Shotokanplanet.org

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

Archives for May 2010

Put your sparring gear on – 5/11/10 – Tuesday Karate class

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For the first time in a while, Sensei had us work on some sparring drills.  I was afraid that I would be really rusty but it wasn’t that way at all.

Warm up….

We started shifting across the floor and back.  After that, we shifted across the floor with one, two or three attacks.  Next, we shifted across the floor with as many attacks as Sensei counts.  It was tough, doing multiple attacks.

Get a partner….

For the next drills, we got a partner.  Sensei had us start with a single attack, then tow attacks, three attacks and four attacks with each exchange.  The goal of the one partner was to score with all attacks and the other partner was to block everything.  We switched partners two more times.  We finished up our sparring drills with some free sparring.

Conditioning time….

Sensei had do some conditioning drills at the end of class.  He started with some squat hops.  We put our hands over our heads, squatted down and hopped backward and forward.  After that, we did push ups, regular squats and something else that escapes me now.

We ended class with our exam kata but in slow motion.

It felt good to spar again, I am looking forward to doing more after exams are over.

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Blenders – 5/7/10 – Friday Karate class

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This was one tough class!  Sensei Brien has really bumped up the training to help us prepare for our upcoming belt exams.  Today was a perfect example of how much Karate training can be done in 90 minutes.

Stance training….

Sensei had us start with stance training.  We started in cross leg stance to cat stance.   Then back stance to front stance.  Then cross leg stance to front stance to horse stance to cat stance.   Then front stance to horse stance.  We did this at least 10 times on each leg.

Crescent kicks…

This drill really opened up the hips but walking wasn’t too easy after class.  We started with an outside in, inside out crescent kick and then change legs and repeat.  Then came inside out one leg, inside out other leg, outside in one leg, outside in other leg.  Next came inside or outside kick but slapping our target with the bottom of our foot and then dropping our heal like ax kick.

Blenders…..

We ended class with blenders.  I don’t remember ever doing these before but I am sure that I won’t ever forget them either.

We started moving across the floor with three moves, jab, reverse punch, and jab, then backwards.

Next, we did five moves, , front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick, jab, reverse punch and jab then backward.

Next, was seven moves, rising block, reverse rising block, front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick, jab, reverse and jab, then backward.

The last drill was 10 moves, rising block, reverse rising block, front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick, jab, reverse, jab, horse stance, elbow strike, back fist and reverse punch, then backward.

Those movements were as much mental as physically challenging but we all made it.

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Put your hands down – 5/6/10 – Thursday Karate class

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After our warm up, Sensei Cieplik had us work on knee strike with front snap kick.

Kihon details…..

We started with downward block and reverse punch.  The detail here was to follow the pull hand arm to the wrist then speed up the blocking hand and pull the draw hand back.  The idea is someone someone might have grabbed your wrist and you are breaking away by striking their hand and pulling hard and fast.

Next came, back stance with knife hand block, front snap kick and spear hand.  Sensei wanted us to escalate the intensity of  each movement.  The knife hand block is strong, the front snap kick is stronger and the spear hand is strongest.  Also when doing the spear hand, think of hitting them with your shin.  Scare then with your footwork!!!

When blocking or reaching the front hand should be as strong as blocking hand.  You can also use the front hand to block too.

Next, we did horse stance with side thrust kick and then side snap kick.  We then did horse stance with side snap kick and side thrust kick combination.

Kata….

We spent a lot of time working kata.  We did six Heian Shodan’s.  Sensei wanted to see if we were doing the downward blocks like in the previous kihon drills.  Next came three Heian Nidan’s, three Heian Sandan’s, two Heian Yondan’s, one Heian Godan and two Bassai Dai’s.

One point that Sensei made when doing Heian Sandan is to practice the kata but use your hands to block low on the last few movements.  Having your hands down makes the stance at least and inch lower.  Sensei mentioned that using five pound dumbbells might be a good training aid.

The advice that Sensei gave me when I was doing Bassai Dai was LOWER DOUG!!!

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