Monday, August 30, 2010

POLL: RESPONSE REQUIRED

It looks like I will get a full-time position at the hospital I'm working at. However, the position they offered me will require me to work every Sunday 8:30-5:00. I will start it on September 26.

So here is the question: Which would you prefer - Move Sunday PM class to...

A) Later time (Sunday 6PM)
B) Saturday AM (Saturday 10AM)
C) Saturday PM (Saturday 1PM)

I really want to keep the class schedule as is, but I have no choice. Any change we make, it's probably impossible to accommodate everyone, but we want to try to make the best choice.

Please make a comment on this blog, or e-mail me or Jon directly with any comments, opinions or suggestions.

Sunday, August 29, 2010 - Kyu Exam - BBQ

Congratulations to all of you who took and passed the test! I'm really happy to see that you all are improving. During the exam, I'm supposed to fill out these "exam forms" with some comments on each person, but I always end up not writing down anything because I enjoy watching you guys performing what I taught (AND I'm busy counting... But next exam I will stop counting, I think.).

BBQ afterwards was amazing and I had a lot of fun. I was so full...

Class Subjects:

Kata:
Warm-up
Cool-down

Kihon:
Age-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki
Soto-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki
Mae-geri ~ Yoko keage ~ Mawashi-geri

Free-style:
Shift around
Shift around + front foot & hand forward (block)

Kumite:
Uke-waza (body snap for forearm/wrist snap) against stable target
Uke-waza ~ Gyaku-zuki against stable target
Uke-waza ~ Gyaku-zuki against punches by sequence (Kizami-zuki, Gyaku-zuki Jo-dan, Gyaku-zuki Chu-dan)

See you Thursday!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Thursday, August 26, 2010

I have been teaching more often than training myself for the past few months, but it's time for me to get back to training more, to get ready for the World Championships in November! I took Avi's class at noon today (Friday), then sparred with 5 other black belts after the class for 20-30 minutes. Then I took Robert's class at NKI at night. I have been a bit over weight since I went to Japan in June, but now I'm at my best weight and the body feels pretty good.

Whenever I have a chance (or when I can "create" a chance) I want to train with you all while teaching. I really don't mind getting hit once in awhile and I don't usually lose my temper when I get hit, so guys, bring it on! :-)

Class Subjects:

Kata:
Warm up (stance, form, hip action)

Kihon:
Yellow Belt II level basics
Yellow Belt II level basic sparring

Free-style:
React to a signal and send the front foot in
Same as above, simultaneously punch
Same as above, simultaneously block, followed by a punch

Kumite:
Uke-waza against a stable target
Uke-waza "snap"
Uke-waza, followed by a counter punch

Keep on training if you're testing this Sunday. I'm not a psychic but I can tell if you're making effort outside of class or not. See you then! And I can't wait to have BBQ afterwards!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Oh, we only have one more class before the exam day! Well, all of you who are testing already know what to expect, so I'm not too worried. However, I don't tolerate that you keep making a same mistake no matter how many times I pointed it out in class! I don't expect you to be perfect; I just need to see your effort trying to achieve what I'm teaching.

Class Subjects:

Kata:
  • Your favorite (being observed...)

Kihon:
  • Soto-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki (in place)
  • Shuto-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki (stepping)
  • Mae-geri ~ Mawashi-geri (in place)

Kumite:
  • Uke-waza against Jo-dan Gyaku-zuki (semi-Kokutsu-dachi)
  • Above, with a counter punch (Gyaku-zuki)
  • Uke-waza against Jo-dan Kizami-zuki
  • Above, with a counter punch
  • Uke-waza against Mae-geri
  • Above, with a counter punch
Self-practice whenever you can, especially if you've been missing a few classes lately. Believe me, 5 minutes of focused self-training is better than no training at all. Or It could even be better than 60 minutes of non-focused group lesson, in my opinion. Good luck!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Class Subjects:

Kihon:
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Mae-geri, Yoko-keage, Yoko-kekomi, Mawashi-geri
Yellow Belst II Basics
Yellow Belt Kihon Kumite

Free-style:
Shift around
Block (in semi-back stance)
Block ~ Counter attack

Kumite:
Block ~ Counter attack (Uke-waza)

Kata:
Heian Nidan

As soon as we're done with the exam this month, we'll try to spend more time on sparring (Kumite) drills. Maybe we'll get to do some free sparring, just MAYBE...!

Basic developmental stages of sparring:

1. You have to be ready to react to an opponent's action. If your reaction is slow, there is not much you can do to make up for it, so try to be in tune with him/her, be sensitive and imagine as if you're in control of his action. Don't follow behind, but rather chase ahead. You receive (sense) his move with your "guts" and feet, not with your eyes or hands.

2. Once you're confident enough with your reaction, work on a "responsive move" that follows. This becomes "Sen" or "Go-no-sen" depending on a timing. Refer to your student guidebook for these terms. You either execute your counter attack before a completion of his attack, or apply it after his attack (before his 2nd attack comes). This is called Oji-waza.

3. Only if you are able to effortlessly do the above 2 steps, you can start forming a strategy of your liking, taking a risk to create a chance. You can directly attack when he is not ready (Kake-waza) or you can set him up so that he makes a move to expose a chance for your attack (Shikake-waza).

4. If you can go beyond "strategy thinking" stage, it will be the FREE sparring in a real sense: you freely act/react but everything is appopriate for the situation. Most people never get there.

We usually call #2 a "defense" and #3 an "offense" in drills, however, a defense side is not trying to protect himself, and an offense side is not trying to blindly initiate an attack. Both sides are thinking and paying attention to each other, focusing on when and how to catch an open space (Kyo) presented.

