This is a log of my journey to Shotokan Karate Shodan and beyond.
Good class.
We spent most of the class working on one-step and basics to prepare for our upcoming test. I was doing one-step with my friend, 3rd Kyu soon to be 2nd Kyu, and I was having a hard time. He is as fast as lighting and I just could not get out of the way fast enough. I was able to move but blocking him was almost impossible for me.
We then did some kata. It felt pretty good but I am still having some problems getting my hips around on the first groin strike.
My Sensei often told me that there are five moves to the moving forward front punch and only two of them are related to the upper body.
First is the punch, next is the elbow strike, then comes the shin clash, next is driving from the back leg (or guarded back leg) and then finally the knee sweep. The knee sweep is where you have your front foot outside the opponents front foot and you use your knee as a lever to twist their leg and take them down.
1: Guarded back leg
2: Knee sweep
3: Shin clash
4: Punch
5: Elbow strike
One each of Heian Shodan, Heian Nidan, Heian Sandan, Heian Yondan, Heian Godan and Tekki Shodan. (6 total)
Weights:
15 minutes (superset)
Leg press toe raise -Â 12 x 360 x 5
Dumbbell wrist curl – 12 x 20 x 5
Crunch – 10 x 5
Stiffleg dumbbell deadlift – 10 x 45 x 5
No Karate class today. My right hip is very sore, maybe from the rain and humid weather here, and my wife is not feeling well so we did not make class today.