Nachi's Log

Discussion in 'Training Logs' started by Nachi, Apr 23, 2015.

  1. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Thursday 21.10.

    Karate
    Sensei's class today. There were finally a few more adults, including the new guy. We did a warm-up and a Junbi Undo, followed by kihon - up to a combination of four techniques. I thoroughly enjoyed this despite being a very simple exercise. Finally I could properly focul on my technique since I wasn't teaching nor demonstrating, just drilling. I discovered that after doing basic kihon after a while and I tried to do the techniques strong and fast, I think they've gotten better. Maybe do to Taiji, but I feel it easier to do the blocks and everithing in one swinging motion rather than in tow or so minor steps. Not sure if that is completely correct, but I felt the techniques were faster and sharper. I think I was able to relax my muscles better from the beginning and able to iniciate the motion somewhat from legs and hips. But I did focus on not really doing any big movements in the hips. It would have to be either a tiny one or more like just an imagined one :) Also my stances - heiko dachi, shiko dachi and zenkutsu dachi have become obviously stronger. Maybe as I strenghtened my legs or got a better structure. Not sure, but I am happy about the progress I've made!
    The later part of the class we practiced this sequence in groups of three. I paired with a friend black belt, who came after being on maternal leave for the first time today. Another partner was a beginner girl. She seemed a little confused at times andI couldn't do the techniques with her with focus on the techniques only, but that was ok. I also discovered that since one bunkai is similar but with another foot stepping, I was confused, too, and messed this up a few times. I wasn't able to do the techniques as well as I wanted to and was frustrated a little at my inability. It looks like it's really been a while since I've drilled with a partner... Ah, I have to work on this.
    We also practiced mae and ushiro geri in these groups. And did some push-ups or crunches in between exercises. The only tiny problem was that I my abs were sore from the Monday V-ups. I don't often get DOMS in my abs, but I guess 70 V-ups was just too much. It was just surprising that the soreness was actually 3 day delayed. Well, Sett had the same problem as well as the new guy, so we suffered together. :)
     
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  2. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Friday and weekend were rest days. Well, training-wise. We were busy with cleaning up a flat and then plenty of chores for me the next day. I seem to have caught some mild cold. Sore throat, runny nose and a little tired, but all of that is quite mild. Still, I did a covid test at least at home, to make sure before heading to the dojo. I am vaccinated and the test turnes out negative as expected, so I went on Monday.

    Monday 25.10.

    Karate kids
    We have national holiday on Thursday, schools have holidays since starting Wednesday and the headmasters are encouraged to close the schools for the whole week because of covid. That is the case of sensei's school, too. Therefore as expected, there weren't too many kids today, only 7-8, 2 of which were tiny 3-4 year olds who arrived for the tiny kids class an hour earlier, but that one was cancelled, so we let them to join. Mom was inside the dojo and when they started running around, the mom was there to catch them. We worked on some kihon ido and then with pads. I partnered up with the youngest boy (the two little ones were already caught by mom), who could be 5-6 and needed more attention. I felt quite tired after the training. Probably due to the cold. I find the kids classes mentally a bit exhausting. I am trying to be nice, energetic and extroverted, but I am an introvert and this simply tires me out. I was happy Sett took charge today.

    Karate adults
    I had a notion some of the kids attending this class might be missing due to the holiday, so we planned to do hojo undo - stuff that kids can't do. Indeed, several of the youngsters were missing. There was one, but he's at least not a newbie and two 13 year olds. It is doable, though!
    I prepared about 11 stations for a circuit training. We only did one orund as the time of the round was set by the one who was carrying 9 stones one by one across the dojo in shiko dachi. Ah, it must have been around a year since I last did hojo undo! Or maybe more. Or rather, a year or a year and a half ago, I remember we worked with kongoken once, but a proper hojo undo like this... it's been ages! What surprised me was that I didn't seem to have trouble with anything. I started with the kongoken (the heaviest first) and I was actually able to do more reps than I usually did, I think. Well, push-ups were a struggle.

