2 Person Work Class Notes 6.29.2011

Private practice session this Wednesday.

Dale and I worked on the cane form. We alternated between working the details of the solo form through the second line, and the two person form.

Most of the two person form work was on the back and forth with the #1 strike to #12 strike transition. We spent time on the footwork, distancing, line etc.. We also changed weapon lengths so we had matching lengths, short vs medium cane, short vs long cane, medium vs long cane. We used the different cane lengths to better understand the adjustments needed in the stance work to have correct distance.

We alternated sets of the two person with sets of the solo form, to test how the practice of one helped the practice of the other, and to test how Dale was retaining the sequencing.

Great practice. Made a lot a headway.

-Phil

Reality continues whether you're participating or not - Sifu

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

Aldous Huxley

Arnis and Karate class notes - Monday 6/27/11 - Jeff

The arnis class had a couple of beginner students in it, so much of the class was focused on the 12 angles of attack and block cehck counter.  We also worked on the first stick anyo as a group and ran through the rest of the anyos a little more quickly.
 
The karate class got a bit sticky, so after streching and strengthening drills we did a large amount of throws and ground work.  Very good energy and effort by all through both classes.  
 

New locking sequence June 26, 2011

f
Scott applied the goals of education recently - He "independently" used "initiative" to search YouTube, then applied "critical thinking" to search out a productive, useful, fun, in the same system (small circle jujitsu/modern arnis) joint locking series. Then got together with Sensei Kratz and worked the new series. Scott then assisted Sensei in presenting the material to the Advanced Youth Karate-do class this past Saturday.......very impressive you guy's!!! All we need to do as a group is more of the same and the System will be ongoing for a long time to come;>)

Sifu

2 Person Work Class Notes 6.22.2011

Luke led the practice. (Luke, Bob, Phil, Dale, Jess, Angus)

Started with the Ten.

Then worked some sensitivity training with canes. Started with one person holding a cane in the "telephone pole" position and the other person entered from alternating sides. Concentration points included maintaining contact with the cane without issuing force through the cane but going around it, lines of force, footwork, responses to the incoming force lines, effects of feeding the root and then using that feed to off balance and general sensitivity.

Moved to some standing push hands, then to a more mobile trapping hands/push hands.

Worked all the drills with multiple partners to allow understanding of how different styles and body types effect the interactions.

Great practice.

-Phil

Modern Arnis Class Notes 06.20.2011

Small class (Jack, Randy, Dave; w/Luke assisting)

Ran through a quick warm up and than started in on the unfriendly handshake as a review and a good stretch. Decided that the individual techniques needed some work, and spent most of the class working the details in the locks and the transitions. ended the class with a review of the RR counter-counter locking series.

Good energy in the room.

-Phil

Looks like the Gathering on Sunday July 10th 9-1 is a GO!

I'll post up a sign up list at the Studio, but right now I have about 8 confirmed, a few ? and a few I haven't heard from yet. If I haven't heard back from you or left it as a maybe, please let me know when you can...ok?

Thanks,
Sifu

A old photo from the Well's Street day's....early '80's? Any familiar faces?

                                                                Youth Karate Class circa 1983?
                                                                            Well's Street Dojo

Find purpose, the means will follow. -Gandhi

Adult Karate class notes - Monday June 13th, 2011 - Angus

Class Report - Adult Karate - June 13th, 2011
Angus Reid leading, Ron Milcarek assisting, 8 other students attending.

Warmed up with 10 exercises, triple kicks, and one minute jogging knee
lifts. 2 minutes loose leg kicking as a 'pre-stretch', then extended
stretching session, with focus on hip flexors, hamstring, and back.
With partners, did variation on Wallace Kicking drill, with one person
at a time throwing as many roundhouse kicks to a pad as they could
before their leg was fatigued; 2 repetitions of 2 sides per person, at
least until we ran out of time (folks were able to kick longer than I
anticipated!)

Thomas and I then led through a 2-person drill to lead up to the
hummingbird kick. Although everyone was enthusiastic and tried their
best, I decided, based on what I saw of how comfortable they were with
the unfamiliar movements, not to make them do the full kick, as the
hand balance required to do it safely was not yet developed.

Half the class then geared up for sparring, while the rest practiced
SD and push hands.

Arnis class notes Monday 6/6 - Marcia

Monday Night 6/6 - Arnis class - Marcia

It was pretty warm in the studio but the energy was good. Encouraged water breaks whenever they needed one. Six students. After the warm-ups, and stretching, we worked on the sinawali drills, using several ideas to focus on - 1) aggressive 2) defensive 3) neutral 4) linear and 5) circular. Explored how the focus changes the nature of the drills.
Reviewed the Locking series (and rested the arms from the sinawali drills). Ended with a little left to right Tapi Tapi.
Marcia

T'ai Chi class notes Tuesday 5/31 & 6/1 - Sandy

May 31, 2011 Tuesday night class. We had a small class just Dale and James. We did our exercises and walked a bit. I asked them if they had any requests and both wanted to work on the dance in depth. So we did. They started with part one and kept repeating each part until they felt comfortable. It was great watching them and helping them work different moves out. They had a lot a great questions. We went all the way through part 6 and a bit into part 7. I feel we all made progress.

