Summary of the week, and month

I am going to have to lower my goals for Tournament training as I have a belt rank test coming up in a couple of months for my 3rd Kyu Brown stripe. I need to work on my rank requirements in addition to enhancing my kata. I only have "so" many hours to dedicate to training. My body only allows for a limited amount of extra training before it overtrains, and starts going downhill. What I can do to increase Kata time is to perform the kata without power, and just focus on proper technique, stance, and execution. This kind of slow and easy repetition allows my muscles to remember the feeling of each movement, and cements the neural pathways within me without taxing my body's energy too much.

I'm lowering my Bo training to 1 hour per week. 2 sessions of 30 minutes each
I'm lowering my Kata expectation goal to 70 per week. around 10 per day.

Today is a special day for me, so I'm going to focus on all of the various Self defense training that I need to know for my rank test.

Bo training:

Warm up sequence 2.5 set Total 6.5
Tsuki sequence ( 20 for each side) .5 Total 3.5
Uke sequence (20 for each side) .5 Total 2.5
Chion Bo kata 5 Total 21
Heian Yondan experiment 10 Total 11
Stance sequence 10 Total 10

Total amount of time achieved this week: 1.25 hours Goal: 1.5 hours
Total amount for the month: 3.75 hours

Kata training:

Kihon Sono Ichi, Ni, San 0 Total 1 set
Shiho Tsuki Ichi, Ni, San 0 Total 1
Taikyoku Sono Ichi 11 Total 13 Ni, San Total 3
" ( Ura )1 Total 3
" ( Tate ) 1 Total 2
Pinan Sono Ichi 1 Total 6
Pinan Sono Ni 1 Total 11
Pinan Sono San 6 Total 21
Pinan Sono Yon 6 Total 26
Pinan Sono Go 1 Total 6
Sakugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi 5 Total 6
Juji Kata 0 Total 1
Tsuki No Kata 5 Total 16
Sanchin Kata 0 Total 3
Gekisai Dai 1 Total 12
Gekisai Sho 1 Total 12
Yangtsu 0 Total 5

Adapted Kihon sono Ichi, Ni San ( Sanchin dachi) 13

Amount of kata achieved this week approx 53 Goal: 150 Total Kata this month 163

Kata training for today

Managed to start some Bo training, but was interrupted. Only got the first 12 minutes of it done. I didn't get past the warm up.

Kata:

Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San ( in Omote, Ura, and Tate)

Sokugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San, and Yon

Pinan Sono Ichi, Ni, San, Yon, and Go

Gekisai Dai, Gekisai Sho

Got lots done today

Morning:

Did Sakugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi 5 times

Evening:

Did Tsuki No Kata 5 times
Did Pinan Sono San 5 times
Did Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, and San in Sanchin Dachi.

NICE!! In addition to having some fun in the Taikwondo class, too.

Bo practice today

40 minutes:

Usual warm up

Chion kata 10 times
Yondan experiment 5 times

Then I worked on self defense sequences for about 20 minutes to improve them.

Today I did Bo practice

To warm up I performed 5 Kihon Sono Ichi in Sanchin stance.
Then, for about 45 minutes, I did Bo staff practice.

Warm up ( Usual)
10 of each Tsuki, and Block (same hand/ Exchanging hands) moving forwards and backwards in Front stance.

Also, Taikyoku Sono Ichi 10 times

Trying something new

First:

Tsuki No Kata 5 times
Pinan Sono San 5 times

Second:

I wanted to train my body to be more comfortable at turning, and hitting that Sanchin Stance. So I adapted the Kihon Sono Ichi, Ni, and San kata, and did them in Sanchin. At first, it was very halted, awkward, and slow, but by the fifth time things were working more smoothly.

Summary of the week's extra training

Bo training:

Warm up sequence 4 set
Tsuki sequence ( 20 for each side) 3
Uke sequence (20 for each side) 2
Chion Bo kata 16
Heian Yondan experiment 1
Stance sequence 10

Total amount of time achieved this week: 2 1/2 hours Goal: 1 1/2 hours

Kata training:

Kihon Sono Ichi, Ni, San 1 set
Shiho Tsuki Ichi, Ni, San 1
Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San 2
" ( Ura ) 2
" ( Tate ) 1
Pinan Sono Ichi 5
Pinan Sono Ni 10
Pinan Sono San 15
Pinan Sono Yon 5
Pinan Sono Go 5
Sakugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San, Yon 1
Juji Kata 1
Tsuki No Kata 11
Sanchin Kata 3
Gekisai Dai 11
Gekisai Sho 11
Yangtsu 5

Amount of kata achieved this week approx 110 Goal: 300
I can see that my goal is FAR too high for me. I barely was able to achieve what I did. I have to lower the weekly goal for kata. I will aim for 5 of each kata which translates to 150. ( I didn't add the Shotokan kata that I performed during the week. Those are just for my entertainment.)