Most karate practitioners don't even have the ability to do #2 properly; they either run away when being attacked, or blindly force an attack when he thinks he has a luck. This is very immature and limited way of doing Kumite. It's not fun to spar this way, and it's boring to watch someone spar like that. I know so because I used to spar that way, before I was taught by Avi and Sensei Nishiyama. I hope my students soon get to enjoy sparring as much as I do!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Sunday, August 15, 2010

It was rather a small class. Today's kids class was bigger (with 6 students)! We're in the process of leasing our own place (...well, it's more like "finding a place" or "trying to find a place" actually), but if we only have 4-5 students in a class, it worries me about taking a risk of $2000 monthly rent...

Class Subjects:

Kata:
Warm-up
Course of action, supported by proper stance
Cool-down, adjusting breathing


Kihon:
Yellow Belt I Basic requirements
Yellow Belt II Basic requirements


Free-style:
Body shifting (Yori-ashi, Tsugi-ashi, Fumi-ashi, Mawashi-ashi, Hiraki-ashi)
Kizami-zuki ~ Kizami Mae-geri
Gyaku-zuki ~ Mawashi-geri


Kumite:
Above combinations against opponent (slides back once)
Single punch
Single punch, followed by a kick if the opponent slides back

Hope to see you ALL (or at least more than 5) this Thursday! Oh, by the way, I'm always taking a request about what you want me to teach in class. I generally try to cover a little bit of everything, but if you have something specific that you want me to focus on, or if you've always wondered about something but never asked, just let me know and I might cover those subjects.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010

I really enjoy teaching private classes because I get paid... Just kidding. I mean, I'm doing it for my students to improve more efficiently, and that's why I'm keeping the price low. Jon, Chris, PJ and Ron took my private lesson this month. It no way replaces the regular group classes, but it compliments your training by giving you better understanding of specifically what you need to work on. I gave you a lot of pointers to these guys; hopefully they will continue working on them and impress me during the exam! I like a good surprise...

I'm actually thinking about offering a free private lesson once a year during your birth month. I will probably start doing that next year. Now that I'm working my schedule is busier than ever, so if you want to book me for a lesson, contact me asap.

Class Subjects

Kata:
Warm up


Kihon:
Soto-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki (Zenkutsu-dachi)
Shutoh-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki (Kokutsu-dachi)


Free-style:
Yori-ashi
Kizami-zuki
Gyaku-zuki
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Gyaku-zuki ~ Kizami-zuki


Kumite:
One punch
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Gyaku-zuki ~ Kizami-zuki

See you all Sunday!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sunday, August 8, 2010

I almost forgot to post this (again!)...! I did take a note of the training subjects on Sunday so that I don't forget, though! I just was trying to come up with a nice message to write, but haven't come up with any yet...

Kata:
Your own (warm up / cool down)


Kihon:
Stances (Zenkutsu, Kiba, Kokutsu)
Kokutsu-dachi Shuto-uke
Mae-geri


Free-style:
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Gyaku-zuki ~ Mae-geri
Single attack (reaction training)


Kumite:
Single attack against a target
Combination attack against a target
Kicks against a pad

Keep on training! (Well, that's the best message I could come up with! :-))

Friday, August 6, 2010

Thursday, August 5, 2010

A small class again. Everyone, the hardest part of practicing karate is to come to the class regularly. Once you get to the class, the rest is easy, right? When I was training under Sensei Nishiyama, I was seriously worried about getting hurt or exhausted too much so it was a huge challenge for me not to miss a class. You guys don't have to worry about my class being that intense, so please come and have some fun together!

At least for the first few years, you should be training consistently, perhaps 2-3 times a week. We only have classes twice a week, so try not to miss a class and whenever you have a chance, even for 5 minutes a day, work on a basic or two on your own at home. Or visualize in your head a move you're having difficulty with or perhaps a kata sequence. The more you practice, the more you feel confident or become comfortable. I wish there was a trick, but no, that's the only way to go!

Class Subjects:

Kata:
-Your favorite (Heian Nidan, Bassai Dai, Hangetsu, Jitte)

Kihon:
-Breathing exercise (pressure to floor)
-Breathing with wrist snap
-Age-uke / Gyaku-zuki
-Mae-geri / Oi-zuki

Kumite:
-Combination punches (against a partner, against a wall)
-Kick to punch combinations (against a partner, against a wall)

Hope to see you ALL on Sunday! Yellow-belts, you only have 3 more weeks left before your exam. Only 6 more classes, that is! I don't mean to scare you, but at this point NOT everyone is ready...

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Where were our beloved white belts today?? Come back Thursday and work out together!

Today's Subjects:

Kata:
-Your own

Kihon:
-2nd level Yellow Belt Exam Basics & Basic Sparring

Free-style:
-Shift around
-Shift around with a partner pulling/pushing on your belt
-Kizami Mae-geri
-Kizami Mawashi-geri
-Ashi-barai (sweeping) drills

Kumite:
-Ashi-barai with front leg (in-place)
-Ashi-barai against a shifting-in partner (1, 2, 3=Sweep!)

When we practice regular timing drills or spar, it's often hard to tell if the technique was applied at the right timing or not. But with sweeping, you can physically confirm if it worked by seeing your opponent losing balance. However, don't "force it" to sweep him but rather "ride on it" with a smooth yet snappy action (which is not easy). We won't be spending too much time on this subject at least for now, but I wanted to introduce the idea to you all so that if you like it you can work on it on your own.

Next one month will be a good solid basic training, for both white and yellow belts (as well as brown and black, of course!) to understand fundamental points clearly. Of course I will throw in some free-style drills and perhaps pads hitting here and there. ...Oh, that sounds just like our normal training format. Oh well!