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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