Video of Gekisai Dai ,and Gekisai Sho( In progress)

I gave my daughter the camera, told her to sit down on the ground ( In order to minimize any movement on the video), point, and shoot. I just wanted to capture my kata in some form so that I could see myself performing. I did the kata "cold" with no preparation or warm up so that any mistakes would be loud, and stand out. If I could redo the video, I'd want it to be a closer shot so that I could see more detailing of my hands, and feet.



For some strange reason, the sound is slightly delayed in the video.. wierd.



I truly feel the lack of flexibility in my hips when I do this kata. Those side kicks are supposed to be head level.. sigh.. I struggle for a middle height kick ( with much discomfort in the hips), most of the time I get a groin height kick.

Now, Npw... Let's see what I can improve on this kata instead of focusing on my limitations.

Over heated...

Sigh.. too much.. I did too much again. Let's see.. ALL that I did was:

Arrived an hour early for Kyokushin class. I brought my Bo with me on the bus again. This time the bus was far more crowded. I had to go stand at the back of the bus. Two gentlemen sitting on the farthest back seat ( the one that stretches across the width of the back instantly moved over) The older gentleman said teasingly to the person next to him "We'd better make room for her! We don't want her to use that thing on us!" I must have blushed a few colors as I sat down saying "Oh.. I'm nothing to worry about, tame as a kitten." But the man's comment had quite an effect on the crowded bus as so many people turned to look at what he was talking about, and suddenly noticed that I was carrying a Martial arts Bo, then they did a double take looking at me with shock in their eyes. Note to self: Rush hour travelling with a Bo staff on a bus.. be prepared to get noticed.

Spent my early hour in the back parking lot of the Dojo practicing with the staff:

Did usual warm up
Focused on basics by doing each tsuki motion 20 times in front stance, and worked on the position of my hands during the strike.

The children arrived early for class, and were getting pretty antsy. So I put away my staff, and encouraged the kids to jog some laps around the building until Sensei arrived.

Trained in the first children's class, trained in the second children's class, trained for an hour and half Adult's class.. and THEN the Kata portion started.

I performed:

Taikyoku Sono Ichi (Omote, Ura, Tate)
Taikyoku Sono San

4 of the kicking kata Sakugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San, and Yon.

I was heading into the 5th hour of training. Then all of my muscles started shaking, I felt the weakness, and darkness gathering at the base of my brain. Sweat was filling my eyes. My glasses were fogging. I was overheating. My mind screamed "NO! NOT NOW! NO! NO! This is when we train in Kata. I can keep going.. I know that I shouldn't but I can! I promised my husband that I wouldn't keep going when I overheat. I have to stop.. NO! NO! NOT NOW!" I forced myself to go down into seiza, now my eyes were filled with tears instead of sweat. I ended up laying down on the ground with my feet in the air to try to recuperate. I had to cool down. I had to allow my body to let the heat escape. All of the various coverings on my body, the shin pads, the protection, the T shirt, and Gi material did not allow for much heat exchange. I could feel my head, hands and feet just burning with extra circulation as my body channeled the heat to where it was possible to cool things down. It took 12 LONG minutes.

Then I was able to move again. I was normal again. I was "Me" finally.

I rejoined class and did:

Pinan Sono San ( 5 times)
Pinan Sono Yon ( 5 times)
Pinan Sono Go ( 5 times)
Sanchin (3 times)
Gekisai Dai (5 times), Gekisai Sho (5 times), Yangstu (4 times)
Tsuki No kata ( 3 times)

At the end, I snuck in Bassai Dai ( Just once..)

I need to feel the different power lines of Pinan Sono Yon, and Go. Right now I'm far too Shotokan centered. Must work on understanding Kyokushin "accent".

I'm a little sore today from all of the extra training during the week. Not WICKED sore.. but sore enough that I can feel that I truly applied myself.

I do feel frustrated at the fact that I overheated. It's SUCH a pain! It's not that I do not have the energy to continue training, it's that my body is suffering from over heating. Once I cool down, I can train just as hard again. What a frustrating place to be.. to know that you have all the energy within you to do what needs to be done, but to have to wait until your body cools down and allows you to use it. I remember feeling the same way when I owned this old car that would overheat. You would have to pull to the side of the highway, and watch that thing sit there, and "cool" down before you could continue your trip. ARGH! Most of the time it wouldn't act up.. but give it the right conditions, and boom.. There wasn't much we could do to help the car. We just had to wait until it set itself right again. I was able to go out and buy myself a better car, but I can't do that with my body. This is what I have to work with, and it is hereditary in my family that we overheat, and faint. I've seen my brothers, sisters, and parents struggling with this problem. I believe it is linked with the thyroid gland. I have had thyroid problems in the past. Underactivity. I'm going to research which foods that I can eat which will stimulate, and help my thyroid to become stronger so that I do not overheat so much.

