Semi-Free Sparing Practice Drill

The final karate class we had this weekend was fantastic!

Everyone was happy and really enjoyed the training - everything was different and new - and each of the two hour classes flew by! I was suprized when the classes seemed to end so quickly!

We did a few memorable things that stand out, and that students commented on afterwards. First off - Sensei worked us through the basic combinations with more intensity than I normally do... I'd say more than twice the repetitions forward and backwards.

My favorite drill was a kind of semi-free sparing with a partner. In a slow, controlled drill with Sensie counting, Partner #1 attacks on the odd numbers with any technique - and Partner #2 blocks with any technique; on the even numbers, Partner #2 takes a turn. The focus was to move naturally and make distance - mix up the techniques with all sorts of kicks, punches and strikes. This kumite training drill was made more interesting by restricting one side to only strike attacks and the other to only kick attacks. By changing the restrictions on techniques, we were forced to try moves we would normally ignore or avoid. It was a refreshing challenge.

After training, we all took Sensie Don and Sempai Jill out for lunch. The massive hamberger with Canadian back-bacon, mushrooms and swiss cheeze sure hit the spot!

Now that my weekend of karate seminars is complete, I have time to get back working on MyShotokan. There are about 12 hours of work left to complete before the launch tomorrow! I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time!!

Until then...

MyShotokan

Kata Applications on Video Tape

Sensie Don walked our class through a couple really interesting applications for Heian Shodan and for Heian Sandan.

I recognized the first combintation that is widely known through the Midwest Karate circles. The first time I experienced the application drill for Heian Shodan was at the 5 day Midwest Karate Summer Training Camp in Regina Saskatchewan, way back in the summer of 1992. Durring that training camp, Sensei Marr taught us great variations of applications for all the Heian kata, one kata per day for the week.... man were we bruised up!

This time I have the drill on video tape - not just scratches of notes we used to write after each class... sometimes the notes don't make much sense when you re-read them a decade later... :-)

The second partner combination from yesterday's training was an adaption of applying moves from Heian Sandan, introduced to Midwest Karate just last weekend in Winnipeg by visiting master Katsumata Sensie. We really had a great time with it - and I'm looking forward to reviewing the video of this fun and effective karate partner training drill.

Because the content of the classes was so fresh and different for myself and my students, the time just flew through both of the 2 hour sessions yesterday.

Several people remarked on areas they enjoyed, and would like to incorporate into our regular training drills.

-more doing basics forward AND backwards
-more performing the kata alone infront of the class
-include the extended stretching routine in warmup
-include partner stretching
---- and I know there is something else mentioned too...

I've asked my students to email me their comments because if I don't write them down and make a habit of reminding myself with a series of brief written lesson plans - then it's easy for me to get off track...



We get one more class, today from 11AM-1PM today.

Time to charge the video camera and get ready for training!

MyShotokan