Journey to a new style...

[Fungus]

Osu Senpai Simon! Big congratulations!!!
Wear your swollen thumb with pride along with the belt!

Interesting to hear that kumite comes first and kihon and kata later? In our club it's done the other way around. How was it in the past as when you did kyokushin? I wonder if its style related or club related?

 

[Gyakuto]

(We did it the other way around too, since temporary debilitating injuries are more likely to occur in adrenaline-fuelled kumite sessions and they might interfere with Kihon/kata)

 

[_Simon_]

Osu Senpai Simon! Big congratulations!!!
Wear your swollen thumb with pride along with the belt!

Interesting to hear that kumite comes first and kihon and kata later? In our club it's done the other way around. How was it in the past as when you did kyokushin? I wonder if its style related or club related?

Yes in Kyokushin we did kumite last, and absolutely it makes sense that way for the reasons Gyakuto said. I guess as not everyone can stay the whole length of time of the grading (we're only a small club) we do that early so there are enough kumite partners. It's not an insane amount of rounds and our gradings aren't meant to be a survival course so it's controlled but spirited still.

We also have a nice break after the kumite section to bring our energy/adrenaline down which helps alot haha! I actually don't mind. I used to prefer kumite after, but it's sort of nice doing all the intense cardio, endurance, kumite first and get that out of the way, so I'm not thinking ahead in anticipation (or fear!) of what's to come. Gives me a chance to slow down and focus completely on all the technical/application stuff and give my whole attention to that.

 

[Stuarto]

Thanks so much brother, I really appreciate your kind words . It still hasn't sunk in fully haha

I am looking forward to the day I achieve my shodan. The training has been going well and I have been performing above my belt level. I am sure that my testing for orange belt is not far off. For now, it's just critiquing everything I have learned

 

[_Simon_]

I am looking forward to the day I achieve my shodan. The training has been going well and I have been performing above my belt level. I am sure that my testing for orange belt is not far off. For now, it's just critiquing everything I have learned

That's fantastic! Take your time with it all, at some stage deepening your knowledge is more important than accumulating more. Will very much be interested in hearing more of your journey as you go

 

[_Simon_]

Belt still stiff!! But all's going well, and excited what I'm working on now.

- Have an awesome couple of seminars this Sunday with a master of a White Crane style (Singing Crane) being brought down from China, and learning some forms (Happoren/Babulien and Nepai/Ershibasu) that heavily contributed to Goju, before Goju became Goju! Very excited.

- Also have our annual demonstration day at our dojo very soon. I offered to demonstrate showing some contrast between Go/hard and Ju/soft (albeit a very superficial one), by first performing a softer version of Naihanchi/Naifunchi kata I learned, then doing a series of board breaks haha.

3 breaks: seiken/forefist, kakuto or koken (wrist joint strike, bent wrist strike, like the one in Tensho kata), and a spinning hook kick. Tested these out on a rebreakable board last night in the dojo and it went well.

I was most concerned about the kakuto uchi strike, but I've been conditioning it for a few months now and it actually feels super natural to hit there now. And far out is it powerful! The spinning hook kick will be more about accuracy, won't take much for that to break the board.

Oh and also demonstrating 5 nage waza/takedown techniques with fellow a black belt.

So that's that! Thanks for listening to my TED talk.

 

[Gyakuto]

Belt still stiff!! But all's going well, and excited what I'm working on now.

Try this…

- Have an awesome couple of seminars this Sunday with a master of a White Crane style (Singing Crane) being brought down from China, and learning some forms (Happoren/Babulien and Nepai/Ershibasu) that heavily contributed to Goju, before Goju became Goju! Very excited.

I assume you’ve seen this fascinating video? It inspired me to buy his book.

- Also have our annual demonstration day at our dojo very soon. I offered to demonstrate showing some contrast between Go/hard and Ju/soft (albeit a very superficial one), by first performing a softer version of Naihanchi/Naifunchi kata I learned, then doing a series of board breaks haha.

Excellent! Will you be narrating the demo?

3 breaks: seiken/forefist, kakuto or koken (wrist joint strike, bent wrist strike, like the one in Tensho kata), and a spinning hook kick. Tested these out on a rebreakable board last night in the dojo and it went well.

Tip, if you break your hand/foot only stop the demo if the bones are sticking out of your flesh.

I was most concerned about the kakuto uchi strike, but I've been conditioning it for a few months now and it actually feels super natural to hit there now. And far out is it powerful! The spinning hook kick will be more about accuracy, won't take much for that to break the board.

