Sunday February 27th, 2011

Good class today!
The numbers are growing. Hopefully as we get closer to the kyu test we'll have a full house.

I like to break up the class in 3 - Kihon, Kata and Kumite - today I did just that!

Kata - everyone focused on the kata they will be testing with. Eiko did all the kata.

Kihon - we did all the basics in repetition - gedan berai, age-uke, sotu-uke - all with gyaku-zuki
Then Shuto-uke in back stance - green belts and up added nukite.
All Kicks - focus on adjusting stance after each kick

Kumite drills
1. sen - using breath/hip/feet reaction
2. adding any one punch
3. double sen - to test zanshin - done 2 ways - 1/2 technique then another 1/2 technique or 1/2 technique then shuffling backwards.

Then we did offense/defense
1. offense but defense can only make proper distance - no block/no running
2. Add block while making proper distance - just for safety
3. Add counter if you can in between offensive moves

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Warm-up:
Yori-ashi bwd/fwd

Kata + Kihon:
4-direction Zenkutsu-dachi - Lead with your eyes/head
Kiba-dachi Choku-zuki
Zenkutsu-dachi 45-degree (R/L) forward Gyaku-zuki - Inner-thigh connection

Kihon:
Kizami Mae-geri ~ Mae-geri (side leverage vs. straight pendulum)
Kizami Mawashi-geri ~ Mawashi-geri (snappy, not heavy)

Kumite:
Kick against stable target
Kick against step-in target
-Catch early
-Apply at the right angle (90 degrees)
-Initiate with the support foot
-Squeeze/snap back the kicking leg

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It was a small class yet again, but I'm happy I was able to pay a little closer individual attention!


Kihon:
Shizen-tai Choku-zuki
Zenkutsu-dachi Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Oi-zuki
Heisoku-dachi Mae-geri
Zenkutsu-dachi Mae-geri ~ Oi-zuki
Kizami Mae-geri ~ Mae-geri


Kumite:
Mae-geri (front or back leg) against a target
Mae-geri (front or back leg) against a step-in target
Mae-geri (front or back leg) reacting to a signal


Kata:
Heian Shodan, Nidan, Yondan

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Warm-up:
Kata
4-direction block/attack in Zenkutsu-dachi, Kokutsu-dachi
Kiba-dachi + Nami-gaeshi (leg flipping)


Kihon:
Yoko Keage
Yoko Kekomi
Kizami Mae-geri ~ Mae-geri
Kizami Mawashi-geri ~ Mawashi-geri


Kumite:
Kick against stable target
Kick against step-in target
Kick against move-around ~ step-in target
Kick, followed by a punch

Sunday Feb.20, 2011

A good morning class!! And incredibly quite a few people showed up!

Hopefully more will come especially as we get closer to exam time.

Many kata!

You all got to work on your own kata - then as if you were testing.

A lot of the corrections I gave are simple things - look before you go, straight punch (not rounded), don't go up in between moves...

We did a lot of pad work! Sen, double sen, kicking practice- really using the pads to see if we are hitting properly, reacting, in a good stance when moving slightly.

Basics

More kata

Finally some kumite - but I ran out of time -misjudging due to the new time schedule.

Next time we'll do more kumite - and 3 punch kumite we have during the test.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Warm-up:
4-direction block/attack (Do you like my invention?? ...actually, I just extracted it from a Kata!)

Kihon:
Mae-geri ~ Oi-zuki
Mae-geri ~ Mawashi-geri ~ Gyaku-zuki

Kata:
Stance
Match stance/body action with top action
Speed up and apply momentum to the technique
Top (arms) does not move until bottom (stance) gets activated first
Think and focus on your weakness, rather than blindly repeating

Wednesday FEB 16,2011

Today is my birthday!

This was a good class! Everyone is really showing improvement which is great for a teacher's esteem.

Naturally we cover basics in this class.

Always mentioning posture as the first rule.

Hips are very important.

I like to watch people doing their techniques - give slight correction and then watch it get fixed! Most of the time it is only an inch here or there - makes all the difference in the world.

We always have trouble punching and making square body - give everything.

