I have talked about really hard classes in the past and every now and then, I have one that is more intense than the previous class. Today was one of those classes. For those of you that train with Sensei Brien, you know all about blenders, the non stop drill that starts with a two movement combination that goes up by increments of two until we reach a 10 movement combination. Those are tough classes but that torture only lasts for 10 minutes or so at the most.
Fast forward to today. Sensei Noia upped the training to a whole new intensity level. We did so many basics, I am not sure if my mind will let me remember all of them. In the 60 minute class, I am guessing that we had maybe seven minutes of rest. We moved for at least 50 minutes and even though, the intensity varied a bit, it was extremely hard and there was little to no time when we weren’t moving.
Had I of stood somewhere else, the class might have not been as tough but I had the pleasure of training next to Sensei Plocharczyk and tried to keep up with him. Notice I said tried to keep up with his machine like speed and precise movements. I try to never rest my hands on my legs between drills but I had to today.
Below is the list of movements and I am sure that I forgot some of them:
Kihon, kihon and more kihon…
From horse stance, punch then double punch. From horse stance, double punch and pivot to the left with reverse punch, then double punch again and pivot the right with reverse punch. Again, horse stance, double punch, right leg front snap kick, back to horse stance with right straight punch then the other arm and leg.
Moving forward with front punch and reverse punch. Then step forward with front punch, rear leg front snap kick, step forward again and front punch. Step forward with front leg front snap kick, step down with front punch. Step forward, rear leg front snap kick, then side thrust kick, step down reverse punch.
Next, backstance with knife hand. Then back stance with knife hand block, into cat stance with low knife hand block and then forward backstance with knife hand. Next came stationary backstance, move into cat stance then step back into to back stance. The idea was to use the hips to change from backstance to cat stance. Next came, stationary cat stance, with punches then the same but instead of punches, low blocks.
Next, move forward with two arm assisted outward block in back stance, then back stance with outward block and reverse punch and then back stance with low and high block from Heian Godan.
More horse stances but this time with downward block and then with palm strike. Next came front stance with palm strike, then front stance with knife hand to the neck (palm up), then reverse knife hand to the neck.
Next came stationary reverse knife hand to the neck, step forward with front snap kick, step down with dropping backfist in cross eg stance, step back into front stance with outward block.
I want to say that we finished class with one kata but I cannot recall. I might have done it in my mind….
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