Shotokanplanet.org

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

Back to kumite – 1/12/10 – Tuesday Karate class

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After the testing session ends, Sensei Noia has us spend the next three months focusing on kumite and today was the start.

Back to kumite basics….

Sensei has us start working some simple attacking drills with our partner.  One partner stood in a fighting stance while the other shifted in and out attacking five times.  We started with either jab or reverse punch to the face.  After a few times, Sensei had us rate each others attacks.   Was the punch close, did we move in and out quickly and did we keep our focus were a few of the criteria that we used to grade our partner.

Next, we did a similar drill but our partner could block our attacks.    We also did the same sparring drill but moving down the line to a new partner after each attack.  Also, between most of these drills we did push ups for total of somewhere upwards of a hundred.

Time for free sparring….

After the basic kumite drills, we were able to do some free sparring.   We started with our partner and then switched and got a different partner two more times.  We did a couple of sparring matches were would could only use our upper body to attach and then again but only using kicks for attacks.

Even though I felt that my kumite skills were pretty good  at my exam, today made me feel that I still have long way to go.

Kumite drills – 10/7/08 – Tuesday Karate class

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Sensei Noia had us work on kumite drills today.

We started class with some simple warm up drills with a partner.  Shifting in and out and working on timing and distance.

Take off your belt…

Sensei had us put one of our belts on the floor on the shape of a circle.  He then had one of us stand with one foot inside the belt.  We then did free sparring but the person with their foot in the belt had to keep one foot inside the belt at all times.  The idea was to make both of us work on proper distance.  The person with the foot in the belt could switch feet throw kicks or other attacks but could not attack or counter if the person outside of the belt shifted away too fast.  We did this drill a few times with different partners.

The next drill was a conditioning drill.  Sensei had us put the belt on the floor in a straight line.  One of us stood at one end of the belt and our partner at the other end.  We then had to step back and forth over the belt, very quickly, for 30 second intervals.  After that, we turned sideways and hopped over the belt and back.

Kata….

We finished up class with some kata.  Sensei Noia always likes us to try to do our best kata at the end of class after we are already tired from what we just did in class.  He had us do our kata with our pads on and I have a very hard time doing it when them on.  My hand pads seem to always get into the way.  I am sure it wasn’t my best kata but I gave it everything I had left.

Kumite distance – 9/23/08 – Tuesday Karate class

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Sensei Noia had us work on sparring drills with special attention to the distance between us and our opponent.

Distance is the key…

The main idea behind these drills was to start far enough apart so that neither of us could attack and then move in fast and out faster back to the safe distance.  For the first drill, Sensei had one of stand startionary about eight feet away from our partner, we then started shifting in and once we were at the right distance for an attack, about one shift away, we attacked.

The second part of the drill allowed our parter to block our attacks, if they were able to do so.  Because we were throwing a single attack, a reverse punch, it was fairly easy for our partner to block it.

The third part of the drill allowed our partner to throw the first move if we came in too close without attacking.  They were also able to block and counter our attack if they could.

Free sparring…

We finished up class with some free sparring.  We spent about 30 seconds with our partner and then Sensei had us swtich and get a new partner for another 30 seconds.

I do not feel very proficient in sparring but I do feel that I am finally starting to improve.