crowded public transport, without any reasonable treatment having been found was looming on the horizon was and still is a big factor, but the final straw as it felt at the time was the weekend of the 30th of May.

Kata at dusk (27th May)

Watching footage of people piling on to beaches yet again, insane traffic queues following the government's ill advised (in my opinion) opening up of unlimited travel set the alarm bells ringing.  Then we found we had new neighbours...... They announced themselves with a barbecue with guests from outside the household.  There certainly wasn't space in their back garden to socially distance and it sounded like they were having an after barbeque drinks part inside as well.  It didn't feel safe to go out and train that day and honestly felt like Covid city had come home to roost on the doorstep 😔😔😔

Kata after 28th May Lesson

On top of that some cricitcism I got got stuck iny brain, so I didn't venture out for about for about three days.  In the middle of that was Jamie Chubb's seminar and a Nunchacku lesson, all indoors.  It's fair to say I felt nowhere near my normal levels of enthusiasm for doing karate. I had a mental health counselling session booked in for the Tuesday morning though, and these have been another thing that have kept my going.  I felt the need to do something positive prior to the session, so on the Tuesday morning, ventured out to do some kata in the garden.

2nd June, The dawn kata

That and the counselling helped, so I started to feel better about myself, though a lot of the worries still remain.  I ventured out the following morning in the early hours to get myself back in the habit of going outside, this time with a little improvised work and to keep pushing myself.

3rd June, Bo, kicks and kata

The Thursday lesson I did indoors due to a rather wet and inclement evening, bu there was no way I was staying in doors for the Saturday.  There was a bit of drizzle but to be honest it felt good to train outdoors again, both for the regular lesson and the bo lesson that followed.  Afterwards I did a bit of bo kihon and regular kata, still with a little bit of rain coming down, hence the title of that video "dancing in the rain" ☺☺☺☺

6th June, Dancing in the rain

Made sure I got outside again on the Sunday as well to do a bit of practice base on one of the week's lessons, plus a recap on the Nunchaku lesson from the week before.  Just got to keep on going and trying my best to live in the moment, and put to one side for now what the coming weeks might bring.  I will have to face those challenges when I come to them, but since I don't know what they will be, there is no point in worry in what they might be.  I must also try to keep my own reactions to situations on an even keel, and not take too much to heart.  These are my resolutions for the time being, as to how well I do going forward, only time will tell.

7th June, Ukes, nunchaku and kata

Lessons

2505

Jab, cross, step forward, RH jab, step forward LH, knee strike, RH elbow, head control. step forward, pivot of right foot to left takedown, 270 degree rotation, gyaku tsuki, stomp
Cat stance, inside scoop (of kick), step through into Shiko dachi, Right elbow strike takedown, gyaku tsuki, stomp
Outside sweeping block, Step in front leg, jab cross should be in there ( missed out in lesson) take down (hooking neck with forearm over shouider), gyaku tsuki, stomp
Inside sweeping block catstance, side kick, low sweep with left foot, elbow under, take back, stomping pick, gyaku Tsuki, stomp

2805

Fundamentals including tobi mai geri (jumping front kick) and outside block
kata
padwork on hooks, hammerfist and cutting elbow

3005

Guest lesson with Jamie Chubb - soft skills, use of the sprawl, checking for escape routes

Nunchaku lesson

Kihon kata, strike down, forearm touch, transition behind, figure of eight, transition behind, strike down

0406

Jodan uke in yoi, transition to Shiko dachi, jodan uke again
Chudan uke in yoi, transition to Shiko dachi, chudan uke again.
Shoto uke in yoi, transition to Shiko dachi, shoto uke again
Jodan uke, gedan uke, one side punch other, repeat both sides
Jodan uke, gedan uke, shoto uke one side punch other, repeat both sides
Jodan uke, gedan uke, shoto uke, chudan uke one side punch other, repeat both sides
Short piece of work on other uke combinations
Kata
Pad work on back fist
Kata

0606

Quadrant drill, individual elements, short section drills, through to mawashi geri
Jab, cross, front hand hook.
Hammer fist, looping left, back hand hook.
Front hand slap, cutting elbow, left upper cut, right uppercut
Left hand ridge hand, right hand shuto, gable grip, LH step back and drag, left knee, switch to RH drag and knee
Head butt, hands up, LH shoulder barge.
Right leg mawashi geri, back to stance, switch,left leg mawashi geri, back to stance, switch, hold out right leg mawashi geri, back to stance, spin through mawashi geri, round back to stance

Bo

First six kihon kata