    We did: Kongoken, chi-ishi, makiage kigu, nigiri game, carrying stones in shiko dachi, wall-bars - abs workout, back plank with tricep dips, kettlebell, makiwara, skipping rope (maybe one is missing, but I can't remember if there was anything else...)
    While I wanted and did my best to do proper hojo undo, I was looking around and if I saw someone didn't know how to do some exercise, or was struggling or was doing it wrong I came to help. But I did return and tried to catch up with my exercises, but still. I think I spent the most time explaining the kettlebell. I instructed the basic exercise was simply to hold it and do sumo squats, but whowed another possibility - like clean and jerk if someone wanted to try. Well they did, quite a few people, but typically with a very bad form, so I came to show them. The younger were trying clean & jerks (well, rather press, but I encouraged them to try jerks instead, that would be easier) and the two adult guys tried swings, so I was ready to come and show and help. The kettlebell was a light one - 7,5, so nice for practice, although they did seem tired and exhausted after this nonetheless (well, they couldn't get rid of the habit of lifting in up with arms, so no wonder). I went for snatches since the kettlebell was light (I have a 16 kg at home and usually I am not usually trying swings with it as I'd prefer a slightly lighter one). This one just needed a nudge and flew up by itself, so it was a breeze. A did a few swings toward the end, too, before I went to assist someone again.
    My last station was the makiwar (wall mounted). I went for my usual techniques (though here I had trouble with haito uchi because I couldn't get the right angle, so I skipped that). In my second set of 10 tsuki, I suddenly had a strange sensation around the big knucle on the right hand. It looked like a vein burst just beside it - there was a bluish patch under the skin and it felt uncomfortable. I got a little dizzy and thought I shouldn't continue with tsuki, so I went for palm strikes instead. Looks like my hands aren't used to the strikes....
    In the last 15 mins we did a brief kote kitae. It wasn't very tough, though. The people present were either young or beginners, or both. I hope we'll find more time for it the next time. There are so many more exercises! :)
     
  3. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Tuesday 26.10.

    Morning Taiji
    The regular instructor returned after a month of absence. A month ago his wife gave birth to twin girls, so his absence was understandable :)
    Silk reeling felt good today, I was able to do a wide stance and felt relatively strong. I was focusing on keeping my back straight and weight to the back. After we finished, the teacher came and told me my back was still bent and I was leaning forwad. I think I was actually doing better than on most days when I start not warmed up, yet. But since I was told that nonetheless, I obviously need to do something about that. We went through the whole form once after this and spent the class practicing the few moves at the end I learned recently. There was also a group of beginners and another group at about a third into the firm. The teacher told us his plan was for our group to merge with the one in the third of the form and polish the form. In January he would like to come to an agreement with us, but he'd like to start teaching us the basics of the sword :) I heard some of the older ladies previously not too enthusiastic about it, but maybe they would change their opinion or wouldn't mind that much. But the majority today seemed to be ok with it, so it could work out :) That would be awesome!
    I heard the teacher also plans to start sword classes parallel to the Taiji king-fu class in the afternoon. He said he'd probably ask those who go to the kung-fu class to pick either weapons or oush-hands and applications and I find it hard to chose! Well, actually, no, I struggle with the push hands and the applications would help me understand what I already know better, so I'd definitely go for that if I had to pick, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to learn the sword/weapons! :D
     
  4. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Taiji Kung-fu

    I met instructor L in the changing room and she said the head teacher looked not too good, so they agreed he'd go home early today and she'd help teacher P with the classes instead. She led the silk reeling with the fajins. Last week I felt my fajins were getting a bit better and generally felt good about them. Well, today, they were pretty terribly, I couldn't get the hang of them at all....
    The teacher then asked us to split into two groups - those who know the whole of most of Lao Jia Yi Lu and those, who know a smaller part of it. There weren't too many people today and the more advanced group consisted of the two senior instructors, a guy who is pretty awesome Taiji-wise and has been learning for I think around 15 years, and me... Terefore when they were thinking too hard which direction we start, I helped them decide: Whichever, where I am in the back! I should have kept my mouth shut. The most senior guy decided we'd therefore do two forms, one after the other. When cahined together, the second faces the opposite direction, meaning I would end up at the front nonetheless. What a meanie! :mad:
    Teacher P had no qualms about us doing two forms. Since the other teacher was missing, he didn't have the capacity to teach us anything in detail, so the best solution would be to let us have some self training, which was good for me, too. After the two forms, we were going to review push-hands (Tui shou). I know instructor L was looking forward to the other instructor's return so she could practice this with him, so I felt a bit bad that she would have to pair up with me. There were four of us after all, the senior student was close to 2 m in height, so neither of us women could really pair us with him, so the other instructor, who's a guy would have to be with him. Instructor L took me to the side room and reviewed the push hands with me. I got a nice practice. She could identify plenty of my mistakes and helped me improve. I was going very gently. I had long since realize this is not supposed to be force pushing like kakie in karate, but rather a gentle one, working with the structure, position and direction of force. And it was instrucotr L who always told me to stop pushing. So when she told me to push a little more today, it was good. It helped me identify where the problems in my stance and technique are. I told her that I think I could learn better like this. Instructor L said that she didn't know if she should actually be happy about it, she said: "If I teach you, you'll just start bullying me. With our weight difference... or you should just lose some weight!" She hasn't gotten over it, yet, it seems. Well, she got it right, though :D A minute later I got another correction that I am not pushing towards her as I should, rather most of my force goes down and she has to pull my hand towards her herself. I appologized as it wasn't my intention and I didn't feel like I was pushing down, I was probably just relaxing my arm, so I explained. Instructor L: "But if you relax your arm, who's supposed to hold it up. then?." I couldn't help (thinking about how I should be losing weight) but reply: "Well, that's not my problem anymore, is it?" ;):cool: ...and right away I got an opportunity to practice dodging some techniques thrown my way :D :D :D ...And there I thought after so many years of practicing Taiji with such enthusiasm, her mind should be more calm and emotions hard to stir! :eek::p And I thought she wasn't doing karate anymore! :D
    Hahaha, I might have a tough time at the upcoming seminar considering she might be doing some teacher in the not-too-well teacher's stead.

