8/16/07 – Thursday Karate class.

Very hard class.

Sensei Cieplik had the day off so Sensei Noia, who’s also my main Sensei, taught class.

We started with a very quick warm up, doing just a few sets of front kicks and our normal front snap kick, reach, step down in the same place with reverse punch. Then we worked on some basic blocks. Moving forward downward block, inward block and outward block and some punches where we opened our hips and threw a jab and then twisted our hips the other way and threw a reverse punch.

After that, out came the rectangular pads. Sensei had us stand with one foot on the pad, in a low stance and then throw front snap kicks. Then we did a combination move that consists of fast front snap kick, slow and low side thrust kick to the knee, fast front snap kick and then put our kicking foot down behind us powerful and quickly. After that, we did the same move but added a slow back kick after the second front snap kick. Keeping my balance was very tough and after just a few reps my legs were spent.

Next, we moved on to more pad drills. We started with punches where we stood in a horse stance, our partner held the pad and we punched it. Then we did the same type of punches but in a front stance and then some blocks. Sensei made a point to tell us to punch from the elbow not the hand. After that we did some hammer fists in to the pad. The hammer fist can generate some serious power when putting the hips behind to the side. We finished with some outward blocks to the pad. I was not able to generate much power behind those for some reason but after class, Sensei told me to flex my lat, on the same side I am blocking with, at the very end. I did not try it on the pads because class ended but I will try it as soon as I can.