02.18.06 - Saturday Training

New Items Today:

1. Work out with Lynn Lane’s students in Vass, NC

Reviewed Other Items:

1. Warm ups
2. Orange Belt Techniques
3. Orange Belt Form

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Working out in Vass, NC
For the second time since I have been working out at TKI we made the trip down to Vass, NC to work out with Lynn Lane’s students. Just as before, it was time well spent, but things were a little different this time. Last time we all got together, Sifu and primarily the Purple belts demonstrated several techniques, including some from Kenpo, Hapkido and other styles. This time it was more of a work out than a seminar and we got right to work with the basics for warming up.

Sifu must have seen some things he didn’t like because we worked some of the basic drills more than we usually do. In fact, we spent much of the first hour on the 4 blocks, ball kicks, roundhouse kicks, lunge punches and foot maneuvers. By the time we were finished with the basics, we were good and warmed up. We split up into groups according to belt level and worked the appropriate material.

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Orange Belt Techniques
Jeff, Alexandra and I worked all six of our techniques with Sifu acting as dummy for us. It was quite productive going through them all so thoroughly. I had a few corrections pointed out to me but overall I think I did okay. Of the things I need to work on, my breathing is probably one of the more universal things that will affect all of my techniques. That continuous “Sssss” sound is a precursor to the “rolling growl” that I will eventually be taught.

There was one point in our practice in which I manage to demonstrate to anyone that was looking what happens when you don’t move/block a strike. It was on Deflecting Thunder and Bill came straight in with a thrust kick. I didn’t respond in time and got kicked. I reset and we did it again, this time with success – for me anyway. Maria later mentioned to me that she was surprised that Bill actually kicked me and I had to remind her that if you don’t train with some basis of ‘reality’ that the training becomes less useful.

After we completed our segment of review on the techniques, we took a brief water break and then did our forms. For the White belts, Alexandra and I did the Blocking form. All of the Purple belts did the Master form up through Blue Belt. Upon conclusion of this we all lined up and saluted out, concluding the day’s workout.

02.13.06 - Practice Out of Class

Met at My house in Raleigh

Phyl, Alex & Alexandra came over for a workout tonight. The living room is a little cramped so we worked out in the garage. Phyl and Alex are coming up on testing for their Blue belts and wanted to spend some time dedicated to techniques.

We started out by going through warm-ups and basics – drill instructor style – with Alex taking the lead in calling out the exercises. It didn’t take long to work up a light sweat even though it was chilly in the garage. We covered all of the blocks, ball kicks, roundhouse kicks, foot maneuvers, and lunge punches. When we finished up with our warm-ups, we started to work techniques.

Instead of starting with the Orange belt techniques and work up, we started with the Blue belt techniques and worked our way back. Doing so ensured we got all of the Phyl and Alex’s stuff in that they wanted to work tonight. We still got through them all, including the Orange belt techniques.

Alex and Phyl helped me with several tweaks, including some with Returning Serpent and Beheading the Dragon. With Returning Serpent, I was executing the back fist so that the trajectory was more at an angle than flat. I hadn’t realized this but in slowing everything down and watching the attack, it was easy to see that I was going to have a harder time reaching my targets launching the strike that way. We practiced with me bringing that strike on a more horizontal trajectory to the temple. After I started doing it correctly, it even felt better. The other item they helped me with was my spacing in Beheading the Dragon. I was having a hard time getting that final strike to the base of the skull… I just felt all crowded in. They showed me how to put some space in there and utilize fully the knee strikes/buckles. When I put it all together that way, it felt better and I was right on target.

We concluded the night’s workout by working forms. We started by all of us working the Orange belt form. Phyl called it out by the numbers and we went through it several times. After about the 5th or 6th time, Alexandra and I stepped aside and Phyl and Alex worked on the Master form. They looked great. No hesitation. They were nice and smooth and seemed very relaxed in doing the form. I think that it was the best I have seen them do the form to date. After a couple of times, we bowed out and called it a night.

02.04.06 - Saturday Training

New Items Today:

1. New Class Member: Elliot

Reviewed other items:

1. Warm ups
2. BKF Over/Under Drill
3. Techniques (Thunder & Lighting and Escaping Ram)
4. ¼ Speed Sparring
5. Orange Belt Form

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BKF Over/Under Drill
We have practiced this technique at least once before since I have been studying at TKI. This is a cool little drill in that it employs several principles, such as closing the distance, pinning & checking, hidden hand techniques, and point of origin striking. It isn’t as complicated as all of this sounds and that is really what makes it so effective.

It starts out by moving in and pinning down your partner’s lead hand with your lead hand, then striking forward with a lunge punch with the rear hand. The next move is to step to approximately 1:00 and turn the pinning hand into a low fist, striking from point of origin to the ribs as you are stepping through.
This is a little awkward at first but Sifu walked us through it a step at a time and it all came together nicely. My partner for this drill was Elliot, so I was able to work with “the new guy” right away. He is a 1st degree Black belt and trained under an instructor. He was a good partner for the exercise.

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¼ Speed Sparring
I had been looking forward to sparring for a couple of weeks now. Sifu had shown me a technique or concept he referred to as “moving up the circle” and this was the first opportunity I had to work it. As expected, I didn’t master it right away but when my turn to spar with Sifu came around, I was trying it out and he helped me to better understand. There were a few times that he guided me through some movements as he came in and showed how I could simply get out of the way of his strike by moving up the circle, regardless of whether I launched a counter strike or not. Good stuff.
I tried very hard to keep the speed down to ¼ speed. There were a couple of times I caught myself launching way too fast and slowed down in mid stride. The result was comical. By doing this, I had unintentionally thrown my sparring partner’s rhythm off and caused him to go on guard in a nearly fully defensive posture. My little “mistake” turned into something useful. Of course, this only lasted as long as it took him to figure out what I was doing, but it was still a good lesson.