Shotokanplanet.org

This is a log of my journey to Shotokan Karate Shodan and beyond.

My front punch was connected – 11/29/08 – Saturday Karate class

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Sensei Gatch gave us a good class today.  We started with a long jog around the dojo because it was really cold.

My front punch felt just right…

As part of our warm up, Sensei Gatch told us to step forward and backward with front punch across the length of the gym.  For the first time, I felt that all of my punches came from the grond up.  I really believe that if someone my own size or larger walked in front of my punches, it would stop them.  Moving backward felt even better because I could actually feel that power come up my leg from my heels.  It was a great feeling and on that I hope I will have more often than not.

Punch that pad…

Today, we were able to punch the pads for while.  We were only doing reverse punch and I didn’t have the same connection that I felt when doing the front punches but it was still good.  I hope that we punch the pads more often because I never feel that we do it enough.

Kata from start to finish…

The rest of the class was spent working on kata.  We started with Hiean Shodan all the way up to Tekki Shodan on our own with a short break between each one.  I really like classes like this because I enjoy doing all of the kata’s.  The interesting part is that all of my kata’s until Bassai Dai felt awesome.  Even though I was working through oxygen deprivation, the kata’s felt really connected and stronger than ever.

After we finished Tekki Shodan, Sensei had us do Jion to his count.  It fellt really good.  When doing the front snap kicks with sanbon zuki’s, my punches felt awesome.  My timing was better then ever for some reason and those moves were solid.  Next, we did Bassai Dai to Sensei’s count again and it felt really good too.  I was trying not to think when doing my kata’s and up until the end of this kata, it was working.

Next, Sensei said to do our own kata at our own speed.  I started doing Bassai Dai but I was thinking too hard about it and Sensei Gatch stopped me.  My moves felt so robotic for some reason.  I don’t know how I was able to do all of those other kata’s so well and then get too caught up thinking about my current kata that I have been doing.  Sensei Gatch told me that all of my other kata’s were really good so I am pretty satisfied about that but I really wish I could have ended the class with a good Bassai Dai.

Japanese terms you should know…

Before we lined up, Sensei Gatch asked each of us a Japanese Karate term and we had to show what move or stance it was.  I had Age Uke, rising block.

It was a really good class.

Hard kata – 11/25/08 – Tuesday Karate class

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Sensei Noia had us work on our basics and kata for most of the class.

There but I wasn’t there…

I don’t have classes like this too often but something just wasn’t right for me.  I was extremely tense for some reason and my basics were not what they have been.   My shoulders were up when punching and I couldn’t seem to get in a good enough stance.

After my poor showing in my Kihon, I was able to redeem myself with my kata.  Sensei had all of us start with Jion.  We did each move, and then put them together in groups working up from the first move all the way to the first ki-ai.  Oddly enough, my Jion felt pretty good and when I was doing the kicks with the triple punches, I felt really connected.

After Jion, we started working on Bassai Dai.   We worked on Bassai Dai the same way Jion, working up from one move to groups of many.  At this point, my hips were working a little better and I was able to do my kata without a lot of critque from Sensei.

Kata one-step – 11/22/08 – Saturday Karate class

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When Sensei Plocharczyk teaches our classes, he always does so with a self defense related theme.

Kick and return the favor…

Sensei has us work on some kicking drills.  We got a partner and then started to exchange kicks back and forth.  Front snap kicks, side thrust kicks and roundhouse kicks were out weapons of choice.  One of the students came into class a little late so I ended up with two partners, which was really fun.  For every one kick they threw, I had to return two.  We spent about half the class working on these drills and I felt  better about my kicks than I have in the past.

One-step from kata…

Sensei Plocharczyk has us partner up to work on some one-step sparring but instead of the normal block and counter, he wanted us to take our time and use moves from our kata’s.  This is always interesting to me but for some reason, whenever we do these drills, I end up using a lot of arm bars and joint locks.  Even though it has been a very long time since I practiced Aikido, the moves still come automatic and my partner always ends up in some type of joint lock.

Conditioning…

Throughout class, Sensei had us do some conditioning work.  We ended up doing 50 partner situps a couple of times and we finished class with a wheelbarrow run across the gym.  Our parnter would hold our legs and we had to use our hands to run across the gym.  It was an intense class overall but really good.