June 7, 2011 Tuesday night class. We had a bigger class this week. Dale, James, Jeff, Max and his friend Noah. We introduced ourselves to Noah as we did our warm ups. Noah and Max have lived across the road from each other since they were little, they have a good friendship. Noah is a pleasant and a pleasure to work with. Dale worked with Noah on the beginning of the form and the rest of us proceeded to the form. From there we pair up, Jeff and Max and James and I. We worked on the dance starting with part one and repeating each part 3 times before going on to the next. I had Dale continue to work with Noah and then I traded places with him so he and James could work on the dance together. I think when you are working with a student, especially some one new it can be exhausting so, I like to switch off to give that person a chance to work with someone else or to do the form. It breaks it up for them and gives them something fresh to start with. Then it gives the new person.....a "new person" and a fresh look at the form. So I worked with Noah for the rest of the class, he has an awareness of his body which is great. We worked on the first couple of moves in part one and did a little empty stepping. It was also very comfortable temperature wise in the studio. I was hoping it wasn't going to be to hot. All in all it was a nice class. Thank you for the opportunity, Sandy

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Tai Chi Class notes - Wed. 6/1/11 - Dale

Tai Chi class on 6/1/2011, last Wednesday. Those who attended were: James, Dennis, Jessica, Scott, Thomas, Luke, and myself. During the class I did the warmups, standing meditation, and form work. Everything went really well. The energy in the room was good and everybody was paying attention. Most of the karate students were working on the kick sequence of the Tai Chi solo form. Luke, who assisted, was assigned to work on the kick sequence with those people working on that part of the form...which happened to be everybody; therefore I joined up with Luke to teach the remainder of the class. It is enjoyable to teach the students in the school who are curios and eager to learn. This class was so easy for me to teach, compared to teaching the class I was running at ServiceNet. 

Youth Karate class notes Saturday 5.7,11 - Sensei Kratz

Morning class was small, six students with Colleen, Thomas, Lily and Teryn assisting. Energy was great. Worked on a combination of haymaker strike both sides with the pads using a high "L" block to  jab,cross, jab to a sweeping strike to head both sides with the "bob and weave" defend to jab,cross, jab again. "Bob and weave" was needing some help so we worked on it with the rope drill down the room. Then did some kata practice. Second class about the same with more work on the previous drill and kata practice. CONGRATES to John G, Scott M, Lily S and Teryn C. graduating this week from High School. Such a pleasure to have you all in the dojo.    Sensei Kratz

Youth Karate and Little Dragons class notes - Thursday June 2 - Dennis

The weather that day was horrible.  It alternated frequently between a light dizzy and an absolute downpour with high winds.  It was also very humid.  When class started, the energy in the room was low and students seem distracted.  Despite that, the turnout was huge among the youth karate.  There where some faces that I've never seem before.  Teryn, Colleen and Thomas were there to assist me.  I asked Colleen to take attendance and Thomas to lead through the ten.

 

We lined up with the two little dragons in the front.  They seemed to be the most enthusiastic.  I had a few corrections for them on the ten exercises and they were able to implement them right away.  After that, I led the class in a four stage side kick drill that I've been practicing recently.  I wasn't sure that the little dragons would be able to keep up so Thomas worked with them at the bar.  The class handled the drill well, so I added a jab, cross, and later a hook punch.

 

We then moved on to partner work and Thomas worked separately with the little dragons.  We focused on the over the head x-block which I explained as a bunkai from Seisan.  It seemed like new material to many students and needed lots of work.  We started off simple and then added to it.  I showed the beginning students some simple techniques to add (like deflect to the side and escape) and the advanced students some advanced techniques (arm bar; backward throw.)  We also did bunkai from Nihanchi, specifically the weight shifting stance work with the oriental backfist.  Since the oriental backfist can be tricky, I substituted the hammer fist.  Everyone seemed to be having a hard time making the leap from kata to reality on this one so I added some pad work to help them out.  That improved things substantially with the hammer fist and by that time the energy in the room had built up to a good level.  Alexis managed to get it so well that I asked the class to stop for a moment and look at her.  I think she wins the gold star for over all performance that night.  Yanni also did his usual consistent good job.

 

It was a big class and I was glad that I had help.  Thomas was a great help with the little dragons.  Teryn and Colleen provided some useful suggestions for the youth group and they both seemed just as invested in the success of the class as I was.  That really helped with moral.  Teryn was giving me some useful input on the hammer fist drill at the end but unfortunately we had run out of time.  It was really disappointing to end class while things were finally going so productively.

 

-Dennis

Wondering how classes went this week??

I keep checking the Staff Blog to see how things are going this week....so far only Colleen has posted to the Blog or emailed me notes on classes? If you get a minute please send along an email or post to the blog....hope all's been well at the Studio....miss you all...
Thanks,
Sifu

Youth Karate Class Notes - 5/31/11

Pretty small class tonight with just me and four students. We started off with some shadowboxing and stretching to warm up. After that we went through the forms. I discussed with the blue belts about trying to keep the head level during the entire thing. Everyone felt confident enough, so they all performed their rank form in front of the group.

I then had the green belts work on takedowns and knife defense, while I worked with the blue belts on three relatively new (for them) techniques. Since there was a request, we squeezed some sparring into the last 15 minutes with a couple two minute free-sparring rounds, as well as one ring match.

A good class, and very high energy considering the heat!