Shotokanplanet.org

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

New Kihon drills – 11/6/08 – Thursday Karate class

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Sensei Cieplik had us do a little less kicking warm up today and started with some kicking Kihon drills.

Kicks…

Sensei had us start with front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick combinations.  After the first kick, the movement starts to get a rhythm and it just flows.

Next came front leg front snap kick, rear leg front snap kick, then put it down behind, step forward and execute a sanbon zuki.  We then did the same kicks but stepping forward with a simple front punch.  After that, we did the same kicks again but with a front hand jab followed up with a reverse punch.

Kata and bunkai…

Sensei Cieplik had us do a quick Heian Shodan and then came Heian Nidan.  After doing the kata a couple of times, Sensei had us get a partner and we worked on the bunkai for the first three moves.  It is hard to type this out but I will try my best.  Your partner attacks with a front punch and then you step back into a back stance, out of the way of the punch.  You then catch the punching hand between the blocking hands between the first and second move.  After that, you pull the punching hand and strike the ribs with the other hand from move three.  It feels very effective when done the right way but it took me a good amount of tries to get it right.

Lots of kata and more kata – 11/4/08 – Tuesday Karate class

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Sensei Noia had us start with some kata.

Lots of kata…

We started with Heian Shodan, then our own kata (Bassai Dai for me).  Next came two Heian Nidan’s then my kata again, then three Heian Sandan’s then my kata, then four Heian Yondan’s and my kata, then five Heian Godan’s and my kata and then Six Tekki Shodan’s and them my own kata.  After all those, we started with Tekki Shodan and worked all the way back down to Heian Shodan and after those, we did our kata again.  We did somewhere over 30 kata’s in about 35 to 40 minutes.

One thing that got me through this part of the class was watching Sensei Plocharczyk doing the kata’s with us.  Whenever my mind gave up, I would look over at him not stopping and keep going myself because of him.  Sensei Noia said that we didn’t have put 100% into every kata but watching Sensei Plocharczyk give 100% made me do the same too.

One-step on our own and the block punch drill…

After all of the kata’s, Sensei had us do the block and counter parts of one-step sparring.  We then finished up doing the block punch drill with a partner.  My first partner was my wife and her and I do this drill pretty good but then we switched partners and I did the drill with Sensei Plocharczyk.  Do the drill with him is a different experience because he moves so smooth and fluid.  I felt that I did pretty well with him but I know he was going easy on me.

This class was incredible.

ISKC Karate Banquet – 11/2/08

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We had our Karate banquet and award dinner today.  It used to be an annual event but we didn’t have one in 2007 so it was nice to get together with everyone.

They always have some really nice video presentations and this year, being it was our clubs 30th anniversary, the videos were really good.  The first video was really neat because it was a bunch of pictures from 1980’s.  They started out with pictures of our senior Sensei, Sensei DiPasquale doing kata poses to the song Bad from Michael Jackson.  There were really good pictures of many of our instructors when they were very young, including Sensei Cieplik.

We also had four excellent demonstrations.  I did video tape them and will try to put them up on here when I have the time.  The demo started with three young black belts who are the Synchronized Kata Team National Champions.  Their kata was excellent and their timing was great.

After that came and excellent self defense demo.  It was really we done and Dale Weber ended up doing a back flip was just unreal.

One of our younger students and a cancer survivor did an excellent demo of Heian Nidan and Heian Sandan.  She is an inspiration to all Karate athletes both young and old.

The last demo was performed by William Gatch.  He is the top kata competitor in our club and will one day be the world champion.  He did an awesome Unsu that brought the house down.  There is no doubt in my mind that he will do all the way on day soon.

They also handed out the awards such as scholorships award and others.  My wife, son and I recieved leadership plaques since we assist with classes and the suprise of the night for me was the “Most Improved Senior Male” award.  I had no idea that I was getting the award and was honored to recieve it.

It was good time for all and a night that I won’t forget anytime soon.