Saturday, November 27

Have you burnt all the turkey-calories you ate yet? Thank you all for coming and training! Nice to have a good size of class in the middle of a long weekend. We were missing a few, but I'm sure they're enjoying eating or shopping, and maybe training on their own???

Subjects:

Kata:
Warm-up
One action at a time

Kihon:
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Mae-geri

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

Kumite:
Shift around vs. Chase around, keeping the same distance & rhythm
Shift around, trying to break the rhythm and/or distance vs. Chase around
Shift around, trying to close the distance and touch vs. Chase around
Shift around ~ 1 or 2 attacks vs. Chase around

Cool-down:
Shift around ~ any attack responding to a signal
Kata

See you all on Tuesday!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

My semi-final match in Fukugo at the World Championship is now posted on Facebook. The flags were 2:3, so I lost by one judge's mistake, I mean, decision! :-) As I see it, the Italian guy is not bad, but you can see a lot of pause/Kyo in between his moves which I HATE. He sure looks nice and I lost to him, so I'll just keep my mouth shut...!

Training Subjects:

Kata:
Warm up


Kihon:
Kokutsu-dachi Shuto-uke ~ Zenkutsu-dachi Gyaku-zuki
8th Kyu ~ 5th Kyu level Kihon


Free-style:
Yori-ashi fwd/bwd
Kizami-zuki
Gyaku-zuki


Kumite:
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza against a Kizami-zuki

2 more weeks till the Kyu exam! You all look pretty good, and I'm sure you'll do just fine. Those who are trying to skip a level obviously need to work harder (and I know you have been). Do your best and make me proud!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thank you all for welcoming me back! Nice to be back home...

Subjects:

Kata:
Your favorite
-floor use
-power line
-intention

Kihon:
Kicks
-Mae-geri
-Yoko Keage
-Yoko Kekomi
-Mawashi-geri
Sanbon Kumite (3-step sparring)
-distance
-hip position

Free-style:
1 attack, reacting to signal

Now that my competition is over, it's time to focus on your exam! As you may be aware, I haven't been able to spend too much time on your exam materials, but please be active and try to learn as much on yourself as possible. The Kihon sequences are listed on your handbook, so there should be no excuse not knowing it by now. I'm always open to answer any questions, so grab me and use me before or after the class.

By competing in the tournament, I got some feedbacks as to what I need to work on. The exam will give you a similar opportunity; you work hard for it and learn as much as possible before, but you will learn even more during and after the exam. It's a great learning tool/ feedback process.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

First of all, thank you so much for all your support for me to go to Brazil! I can't ask for better students...

I'm feeling pretty good physically. Now I have to get mentally prepared. I know I will get nervous, so for now I just try to relax. I have to find some information about some fun/tourist stuff to do in Curitiba! :-)

Training Subjects:

Kata:
Warm-up, focusing on stance

Kihon:
Age-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki, focusing on body snap
Mae-geri
Yoko-keage
Mawashi-geri
Kizami-mae-geri ~ Mae-geri
Kizami-mawashi-geri ~ Mawashi-geri

Kumite:
Any one kick, focusing on distance and clear target (90 degrees to the target)
Same as above, reacting to an opponent moving in, focusing on foot reaction, knee to the target

See you all when I get back!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Training Subjects:

Kihon:
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki


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


Kumite:
Sen against a half attack (=A)
Same as above, plus one more follow-up attack (=B)
A or B, depending on the opponent


Cool-down:
(step back) Gedan-barai ~ (step fwd) Oi-zuki ~ (step back) Gedan-barai ~ (slide fwd) Gyakuzuki

See you Thursday (...well, it's tonight)! It's my last class before leaving for Brazil.