We started with a fairly standard warm up. We jump in place for a few, then stretch out and do some light shifting.
Excellent hip warm up…
Sensei Brien had us get into a front stance. From that point we opened our hips like in a block and then closed then like in a punch. The idea of these hip rotation drills was to get our hips warmed well and to make sure that we all understand how to use our legs and hips when doing various strikes and blocks.
Basics…
Next we did our normal kihon drills, moving forward and back with rising block, downward block inward block all with reverse punch.
Sensei Brien explained something that I am sure I heard before but in a different way. He said that our hand techniques should end with our step. If we are moving forward or backward, when our knees come together, we prepare for the movement. When our foot lands and we finish the step, our hand technique finishes.
Next we worked on stationary back stance, hold the stance for about five minutes each leg and do knife hand blocks. After the stationary movements, we worked on moving forward and back but we aded the nulite in a front stance with at the end.
Kicks, kicks and more kicks…
Next, we got a partner and a pad. Our partner stood in a horse stance, holding the pad about belt level and we held a roundhouse kick position. Sensei then counted and we threw a slow roundhouse kick over pad. We then held in the extended position and then snapped it back when Sensei told us to. We did almost the same movement but Sensei had us snap the leg back as fast as possible.
Next came side thrust kicks. We did the kick over the pad and held it until Sensei said we could bring it back. For the first time ever, I was able to kick at close to or above belt level. I am not sure what changed but I sure hope it stays that way.
It was an excellent class!
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