Everything stops together - stance, pressure, ground, kime, technique

Kata, Sen practice

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Warm-up / Kihon:
Yori-ashi bwd/fwd
Zenkutsu-dachi L/R/Front/Back
Gedan-barai~Gyaku-zuki L/R/Front/Back
Kokutsu-dachi L/R/Front/Back
Uchi-uke~Gyaku-zuki L/R/Front/Back
Morote-uke: Age-uke, Soto-uke, Uchi-uke, Gedan-barai, focusing on center squeeze
Zenkutsu-dachi Gyaku-zuki

Kumite:
Yori-ashi Gyaku-zuki against a stable target
Yori-ashi Gyaku-zuki against a moving target
Yori-ashi Gyaku-zuki, checked for connection in the final position
Move around, Yori-ashi Gyaku-zuki reacting to a signal

Sundays...

Hmmm...
Once again a small Sunday class.
Is Sunday a bad day for a class? Maybe people would rather relax Sundays. I'm starting to think maybe this class is on its way out...

In any case for the people who did show up

We went over kata - tried to get a little more specific on each kata. Heian Shodan, Nidan and Sandan

Basics - not as grueling and not as many repetitions. Focusing on proper posture, back foot, hip rotation.

Sen practice and double sen practice to really feel Zanshin.

As I am really concentrating on my technique for my next exam I am relaying the teachings I am getting directly to you. A lot of what I'm focusing on will really enhance stance, kime, muscle alignment, ground reaction, giving everything to every technique. It also helps me to teach these things - as I forward the message I can remind myself what I should be working on as well.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Oops, I almost forgot to post this!

Warm-up:
Lunges
Lunge Gyaku-zuki


Kata:
Heian 1~4, etc.
Focus on stances & hip position


Kihon:
Mae-geri ~ Gyaku-zuki
Soto-uke
Shuto-uke


Free-style:
Mawashi-ashi ~ Counter Attack
Focus on back leg use
------------------------------------------

I was hoping that some of you would make it to the judging seminar Friday night, but I guess a Friday night before Valentine's Day was a bad day for a seminar... Avi taught a great class, and sorry that you all missed it. I'm hoping the next one will be more practical judging training (what to look for when you're judging, etc.) though.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Kata:
Heian Shodan


Kihon:
Shizen-tai Choku-zuki
Zenkutsu-dachi Kizami-zuki ~ Gyaku-zuki
Mae-geri
Oizuki
Age-uke
Mae-geri
Mawashi-geri


Kumite:
Sanbon Kumite Jo-dan

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Kihon:
Shizentai Choku-zuki
Kiba-dachi Choku-zuki
Step-back / Step-in / Step-back / Slide-in
Gedan-barai / Oi-zuuki / Gedan-barai / Gyaku-zuki
Step-back / Step-in / Step-back / Shuffle-in
Gedan-barai / Mae-geri / Gedan-barai / Kizami Mae-geri

Oi-zuki Jo-dan
Age-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki
Soto-uke ~ Gyaku-zuki
Shuto-uke


Kata:
Heian 1~4

Free-style:
Yori-ashi (foot first)
Yori-ashi Gyaku-zuki against a target
Move around, one attack reacting to a signal

Jiu-Jitsu Fridays!!

Starting March 4th!! 8pm-9pm Fridays we are having a jiu-jitsu class!

$5/class for all VTK current members.

This is a great opportunity. Take advantage of it!

Superbowl Sunday!!

Surprised! For a 10am class I was surprised that 6 people came - actually more than the past 2 Sundays!

I simply divided this class in three 30 minute sections - 1. Kata 2. Kihon and 3. Kumite

We went over Heian Shodan through Heian Yodan
Then we broke down the kata - trying to focus on certain things 1. posture 2. Hiki-te 3. Reality - would my techniques work? 4. Stance 5. In between the stances (this is where we tend to lose a lot of focus, stance, ground reaction, intent)

Kihon - I mixed this up a bit to make it more interesting. A blend of upcoming kyu exam and Nidan exam techniques. All blocks, all kicks, oizuki, gyaku-zuki. Two Nidan combinations.