    We returnes to the main gym after a while, instructor L joined the more advanced class that just started. Our previous groups merged into one. Teacher P told us we can still practice Tui shou, but he thought we did enough, and could use this time to practice the form - each on their own, depending how much of it each person knows. I just went through it a couple more times and the class was over. My knees hurt quite a bit by now, though.

    Taiji - 53 moves
    During silk reeling I tried to keep my back straight as I was told in the morning. I was quite tired, back muscles hurting and tired from all the keeping the back straight, legs tired and knees hurting. Well, they didn't hurt during practice (aside from single-leg turns when I wasn't careful), but after a while again, when I stopped for a while, knees got stiff and it took a few moves to ease them up. We worked on the 53rd move and went through all the 53 moves about a couple of times. I couldn't help but try all sorts of things to stretch when the teacher was explaining the theory etc. I also took around 10-15 mins to properly strethc my legs after the class, I found previously it did help with the knees and I think it did help quite a lot today as well.

    I am leaving for a 4-day Taiji seminar tommorrow. Knees wil probably feel it. But I don't want to go there already hurting...
     
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  5. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Wednesday 27.10. TAIJI SEMINAR

    First day, we arrived at about 16:30, a bit earlier than most. I went through my form once and twice through the spear form, before the teacher's youngest son came to play. I was distracted from training, but he invited me for his cocoa drink with whipped cream made by himself with love, so I thought that was more than adequate compensation :) (he's 9-10 yo).
    The teacher fell ill and rested today. At least for the first couple of days the trainings will be therefore mostly taught by instructor L. We had the first training after dinner-silk reeling, 5 moves to 4 directions, 25 moves and then drilling the 7th and 8th move.
    We started at 8 pm and it was 10pm before we knew it, so we called it a day.
     
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  6. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Thursday 28.10. TAIJI SEMINAR

    I started practice at 7:40. I did 2,5 forms (Lao Jia Ji Lu) with instructor L. One more friend was supposed to join, but he opted to sleep a bit more instead. The morning was cold yet nice. It was close to freezing, so I put on layers, but as I started practicing, I had to take off one after another until I wore just two shirts. I wonder if that feeling of warmth has indeed something to do with qi? I can warm up just by the standing meditation or the form done slowly. When I focused too much on the moves, I was still not that warm so I decided to make sure to breathe deeper and got warm and started sweating immediately. It's quite curious. I skipped the silk reeling in favour of practicing the form.

    After breakfast we formed 2 groups-one for the first 7 or so moves, ours for the whole form (with a friend who is about 4 moves short of the whole form). We practiced and polished the last moves he knew - Dragon on the ground and Stepping forward to form the seven stars - under instructor L's directions. I got several corrections. After an hour and a half everyone took a staff/spear for practice. I formed a group with a fellow junior instructor R as we've been learning together and know about half of the form. We worked on it with the help of a senior student before instructor L arrived, corrected some things for us and taught us three new moves. The weather became really nice. The sun is still warm so we could comfortably only wear a t-shirt. What a beautiful day!
     
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  7. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Thursday afternoon TAIJI SEMINAR

    In the afternoon we started at 3 pm. Our group worked on Crossed Feet, Punch to the groin and Ape Presents Fruit. Several corrections again. In the later half of the training we again practised spear and were again taught the next bit. My knees hurt since morning (or rather, since Tuesday), so I stretched before training, didn't push my stances too much and felt a bit better when I finished practicing 3,5 hours later.
     
