Create internal tension

This was an awesome class.  We did some drills in this class that I need to outside of class too.  These particular drills focused more on internal tension and activating the muscles at the correct time.

We started in a horse stance doing very slow punches, making sure to squeeze and create tension at the end of the punch.  The key is to tighten all of the muscles in our body at the exact end of the punch.  It is hard to not be tense all the way through the movement but after a times, it was possible.

Next, we got a partner and one of us moved into a horse stance and did slow punches with the other partner checked to make sure that our stance was solid and that we had the correct body tension.  We then did the same but this time we stood in a front stance.

After working with a partner, we worked on some basics.  Moving forward with front punch, triple punch, front snap kick with front punch and front snap kick with reverse punch.

Next, we worked on a move from Bassai Dai where we start with our left hand reaching out, then punch with the right hand and then twist the hips and block with the same hand, then punch with the left hand and twist the hips and block with the left hand.  Sensei wanted us to do the moves both turning on our heels and then turning on the balls of our feet.

Next, we worked on Jion up to first kiai but with the same tension as in the partner drills above.  We then started from the first kiai to the end of kata the same way.  We then finished up class with our own kata doing it with the extra tension.