Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Adult Karate Class Report Monday 11-24-14 Sensei Angus Reid leading

Adult Karate Class Report 11-24-14

Angus Reid leading, 6 other students attending

Had a a really enjoyable class that included our new adult blue belts as well as some black belts staying over from the Arnis class. Started off with the 10 and standing kicks, then warmed up with trapping hands leading into shadow sparring with a partner. Thoroughly warmed up, we stretched together, and I led through a series of shoulder stretches, giving away a clue as to what I had planned. 

For the remainder of the class, we worked on elbow striking, in as many variations as we had time for. We started with zendashi stepping with an elbow strike at the bottom, then with a partner practiced elbow strikes to a focus pad, with the pad held at chin height of an attacker either in front or in back. We tried it with stepping forward, stepping back (as though being pulled back), twisting, and stationary. Next was straight elbow jabs behind to a body shield, with twisting, stepping, etc. 

This all led up to SD #15, Rising Elbow, which was new to the newly-minted blue belts. After they had learned and practiced the technique a few times, I lashed a body shield to myself with my belt and initiated the attack on each student in turn, to give them a somewhat more realistic experience of breaking out of the bear hug with fully connected elbow strikes to my protected midsection. Later, Seth offered to tie on the body shield to give me the experience, and I can attest that that little bit of added realism really makes the adrenaline surge when the attack comes. There were no injuries, but I was wearing my mouthpiece just in case anybody got carried away and forgot to control the rising elbow. Everyone seemed to really enjoy this exercise. It's great to train with such enthusiastic people! 

Monday night classes, 11/17/14 - Sensei Jeff

We had an interesting arnis class with 5 of us attending.  Phil brought in a DVD of the professor that we watched for a little while and then took some of the knife drills and practiced in class for the remainder.  Luke, Phil, Jack, Rob, and myself were all present.  Great energy by all.  Thanks for bringing the DVD Phil!


We had a small karate class with Cheri, John, and myself.  The theme of the class was issuing power while staying relaxed.  We did a number of relaxation drills in the beginning of class, including some of the swings, jab/backfist/cross, and a couple others.  We moved in to pad work, working on a few different hand techniques as well as the roundhouse.  We ended on forms.  It was a productive class and had good energy for how small it was.

Adult Karate Monday Nov. 11, 2014 - Jack Fox

11/11 Adult Karate class
3 students
We worked on a Seiuchin basic from Seiuchin stance after the 10 exercises. I wanted to emphasize the different energies of the strike out and strike down with waist involvement. We also trained loosening the body for fast, focused techniques before transitioning to form work. John’s worked on the accuracy of Nihanchi while Mike and Cherie learned a few new moves of their rank form. Then we went through the Baji. After a little stretch and a break we partnered up for pad work. I demonstrated a SD combo using elbows, a palm heel and hammer fist. I wanted to show how one move can set up for the next in a smooth pattern. Finally we free sparred without contact to warm up for partner assisted static stretching at the end. Great effort and focus by everyone!

Recent promotions in Modern Arnis - Colleen and Jack to Brown III and Rob to Yellow belt

Saturday morning classes. 11/8/14 - Sensei Jeff

Staff class - It was just Phil and I for the staff class.  We worked heavily on the t'ai chi sword form as well as the dance.  Phil solidified parts of his sword form and I was able to learn a few movements of part 7 on my receiving side.  Very fun class.


T'ai Chi - We started off with the standard set of warm ups followed by some meditation.  We worked for a little while on the horizontal pushing drill we worked on last week and then branched off in to working on the form and the dance.  We ended with a round.  Great energy from all.


Karate - We had a mid sized first class and a larger second class. Sensei took the lead for the youth classes.  We focused on some linework and forms for the first class.  The second class was heavy on the sparring end of things.  Good energy from most, though a couple of the students needed direction during the sparring to keep from getting too wild.

Monday night karate, 11/3/14 - Sensei Jeff

We had a small group with Mike, Cheri, John, and myself.  We went through the warm ups and jumped right in to forms.  Mike and Cheri got a couple more moves of sieuchen and John was able to get all the way through nihanchi (shakily).  We spent the last half of the class working various footwork and distancing drills for sparring.  It was a very productive class and with high energy for so small a group.

Modern Arnis single and double stick twirling with Jack Fox

Fu Zhong Wen - Tui Shou

10/25/14 AKS rank evaluation

We had an excellent rank eval with Sifu, Sensei, Sensei Sullivan, Sensei Milcarek, Sensei Chaisson, Sensei Reid, Ms. Colleen Golrick, and Mr. Jack Fox present to oversee the students.  Here are the promotions that were given:


Chris Magill - Brown, 1st degree
Gianna Conte - Green belt, Honorable mention in sparring
Skyler Cohen - Green belt
Tucker Millane - Green belt
Ryan Cypher - Purple belt
Matthew Lively - Purple belt
Cheri Monette - Blue belt, Honorable mention overall
Mike Bukowick - Blue belt, Honorable mention overall
Jacob Mason - Blue belt, Honorable mention in basics
Gorgui Diaw - Blue belt, Honorable mention in sparring
Zephyr Monette - Blue belt
Djibrill Diaw - Blue belt

Thursday night classes, 10/30/14 - Sensei Jeff

It was just Colleen and I for the staff class.  We took a couple of runs through the sword form and then focused on practicing some two person arnis work while amping the energy up and keeping it relaxed.  Very fun class.


The karate class had 6 total.  Dylan, Skyler, Seth, Cheri, John, and myself were all there.  We started the class with the 10 and some lunging exercises for leg strength followed by some stretching.  We did a few drills on circular knife hand blocks and moved in to a fair amount of pad work.  We amped it up by dancing around and giving the punchers some swings to duck under while throwing uppercuts.  We ended the class with some form work for all, but focused more on the newly promoted folks.  Dylan and I stayed after everyone was bowed out to work on his form also.  Great energy by all.