Karate for Cardio-Vascular Exercise

Apart from sharing a common interest with my son, the other main reason I had for starting Karate was as a form of Cardio-Vascular exercise, as a response to finding I have a hereditary heart condition.   Both my Senseis have been really helpful and understanding, and my health has definitely improved as a result, than you Ben and Alison.

In addition to this, one of the Karate groups I am a member of on Facebook offers a Mentorship scheme, which I asked for and was accepted.  My mentor is helping me add aspects to the home exercises I do (mostly basic drills, stretches and Kata) at home to tweek these further to gain the most out of them.

I have already tweeked at least one stretch (to avoid a bad back) and added a trunk stretch to my routines, but his other suggestion was to do two versions of my Kata, one for the proper practice of the Kata, and the other version to be for exercise and relaxation.  This form he suggested by done in Tai Chi style, slower and smoother.  I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now, and have had a couple of videos done to see how its coming along.

Naihanchi Shodan Slow 1

Naihanchi Shodan Slow 2

A lot of work needs doing; not doing it as consistently as I would like, not relaxed enough and perhaps not slow enough.  But I think when I get used to doing it this way, will be really good to help me relax, whilst providing a good work out at the same time.

Have shared this with my mentor, so that I can get some constrsuctve feedback: But I have to practice the correct form as well, perhaps even more so, so that I don't lose anything from that either.  Keeps me busy and out of mischief, so can't complain. 😊😊😊

Dojo time

I don't think I've ached as much after a session in the Dojo as I do today.  Probably had its roots in starting off with more sit ups and press ups that I've done in years.  Didn't manage the squat thrusts tho. 😞😞

Then we had stretches, basic elements (punches, blocks kicks), toughening (leg kicks, inside and outside blocks) and on to the lesson.  That was ground work, how to work out from beneath an opponent, Naihanchi Shodan drills with pads, and then large pad work with spinning kicks.  Finally, had a couple of attempts at axe kicks.

Excellent work out, but its the last time I will see my Senseis for a couple of weeks as they are off to Okinowa (lucky souls), but we will have a couple of Senseis visiting from our other dojos, so no excuses 😊😊😊.  Hope Ben and Alison enjoy their trip, they deserve it and maybe one day I will be able to make the same journey. 😊😊

A Nerd Post: Ryukyukan Shorin-Ryu

The dojo I am a member of is a part of the Ryukyukan Federation, headed by Sensei Koei Nohara.   Sensei Nohara as far as I understand studied under his father and Sensei Shugoro Nakazato.

Sensei Nohara's father, Kaoru, was a student of Chotoku Kyan, and was trained in the style of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu.  Sensei Shugoro Nakazato was a student of Chosin Chibana and was trained in the style Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu, so Sensei Koei Nohara has studied both.

Based on this, I guess Ryukukan Shorin-Ryu is a fusion of both the Matsubayashi and Kobayashi styles.  Both Chotoku Kyan and Chosin Chibana were students of Sensei Ankoh Itosu, so I guess that Ryukukan Shorin-Ryu is quite close to the orginal form of Shorin-Ryu.

I am sure my Senseis will correct me if I have got this wrong 😊😊😊

A Father and Son blog: Training time

It's school holiday time, but I'm still at work.   My son had a Karate lesson with our Senseis and they have now started to set him specific teaching tasks:  To help me stay in touch with what I'm missing out on 😊😊😊

His latest lesson consisted of Kata work, step transitions, drills and a little bit of Kobudo (bo drills).  The teaching tasks they set him were to teach me the Neko Dachi stance and step transitions, then go through the Naihanchi Shodan drill with me. 

It was a bit late when I got home, but he still wanted to show me 😊😊😊  I suppose I am a difficult pupil, as I am used to asking him to show me things, not hoim wanting to teach me things.  I need to work on that, but nonetheless, we spent some time going through both.

The drill is good but will need a good few gos to learn the full sequence, and all I will say about the other is I am no cat; neither smooth nor very flexible 😞😞😞.  However, the good thing is, he is willing to teach me some more and I am willing to learn.  Here is to a new type of father and son relationship 😊😊😊.

An Extra Day in the Dojo

Monday evening is a session I normally miss in the dojo due to work commitments, but made it tonight because I took a day's holiday for family commitments.   It was a bit of an eye opener because there are some new students I hadn't even met, and a reminder that lessons are not repeats.

We did Kata, Kata drills and stranglehold breaks, and I realised that I am missing out a lot on not doing the second lesson regularly.  I do practice in between sessions and will progress, but I had brought home to me that students who started after me are overtaking me in development.

However, life is what it is, and it is good to see other people learning and willing to share 😊  If circumstances change, then I will definitely want to be in the dojo more often.