Reminiscing with Shotokan kata

Yesterday, Thursday, Sept 20., I had a few minutes before my daughter's Taekwondo class to do some kata. I found myself pining for the old familiar Shotokan kata.

I gave myself permission to touch the past again, and I performed Kanku Dai, Bassai Dai, and Jion. It felt good. Shotokan kata is so different in it's performance from Kyokushin. There is such a different smoothness to Shotokan. I'm not saying that Kyokushin kata isn't smooth.. it's different. Doing these kata was like singing a song.. my body remembered the words, phrases, intonations, silences, everything. In those moments when my mind hesitated because I haven't sang the song for over 5 months, my body almost shouted with "I remember!!! It feels like THIS!!! Follow me! Trust me!" Just like getting on a bike in the spring, my body adjusted, and flowed with the demands of that kata.. and I loved every second of it.

I felt slightly guilty in doing these Shotokan kata, as I am now fully training for Kyokushin competition. I should have been focusing on my Kyokushin syllabus.. no? So... I stopped doing Shotokan kata, and turned to Sanchin kata again. I did that one until I was satisfied.

1 more hour of Bo training

Managed to get to Kyokushin class an hour early. I carried my Bo on the crowded bus. I was surprised that the bo didn't get much attention.

Usual warm up

- Stance sequence work 10 times
- Moving Basics 20 of each strike, and block going forwards, and backwards in front stance.
- Chion Kata 6 times

I had enough time to take a 10 minute rest before class started.

Gentle kata today

My right hip is aching, and complaining. It is not too happy with the roundhouse kicks that I did yesterday. My housework is demanding, and needs to be done.. and so I chose to do short, small, and gentle kata moments interspersed during the day.

I would do some housework, and then spontaneously break into some medium speed kata focusing more on technique than power.

I did:

5 Yangstu
5 Gekisai Dai
5 Gekisai Sho


Man, the questions that popped into my brain as I slowed down the kata.

Yangstu:

The three punches.. is it Chudan, Jodan, Gedan in that order? Or is it Gedan, Chudan, Jodan? What is the rhythm of this kata? Now that I have a grasp of the movements.. how does it flow? When is it fast? When does it slow down? I bet you that the answers to these questions lie in the Organization in which I belong to.. I'm going to have to write them down, and attack my Sensei with them at my next chance.

Gekisai Dai:

Am I supposed to keep my foot close to the ground during the turning kick after the kiai point? Does the sole of my foot turn upwards here to symbolize a sweep? The Knifehand strike.. is that to the neck? It makes sense if it's to the neck. But when I see it executed it seems to be sent to shoulder height. More questions for my Sensei.

Gekisai Sho:

It seems that this kata has alot of "looking to the angles" when performed. I'm having troubles with the "set", or "guard" arm that proceeds the execution of the technique. I can't seem to understand where I will be defending myself especially since I'm sending my eyes to look at the oncoming angles instead of directly in front of me. I bet you that my words aren't too clear as to what I mean. The following video contains the basic movements of the kata, but he doesn't do the set arm the same way as I do so it is not helping my confusion. I'm hoping to gather some ideas from watching his performance as to how I can apply myself to my kata.

What a kind Taekwondo Master!

I brought my daughter to her Taekwondo class, and the Master allowed me to work on my Kyokushin kata in the other half of the gym during the class during warm up. I was able to do:

5 full speed kata of each...

a) Pinan Sono Ni
b) Pinan Sono San
c) Tsuki No Kata

I got a good 15 - 20 minutes of kata practice.

I found that I open my hands too many times on the Tsuki No kata side stance sequence.. Must work on that.

I joined in with the class on basics.

Bo training

Today, with the beautiful weather as inspiration, I suggested to the kids that they may want to go play at the local community center on their playstructure. I gathered up my larger heavier Maple Bo Staff, and escorted them. As they were having fun, I did a really good 1 hour workout on the grass by the structure. There were no loud comments from passing vehicles because the play structure, and field is located far from busy traffic. It was SUCH a lovely day.. I've got to put a picture here of how beautiful the sky was... o.k.. there.

Now.. on with what I had achieved today.

Warm up ( I don't know the technical terms for the movements yet.):

Each sequence 20 times with each hand:

Twirl once
Twirl twice
Figure 8 in front
Over the shoulder outside.
Over the shoulder across.
Figure X in front.

