The goal that Sensei Noia gave us tonight was to turn fast when doing our katas.

We started class by doing Heian Shodan all the way up to Bassai Dai and then back down again.  Doing 16 katas in a row gets the blood flowing pretty well.

Turn fast….

We did some kihon drills first, starting in a front stance, we stepped forward with inward block and reverse punch then stepping back with inward block and reverse punch. When doing this drill, we were to keep the front knee from moving side to side between the blocks and punches.

Sensei had us work on all the following drills with one goal in mind, turning fast in our katas.

Now for the turns. For the first group of movements, we started in a left foot forward front stance and stepped forward with a front punch. From there we did a 180 degree turn into a back stance with knife hand block. Then we stepped into a back stance with a knife hand block.  We did the same with the right foot forward.

For the next drill, we stepped forward with a front punch then into a back stance with a knife hand block. From there we pivoted behind 180 degrees with a downward block and then we turned back 180 degrees in the other direction with a downward block.

The last drill we did started in a front stance stepping forward with a front punch, we then turned 270 degrees into back stance with a knife hand block, then step and punch, turn 270 degrees into back stance with knife hand block and then twice more for a total of four turns.  Again, the key here was to make that big turn with as much speed as possible.  Even if we fall over, the key was to the get the body moving fast.  We did the same drill with the other foot forward and then another time with the double arm outward and downward block from Heian Godan.

We spent the rest of the class working on Kanku Dai doing chunks of the kata with turns.  We did many parts that Sensei counted for us and then three full katas on our own.  We then did Gojushiho Sho counted out twice and once on our own.

I have to admit, a cold dojo, running back and forth five times and the cold weather outside is good at making my calves cramp.  The rest of our warm up was stepping across the dojo doing a squat and then the stance of our choice.  Needless to say, I was pretty much done by the time we were finished with the warm up.

Our drills started in a horse stance with single punches and then double punches.  While still in a horse stance, we pivoted on the heels to the left with a reverse punch and then to the right with a reverse punch.  We did a similar drill but this time we pivoted to the left with a reverse punch, then back to center with a double punch to the front, then we pivoted to the right with a reverse punch again.

This drill is such an excellent hip opener,  I always say that I need to do this drill outside of class and I think I need to add it to my daily kata routine to get me into the habit.
For the next drill, we started in a back stance and moved forward with a knife hand block.  We followed that with step forward once in a back stance with knife hand block, turn 270 degrees into a back stance with knife hand block until we turn four times back to facing the front.

We spent the rest of the time working on kata.  We did Jion slowly two times then once more at full speed and power.  We did Empi next and then followed that with a kata of our choice (Gojushiho Sho for me) once very slow and two more times at full speed and power.

Today, we didn’t do our normal kicking warm up, instead Sensei Cieplik had the Shodan’s and above partner up with a Kyu rank at the beginning of class.

We started out facing each other in a horse stance and then began a series of double punches followed up with triple punches.

After that, one partner stayed in a horse stance while the other partner was standing with one knee up and doing small but close front snap kicks to their partner.  The distance between the two partners had to be close enough for the standing partner to touch the back of the other partners neck.  All the time, while kicking, we had to hold our balance and keep the knee of the kicking leg up as high as possible.  These were short kicks much like those in the second and third moves in Jion.

Next, each partner stood side by side.  While clasping hands, partner A put their foot on the other partners hip, like a side thrust kick.  Partner B then moved into a front stance pulling partner A’s arm and stretching out partner A’s hips.  This was a really good stretch, even for me, with my tight hips.

For the next drill, each partner stood side by side again.  Both partners clasped hands again and one did side snap kick under the arm of the other partner.

For the next drill, one partner stepped in and front punched while the other partner stepped to the outside, inward blocked with the open front hand and threw a reverse punch to the stomach.  The key to these drills are timing.  The block is very gentle and it redirects the attacker and also causes them to run into the reverse punch.  This concept is go no sen, where you block and then follow the block with a counter attack.

The next drill was similar but one partner steps in with a front punch to the stomach, the other strikes the attacking partners punch with their front hand while counter attacking with a reverse punch at the same time.  This concept is called sen sen no sen.

Each Shodan took their partner to watch their kata and give them any corrections if needed.  After that, we finished up class doing Heian Shodan five times as group.