On a positive note, the idea of doing Kata in tai chi style, seems to be very much the slow practice we have been encouraged to do to improve technique.  To learn the accuracy, you need to do it slowly first. 

Today, I was told that elements my Kata (Naihanchi Shodan) have distinctly improved 😊😊😊😊 So a big positive, thank you Senseis 😊 

Today's work out: Kata, Drills and Kobudo

So actually back in the dojo today, was as ever a good work out 😊 My son helped out with the Shisa class, before joining his own class. then it was my class.  Today was Kata, flow drills and Kobudo.

The yellow belts (including me 😊 ) focussed mainly on Naihanchi Shodan, especially the points that need improving (of which there are still many), but also got to start working on Naihanchi Niedan and go through Naihanchi Sandan.

The flow drill consisted of (from the recievers side), deflections, jodan uke to a haymaker punch, cross wrist block to a hammer first, then open hand block and strike to another haymaker punch.  Apologies for not having all the correct terminology.  The big emphasis was stepping in close to work the blocks, a big feature of our style of karate 😊

After that was going through the Bo Kihon Katas, which is something I really enjoy 😊😊 However, I think I might have been a bit out of time with the drills in places, and look to have made a bit of a dog's dinner on my Neko Dachi 😊😊😊

After the workout, a bit of a communal mat scrubbing and drying. I'm a bit of and old slow coach but I tried! As did my son 😊  Thoroughly enjoyed this session, thank you Senseis Ben and Alison 😊😊

Back in the dojo

Tomorrow is my first day back in the dojo after promotions.  I know that, no matter how much better I performed than my own expectations, I can always do better.   

I always look forward to trying to learn something new, but a big chunk of my effort will always need to go on improving on what I know already.  I'm probably happiest with my punches and blocks, but know these can still improve.  My kicks still need lots of work, and though I might know the basic forms of the first two Kihon Kata I need for my next grading, knowing and executing are two separate things.

I want to be able to do so much more, but anything worth doing is worth doing well, so patience and practice are the order of the day.  I think I should be proud of what I have achieved, but with those virtues should be able to achieve so much more.

So back to the dojo and back to the basics 😊😊😊

Trying something new, kata tai chi style

I chatted with my mentor today. He likes the idea of my blog to record where I'm at, and from the videos made some suggestions on how I might improve my exercises.  On my existing stretches, my Zenkutsu dachi stretch needs to be made safer, by being my knee more to reduce the risk of popping my lower back muscles.

An additional stretch has been suggested; a forward fold, to stretch the lower back.  Bend forward at 90 degrees with hands on knees, this augments the Zenkutsu dachi stretch, without going too far and damaging muscles.

Hes also keen on Kata as a form of excersise, but says at the moment my shoulders are too rigid.  He says the movements are natural and to relax into them more.  Exactly the point my Senseis make to me.  For exercise he suggests doing them tai chi style, slow and flowing if possible.  I've spoken to my sister on this one, as she is older than me and actually does tai chi when her health allows.

I've tried this a couple of times already, and when I feel more confident with it, may share of video of Naihanchi Shodan done in that style for exercise purposes.  As a comment on my Kata as it stands, again reinforcing my Senseis points, my strikes are floppy at times, and lack intent.  But hopefully this is something that good practising will correct.

Will let you know how it goes 😊😊😊😊

A Nerd post, low kick combinations

Being of the more senior age range for Karate with not the most flexible of bodies, there are limits to what I can achieve.  On the advice of my Senseis, I keep my kicks low, but aim to improve my technique.

This doesn't mean that I can't be effective, just not spectacular 😊  Even youngsters employ low kicks to good effect.  At my first tournament, watching the Cadet's Jissen Kumite competition, the most successful kick I saw employed was the Mawashi Geri to the back of the knee.

Probably not very good against veteran Karateka, but certainly effective against not so experienced practicioners.  It put me in mind of one of my favourite videos by Jesse Enkamp, and gives me a nice in to sharing:

10 Karate Low Kick Combinations - Something for me to aspire to 😊 😊 😊 

Jesse's 10 Low kick combos

There are still definitely some elements I will struggle with, but there are a good few that I might eventually be able to make work as well 😊 😊

Kyukyu rank promotion (yellow belt)

This is by way of a diary post for looking back on.  The elements of the promotion at the time I took the test were:

Punches:

Jodan-Tsuki
Chudan-Tsuki
Gedan-TsukI

Blocks:

Jodan-Uke
Chudan-Uke
Gedan-Uke

Kicks:

Mae Geri
Yoko Geri
Ushiro Geri
Mawashi Geri

Hand Strike:

Shuto

Pad Drills:

Mawashi Geri
Kihon Kata Shodan

😊😊😊

#cardio-vascular #karate #heart #over-50s