02.24.07 - Saturday Practice

Reviewed Other Items:

1. Warm-Ups
2. Footwork & Stances
3. Focus Mitt Drills
4. Basics Drills
5. BlocksTechniques

.

Warm-ups
The warm up today was somewhat short and direct but we went into more “extended warm ups” later on in class.

.

Footwork & Stances
Immediately following the initial warm-ups, we lined up and went into some footwork and stance drills. From a left neutral bow, we went down the width of the dojo with step drags, then covered, and came back on the other side. We then switched to a cross stance and did the same thing, but this time we did front cross stances down and back. Lastly we did rear cross stances down and back.

.

Focus Mitt Drills
Sifu kept the blood pumping next with some focus mitt drills, doing 3 count and 4 count combos. We alternated from 3 strikes to a set with 2 strikes and a final elbow. After we got the rhythm down a bit, we did the same thing advancing and retreating up and down the mat. I did pretty well. I was working with Marty. Sifu came around and wanted me to really focus on the stance changed and marrying the movement of everything together upon the strike.

.

Basics Drills
Next was some practice in basics. Did 20 repetitions of each of the following moves: ball kicks (right & left), lead leg roundhouse kicks (right & left), rear heal kicks (right & left), inward blocks (right & left), extended outward blocks (right & left). By the time we finished this set up, we were all breathing hard and sweating freely.

.

Techniques
Sifu paired Jeff and I up to work together on techniques. We started out working on Orange belt techniques and Jeff really did great. We started off with Thunder and Lighting and worked through all the Orange belt techniques, ending with Beheading the Dragon. Jeff had a very useful observation for me as I was doing Returning Serpent; he stated that I wasn’t stepping back into a true neutral bow, but more of an in-line stance. I corrected the issue and the technique did indeed flow better for me.

After we finished up with the Orange belt material, we started in with the Purple belt extensions. Sifu checked in on us a couple of times and helped to fine tune some of the techniques but for the most part they were pretty good. After completing the Purple belt material, we went through and Jeff dummied for me as I practiced the Orange belt extensions that I came up with.

Among the several useful things that I took away from class today, there are two things that Sifu helped me with that really stand out in my mind. The first is in regards to a problem I have been dealing with on Circling Serpent, where as the final move is to do the leg buckle and bring the bad guy down on your left knee. This happens because of the motion created by moving your right hand from a high position at the attacker’s shoulder across your body to your left hip. The problem I had was in regards to my right shoulder. It was dislocated at one point some time ago and it isn’t usually a problem, but this particular motion puts force on the shoulder joint in just such a way that it feels like it is pulling out of joint again. It never does, and I doubt it would actually pop out, but if feels like it. I asked Sifu about it and after carefully listening to my complaint, he said simply to get lower in my stance. It seemed to easy of an answer. I tried it and sure enough, little to no pressure. My comfort in doing the technique just went up by a factor of 10. I also had that “duh” feeling in my head too.

The other item I had was in regards to an extension that Sifu helped me come up with for Returning Serpent. The base technique is still intact but at the end I move up the circle with my left foot as I arch a hammer fist down to the groin, and then finish with a rear scoop kick and rear heel kick. My problem was timing and range on that downward hammer fist. After seeing it just once, Sifu told me to simply tighten up the circle on the arc, to basically pivot around the elbow while keeping the elbow stationary. Again, after doing it that way the first time I had that “duh” feeling again. The technique flows so much better and everything stays very compact. After practicing it this way just a couple times, it was clear that this technique could be done very quickly while easily maintaining a great deal of control. Awesome!

02.10.07 - Saturday Practice

New Items Today:

1. Ground Fighting – Triangle Choke

Reviewed Other Items:

1. Warm-Ups
2. Focus Mitts
3. Mat Work
4. Techniques
5. Ground Work
6. ¼ Speed Sparring

.

Warm-ups & Focus Mitt Drills
Warm ups today included some additional leg work and stances. We did our usual leg stretches and then lined up for some step-drags and stance changes. After several times up and down that mat, we were good to go.

