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Weapons + Kata: Started class off with 5 basic Kata in a row with little break. I worked on pacing myself so I wasn’t wiped. Then we paired off and drilled Sai and Sai Kata. Worked on technique.
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Brown & Blackbelt Class: Kata
Special guest tonight was Ms. Hazel. It was really my first interaction with her via Karate and she was quite nice and very informative about Kata. I feel like she really knows her stuff indeed.
We started off with 8x laps around the floor. Then lined up and drilled Kata. All together then 1 student doing Kata on their own: Feet only Taigo 1, Taigo 1 hand and feet, Taigo 2, Taigo 3, Pinan 1 (I did Pinan 1 on my own…)
Then we split off into smaller groups again and worked on one Kata on our own. I was in the Empi group. I drilled in 3 or 4 times.
Then we named all the fish in Sensei’s new fish tank. 🙂
Training: Dojo + Filming
Went in super early this morning and did some filming of Kata. Worked Giin and then Sieunchin for about a dozen times each. I ran through Bo 1 & Bo 2 to warm up a bit too.
Tried really hard to focus on technique and quality. I feel like the ‘fight’ suffers for me when I do that, but I have to train it all.
358: Outdoor Training
We trained for 3 hours outdoors this morning. It was around 45 degrees when we started. Probably the first true chilly morning we’ve had so far this year. Our first mission was to carry all the ‘stuff’ down to the track in one trip. Pretty gnarly at the start…
We started off with a 5k run. About 12 loops around the track. That got me pretty tired out to start. Especially with the mental test of naming the first 8 and last 8 presidents in order. Ugh…
Then we ran a full lap as fast as we could run it, as a relay with 4 of us. Total time was around 6:30 minutes. Which is really pretty good in my book.
Then Prowler hell…
We pulled the prowler backwards, with, i’d guesstimate to be about 300# total, ½ way around the track. Then we got a brief rest as the others go their turns with their specified weights. Then we pushed it with the same weight about ½ way around the track. Pretty gassed at this point for sure.
Kata: As we were good and worn out and our legs were burning we did Kata. Sensei chose Konku (the one Kata that I struggle with the most!) and said he wanted to record one good performance each. One we’d be proud to show others. I gave it my best, I slipped on the wet grass and messed up a little, but I was fairly happy with my fight and form… Then he gave us some direction for the next 2 months of training.
Sensei said that we need to work on our technique and form, much much more. That our heart, spirit and fight are there, but the form just isn’t quite yet. This is great, it really does give me some solid direction for the next 2 months. I honestly have felt like i’ve been drifting. Just getting requirements done and practicing generally. I like having a solid direction for training like this.
We finished after the Kata section with a long pull with two other Blackbelts riding the prowler and the three of us pulling it. That was tough…
When we were loading up to get the ‘stuff’ back up to the truck. Sensei made a bet that if one of us could carry Ms. Iniquez and the two ballistic blocks up the stairs he’d give is a 10 minute break we could use whenever during the Blackbelt test. I did it… I plan to use it too. 🙂
Great day training outdoors with other committed people. I love it so much.
I had a conversation with Clint during the day that most people would be home, warm and watching TV with some coffee right now. What is it about us that has us out in the cold doing this crazy stuff…? I’m not sure I know that either, but it’s interesting to ponder for sure.
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Kata: We ran through all our basic Kata. Taigo 1, 2, 3, Pinan 1, Too San, Naihanchin. Then Giin, Empi and Konku…
I struggled with Konku, but fixed some good stuff on it that I didn’t get last night. Awesome!