Main effort: Again each sequence 20 times with each hand:

Tsuki waza: Done in Front stance ( Zenkutsu Dachi) both sides

Oroshi uchi
Age Uchi
Soto/Uchi Uchi Jodan
Soto/Uchi Uchi Chudan
Soto/Uchi Uchi Gedan ( In Gyaku Zenkutsu Dachi) Both sides
Poking with a swinging action upwards
Poking with a swinging action other shoulder
Poking with a Pool cue action upwards
Poking with a Pool cue action other shoulder
Poking with a Pool cue action downwards


Uke waza: Done in Front stance ( Zenkutsu Dachi)

Soto Uke
Uchi Uke
Jodan Uke both hands
Gedan Uke both hands
Turning X block inside
Turning X block outside

Chion Bo kata:

3 times slower speed, 3 times medium speed, 4 times full speed.

Heian Yondan experiment- 2 times

Warm down:

Each sequence 20 times with each hand:

Twirl once
Twirl twice
Figure 8 in front
Over the shoulder outside.
Over the shoulder across.
Figure X in front.
Twirl overhead holding end of staff both directions.
Double handed full bo downwards attacks.
Holding staff in both hands, raise above head, and lower in front.

My arms and shoulders are gently humming from the effort.. it's nice.

I feel good about most of my performance, but I've noticed that I'm weaker when it comes to the blocks. I need to get that solidity that I see in my Sensei's movements, and I think that will only come from building up the muscle strength to manipulate the Bo like that. This will come the more that I train.. I will be patient.

And so it starts...

Today, I escorted my daughter to Japanese language lessons. I noticed that the gym was dark, and empty so I followed my theory of "it doesn't hurt to ask", and approached one of the main people there. They gave me permission to use the gym, and train in kata.

I chose to perform every one of my kata as if I was competing with full power, concentration, and speed. Each move existing of it's own, and needing all of my effort. I didn't stop long between kata, but kept the demand up almost flowing into the next one.

Warm up:

Kihon Sono Ichi, Ni, San
Shiho Tsuki Ichi, Ni, San
Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San
Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San Ura
Taikyoku Sono Ichi, Ni, San Tate

This took me 15 minutes to accomplish.

Main Body of work:

Pinan Sono Ichi 5 repetitions
Pinan Sono Ni 5 repetitions
Pinan Sono San 5 repetitions.

I was exhausted.. just emptied of all energy after this effort. 30 Kata one after the other with full effort totally depleted me of everything I had. I stood there on the last 3 kata of Pinan Sono San repeating to myself "Surely I can do one more.. just one more.. come on..I've got it in me.. I WANT to do the last ones.. I can do the last ones.. One more, and then I can rest.. "

Sure.. I knew that I could lower the output of my energy, and speed, and perform the kata in a more relaxed way, but that is not what I wanted. I remembered the saying of "You train like you want to fight.." I totally applied myself to the end of what I had within me, and wondered why it is that I can train for hours under my Sensei's guidance without feeling so tired, and now I'm at the end of my rope within 40 minutes of training. I think that it was the constancy of it. I just kept going, and going. There no moments to catch my breath, and listen to instruction. I just did my kata one after the other.

I only lasted 40 minutes.. Sheesh.. that's it. Part of me was disappointed.. there was so many other things that I wanted to practice.

Next time that I have a chance I'm going to work on my higher kata.

Planning stage

I know that some days will be more difficult to achieve extra training as my schedule is packed as a Mom, so I will attempt to just meet the perceived "expectations" below as best as I can:

a) I would like to focus on those Kata that will be most useful in a tournament setting, such as:

- Pinan Sono Ichi
- Pinan Sono Ni
- Pinan Sono San

( Also done in Ura, and in Tate, and for practice Ura-Tate)

- Tsuki No Kata
- Sanchin Kata
- Gekisai Dai
- Gekisai Sho
- Yangstu

b) I would like to achieve close to 30 repetitions of each Kata ( adding up to 240 additional kata) per week.

c) I would like to focus on certain parts of the kata that need adjusting, or fixing to improve performance.

d) I would like to achieve 3 sessions of Bo staff training per week of at least 30 minutes each. I would like to learn a couple of Bo staff kata ( as best as I can on my own ) to compliment, and enhance my training. I have been doing the Chion Bo staff kata faithfully for 2 years now, and although there are many lessons that I still can learn from it, I find that I desire to reach out for other expressions of movement.

Keeping track.

I know that I need to train far more often on Kata, and Bo staff than what I am achieving right now. This Blog is going to be an ongoing journal of what I'm working on, how much I did, and when I did it to help me balance my training, and improve my efforts.

Winter makes Bo staff training, and Kata training difficult to achieve since my house does not have a good open space, but I will find creative solutions for that problem.