Shotokanplanet.org

This is a log of my journey to Shotokan Karate Shodan and beyond.

Just add a cat stance

April 17, 2021 by doug

The time training outside of the dojo has made me start working on some new drills. These aren’t new techniques, just the same techniques done differently.

Class started doing standing, no power punches. The slight hip movement before the punch and the connection to the floor start things out. As the warm-up went on, the punching power went up. After that, it was time to do the same from the horse stance with the same small hip action and connection to the floor, adding some double punches after the single punches.

Next came techniques in a front stance. The normal stepping forward and back with a front punch to get the hips and legs a little warmer, and then the next drill was something that I don’t recall doing in class in the dojo before.

Stepping forward with a front punch, step halfway back into a cat stance with a front hand palm strike, and then step all the way back into a front stance with a downward block. This creates a different feel that I don’t remember from before. The front punch moving forward is standard, but moving into the cat stance in-between front stances adds additional elements to the leg moving backward. I continued doing the same leg movements, but the second drill was a low knife hand block in the cat stance, and then the last drill was a reverse punch while in the cat stance. I haven’t done much cat stance work in the past, but I think I found something that I will continue doing going forward.

After that was moving forward with a front snap kick and stepping back with a downward block. Moving into a back stance was the theme today for most of the moves. It just felt right.

The final kihon drill was moving forward with a front snap kick and front punch, working on timing the hand and foot to end at the same time and still stepping back with a downward block.

The next drill was reverse punch, step forward reverse punch, then step back with downward block. This drill started slow then, when adding speed, the first reverse punch is thrown while stepping, and the second is complete as the step is completed. The next drill starting in a ready stance was to shift left with a left hand inside block and then angle 45 degrees forward to the right with right leg and hand in front. The idea behind this drill is the move around an object in front of you by shifting out of the way and then moving into a fighting stance to either block or execute an attack.

The rest of the class was some Heian kata training to finish up training for today.

Filed Under: Karate Class Tagged With: cat stance, Karate

Sunday Karate training and a long overdue update

March 28, 2021 by doug

It’s been a long time since I updated this website, and even though I haven’t been typing, I never stopped training. I learned a lot about Karate over the last two years. I’ll detail more about what I have learned, but I thought it would be useful to share the training classes that I do.

These classes combine what I have done with Noia Sensei, Ceiplik Sensei, and Hotton Sensei.

After a simple warm-up, it was time to get to it.

Starting from a hip-width standing stance with the legs lose but not weak, 10 light front punches focusing on punching from the hip, not just moving the arms, and ensuring that the elbows are rubbing on the sides of the body and moving from the center. After those came a few more sets adding more power for a total of three sets.

The next movement was front punches again but from a horse stance and still keeping the same concepts when doing them standing. The key here is to punch with the arms and have the hip movement throw the punch, not the shoulders and chest.

This next movement helps to warm up the hips, and it has become one of my favorites. Starting in a horse stance, reach to the left and pivot on the heels into a front stance, reverse punch, then reach to the front, pivot on the heels into a horse stance and double front punch, then repeat on the right. Keeping low while moving from horse stance to front stance and back is key, along with punching from the hips and driving the front knee forward while moving into the front stance.

Since small space training is important now, the next moves started in a front stance, moving forward and backward with a front punch. Pulling with the front leg moving forward and pulling from the back leg, allowing the body weight to transfer, is key, along with rubbing the elbows and still punching from the center. This movement and the similar movements to follow are done in separate sets, first starting with the left leg forward and the second set starting with the right leg forward.

I like to change up some of the combination arm movements to keep the mind working. Even though they aren’t tough, it keeps the training fresh. The next movement was moving forward with a rising block and moving backward with a front punch. Normally, the front punch would come first moving forward and the rising block would be moving backward but if someone was attacking you and you step in to block, with good timing, you could then return the counter-attack or front punch moving backward. It sounds a little counterintuitive but it makes sense in my mind.

The next movement was moving forward with a front punch and moving backward with a downward block. All of these movements are done for eight to 10 repetitions with each leg in front.

Next were some simple Kumite drills. They consist of a short shift with a jab, reverse punch, or both. Starting in a fighting stance, to get the hip action correct, move the front foot the length of your foot forward and then pull it back to the starting point while keeping your back foot in the same place. Keeping the back heel off the ground and using the bent back leg’s spring tension is key.

The next drill is moving the same way as above but throwing a jab. When throwing the jab, try to keep your front leg foot/knee and your elbow moving together. As you move your foot forward, at the end range, your punch should end at the same time, and as the foot moves back, the hand comes back to your guard position.

Using the same footwork, instead of throwing a jab, keep the front hand up to guard your face and reverse punch. This movement is particularly good at building strength in the legs and forcing hip rotation for the punch. After the punch, pull back to the guard position.

The next Kumite drill is a combination of jab and reverse punch. The key to this drill, make the jab strong. Many people throw the jab as a feint, but the jab can be a powerful attack if done correctly. Most people will say the jab will stun, and the reverse punch will finish, but I would rather have the jab finish and only have to use to reverse punch as a follow-up if needed.

The rest of the class was kata. I try to finish all my classes with at least one kata, and when I am training basics, like above, I go back to the roots and do Taikyoku Shodan or Heian Shodan. These are the most basic katas in the Shotokan syllabus, but many hidden complexities can be found if we examine the katas more closely. Trying to remove the robotics action that I learned all those years ago is much harder than it sounds, and these are always a good way to finish up a training session.

Filed Under: Karate Class

Do your techniques with intent

February 12, 2019 by doug Leave a Comment

Today’s class involved a lot of pad work doing various strikes with as much power as possible. I would like to think that whenever we do pad drills like these, I am hitting the pad as hard as possible but today, Sensei Noia said something that made the techniques more powerful.

Hit with intent

We started out with a partner holding a pad or two while one of us punched the pad. We did punches from standing and front stances and after a little warm-up Sensei had us ask our partner if we were hitting hard. He also asked us if we felt we were hitting as hard as possible and most of us replied with a maybe not. The point he was trying to get across was if you are not hitting hard enough to hurt your partner if they weren’t holding the pad, you are aren’t hitting hard enough.

After some more punches, Sensei explained hitting with intent. The intention of our punches and strikes is simple, to stop an attacker with your one punch or strike. We often punch just to train but today he wanted us to punch with the intent to break ribs or incapacitate our partner if they didn’t have the pads between them and your strike.

I know this sounds simple and most students will say that always punch all out with intention but I can honestly say, I often do not punch my hardest unless I have a reminder. It’s not that I am lazy but for some reason, my punches go on autopilot and that’s not the best way to train.

We followed the punches with some roundhouse kicks with the same intention. I have had issues with my roundhouse kicks since I started training almost 15 years ago but Sensei Noia gave me some instruction today that changed my kicks. I have always focused on the correct technique for my roundhouse kick and that made them, for lack of better words, weak.

After a few kicks, Sensei told me to just throw my leg. He held the pad low, a little above thigh level, and had me do my rear leg roundhouse by just throwing my leg at the pad. This made a world of difference. It wasn’t textbook correct as far as technique is concerned but the power and speed was better than I ever had in the past. Throwing the kicks this way aren’t for tournaments or exams but the height of the kick and the power behind it would certainly stop someone from walking away after getting hit with it.

We did a few more pad drills with any hand techniques of our choice using the same intent as before. If you want to have some fun do some hammer fists or back fists with all out power. I have no doubt that those techniques, at least for me, would drop someone easily.

We finished class doing a couple of katas but again doing each technique with the same intent of strikes we did before.

Filed Under: Karate Class Tagged With: hit hard, intent, punch

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