Kicks….

We started with stationary knee strike and front snap kick. Then double front snap kick. then front snap kick with front punch.

Next, we did shuffle up, front leg roundhouse, then shuffle back and do a rear leg roundhouse kick.

Kihon….

We moved forward and did a rising block, inward block, downward block and then reverse punch all with only one step forward. We did the same moving backward.

Next, we did back stance, knife hand block and then did the same with the added front snap kick and finally we added the reverse spear hand strike.

Next came, Sensei’s favorite move to watch, inward block, horse stance with elbow strike and back fist. Sensei said to make sure that each stance looks like it should, being that the horse stance needs to be a horse stance and the front stance needs to be a front stance. Also, Sensei suggested that we insert a cat stance between the different stances.

Take em down….

Next, we worked on some partner drills. We started with inward block, elbow strike and back fist but we stepped behind and threw our partner, over our knee and down to the ground. When in the horse stance behind them, use the hand that did the back fist to throw them over your leg behind them.

We finished up class with kata. Heian 1 through Heian 5, Tekki Shodan, Jion and Bassai Dai.

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Partner up and kick him across the dojo…

For the first drill we got our focus mitts. One partner had a mitt on each hand, put them out as a target and the other partner did kicks or punches depending upon where the other put the mitt. For example, if they put the mitt on the side of their head, you would throw a roundhouse or hook kick. If the pad was on their stomach, you would throw a reverse punch or front snap kick.

For the next drill, we could only using spinning techniques. For example, if our partner put the mitt on their stomach, we could do a spinning back kick. If it was next to their head, we could throw a spinning back fist.

Kata bunkai….

For the next drill, Sensei had us do all of the Heian kata. After each kata, we had to do bunkai from each place there was a kiai in the kata. It was a challenging drill but good.

Tie him up…

For the next drill, we took a belt and used to stop our opponents attack and tie them up. For example, we wrapped the belts around our wrists and when our partner attacked, we tied up their hand and put them into a position where they could not longer attack. For example, if they punched, we could catch their hand, tie it up and do a wrist lock to keep them from throwing another attack. It was easier than you would think it would be but also very effective.

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Sloppy reverse punch….

This was an interesting drill and one that I hope to get good enough at to use when sparring. We started out in a high front fighting stance, from there we pull the front foot back, reverse punch, then step forward and reverse punch. This is one of those things were pictures would be worth many words. The key is to moving the front foot back and then stepping forward. This allows you to cover extra ground when attacking your partner.

Partner kicks…

For this drill, we stood very close, in front of our partner, and put our knee up to our chest or as far as it will go. From there, we kicked at our partners abs using the action of the knee to kick and retract the foot like a front snap kick. This drill was extremely hard for me but once Sensei came over to correct me, I was able to do it with some confidence.

For the next drill, Sensei wanted us to do a roundhouse kick and use the hips to pull our leg back. The idea of this drill was to use the action of the hips to turn our body and allow us to set of foot back down behind us. The final kicking drill was a roundhouse and hook kick combination but again using the action of the hips to retract the kick.

Kata,,,,

Sensei counted out the moves for Heian 2 through Heian 5, Tekki Shodan, Jion and Bassai Dai. I always like when kata is counted. It helps me focus on each move instead of just trying to rush the kata and get it done.

Important note, in Heian Godan, after first outward block, turn the upper body and punch but also drop the hips as the punch is thrown. It makes the movement fell much different and I even got a “Doug, you finally got it” from Sensei.

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We did our normal warm up and then did stationary, same leg, knee strike with front snap kick. Then moving forward with the same.

Get into groups of four….

For this partner drill, we moved into groups of four.  One partner stood between two others and another partner stood in front.  The middle partner picked up one leg and kept the knee high, threw three kicks, then stepped down into a front stance, did a knee/shin clash and then stood up and presented themselves as the partner in front stood up and moved backward.   The idea was to use the hips to push the kick forward, come down into a stance and make sure to drive the front leg forward for the shin clash and then stand up and stare down the partner in front of you.  The last part is looking  at them with the intention of taking them out for good.

