Tuesday, September 15, 2020 7:00 – 8:30 PM; Sensei Chris, Sempai Steve, me, and Rachel.
Today was the first day I actually participated to some degree in class, albeit basic warmups. Stretching, jumping jacks, pushups and situps. Yeah, pretty basic but I’ve been a COVID couch potato for months during the lockdown. Had no problem keeping pace, though. Sara’s Warrior Workouts and my personal workouts, albeit inconsistent and disjointed have been keeping the fats off my sides.
It is great when Rachel attends class in Kensinton. Her bubbly personality and dedication are contagious (no pun intended). Rachel is working toward her brown belt. In today’s class she was “run through” the charts which means she had to perform as many techniques as possible which Sensei called out but also with corrections and feedback. The rest of the post highlights the techniques she may have not gotten perfectly and the discussion on the techniques that ensued.
We started off with hazushi. The thing that trips up every blue belt it the order of the hizas from mune. I’m so stoked I finally got video footage of the absolute sequence so I won’t be getting this wrong on the test!
Sempai Steve is always bringing in new ideas and not allowing anyone to forget all the variations and nuances of techniques. Case in point, this is another entry into kata garuma. This one, in particular comes in super handy when you go against a wrestler or someone that has got a gorilla grip on your gi. Rather than fighting it, use it. That is jujitsu in practice.
Seoi nage is the bane of everyone’s existence. Especially, the smaller and fairer of the species. Or so we believe, or rather, lack faith in ourselves and our teachers. For shame. Sensei Chris is a master of seoi nage. When Shihan visited (long ago now) he devoted a significant chunk of time in pedagogically demonstrating this technique. After that class, I asked for more details. Know what he said? He told me to talk to Sensei Chris. So here is his secret for anyone doing this technique.
Rachel’s Tai Otoshi was a bit off, initially. So is mine so I paid very close attention. Sempai demonstrated what the proper kazushi is on this. She was good to go afterward.
This one is for you, Rachel and for anyone that tends to stick your butt way out when starting in a randori position. Presumably, people do this to give themselves some defensive advantage because it creates the illusion of distance even though you are essentially attached to uke with two out of four limbs! Nevertheless, I’m just as guilty of this in the beginning until Shihan once explained what to do during randori <topic for another post link here>.
Rachel’s standing juji’s look like flying juji’s because she’s so petite and light. Take a look at how smooth and light as a feather but biting as a bear trap her’s is.
Here’s a few words on rear hug – sukui nage and the finish to it. Be deliberate about giving a person a bloody noise and don’t be afraid to break his elbow afterward for good measure.
The harai goshi is a tricky beast especially trying to pull it off of a front hug. Somebody wants to bear hug you and lift you up off the ground and you turn it into a real bad day for him.
WARNING! To all Kobukai students testing for a new belt, do not mess up the finishing techniques. First, don’t forget it, foremost among all. And when you do execute it do it right. Here’s a detailed breakdown captured on video. Never forget. Finish him!
Here’s another one that trips people up. Which leg to do the keylock after a front choke – sode tsurikomi ogosh?
A lengthy discussion arose from the differences in a hiza gatame from a rear hug free versus a full nelson.
Everyone hates sode jime because it’s sometimes hard to pull off. Not for Sempai!
Another variation but in the opposite direction, the entry to scissor sweep became more combative.
Gyaku sutemi entrance proper.
Finally, a Rachel mainstay – osoto gari. This is your technique Rachel.
Sensei must have been born with a teaching mindset. He is so astute and really takes the time to understand you and where you are coming from before doling out advice. So it’s ALWAYS targeted. Customized. For your eyes and ears alone.
However, anyone else watching can certainly glean reams of knowledge from his wisdom.
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