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  8. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Friday 29.10. TAIJI SEMINAR

    My plan for the morning was practicing the form with instructor L - I was out and waiting before 7:40 and she was nowhere to be seen, so I did a bit of meditation a little bit of silk reeling and in the end started the form myself. She arrived when I was near the end and joined and we did two more together. My knees feel a bit better today.

    After breakfast the two seniors of our group were teaching moves to another guy from our group and another friend, so I sort of drifted, practicing what was being explained and went through the whole form once more.
    Second half of the training was about the spear again. We didn't add any new moves, but practiced and tried to improve the part we knew. It was nice, I enjoyed myself. Today was again taught all by instructor L.
    After lunch a fellow student finished learning the whole form and we practiced the last 5-6 moves. The teacher briefly came out and helped us correct the moves. For the last hour or more we practiced the spear and again learned a few new moves. My knees were fairly stiff already, so I did some stretching.
    After dinner the teacher read us some directions about Taiji practice from master Feng Zigiang and explained. I also got a few directions about what to focus on in my training etc., which was nice. The teacher mentioned I and a fellow student could slowly learn the cannon fist form, but last time he said it would be better that I learn how to do fajings well first. I assured him I am happy to do that, I am not in a rush, so it seems the sword could indeed come next.
     
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  9. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Saturday 30.10. TAIJI SEMINAR

    I got up and started practice at 7:40 again. I did the form 3 times. My knees hurt from yesterday. Not in a way that would give me trouble walking this time, but all around knees felt sore and stiff. Today I focused on straight back, centre of gravity held back and moving my arms by rotating the axis, not moving center of gravity. I put a lot of focus into this and felt like it might have not aggravated my knees. At least not much.

    After breakfast, the teacher gave us a lecture about taoistic reverse breathing. I tend to attempt this during meditation before each regular class, so I think I can already do it somewhat, but his talk motivated me to try to learn to do this in the form and focus my form around the breath.
    We briefly tried when we started regular training - in one whole form an 3 × in the first 14 moves. Then we practiced spear again - mostly reviewing the new moves we've learned in the past few days.

    In the afternoon session I started with the form 2 more times. Instructor L checked on our group and we got a few corrections when practicing the ending of the form. She noticed a mistake of mine I already knew about, but was lost as to how to correct it. It is about my silk reeling in the form which, according to the teacher, is led by my ankles instead of hips and therefore isn’t correct. Doing it the right ways suddenly is easier said than done since it’s hard to identify which movement in particular is wrong. Instructor L now gave me simple instructions how to do the motion properly (push the knee ouwards a lot first, only then start to shift the center of gravity while pushing from the other leg). Ah, finally, something concrete to grasp! It is not easy for me to do without focusing hard, but, I know what to learn! I was incredibly happy about this tip. The instructor told me how to do this in one particular move, but this is a stereotype of mine I am doing throughout the form and in my silk reeling.

    In the last hour and a half we again practiced the spear. Not learning anything new, but practicing what we already learned and trying to keep a good structure. Ah, keeping my back straight here might well be even harder than in Lao Jia Yi Lu!
     
  10. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Sunday 31.10. – TAIJI SEMINAR

    Again out at 7:40. I went through the form very slowly, focusing on my back, center of gravity and the correction on hip movement from yesterday. And a bit of breathing. It took a lot of focus. Just when I finished, instructor L arrived adn joined, telling me not to wait on her as she was going to go slow. Well, perfect! I was actually a little slower than her at the beginning. Keeping my focus on all of these things throughtout the whole two forms was tiring. I also started to feel my knees hurt more (they didn’t stop hurting from yesterday), so I told instrucotr L that I am done for today’s morning session. Two forms were enough. The instructor said she was done too and I checked and it was already nearly the time for breakfast, each of my forms apparently took around 20 mins.

    After breakfast we split into groups. Our group of three remained intact throughout the seminar, but several people left early, some fell ill. We wokred on the last moves of the form and went throught hte whole form once more. I took it a bit easy, I was planning not to ruin my knees too much today again. It worked, I think. The second half of the trainig was again spent with the spear, alternating on the sunny patch with the less advanced group and practicing together a bit, too. Not learning anything new, only working on technique.

    After lunch we were supposed to demonstrate a bit of what we learned to the teacher as usual in order for him to give us personal advice on what to work on. We were to do this inside so he wouldn’t have to go out. In the end, since we all got corrections and things to work on from instructor L, we ended up not demonstrating anything and instructor L just told the teacher the progress and things to work on for each person. I am going home with the usual: Back and hips :D Haha, at least I have a very detailed and concrete explanation on what to change in the hips
     
  11. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Monday 1.11.

