Wow! that week! Although the first week and the second week were great, this one was just great! From feet to head, full of imputs that have been very valuable to me.
As I commented in the second week post Monday was a bank holiday in which I had the opportunity to go with Sensei Ross for a good dinner and a little of Irish atmosphere, however early Tuesday we were already with the corresponding morning training, we review what Sensei Scott Langley calls one of the karate principles, the spectrum of hip positions, from
Ma-hanmi to yaku-hanmi and how to use it to obtain the most favorable position to execute a specific technique (eg yaku-tsuki, eg mae-geri), pivoting in this case on the front leg and not on your center of gravity.
The kata of this day was Sochin, some important points to highlight about the kata, you can also found detailed explanation in the following link (click here!) with bunkai included.
- In the first movement a contraction and complete coverage of the body is made while sliding smoothly to fudodachi (mov 1).
- In the turns the weight is transferred completely towards the back leg (eg mov 10).
- In the double tsukis power is printed with hip rotation not with hip vibration (eg mov 8-9 and 13-14).
- The mov. 31 a uchiuke with complete contraction, however in the mov. 33 try to look for a whiplash movement as a product of counter-rotate.
Sochin performance at the Hombu Dojo HDKI Dublin
With Sensei Ross and following the morning training, we did a review of the key points in Heian katas to pass up to Kanku-Dai.
Wednesday, morning training with weights followed by kumite drills that continued in the afternoon with Sensei Palma Diosi.
Thursday morning training with tubes, kumite and Sochin. I leave you the complete training by clicking here!. The afternoon was expended between the last preparation for the gradings that will take place on Sunday and the class of sensei Scott Langley where we worked in depth the spectrum of hip rotation and with drills of kihon Kumite quite interesting. That night I was invited to dinner at Sensei Scott house and his family, a very pleasant dinner where I felt welcomed by the simplicity and spontaneity of the occasion.
Friday morning begins with the preparations for the seminar with Jon Keeling Sensei and Zack Stewart Sensei, with a breakfast and a good gathering in the surroundings of the dojo, after this I went out to eat with friends, visit the St Stephens Greens Park, finishing the afternoon relaxing in the surroundings of the Canale with Palma Sensei.
Saturday, the seminar started, with Scott Langley Sensei, Jon Keeling Sensei and Zack Stewart Sensei. Here a few fragments with some of the most interesting concepts of the seminar.
Jon Keeling Sense and the timing in oi-tsuki
Sensei Scott Langley Spins, control and commitment of your center
Sensei Zack Stewart during the seminar explaining the importance of keeping the center during the movements to be able to generate power
To see a piece of the seminar click here!
After the seminar a Q&A FB live transmission was done with Jon Keeling Sensei, Zack Stewart Sensei and Scott Langley Sensei which I saw from the backstage.
At the end of the transmission I had the opportunity to see the Karate Prinicples DVD that is about to be released in a short time (nos released click here!). I must say that I hope to have my copy soon, I think it will be a very useful tool for both study and teaching for our style and the rest of martial arts. Very concise, easy to understand and with relevant concepts to achieve a clean and correct technique.
The day ends with a tremendous Indian dinner and a gathering where I had the privilege of hearing multiple stories about his experiences in theirs life of karatekas, that promises to remain in my memory for long time.
Monday we start the week with 400 strokes in the makiwara and a very nice competition 🙂
Karate Creole 