Resources Related to 10/28 and 10/30 classes:
Article of the Week:
Close fighting Conditioning Drill
On the Tuesday before break, we began
working through a close fighting drill. Below is a link to TKRI
Missouri's Gillian Russell and a student demonstrating the drill. Work
on this together if you have some time between classes. Pay close
attention to the transition between attacker/defender roles.
Close Fighting Conditioning Drill
In keeping with the theme of close range encounters that we have been examining lately, our focus has been more on Sanchin kata than Gekkisai. Sanchin is absolutely loaded with infighting and close range/contact skills, as we have seen through some two-person application sets. Sanchin has a very long history that extends far back into the Southern Chinese martial arts, and is perhaps the oldest kata taught within the Okinawan karate circles (Seisan being a close second). Many teachers from many backgrounds have emphasized that "It's all in Sanchin." The links below are to video clips of vaious styles of this kata. The version that we have been exlopring is the modern Goju form that was edited and passed down by Miyagi Chojun. What similarities are extant within the different versions, and what is different?
· Comparitive Sanchin Demonstrations
A major component of Sanchin kata is the two-person testing, called shime in Goju circles and kitae in Uechi circles. From our experiences in class, what is the point of such a training activity? Is this similar to any of the drills that we have been doing lately? Below are links to both the Goju and Uechi versions respectively.
Supplemental training:
In honor of Hallowe'en, run through a vigorous set of:
· Pressups
· Chin-ups
· The snatch
· Clean n' jerk
· add some dynamic tension (it's hard work)
Take a look at the link below for more information:
Frankenfurter O'Sensei Explains his 7-day Strength Training plan
Resources Related to 10/21 and 10/23
classes:
Article of the Week:
Karate and Jujutsu by Harry Cook
In this article, Cook discusses the similarities between karate techniques and those of certain schools of jujutsu in 19th-20th century Japan. Although jujutsu (often spelled jiujitsu, an outdated transliteration) is regarded as a grappling art today, and popular due to it's use in MMA sports, the art is not restricted to simply grappling. Of the techniques described here, what sounds familiar? Is karate following the same path as Jujutsu did after the advent of Judo?
Close fighting Conditioning Drill
On the Tuesday before break, we began working through a close fighting drill. Below is a link to TKRI Missouri's Gillian Russell and a student demonstrating the drill. Work on this together if you have some time between classes. Pay close attention to the transition between attacker/defender roles.
Close Fighting Conditioning Drill
Continue to practice the Gekkisai kata and the two-person drill that we have been using in class. Below are links to the kata and the drill respectively:
Gekkisai dai 1
Performed by Morio Higaonna sensei.
Gekkisai-dai 1 two person set
Slightly different from the version we have, but it's a basic reference for between classes.
Supplemental training:
Catch back up from break with squats and some upper body work. The climbing wall next to the Fitness Center is an excellent overall warm up and workout. Practice bouldering back and forth at the same height level. Try to follow some of the colored tape routes that are marked on the hand holds.Use your legs to support the body, instead of using the arms to pull you everywhere. If you reach the top, hang for as long as you can or do as many pullups as you can before moving on.
Resources Related to 10/7 and 10/9 classes:
Article of the Week:
Throws and Locks in Kata by Harry Cook
Kata are often interpreted as a series of blocks, punches, kicks and strikes at imaginary opponents. While this may work on a very basic level, it is not exactly revolutionary as far as self defense goes. People try so hard to make all of the blocks and strikes work against a partner that all sorts of convoluted nonsense has been contrived to fit the kata, and not much of it is a good idea in real-world encounters- which is a disservice to students learning how to fight. Blocking someone twice, punching them once and then turning your back on them is not very effective, intelligent or safe. In this article, Cook sensei discusses how the same movements in kata can be interpreted as representations of throws, locks and other grappling techniques, which makes for more well-rounded (and useful) self defense training.
More on Punching with the body
Play
with the "drop step" that we discussed on Tuesday's class. Work on
taking that forward step as your rear leg propels you in an explosive
movement, forwards. Feel out the same feeling in your front leg as you
throw a jab, but don't let your front knee straighten or collapse as
you try to drive the punch. Do this lightly- don't overstress the
elbows or knees. Make sure that your front knee is facing directly
forwards, and that your rear knee is not pointing toes to your side-
keep it somewhere between straight forward and 45 degrees.
Gekkisai dai 1
Performed by Morio Higaonna sensei.
Gekkisai-dai 1 two person set
Slightly different from the version we have, but it's a basic reference for between classes.
Supplemental training:
We
also discussed the importance of physical conditioning for martial
artists. It is very easy to injure yourself in karate training if the
body is not strong enough to support the darting, twisting, shifting
and weight bearing movements of karate. Punching in particular places a
high amount of stress on the elbow and various shoulder joint
articulations. Outside of class time, work on your core, arm and leg
strength. See the link below for some good body-weight exercises for
developing integrated strength.
TKRI Drill Index- look under Basic Strength Conditioning
Resources Related to 9/30 and 10/1 classes:
Article of the Week:
Tuesday's class was our first training with my teacher David Campbell sensei from TKRI-VA. Campbell sensei is one of the people who I consider to be a realization of a true karate sensei. The above article by Harry Cook is a good explanation of what is meant by this often abused term.
