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!