Happy Easter to one and all.

Apologies for the lack of updates on this page.

Tonight's class at Childwall: Sensei Roy had vistors from Poland training as part of his class, a black belt and a brown belt. There is already a regular student in Liverpool who is from Poland, his name is Raphael and he's been training with Sensei Roy now for well over 18 months and is very dedicated to his training.

The session began with junbi undo, press ups and sit ups, then we practiced moving basics - stepping in stances such as neko ashi dachi, zenkutsu dachi and sanchin dachi whilst, at the same time, performing blocking techniques (such as hiki uke and ko uke). We also practiced blocking techniques with a training partner, many different blocks. This section of the class concentrated on basic techniques. Towards the end of the section Sensei had everyone practice a combination that went as follows:

From left zenkutsu dachi (long stance with left leg in front): Attack towards your training partner using an oi zuku / gyaku zuki combo (punch with left hand then right hand). Then, almost straight away, block an icoming attack (which is aimed at your chest) with your left hand using soto uke (forearm block) - as you perform the block you also bring your left foot to your right foot so that you turn your body slightly to the right. Next, spin your hips clockwise and turn your head to the right - at the same time that you begin to twist around, kick using your right leg and perform ushiro geri towards your training partner's midriff.

After basics, the class was then split into 2 sections: kyu grades (students lower than dan grade) practiced kata Seiyunchin with Sensei Steve; black belts were taken to one end of the dojo to practice kata Kururunfa with Sensei Roy. Sensei Roy took everyone through the movements of Kururunfa kata a few times slowly and then we practiced kata applications (bunkai) with a training partner. This took us right up to the end of the night's class.

This coming Saturday evening we are having a dojo party in Liverpool city centre, should be fun!

Slow-motion karate-chop:



This is a very interesting video to watch - I am surprised by how the hand behaves when it is used to "chop" something in half.

Been training at Kiyose Dojo with Terauchi Sensei this morning.

The class was at 10am, me and Kev (also from Childwall Dojo in Liverpool) arrived slightly late, Sensei was half way through the warm-up when we arrived. As I was getting changed I watched as Sensei ran about the line of students pulling them into the correct position for each exercise as he called it. I also noticed that Sensei has got a photo in pride of place of himself with Sensei Paul & Peter (who are both from Merseyside, the picture was taken when we took Sensei around Birkenhead market). I was made up when I saw that!

The class was lot of basics, push-ups and Sanchin kata followed by Gekisai Dai Ichi and Dai Ni. We also did some Oyo Bunkai for these 2 kata, including take downs and neck locks. Sensei worked us *really* hard.

Terauci Sensei asked how everyone is in Liverpool and also asked specifically how my dad is, how my sister is and if she is training, how Sensei Roy Flatt is and how Sensei Ernie is. At the end of the class he told his students that he likes going to Liverpool because everyone from there is a good singer!

Training last night (on the last day of January 2008):

Sensei Mike from Thingwall Dojo made an appearance at Childwall for some extra training in preparation for his upcoming gradings test. Our dojo last night had a 7th dan (Sensei Roy), a 5th dan (Sensei George), two 4th dans, a 3rd dan and even more black belt students after that. It wasn't the biggest turn out that we've had on a Thursday, but the vintage of people in attendance was quite good!

Training involved beginning with Tensho kata practice (senior "heishugata" or closed-fist kata) for black and brown belt students. Sensei Roy explained a lot about the way this kata is performed and the way that different parts of the kata require different tempo and tension.

After this the class was split into 2: Sensei took students who are grading soon to one end of the dojo for kata practice, while Sensei George and Sensei Steve instructed the remaidner of the class in Ippon Kumite training (one punch sparring) and also San Dan Gi - 3 level sparring. This included some variations of San Dan Gi, we even performed one that incorporates a throw / takedown.

The session ended with kakie practice, lead by Sensei Roy.

Sensei Evi Yanti (IOGKF 2nd Dan) instructed on a special karate course today. The event was held in Liverpool at Sensei Roy Flatt's Childwall Dojo. Sensei Evi is the current IOGKF women's kumite world champion, a title which she won at the 2006 Miyagi Chojun Festival in Niagra Falls, Canada.

Some photos from the event:




Sensei Evi's class was 3 hours in length and the session focused on awareness training and sparring technique.

Monday 14th January - Training @ Childwall

Firstly, I need to let everyone who was at this session know, the photos that I took during the class never turned out. Something to do with a "card error", basically the camera never took the photos properly. Sorry.

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Tonight's class with Sensei Roy was great. It was a big class (but Mondays always seem to be lately). The session started with a warm-up that involved lots of "circuit training" style touches, stuff working in with a training partner. Sensei had everyone push out 40 press-ups, each individual press-up had to be full (starting with nose to the floor and finishing with arms locked straight). 40 of them! This was followed by 100 crunches ("fingertips over the knees") and then straight into Kihon, or basic training.

