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Post by Senpai Hiroko on May 5, 2015 19:38:36 GMT
Hello, all;
I hope that you can attend today's class. Last couple of BBC were merged with regular kata class, and I could not pay too much attention on the BBC individuals. But, today, we should be able to have regular BBC.
Today, I am thinking about doing two/three way kicks, so that we be ready for the exam. Also, i would like to do slow free sparring for the exam, which is to mean that demonstration of shifting, distance, timing, and variety of techniques, and combination of offensive and defensive ways to handle the match. Thanks.
HKK
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reto
Junior Member
3 B Kyu
Posts: 53
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Post by reto on May 5, 2015 22:21:40 GMT
Hello Hiroko Senpai, that sounds great, I am leaving now hoping to be on time, best Reto
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Post by Senpai Hiroko on May 7, 2015 17:45:53 GMT
Hello, Everybody, I am glad that all four of you were able to make the class, and thank you.
Here are a few comments.
Andrey: You do fair level of three way-kicks already (as long as you don't forget the thrust of Ushirogeri and strong landing), but if you lower the stance and gather all your weight when you complete a kick and are ready for next one, it will look more distinguished: by it I mean, speed (kick) and strength (center). So, using the techniques that I introduced last Tuesday, contract and gather all your strength in center, and make long and fast kicks. When you kick, expand and elongate the kicks to the extend that you won't loose balance.
I see that you need to view quite a number of test kumite to understand how "Shotokan" Kumite is like. It is not a street fight or just a fighting sports. There are particular moves that are expected. You may want to google Japanese Karate-ka's kumite. You will see some Shotokan ways and spirit.
Reto: I two things to work on for you. One is the three way-kicks. Up to Shodan level, you will only have to do two way-kicks (Maegeri and Yoko Kekomi). So, there is time for you to practice Ushirogeri. So, let me talk a bit about your two/three way-kicks. Basically, you have same problems that I do. Weight distribution. We need to carry more and more weight on the front leg. Maybe more than we would do for a single maegeri or Zenkutsu dachi in general. That, I think, is the key to maintain the balance. The head needs to be on top of your core. And the core should be as close as the supporting leg's calf,both in height and distance. So, deeper stance with knee almost exceed the tip of toes may be useful for us to maintain balance. This is more so for Kokutsudachi in the three way-kicks. The challenge is how to show the swing of hip as maintain the height and stance, especially for Yokogeri, you are expected to demonstrate twist of your body. This needs to be determined by you, as you understand your body dynamics well. The balance between "maintaining balance" and "strength of legs and stomach to be able to expand and contract will your upper body. Strong and athletic person, say, like Andrey, can rely more on the strength, and the strength keeps him in balance, not that he is naturally balanced. He can gather his body by using his core muscle, after extending kicks. Of course, he needs to work on clearer tectonics, but he doesn't have to be overly conscious about the distributions of body weight (more on the supporting leg) and maintaining height of the stance.
The other one is transition from Kokutsu to Zenkutsu in Heian 4. Actually, from turning with Kakiwake -uke and following motions. No shifting and no explosion of power. We can practice this sometime.
Ana:I see the great deal of effort you make to use hip rotation. You may get comments that you "wiggle" your waist too much. Don't worry. I see more potential in your movement than simply trying to make waist parallel and still. Also, one of a few ideas to correct this is to get a bigger and longer gi, when you purchase one next time. Then, wear your belt lower like men do. I know that you have a skinnier waist and fuller hip, therefore, when you wear your belt lower around your hip, your waist will be loose inside and look bigger from outside. But hip your hip will look more undistinguished and shorter (more like men or women without rounder and voluptuous bodies). In that way, your move may look more parallel during the transition. I mean that side rotation that you try to make is great. But, at the same time, your waist goes up and down and sometimes one side up and other side low. A bigger gi with a lower worn-belt may disguise that to a certain level.
Another advice to correct above mentioned problem in technical way is to make one side of butt to "sit on a chair", every time you shift forward and backward. As I told you before, you and I both have a habit to sway hip out. One cannot generate the power from lower stomach with the lower back in this way. With this lower back, stomach is stretched and no way to hold the power. So, my suggestion, as I mentioned in previous comments,is to let a half of your but of the side of bending leg sit on an imaginary chair. In Zenkutsu, it is the front leg. In Kokutsu, it is the back leg. In Kibadachi, both butt, thus your entire butt will be tucked in and weight will be placed downward and inward. Do not sit unusual way, like you don't normally do. you do not sit on chair with swayed -lower back or your butt sticking out. Sit on the chair upright with straight lower buck and tailbone and sit bone on top of the chair. I tried this method in last class, and I ensured that this works on me. This idea not only corrects my lower back, thus make it easier to gather the power inside stomach, but also helps me to proportionate body wight. When I did this, I noticed that the front leg of my Zenkutsu carried more weight, and consequently, the knee bended more toward the direction, toward which I am going. When you go forward, front knee should bend more and along with the stomach strength, body should explode toward Shomen. Thus, this idea made me easier to feel the origin of the power and create lower stances to generate the power. The proportion of weight between two legs becomes easier to attain. This is more so for Kokutsu Dachi. With one side of butt sitting on a chair, it is impossible not to maintain 70-30 or 90/10 ratios of weight distribution. When you move forward from Kokutsu, you will simply sit up form the chair just enough to detach your butt from it, and let the butt slight forward parallel to the floor. When you rotate hip before making the final position, your hip should not go out of the parallel position. I would like you to try this for next couple of weeks and see, if you get the idea.
Dima:[ Do more leg rases and develop muscles to pull up your knee higher for kicks. Especially Maegeri from the lower stance, the knee is not high enough to prep for the kick, so, you end up "kicking up". Read my comments to Ana, and you and I should try to "sit" on the chair (of the supporting leg) and make our stances lower./font]
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reto
Junior Member
3 B Kyu
Posts: 53
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Post by reto on May 12, 2015 18:33:24 GMT
Thank you very much Hiroko for this very useful comments. IT will help me to think deeply about the balance, which is a big issue for me. From very early on I have not put a lot of attention to balance, because my first sensei told me it was a good sign of trying hard. So even in Heian shodan I sometimes loos balance, and for improving now I need to be able to control the balance completely and then also be able to force it when I choose and then loose balance again from time to time. I need to get back to speed and also to the explosion part, in the last training that was completely out as I really tried to relax a lot. I think it helped a bit but I still have a very long way to go of course. Thanks again and see you tonight, Ossu! reto
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Post by Senpai Hiroko on May 14, 2015 18:11:20 GMT
Reto, balancing is hard, and I think the ankle flexibility and strength of core and legs will help. My ankles are stiff. That means that when I squat down, my heels go up. So, it is hard for me to maintain balance when I change direction in karate. Balancing in ballet is ok with me. Just stand on one point (or tow) as my leg(s) straight, and when I turn, same thing, I am on point and legs straight. In karate, the knees are always bent when we turn, and with bent knee, ankle inflexibility will make balance difficult and make the stances go up and down. I guess, if your core and legs are strong, you may be able to resist that. Ankle flexibility is hard to get. In a good note, stiff ankles are strong. My ankles are strong, and I appreciate that while dancing in pointe. But, in karate, mmmm. So, I think that key is that try to sink down and grab the floor with your feet using your weight. I think that you can do it as you practice.
Good luck on your test, Reto! Osu Hiroko
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