Archives for December 2007

Now that almost all who were able to tested have done so, we are starting to work on our sparring drills again.

I need a lot of work on my sparring skills but oddly enough, it seems easier than before. I am not sure if the time away from sparring is what helped but I feel much lighter on my feet and I am able to shift much easier than before. I have also lost about 10 pounds so that might be helping too.

We started out working with a partner on basic jabs and reverse punch drills. Sensei Noia had us focus on distance or keeping the right distance between our partner and ourselves. I am trying to focus harder on keeping my upper upright when shifting back and forth and also when I am doing my reverse punches. In the past, I was leaning far forward and punching with my head looking down at the floor. I want to make sure that I fix all of the little problems that I have developed over the last few years.

We also worked on some kick drills where we would shuffle up and roundhouse kick our partner. I have a very hard time when I lead with my left foot. My left hip was very tight, maybe because the gym was very cold, but I was having a very hard time kicking and recovering from my left leg kicks.

We spent most of the class working on those basic movements but near the end, we had some time for free sparring. The free sparring felt much better and I was able to move in and out better than before. I am also focusing on the retraction of my punches because, in the past, I had a bad habit of leaving my jab extended and wasn’t pulling it back fast like I should be.

I have a good amount of things to work on but I do feel that I am getting better and identifying and understanding what I need to fix now.

Today was the last Friday class until next year.

Sensei Noia had us work on kata and kihon for those that still need to test this weekend.

We started out with some kihon.  Moving forward with front punch is always a good warm up.  I lined up next to my friend Robert.  Whenever we are side by side, we push each other father then if we are next to someone else.  We have to try and do lower stances or move faster then each other and we really pull out all the stops.  We are pretty evenly matched when doing punch and blocking movements but he is much faster at kicks than I am.  We did many movements and spent a lot of time on kicks.  Side thrust kick, side snap kick, roundhouse, double front snap kick, double roundhouse kick and combinations of those kicks took a good amount of the class.  We also did shifting forward with jabs and reverse punches since those moves can show up on the exams.

Next we worked on our kata.  Sensei almost always has us start out with Heian Shodan to get us warmed up and I think to help get our minds on the task at hand.  We normally do one kata at half speed and another at full speed and full power.  I always try to pay special attention to me feet and hand movements when I do the lower belt katas.  With Heian Shodan, I pay special attention to turning on my heel and keeping my heels from popping up before I move.  We then moved on to our own kata and I was still having some issues with my ribs.  They are better then they were but doing the front snap kick with the three punches was painful.

After that, Sensei had those that we testing go out for some one-step sparring and then we lined up and class ended.

Where to start? Sensei Cieplik packed so much information into the class tonight, I am not sure where to start or if I can even remember all of it.

A roundhouse kick is just an extension of a sideways knee strike. Sensei has always taught us that a front snap kick is just an extension of knee strike and the same applies to the roundhouse kick. Putting it in these words changes the whole way that I thought of roundhouse kicks. Now I need to find a way to put it into motion.

Sensei Cieplik talked about body meridians and the impact of jumping jacks on balance. He had us do moving forward with front punch a few times and then had us do 20 jumping jacks and do the moving forward with front punch again. It was ugly to say the least. My balance was really off just from doing those few jumping jacks. The simple explanation, at least how I understand it, is that our energy flows in a forward direction, based on the meridians in our bodies, but doing the jumping jacks is a sideways movement that throws the meridians off balance.

Along those lines, Sensei also made a comment about the reverse punch being the “right” or correct punch. When we walk, we walk with say the left leg in front and the right arm in front and then right leg in front and left arm in front. We do not walk with the same leg and the same arm in front, right? Doing a moving forward front punch in with the same leg and hand is really an unnatural motion. Doing a punch with the reverse hand is actually the “right” punch based on how our bodies move. Sensei also commented on walking being a controlled fall, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it. When you walk, your are really keeping yourself from falling.

We often do a drill where we hold our reverse punch out, throw a rear leg front snap kick with we reach with our draw hand then put the kicking leg back behind and throw a reverse punch. I have been doing this move for some time now but it still takes a great deal of concentration and coordination.  Along these lines, he had us do a balance drill where we Balance on the right leg, swing the left leg forward, while swinging the right hand forward across the body and swinging the left arm straight back.  The motion was awkward at first but after a few tries, it did get easier.

We then spent the rest of the class working on kata.  We started with some Tekki Shodan for our 4th kyu students.  Sensei did Tekki Shodan in mirror image so that we could all follow along.  Watching him do kata is a site to behold.  When he does kata, it is automatic.  I have a feeling that his body just does it and he doesn’t have to think about what he is doing.

Next, we worked on Jion up to the first kiai.  The first move is a downward block and outward block.  On the next move, into the front stance, crossing the arms and extending them, he said as the arms are extending, keep pushing the stance forward.  Doing the move like that made me think more of putting on a show or giving someone the idea that they don’t want to mess with you.  It’s seems to be an attention getter, at least to me.
Next, on the kick and three punches, he explained that the punches should be placed sanbon zuki for the men but more in the neck and solar plexus areas for the women, covering a smaller area.  So, for the women, the first punch would hit the neck and the second two would be in the solar plexus.

After that, he had us reach, as if someone was trying to grab our hair, torque our body to the left and then move into a cat stance, then move the front leg forward and do the rising block and reverse punch.  Next, he had us bring the back foot near the front foot while reaching and then moving forward into the block with reverse punch.

He also explained the separate rising block and front punch before the kiai needs to be driving movements, as in, driving through your attacker or opponents.

I am sure there was more things that I don’t remember but above is what really stood out to me.