For the next drill, we moved into groups of two and did bent leg front kicks front the ground. The key to this drill is the keep the rear leg bent through out the entire kick. From the floor to the target, the leg stays bent and there is no snap!

Sensei showed us something when doing kicks, related more to side snap kick. the idea is to let the dangle and hang loose and then it will act like a whip when throwing the kick. It’s similar to when you whip a towel at someone.

Kata….

We finished up class with some kata. Sensei had the brown and black belts do Rohai and all the Heian kata’s and Tekki Shodan for the lower belts. Then the higher belts finished up with Bassai Dai and Empi.

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Warm up with some kihon…

We started out in horse stance doing front punches and double punches.  Next, we moved into a front stance and did jab with reverse punch but making sure that we use our hips to snap between movements.

Next, we shuffled up in front stance did a jab, then a stepped and reverse punched then stepped again and reverse punched.  For the next drill, we did front stance, shuffle up and punch, then front snap kick with the front leg, then step back with reverse punch.  I know that sounds confusing but it really was confusing.

Next, came the kicking drills.  We shuffled up and a side thrust kick, stepped back and reverse punched followed up with another side thrust kick.  We did the same drill but with roundhouse kick and then side snap kick.

Kanku Dai…

Sensei counted out Kanku Dai for us.  He let the entire class do it and the lower belts  followed along.  We did it five times and then moved on to Heian Nidan, then Heian Yondan and then we finished up with Heian Godan.

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Warm up with kata….

Sensei had us start with Heian 1 through 5 and Tekki Shodan.  After we did those, we did the same katas again but did in mirror image.  The mirror image kata is always tough when I get to Heian Yondan for some reason.

Next, we got a partner and did one-step sparring but we each had to a an application from  each of the Heian katas and Tekki Shodan.free sparring warm up.

I blocked that hook kick with my face.

We started out with some free sparring to get warmed up.  Next, we sparred while keeping our hands against our partners hands.  We could either keep wrist to wrist or grab cross handed. I felt really good again and was holding my own without much damage until I paired up with Sensesi Plocharczyk.  He cleaned my clock again but I was lucky enough to block a really good hook kick with the side of my head.  Mental note to self; self, figure out how to block that hook kick.

For the last drills, we stood on our knees and did the sticky hands drill.  If you did the drill wrong and tried to muscle your partner, you ended up on the floor.  It sound simple but it takes a loose power and a soft touch.  We finished up doing that drill again but standing.  This is a little easier since you can use your legs to keep your balance but the bigger, stronger people who use all muscle to do this are at a disadvantage both kneeling and standing.  This is a hard drill to explain but you keep your wrists in contact with your partners and sense when they are going to attack.  You keep moving your hands in a circular motion and then attack as soon as your partner looses their focus.

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Very slow roundhouse…

Sensei gave us some extra detailed roundhouse kick drills.  From a front stance, we brought our leg up to the side and hold up enough to set a deep dish pizza on it.  From there, slowly rotate the kicking leg to the front, then kick with the heel up and toes down.  After the kick pull the foot back to our butt and set it down.

Sweeps….

For the next drill, Sensei had us work on some sweeping drills.  One thing that I never saw before is the way that he uses his entire side of his foot when doing the sweep.  He takes the whole inside edge of his foot and uses it to take your foot out from under you.  In this drill, our partner shifts in and as they do that, we use our foot to sweep their front foot out from under them.  The timing has to be really good or they will plant their front foot and the sweep will not work.

Kata….

We started kata with Heian Shodan, then from the end of Heian Shodan, we moved directly into Heian Nidan, then into Heian Sandan, then into Heian Yondan and then into Heian Godan.  Next, we did Tekki Shodan, Jion, Bassai Dai and Kanku Dai.  Next came Empi and Bassai Sho but I sat on the side to watch those.

Sensei Cieplik shared something that his Sensei, Yamazaki shared with him.  “Kata is perfectly made to keep you from doing it perfectly.”  No matter how many times you do a move perfectly, there is always another move that won’t be perfect during that one kata.

For my friend Dan:  The website that Sensei mentioned in class is http://www.nofirstattack.com/kata.html

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Get your kata over with….