It hurts when it hits your too!

Oh and also demonstrating 5 nage waza/takedown techniques with fellow a black belt.

On a hard wood floor I hope?

So that's that! Thanks for listening to my TED talk.

 

[_Simon_]

Try this…

Ah yes I have done that, all except the water bit. I may just do it again to loosen it more

I assume you’ve seen this fascinating video? It inspired me to buy his book.

Yeah awesome video!

Excellent! Will you be narrating the demo?

Perhaps I might! I tend to blab on when it comes to this stuff so I may keep that short haha, alot to get through on the day!

Tip, if you break your hand/foot only stop the demo if the bones are sticking out of your flesh.

Hahaha duly noted! I always try to do something mainly for the kiddies watching. Something exciting for them and maybe inspire. I remember seeing stuff like that when younger and it really wowed me and left an impression

On a hard wood floor I hope?

Not quite, but some lovely, plush, cushioney and luxurious mats

 

[Gyakuto]

If you want to pull in the kids, do your demo dressed as Taylor Swift. They will never forget that!

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Nice one!

 

[Simfers]

If you want to pull in the kids, do your demo dressed as Taylor Swift. They will never forget that!

Photographic evidence requested over here.

 

[Gyakuto]

He’s going to deny ownership of a Taylor Swift costume and make up…you just wait

 

[Prince_Alarming]

It's the dojo uniform for clackledockling, there's a perfectly good reason for it

 

[Prince_Alarming]

...which at some point I will invent...

 

[_Simon_]

Did some demonstration day practice today, but... real boards this time haha. My instructor brought  thicker boards though than the ones I bought, 2cm ones! I was a bit nervous, even though I've done that thickness before with seiken (and a LONG time ago..), never with the kakuto uchi or ushiro mawashi/kake geri!

All went perfectly and they broke seamlessly! Pretty stoked haha

 

[Fungus]

never with the kakuto uchi

Cool. This particular striking surface is one of the few I am not comfortable with and that I almost never train.

The flexibility of my wrists is I think and issue. I can do finger pushups (though not as many as on seiken) even if I am heavy, but the koken pushups I can't do. They just feel dangerous, like they will snap the wrist, I think my wrist flexibility is worse than average.

 

[_Simon_]

Cool. This particular striking surface is one of the few I am not comfortable with and that I almost never train.

The flexibility of my wrists is I think and issue. I can do finger pushups (though not as many as on seiken) even if I am heavy, but the koken pushups I can't do. They just feel dangerous, like they will snap the wrist, I think my wrist flexibility is worse than average.

Oh yeah koken pushups are crazy hard for me too.. also not very flexible wrists. But definitely give the strike a go on a bag! I've actually found it quite easy and natural. Touching the thumb tip on the base of the ring finger and doing the strike sideways, it's really insanely powerful haha.

I also do 3, oh actually 4 actions:

1) hip rotation
2) a sinking of the body
3) weight transference to other leg
4) compression to expansion of the body (within shoulders, ribs and abdomen)

All things I work on in Tensho kata really (where the koken/kakuto features)

Synchronising all that really generates great power

 

[Fungus]

Oh yeah koken pushups are crazy hard for me too.. also not very flexible wrists. But definitely give the strike a go on a bag! I've actually found it quite easy and natural. Touching the thumb tip on the base of the ring finger and doing the strike sideways, it's really insanely powerful haha.

I also do 3, oh actually 4 actions:

1) hip rotation
2) a sinking of the body
3) weight transference to other leg
4) compression to expansion of the body (within shoulders, ribs and abdomen)

All things I work on in Tensho kata really (where the koken/kakuto features)

Synchronising all that really generates great power

Will try this next time on bag!

 

[_Simon_]

-The White Crane seminar was amazing!! Spent about 3 hours on the first form which is what I actually wanted as this form is in our system, but a fair few differences still. The last hour was on the next form which is toootally different to ours. But wonderful to see the original forms and where ours evolved from. And something which was so memorable, the Master handpicked me (and only a couple of others to do other forms) to perform Happoren/Babulien for everyone. I was so so incredibly honoured, considering this was only my first day of learning it, he was really impressed with how I performed it so pointed me out to demonstrate. So I was crazy nervous with that pressure haha but something I will hold very dear, and feel very honoured.

-And the demonstration day was just magical. Such a wonderful day and everything went very smoothly! All my breaks (of which I did 4) and my form went perfectly, couldn't be happier, and the look on the kids faces... absolutely priceless .

 

[Simfers]

So happy for you, man. Sounds like a n amazing time.