Kumite - first we started with foot movements that Taichiro has been doing in class. But we added a pad to the drill. I was trying to show where and how these foot techniques apply.
Sen practice
light Offense/defense kumite
Kogo-kumite

Then Jon M. stayed and helped me and Eiko with the kids class! Thank you Jon!

Events Notice (February - June, 2011)

February:

Judge/Competitor Seminar I
Friday 11th, 7:30-9:30pm
@ NKI in Santa Monica
$5 for AAFK Member
-This is mainly to get the judges ready for our regional tournament in April. Any level can participate, but it's better if you're interested in competing.

March:

Judge/Competitor Seminar II
Saturday 5th
@ OCJKA in Orange County

DEADLINE for AAKF Membership Renewal
Thursday 31st
-If you're a current member, renew it by the end of March and save $5. You can renew it when you come to the above judges seminars (or pay Jon B. in class). Don't wait until the Kyu exam in April, then you have to pay $5 more.

April:

VTK Kyu Exam
Thursday 28th, 8pm
@ VTK, with Ron Vance (Examiner)
$30

Western Regional Championships
Saturday 30th, noon~
@ JKASD in San Diego
-We don't know if there is going to be a Kyu level tournament yet. The regional championship is a qualifier for the natioals, which means only black belts compete. When we have space and time available, we usually hold a small seminar or other tournaments (kids, Kyu-level) on the same day, but this is not confirmed yet.

If they don't do a Kyu-level tournament in April, maybe we can try to hold our own tournament in May, since there is nothing scheduled in May!

June:

50th Anniversary US National Championships
3rd-5th
@ Atlanta, GA
-This is a special event to celebrate the 50th AAKF nationals. The host (South Atlantic Region led by Toru Shimoji) is trying hard to make a memorable tournament, inviting foreign guests and expecting big turn outs. I know it's quite a trip from LA, but I hope some of you can come out and meet other karate-ka from across the nation!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Training Subjects:

Free-style:
Yori-ashi bwd/fwd
Mawashi-ashi in/fwd, out/fwd

Kumite:
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza in line
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza against a punch
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza against a punch or a kick
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza, counter attack with KIAI!

Kihon:
Stepping forward Oi-zuki (or Sanbon-zuki)
Stepping back Age-uke (or + Gyaku-zuki)

Kata:
Heian Shodan (or Mirrored H1)
Heian Nidan (or Mirrored H2)


As requested, we will be spending more time on basics and Kata for next one month or so. My plan is to introduce everyone what your next exam subjects are. You still have time, so you don't have to be very good at them, but I expect you to at least know what to do by the mid March (exam is toward the end of April). You can always review it on your handbook, too.

Sorry, but it will be more repetitive training, stay-in-the-low-stance-for-long-time kind of class. I might even swing a shinai at you if your stance keeps popping up higher! Sounds fun, doesn't it??

WEDNESDAY FEB 2,2011

A great beginner's class!!

We went over a few things very slowly and exactly.

After many repetitions I could see a real difference. Some of you were even correcting yourselves at the end!

Concentrating mostly on front stance - zenkutsu-dachi we made 1. high block -age-uke, 2.down block- gedan barai, 3.out to in block - sotu-uke

We also tried lunge punch - oizuki and reverse punch gyaku-zuki

We faced each other and went over these things together. Making correction on each other. This hopefully helps you to see by looking at another person - 1. How is the posture? 2. Is the hiki-te, pulling hand strong? 3. Are the shoulders tense? 4. Are the feet in the correct position? ETC.

Sen practice - timing drill using foot and breath reaction

Heian Shodan - only 2 times.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Training Subjects:

Warm-up:
Lunges & Lunge Gyaku-zuki

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

Free-style:
Mawashi-ashi

Kumite:
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza (Mawashi-ashi) against a face punch
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza (Mawashi-ashi) against a roundhouse kick
Sen (Kizami-zuki) with Mawashi-ashi
Go-no-sen Amashi-waza (Mawashi-ashi) against any attack

Let's continue with Go-no-sen Amashi-waza for a couple more classes, then move on to another subject. Any request?