We started the class with some kata.  We did Taikyoku Shodan first, then all of the Heian katas, then Tekki Shodan, Jion, Bassai Dai and Kanku Dai.  We did all 10 of these katas in 12 to 15 minutes.

Get your pads on and get a partner….

We started with some free sparring drills but we could only use kicks to score with our partner.  We switched partners about five times.  The next sparring drill had us using only our hands to score.  This time, we switched partners four times.

Next, we made one long line across the dojo with our partner in front of us.  From there, we free sparred with a different partner until we sparring with everyone in the line across from us.  There were about 40 of us in the class so everyone sparred 20 different people.  It was non stop, constant sparring and  I would say that is was much harder than the anchorman sparring that I did at my test for Shodan.

I was holding my own pretty well, at least in my own mind, until I paired up with Sensei Plocharczyk.  He hit me more times than all of the other 19 people combined.  I lost count of how many times he hit me after the first 10 or so.  It was a good learning experience though.

We finished up with some push ups and class was over.

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It felt like the room was spinning…

We paired up and one partner did the attack, step in with front punch.  The other partner  blocked the attackers punching hand with the front hand, spun around and countered with a spinning back kick.

The next attack was the same with step in and front punch.   The defender blocked with the front hand, spun around into a horse stance and did a take down with a back fist.  For this work, you need to drive the leg between the attackers into a front stance.  Driving that leg backward allows the hip to take their leg out from under them.

The next attack was a shift in with a jab.  The defender blocked with the front hand, pulled the front foot back then spin around and hook kick.  You have to pull the front foot back to make the distance between you and the attacker otherwise you will be too close and the hook kick will not work.

Next came the same attack as above.  The defender blocked with the front hand, did a hook kick with the front leg and then follow that up with a roundhouse kick.  We did the same attack but this time we blocked and did a roundhouse kick followed up with a hook kick.

The last drill we worked on had our attacker shifting forward and throwing a reverse punch.  The defender die a block with a reverse punch counter, then spin around with a fist into a horse stance.  The idea was to end up behind your attacker when executing the back fist.

This was a really good class but I wish that my body would have cooperated a little better with the kicks.  Sensei Brien told me that many of the spinning kicks can also be applied to sweeps and leg attacks.

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On to kihon…

After our warm up we did downward block with reverse punch, then inward block with reverse punch, rising block with reverse punch all moving forward and back.

The next drill we did was moving forward and back doing reverse downward block.  Yes, you read that correctly, reverse downward block.  The point that Sensei always makes when we do drills that we normally don’t do, is to open our minds to doing something different and when doing this drill it takes just that to make it work.  We also did reverse downward block with jab and reverse punch, which felt natural after a few moves.

Next came, moving forward with front snap kick and front punch.  The next move is not may favorite, front stance with inward block, horse stance with elbow strike and backfist.  Sensei said to insert a cat stance between the horse stance and front stance to help position the body before each stance.

Next came back stance with knife hand block moving forward and back.  Next came, back stance with knife hand block and front kick.

Time ot kick.  From a horse stance we stepped across and did side thrust kick, then side snap kick, then side front kick.  The next drill was step behind and hook kick.  This was really tough drill for me.

Partner pad drills….

We paired up and one partner held a pad.  From there, we shifted our weight to our back leg and then shifted our weight to the front then punched and hit the pad.  Putting the body behind the move, makes even a small movement very powerful.  We did a similar drill using a backfist but instead of using just our fist we used our entire forearm to hit the pad.  When doing this drill, you need to squeeze the floor with your legs and use the tensing of all the muscles of the body to make power.

Kata…

Sensei had us start with Heian Shodan but he wanted us to do the kata with our focus on the pull hand.  This always makes the kata feel much different to me and I need to keep this in mind whenever I do my katas.  We did all of the Heian katas, Tekki Shodan, Jion and Bassai Dai.

Sensei made a comment about Heian Godan that I never thought of.  When doing the move right before the first kiai, do not pull the right hand back before the punch.

Sensei also told us to focus on keeping our balance not technique.  The idea is to fight to keep your balance and the technique will come by itself.

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