Immediately following the warm-ups, we broke out the focus mitts for some “yes-no” drills. I was a little scatter-brained today but eventually I was able to zero in and get focused. Toward the end of the drills, Sifu started calling out some four-count strikes to break up the rhythm and I did fine.

.

Mat Work
We broke out the big mats and formed two lines today. We started off with some basic backward break-fall drills. It was the first time some people in class had done these and was review for others. After we did the backward break-falls, we did side falls, alternating from left to right. I don’t know what it is about these but they can really be tricky if your timing is off just a little bit. I have a tendency sometimes to let my feet hit first and it sort of causes a “flop” motion when my body lands, sort of causing my head to whip. I hate that. It gives me the most awful headache when I do that and I strive to get it right to avoid the headache if nothing else! Fortunately, I landed correctly more than not today. We finished up the mat work by doing some forward rolls staying down.

.

Techniques
I worked with the Blue belts today on technique. Along with the regular Orange and Purple belt techniques, I worked my new extensions with them today. This is the first time I have had a good solid practice working extensions with them and they had a lot of great advice. I had worked with Sifu during the week as I developed the basic techniques and he had helped me dial in the core of the extension. The guys helped me fine tune them a little bit. I actually wound up changing several of them, just adding some simple little moves and strikes here and there that probably should have been there in the first place. Most of them were in the exit of the technique where the most common comment I received from all of them went something like: “…well if you are going that direction already, you might as well take [something] with you when you go”. You gotta love Kenpo when it comes to this stuff. I did indeed take their advice in most cases and made the tweaks and additions, to the betterment of my techniques, I might add. Thanks for all of your help, guys!

.

Ground Work
Marty had us doing some new things this week, but like in weeks past, we are still building on the things we have learned in the past. This week we worked something called a “Triangle Choke”. I have seen this applied several times watching the UFC on television but I have never even tried to apply one until today. I have to say, I didn’t see why it was so effective based on what I was watching on television but I have a whole new opinion now. We started out in a sort of spider mount but he showed us this little move that is really just annoying as all get out. From the bottom, you move a knee (I used my left knee) up into the bend of the arm of the guy on top while pulling his (right) arm with your left. This basically just neutralizes his movement but what happens is that as you pull his arm, your knee puts pressure directly onto his bicep. This hurts, but it’s endurable. It’s mostly just really annoying! However, you use this annoyance to your advantage because when you let go of that arm, his natural tendency is to pull it back and away from the action, perhaps to try to come over or around that annoying knee. This is when you spring into action, taking your left leg up and around his neck, hooking your right leg over the top of your left foot. This puts the bad guy in a precarious position as his head and left arm are trapped in a loop created by your left leg. The beauty of this is that as you bend your right leg at the knee, it sort of “tightens the noose” and applies enormous pressure against the neck of the guy on top. If they don’t tap, they will eventually pass out if you don’t let go.

I have to describe why this move now has my respect. I was working this with Walt the first time and as I slowly applied pressure, I immediately noticed his eyes. The whites of his eyes were quickly becoming a grayish red hue and his face was turning a reddish purple. As I saw this I released and asked if he was okay and assured me that he was, and that he would tap when I had him locked in. I reapplied pressure and shortly after I saw the same indications of asphyxiation again he did indeed tap. Then it was my turn. He put me in the same configuration and applied pressure. My eye balls literally felt like they were bulging out of my head. I struggled for a second but it was clear that if I didn’t quickly tap that I wouldn’t be able to. Way cool! This is the first choke hold that we have gone over in class and it felt so much different than getting your larynx crushed. It was the first time I have been on the verge of being choked out and without any pain. Nifty.

.

¼ Speed Sparring
We finished up class with some sparring. We were an odd number so we rotated out and one person kept time. I was doing okay for the most part until I went up against Walt. For the most part, I was doing okay but I am no where near the physical condition that Walt is in. He kept pressing and for some reason, I wound up sparring with him for some 10 minutes or more without a break. I was totally gassed, but tried to keep going. Whew! I was totally wasted after class!

I did make an announcement at the end of class. I’m going to be a dad again! My wife and I are expecting a new baby sometime around the end of September. I’ll keep you posted.