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

No Dojo Video diary #6

Where I left off - Fundamentals workout

Morning relaxation kata 20-04

Eight Brocades and Tensho

Morning kata 2104

Workout 21-04

Naihanchi Shodan

Eight Brocades

Relaxing after a stressful week

Another Naihanchi

Kihon gata and Quadrant drill

Naihanchi hands

No Dojo Video diary #5

Where I got to last week:

Lazing on a Sunday afternoon

Updated Tensho 13-04-20

First full runs through with modified hand gestures

Naihanchi and solo bunkai

Well sort of bunkai. Two attempts at corrected Naihanchi Shodan with video aide memoire from yesterday's lesson.

Tensho revised breathing

First attempt in full of Tensho with revised breathing, all breathing in done on pulling in movements, exhale on all the push away movements. Had some of this mixed up and need to keep practising. This run through was I felt, way too tense.

Exercise after work

Not the 20 minutes I was aiming for, but got through balancing, the quadrant drill, Naihanchi Shodan, and attempt at the solo bunkai for Naihanchi, Naihanchi Nidan, the first 5 kihon gata and Tensho,

Naihanchi Shodan

Performance x 2

Taiso Tensho

Still working on breathing to hand movements co-ordination

1704 Workout

After a kind of torrid week, after finishing my work needed a de-stress, so Naihanchi, lesson recap and Tensho. Pad work and Kihon kata variants, spinning back kicks are so not me lol

1804 Kata after lesson

Performance of Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan and Tensho

Fundamentals workout

Naihanchi Shodan, receiving techniques, punches, kicks, various other techniques, 5 kihon gata

No Dojo Video diary #4

This is where I left off last week

Taiso Tensho for relaxation and breathing, followed by Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan (5/4/20)

Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan after lesson.  This is why I don't normally use my iPad for videos, this came out as 12 seconds for 3 kata lol (6/4/20)

Performance of Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan, plus taiso and tension Tensho (7/4/20)

Pushing myself, workout of 18 minutes, including elements from Monday's lesson (8/4/20)

Naihanchi Shodan an Tensho, correcting some points (9/4/20)

20 minute workout, including re-visit of Quadrant drill, based on Thursday's lesson (10/4/20)

Warm down kata after Saturday's lesson, original and old git versions lol ☺☺☺☺(11/4/20)

Lazing on a Sunday afternoon, gentle workout involving Kata and balance (12/4/20)

  

No Dojo Video diary #3

The last week for me in videos.

Where I left off last week:

Dark Clouds Overhead

Time to breathe deeply

Tension and intent

This morning's kata before work, Naihanchi with intent and Tesho with tension. Got to start putting the meaning in to see whether I'm progressing.

Kata Homework

Naihanchi slow then faster, trying to incorporate points given by my Sensei, and Tensho, with tension added to punches as per Noah Legel

Round about midnight.....

The other kata escape occasionally for an airing... I swear I'm beginning to resemble an extra from the thriller video .... can't dance though lol

The three Naihanchi (Shodan that is)

These are the three different ways I usually do Naihanchi Shodan - slow, with intent, and the one I do least often, hontai. Being a leftie, the last isn't as hard as I thought it would be, but still lose my position occasionally.

Give me my morning kata

Tensho and slow Naihanchi on the menu today

Thursday's Lesson 020420

Online lesson featuring kata, combinations, free solo sparring. kihon gata and warmdown kata

Morning workout

Combination workout based on yesterday's lesson, plus Naihanchi Shodan and Tensho

Naihanchi Nidan fish oil warm

I have progressed sufficiently with Naihanchi Shodan to now send videos of Nidan for correction. This is the first one submitted, but the lighting was awful. I started playing with it and this is what I got, with fish eye lens, oil painting and warm effects applied.

Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan

Today's lesson was mostly about kata. These are the two I can do a performance of in my style. I know the bones of Sandan but they are pretty bare just now.

Tensho

Today's lesson was mostly about kata. After the lesson ended, I also performed Tensho, which I do as a breathing exercise as much as anything. I do however want to improve it.

My other kata

TaiChi no Naihanchi, Tomari no Naihanshi (Shorin Ryu); Naihanchi Sandan. The "Tomari no Naihanchi" kata is actually hontai Naihanchi Shodan from my style, but the dominating feature of the Tomari version is starting to the left, right foot first...

Taiso Tensho and the Naihanchis

05-04-20, this morning's kata,Taiso style version of Tensho, concentrating on relaxation and breathing, followed by performance of Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan.

No dojo Video diary #2

The last week for me in videos.

Tension Tensho

Where I left off last week....

Day 1/ 90 no going outside the house or garden

Been a stressy day, but sorted my meds and food out (thank you to my Sensei, Ben and Alison for that). Tried to do the two Naihanchis I know properly but lots of mistakes, but got to keep going. Try again tomorrow and hopefully do better then :)

Day 2/90 a cold crisp night

Slow kata, outdoors at night. Cold and crisp.

Day 3 / 90 keep on  keeping on

Day three of lockdown - keep on keeping on

Morning Kata

Up nice and early, some choirs, breakfast, a few kata then work time.

Kihon Kata at Dusk

Felt the need to work out on s break, good cardio exercise, but not brilliant on the form

Video Notes from 28/03 Lesson -

https://www.karate4theheart.com/2020/03/saturday-streaming.html

Dark Clouds Overhead

Time to breathe deeply

No Dojo video diary

The first two weekends and first full week of CV-19 no dojo.  The first weekend was staying away as my son had a cold so I missed grading.  Did a few videos (very rough) of the basic elements would have had to do:

Naihanchi to mai geri

Yoko and ushiro geri

Kihon gata and wind down

The first day of working from home was a bit tense so had to do some kata work:

Kooped up kata 1

Kooped up kata 2

Hadn't had a gi on in to weeks so prior to the first streamed lesson I took part in, had to get back into one:

Back in a gi

After the first streamed lesson, I decided to do myself a revision video:

Back in the Saddle

And a wind down before the Sunday evening was done:

Tension Tensho

Monday Night dojo life

On a few days leave at the moment, so went to the Dojo for the Monday night session.  Quite a varied lesson, which I find a good thing 😊.  We started off with core drills, including sprints, crawling, forward rolls, and the shrimp followed by some stretches.

This was followed by transition practise, step through in Zenkutzu Dachi and various uke / tsuki combinations with proper mawatte techniques.  This was followed by Kata practice: For me Naihanchi Shodan with a run through of Nidan and Sandan.

After Kata, we went to try Tai Sabaki (body management) - with our Sensei trying to hit with a padded kendo style stick.   The trick was to evade, first of all to a lunge by stepping away, followed by a head swipe followed by ducking.  After that, we had to evade a leg swipe by jumping, followed by a head / leg swipe combination by ducking then jumping.  Finally, we had to evade a lunge by swaying, followed by evading a lunge, head swipe, leg swipe, lunge combination by stepping, ducking, jumping and swaying.

We then worked in pairs to evade forehand and backhand punches by parrying and stepping away to the outside, followed by delivering a return punch from the side.  We followed this by trying to evade random forehand or backhand punches.   The last part of the lesson was padwork for mawashi geris / punches / 4 punches, followed by front foot mai geri and a spinning kick / uke to random head and leg strikes.


Finally, we did Naihanchi Shodan cool down to end the lesson; plenty of variety and new things to remember.  Awesome 😊🙏