12.09.06 - Saturday Practice

Reviewed Other Items:

1. Warming up with Basics
2. Techniques

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Warm-ups
We started with a solid warm-up today. Aside from our usual routine, we did some additional stretching, especially with the legs. We also did some additional joint stretching, particularly the wrists, which usually means we are going to be doing some Hapkido or joint manipulations but as it turns out we didn’t go in that direction today. Today was solidly rooted in basics starting right from the warm-ups.

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Techniques
The day was spent pretty much on technique today. There was much I was given to work on in order to tune up my form. Following was the feedback I was given regarding corrections or items to consider when doing my techniques:

Returning Serpent

• The trajectory on my whipping back-fist was a bit flat; be sure that the back-fist is on a rising trajectory to the attacker’s right temple.
• Maintain proper stance and be mindful of the stance changes.
• Be sure to torque the punch. I have a tendency to hold my rear fist flat against my body which robs the punch of torque when it is thrown. Focus on holding the fist in a “palm up” type position allowing for the torque in the lunge punch to the ribs.
  

Beheading the Dragon

• Keep the checking hand vertical. My tendency is to allow that check to match the angle of my arm, creating a complementary angle of entry for my attacker. Not good. Keep the checking hand vertical.
  

Stopping the Storm

• Keep the elbows tight (anchored) closer to my sides.
• Punch accurately to the targets and be mindful of where the targets are going to be. When working with a partner, you obviously can’t punch through them with the stop punch, but it is important to remember what their body position will be if you do.
  

Hidden Wing

• Keep the knees bent. I have a tendency to straighten them which will rob balance and perhaps some mobility.
  

Circling Serpent

• Anchor the elbow! Doing so aids in marrying his core to your own as well as controlling his movements, basically a sort of check.
  

Clapping Tiger

• Get a good grab on the wrist. Optimally, grab the garment at the shoulder as well.
• Get close to the attacker when moving in for the throw. If you allow a gap between you and the attacker, there is a chance he will be able to pull you off balance and disrupt the technique. It is also a vital point in establishing the base for the throw.
• Be mindful of three points: The wrist, the shoulder, and the butt bunk. These are the three control points.
  

Hooking Thunder

• Get into a solid cat stance! My tendency is to have the back foot angled more at a 45 than at 90 degrees.
• You are disrupting 2 points of the attackers balance: Height and Depth. Don’t forget to not only capture the kick at it’s apex, but to also pull it in slightly past you as well.
  

Captured Wing

• Throw the initial elbow straight back. It is not an upward elbow but rather goes straight back.
• The final elbow strike to the spine should be a circular motion originating from an orbit at the release of the hand. It should be a smooth circular motion.
  

Raking Hammer

• Drop into position at the first block! I should be dropping into a neutral bow. This will correct a range problem I am having with this technique.
• Transition low into a horse stance when delivering the hammer fist to the groin. The feet should be flat.
• The final elbow is a point of origin strike directly to the chin. This can contour up the body. It is also possible to get a ‘bonus’ strike to the sternum depending on the body reaction to the to hammer fist to the groin.

I ultimately have the gross movements down for the techniques but need to work on refinement. There are some issues I am having with these techniques when I work them in the air versus on a body. Visualizing the targets seems to be my weakness when I’m doing them in the air.