Wednesday, January 5, 2011 (NEW Beginners Class!)

We finally started a beginners class. This class will be taught by 3 of us (me, Jon and Eiko) taking turns. Some basic points are boring to teach/practice and I tend to skip them, making a new student catch up quickly (perhaps sometimes too quickly) to the level of other students. This class is designed to focus more on those basic points, not much sparring/timing drills.

Remember, the basic points are important and anyone can benefit from this class. I encourage those who just joined (white belts and 1st yellow belts) to attend this class as often as possible. Anybody can participate, however, we will focus on those beginners who need more attention.

And I try to list up the points that I covered in class on this blog entry, not just the names of techniques. Even if you don't come to this class, at least take a look here and see if you're missing any points. As you know I'm always open to your questions, and if you need a further assistance book me for a private lesson.

Warm-up:
Lunges
Lunge Gyaku-zuki

Kihon:
Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki in place
Oi-zuki fwd/bwd
Mae-geri in place
Mawashi-geri in place

(Basic points)
-Posture: Head up, Face back, Shoulders down, Elbows in, Pelvis tucked, Low stomach forward, Knees soft, Feet spread.
-Front stance: Width (foot to foot, sideways) = hips width, Length (foot to foot, front to back) = Width x2, Front foot’s outside edge is straight forward, Back foot is turned out 30-45 degrees, Bend the front knee deep enough so that the stance naturally pushes you forward, Both feet firmly on the floor, Knees aligned with the corresponding foot’s 2nd or 3rd toe.
-Punch: Fold up ALL the finger joints tightly, thumb over the next two fingers. Keep the forearm-wrist-back of the fist line flat. Contact with the two big knuckles.
-Kick (front kick): Curl the toes up. Keep the shin-ankle-top of the foot line flat. Contact with the ball of the foot. Use the support leg to tilt the pelvis. Lean back slightly to compensate with the forward leg action.
-Body dynamics: Use the maximum space available (for the hip rotation, with Hiki-te). Initiate from the center (hip rotation, pelvis tilting, center shifting), ride on the momentum and release the limb at the very end. Match the ending of the center action and the ending of the limb action.