More kicks and more kicks and more kicks.

Sensei Noia had us warm up by running to each quarter line and back. Then we put our hands behind us and tried to hit them with our heels. Then we ran to each quarter line, did five squats and ran back.

Start kicking….

We put on hand on the wall and did a slow side thrust kick. Next, still holding on to the wall, we did side snap kick. Then we faced the wall and put both hands on it and then did back kicks.

Next, we paired up and did partner stretches. Sensei had one of us stand against the wall and our partner picked our leg up to the front. We then tried to push down on their hands and isometrically tense our leg muscles for a few seconds and then stretch farther. After that, we did some stretching on the floor using our belts.

Time for some basics and then more kicks….

We started in a horse stance then moved into a front stance, then we moved into a back stance and then into a cat. We did the same drill but we added punches or blocks to each stance.

We moved back the wall again. While holding the wall, we did front snap kick, side thrust kick and back kick for every count. We did a lot of these, so many that I lost count.

We finished up with moving forward, front snap kick, side thrust kick and back kick. We then did the same but two kicks each leg and then three kicks with each leg.

I a wondering if my hips will ever recover.

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Kicks seem to still be the main focus and I like it. Sensei Noia has been pushing us harder than ever.

Partner kicks…

We started out with some partner kicks. First, alternating front snap kicks, then alternating front snap kick and side thrust kick. Then one partner in front of the other as a target, in a front stance for the front snap kick, moves into cat stance for the side thrust kick.

Get down on the floor…

Next, Sensei had us get down on the floor. From there, we laid on side, put one one leg bent over the other, then raised the leg on the floor up off floor. The idea was for the bent leg over the other to hold our weight allowing us to pick up the bottom leg off the floor in order to work our hips.

Next, we did side thrust kicks from the floor, roundhouse kicks from the floor then side thrust kicks on an angle and then hook kick and roundhouse from the floor.

Grab some wall…

We started the next drill with some front leg raises, then outside crescent and inside crescent kicks.

Next, we put one hand on the wall, and did a side thrust kick. After that we did side snap kick. We also did side leg lifts while still holding on to the wall.

Now moving kicks…

After all those kicks we did moving forward with rear leg hook kick. Next we did rear leg hook kick with a front leg side thrust kick. Then the same move but we added another hook kick and roundhouse kick, with the rear leg, to the end. We finished that drill with same moves as above but we added a back kick. This moving forward with five kicks is tough.

We finished up the kicking drill with front snap kick and back kick. Then we did one kata, I did Sochin, and class ended.

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Sensei Brien mentioned near the end of last session that we would be learning some new katas during the next session and today was the start.

Sochin….

The first new kata that we are working on is Sochin. We spent 95% of the class working that kata and it was really enjoyable.

I have heard a couple different meanings of the word Sochin such as “strength and calmness” or “tranquil force.”

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I guess a video is worth more. Below are a couple of examples of Sochin on Youtube.com.

Kanazawa Sensei doing Sochin on YouTube.

Kagawa Sensei teaching Sochin on Youtube.

There are some differences in that way that Sensei Brien shows the kata from the YouTube videos but they at least give you an idea of how the kata is performed.

Cool down with some partner drills….

Just before the end of class Sensei had us work on some one-step type drills with our partner. One partner did six attacks, in any order and the other had to block. The six attacks where front punch, reverse punch, front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick, front leg roundhouse kick and rear leg roundhouse kick.

It was a great class and I am looking forward to more just like it.

This article was originally posted on www.shotokanplanet.org. Any reproduction on any other site is prohibited and a violation of copyright laws.