Basics was practiced with a training partner, as were most of tonight's exercises. However basic training was brief as soon Sensei had everyone combining several techniques together to form renzoku kumite sparring drills. This included several varying blocking and countering techniques, initially from punch attacks but later on we also were shown set defences for kicks as well.

Attack (from Zenkutsu dachi) - Chudan oi zuki (a punch thrown towards opponent's chest)
Defence (from Zenkutsu dachi) - Block to the outside of the attacking arm using Soto Uke (forearm block). Step your feet close together at the same time time you block, this will turn your hips. Keep turning and quickly spin around 360° - at 180° (when you are facing away from your opponent), kick him in the stomach with Ushiro geri (back kick).

Attack (from zenkutsu) - Step forward and attack Chudan oi zuki (punch aimed at chest)
Defence (from zenkutsu) - As your opponent steps forward and punches, block to the outside of his arm using Soto Uke and shift your body completely to the side, maintain your original stance as you move. As you land to your opponents "outside", quickly kick using mawashi geri off your back leg to his chest (underneath his outstretched arm). The kick is performed almost immediately using a spring-board effect (when you step to the side and block the attack, the leg is bounced forward into a kick - this happens as soon as your back leg lands on the floor).

Attack (from zenkutsu) - Kick towards your opponent's groin, mae geri (straight thrust kick).
Defence - Start from zenkutsu dachi but on the *opposite* leg to your opponent (if he starts with his left foot in front, you start with your right in front). As he kicks mae geri towards your groin, block the kick down to the inside and immediately kick a low-level mawashi geri directed at his supporting leg (although in reality it would be directed at his groin).

Attack (from zenkutsu dachi) - Step forwards, strike oi zuki chudan (chest level punch off leading hand)
Defence - Block with hiki uke (open handed "hook block") to the outside of the attack - take hold of the wrist of his attacking arm. Counter attack with Ushiro mawashi geri (a reverse roundhouse kick) aimed at the back of opponent's head (strike with the sole of your foot). Then, in one movement, quickly bring the attacking leg down and use it to sweep your opponent's leading leg, to perform a takedown. (Advanced technique!)

After kumite training like this for about 45 minutes, Sensei had everyone pair up with a training partner and then line up along the length of the dojo in pairs for sparring practice. Sensei stressed that this was to be light, fast sparring practice and that "Everyone should leave the class looking the same as when they walked in" - i.e, no heavy contact.

The class ended with group kata training, while I took photos of our karate club's senior grades for our dojo's new website - unfortunately these pictures never turned out (as explained above).

Happy New Year!

Tonight was the 1st session at our dojo in 2008 (we are based in a local community centre here in Liverpool and the centre staff are given a well deserved break during the Christmas holidays, so the dojo is shut for 2 to 3 weeks). It was a good turn out with about 20 black belts and many lower grades in attendance.

Sensei warmed everyone up with Junbi Undo then we did lots of basics, sliding, stepping, punching, kicking and things of that nature. Then we did some "distance training" exercises with a training partner - this involved blocking an attack and counter-punching an opponent. We practiced this several times.

Sensei also had everyone practice kicking towards (but not making contact with) a target. Here's how we did it - 1 training parnter kneeled on the floor in seiza position (as used at the begining and the end of each IOGKF karate class). The other training parnter then kicked above the top of his head using mawashi geri (roundhouse kick). This was performed to a count of 10, then the kneeling partner sat up straight and the kicking partner had to kick above his head again - again without kicking his training partner in the head! Very tricky!

Sensei had us practicing lots of exercises that involved countering attacks.

The class ended with Sanchin kata practice.

Here are some photos from during the EGKA Black Belt Grading which took place last Sunday in Woodchurch, Wirral.






Photos taken by Mr Colin Platt, many thanks for sending them across to me mate!

More to follow.

First of all - I owe you an EGKA black belt grading report. I never made it along to the grading (for the first time in years), sorry about that. But I have spoken with a few people who were there and some of them took part in the grading. I've also been sent some photos of the grading which are great, I'll put them on here shortly.

Last night was "business as usual" at our Dojo in Liverpool. Sensei Roy had the class run through a lot of stuff, including exercises to improve punching speed by working with a training partner. One drill that sticks in my head is to stand face-to-face with partner and, to a set count, both side punch out right handed towards one another at the same time. Then, on the next count, punch with your left hand, and so on and so on.

We also practiced a ippon-kumite (one-step sparring), some moving basics with a partner and also some other kicking and blocking drills taken from the weekend's training with Sensei Ernie Molyneux (EGKA Chief Instructor).

Today my arms are all bruised and bumpy from the blocking exercises. Great class last night.