Punching with the body
At
this point, you've heard the phrases "use your hips" and "bend your
knees" about 1000 times each. Well, maybe 2000. The ability to hit hard
is dependent upon several factors, but the way you use (or don't use)
your body behind the punch is most important among them. Bending the
knees is critically important as it allows you to drive your body into
the punch- with straight knees you can't make this explosive, springing
motion. The statement "move from the hips" is perhaps a misnomer; the
hips act as more of a point of connection between what your lower
body is doing to generate power and what your upper body is doing to
stabilize and deliver the punch. At any rate, the hips will have to
rotate on the vertical and horizontal axes (axis=singular). Below is a
discussion by Shorin Ryu practitioner Charles Goodin on the idea of
using the muscles of the back and torso to throw a solid punch and retract the pullback hand.
Pulling With the Back, by Charles Goodin
1940-50's boxer Rocky Marciano was not known for his finesse, but his ability to generate KO punches is well documented by his record- 43 knockouts and no losses out of 49 career fights. His ability derived from planting himself flat footed on the floor and using the drive of his legs and rotation of the torso to propel his upper body into the punch...sound familiar? Read below for more information.
Rocky Marciano- Where Did the Power Come From?
The
best way to develop powerful punches is to hit stuff, hit stuff, hit
stuff. Use some common sense- hit punching bags, padded makiwara and other
equipment only. Hitting walls etc. in a misguided attempt at "Iron
Palm" or whatever is idiotic and will ruin your ability to train at
all. Outside of class time, work on your core, arm and leg
strength. See the link below for some good body-weight exercises for developing integrated strength.
TKRI
Drill Index- look under Basic Strength Conditioning
Resources Related to 9/23 and 9/25 classes:
Article
of the Week:
Gekkisai dai 1 Sample Bunkai (fighting applications)
Obviously, this kind of technique requires good overall body strength, especially in the legs and torso. In addition to the throw-specifc conditioning we do in class, consider adding a routine like this one to your independent training time:
5-Minute Explosive Bodyweight Circuit
Body Conditioning:
We began some basic body conditioning in Thursday's class, consisting
of arm, leg and stomach impact training. Below is a link to an
excellent article on the medical implications of body conditioning,
written by a practitoner of Uechi Ryu, a form of Okinawan karate known
for it's heavy emphasis on conditioning.
Is Body Conditioning Karate's Lost Art?
Enjoy our Medicine Ball Warm ups?
Observations by TKRI's Gillian Russell
A Very Special Form of Medicine Ball Training
Things to work on for next class:
Squats- Do least 30 per day to build leg strength. Double this if you are comfortable with one set.
Lunges- Do a few rounds around your dorm room when you
get up in the morning, down the hall to the showers and back, etc…
Stretching: Stretch the wrists and hands- we've been hitting
the pads, so you may be a bit sore in these areas. To help strengthen the wrist joint, support your
weight on the first two knuckles and do a few rounds of bear walks on grass or a carpeted surface.
Kata- Walk through the Gekkisai dai kata. If you can't remember parts, just do the sequences that you remember.
Squats- Do some more.
Resources Related to 9/16 and 9/18 classes
Article
of the Week:
Karate Training, by Harry
Cook
Bones
of the Hand Tendons
of the Hand, Posterior View Tendons
of the Hand, Anterior View
These are the
structures that we are transmitting force through when we hit things with a
fist. Lots of small bones…so alignment is very important. Notice the alignment
of the index and middle knuckles with the bones behind them, and how they stack
up in front of the bones of the forearm. We need to be careful no to
damage the tendons of the hand and wrist by rolling the wrist on
impact. If your fingers/wrists hurt after hitting, you need to pay more
attention to proper alignment: ease off on the power until you find it, and gradually build up to hitting harder.
So what happens if our alignment is off and we hit with the 4th and 5th knuckles?
A
Boxer's Fracture
The makiwara is an Okinawan tool for developing a penetrating punch. The object is not to “condition the knuckles” as much as it is to condition the wrist joint to stay solid, and to train the body to drive into punches without lunging into them or bouncing back on impact. Notice the alignment of the demonstrator’s first two knuckles, the drive of the rear leg, and the motion of the hips as he punches.
Things to work on for next class:
Squats- Start
incorporating at least 30 per day to build leg strength.
Lunges- Do a few rounds around your dorm room when you
get up in the morning, down the hall to the showers and back, etc…
Stretching: Stretch the wrists and hands- we've been hitting
the pads, so you may be a bit sore in these areas. Stretch the legs and lower
back to prevent tightness. To help strengthen the wrist joint, support your
weight on the first two knuckles (index and middle fingers) and do light
inclined pushups against a wall. If it hurts around the joint, stop.
Relaxation/Fluidity: Step through the Punching drill
like you're doing Tai Chi or yoga- don't think about karate or being rigid and
hard. Take the time to feel the chest expansion and hip opening between
punches, and the abdominal contraction and hip closing during punches.
