For todays class, Sensei Noia had us start with some horse stance training. I don’t know about everyone else but any horse stance training I can get helps.  My horse stances can always improve and spending some time in this stance can only help.   Walking tomorrow is another story though.

Horse stances are versatile

All from a horse stance, we did 10 punches, 5 double punches, 5 triple punches, and 4 each of rising, inward, outward and downward blocks.  Still in a horse stance we did 6 front snap kicks on each leg and then many stationary side thrust kicks.  The next move was a little different, which started in a horse stance, did a side snap kick with backfist and then come down in front stance with elbow smash.  We then did the same thing but then on the left and right sides for each count.

Do your kata slow, fast and strong

Next, we worked on some kata. We picked a Heian kata, Heian Nidan for me, and did the first one very slow. We then did it a second time with full power and not worrying about form. The third time was full speed and then the last time, we put all of those together and did the kata with full speed, full power and the best form we could do.

We moved to Jion next.  Sensei counted out the moves, many times over on some moves, especially the turns. We must have done the front punch with the kiai into the back stance with manji uke at least 10 times if not more.  Next came Empi and the idea was to execute all of the moves as fast as possible.

We finished up class with a kata of our choice two times, Gojushiho Sho for me and class ended.

I have to say, no matter how much time you spend working on a kata, there is always something to improve.  Just when you think you got the kata or a section of the kata perfect something else pops up and you have more to fix.  I have to quote Sensei Cieplik, who often quotes Yamazaki Sensei, “kata is perfectly made to make you fail perfectly.”  Isn’t that the truth!

Today was a good day for pad drills but most days are good days for pad drills, right?

Stationary drills

Sensei had us pick a partner and get a pad for stationary punching drills.  We started in a horse stance punching the pad ten times and then it was our partners turn.  We did the same in a front stance with reverse punch and then more punches while in a cross leg stance.

After that, we started in a front stance, stepped into a cross leg stance with a reverse punch and then we drew back into a front stance again.

Moving drills

Next, we put the pads away and moved into some moving drills.  Starting from a feet together stance:

• Move forward into a cross leg stance with a low X block
• Back to feet together
• Move forward into a cross leg stance with a helping block
• Back to feet together and reach to the front
• Move into cross leg stance with front a punch.

One kata, many moves over and over

For kata training Sensei had us work on Empi,  We starting doing the first four moves a few times and then we moved through the rest of the kata working on sections.  After that we did the full kata and we moved on to a kata or our chice with full power and full speed to finish up class.

Time to hit the pads.  Today, Sensei Noia had us start class doing pad drills.  We also spent a lot of time working on trying to get our breath to match the moves in our katas.

Hit the pads

We started class working on some pad drills with a partner.  The first drill was the punch block combination movement that is in Bassai Dai.  This move is a standing straight punch, then you pivot on the heels to the left with an outward block, then you pivot back to standing with a straight punch, then pivot again to the right with an outward block.  Our partner held the pad for the punching parts of this movement.  The first punch can be strong but the second punch has a lot of hip behind it so it feels much stronger to me.

Next came the more standard pad drills such as hitting your partner with single and double punches while they hold the pad in a horse stance.  After that, we started in a front stance, did and outward block and then a double punched the pad.  The reason for outward block first was to make us perform the techniques using our hips.

 At times, I know that I do not hold as solid of a stance as I could when doing kihon but getting hit while holding a stance forces me to make that stance as solid as possible.

Match the breath with the timing

We spent the rest of the class working on some kata details.  We started with Kanku Dai, doing it slowly while Sensei counted out each movement.  We then did it twice, once at medium speed and then full speed and power.

A good amount of the kata training was spent working on making the slow moves slow and not rushing them and making sure that the breath matched the moves.  For example, there is a move in Kanku Dai where you do a reach with your left hand and then do the punch block, punch block combination.  The reach should end with the breath.

We worked on the kata of our choice next, using the same principles from above.  I worked on Gojushiho Sho and there are many places in the beginning of the kata where matching the breath with the movement should be applied.  This really brings out the feeling in the kata.  Each move should have a purpose and not just be a move.

This concept can be applied easily to Heian Godan in the section where you do the reach with left hand before the crescent kick.  That breath and hand timing have a purpose instead of looking like you are searching for a doorknob in a dark room.

 Give this a try and leave me a comment below if you can feel the difference.