    I must have eaten something bag, got stomachache and skipped karate. Which was a pity as my knees felt much better today.

    Tuesday 2.11.

    I was planning to rest early yesterday, but started drawing a picture and got in a flow and really couldn't stop, so I got around 5 hours only again.

    Morning Taiji

    Teacher R is still not well and will be resting this week, so the class was taught by teacher P and a senior instructor.
    My knees felt like new today, unfortunately, I started feeling them again during silk reeling. I was focusing all my mind on back straight and the hip movement I just got a great correction for. Which resulted in different muscles hurting - the inner thighs, which I think I have rather weak.
    Aside from that, today I felt strong and soft, practicing for four days did indeed have an effect again. When I got a chence I was checking my back in the mirror and I felt like my stance definitely improved! It might be my feeling only, but that can't prevent me from being happy about it :D
    We then went through the whole form once, before working on moves 15-25 wiht the group that knew just until there.
     
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  12. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Tuesday 2.11.

    Taiji Kung-fu
    The two hour long class was taught by teacher P today, assited by a senior instructor J. He's a young man of around 20, but has been doing Taiji for quite a long time now. Instructor J led the warm-up: meditation and silk reeling with fajings. Today I felt the fajings werw better. I didn't try to put in max force, but focused on the relaxed feeling more. Towards the end, the technique started to slip, though. Then we were told to take some time to practice a section we can do in circles. For those who already knew the whole form, we'd do it whole. The task was not to focus too much on all the correction, but simply get some practice in, try lower stances and slow tempo, but do all the fast techniques fast for contrast etc. There were only 3 of us with the whole form. We did the start of a second one till everone finished. Although I was doing the form relatively slowly, sweat was pouring off me, in my eyes and I could feel my heart racing, too. I didn't measure my HR today due to low batter in my chest strap. What a pty, I was interested. By this time the first hour was over.

    As for the second one, we practiced push-hands in pairs. There were three pairs in our group and the instructor J, who didn't have a partner, so he always demonstrated with teacher P and went around helping us with the technique as we were all beginners. Today I paired up with one of my usual partner - fellow junior instructor R. R is a nice gentle girl a few years younger than me and is a nice partner. We first tried what we learned last time and change from technique to technique, later on we were asked to try a completely different version of push hands, donw with both hands, both circling inside, first one hand than the other. We struggled a little to figure it out, but the instructor helped us at times. The next exercise was to take is as a small match where each of us would try to slap or gently hit/touch the other within the technique - arms would have to keep touching at all times and we would try to attack, while the partner would have to try to defend. I thought about it and found a nice opening. When we were making the inside circle with my hand on the inside, I tried extending my arm a bit just before reaching my partner's face and as she would push from the outside, she would basically use her force to slap her own face. :) I tried this gently the first time and only brushed her face, but the opening was stil there, so from time to time, I slapped her gently. R was trying hard to figure out how to defend against it and I explained my strategy and offered ideas on how to defend, but to no avail. So I kept slapping her and watched her growing frustration. When she understood my strategy, she tried a couple of times the same thing on me, but of course, I expected it, pushed her hand away and used this distraction to slap her yeat again with the other hand. At this point, her frustration must have reached a breaking point and she started cursing: "You damn karatist!" And in her frustration and impatience, she didn't wait for her hand to approach me, lifted it from my hand and slapped me straight XD Hahahaha, I gave her another one. This was so fun! :D :D :D What a pity teacher R is ill. IN one of the previous classes he told me to awaken my partner's fighting spirit. I am sure he'd be elated if he saw her now. I didn't know she could be so aggressive. I just wonder why taiji people tend to want to beat me :D It was instructor L last class, now instructor R.... XD I must be getting on people's nerves :D But I enjoy it!
    Instructor J came by again and so we asked him about how to defend against my slaps. R was very interested in this and tried with the instructor. They were tryin for a while, but I couldn't distinguish much from when they pushed or defended. Before instructor J left again, he tried with me. I showed him the problem techniqu R was struggling with and.... actually landed a couple of nice slaps, too :D This guy remained calm, though, and didn't seem to try hard to get me back. I did my best to defend against some not too forced pushes, also by pulling my elbow to the center. When I did this, I was pushed away by the arm landing across my body. I was told I mustn't put my arm across my body like that, that is when an opponent would push me away and "win" the technique. The instructor also remarked: "Are you used to hitting people or what?"...I decided not to comment on that XD
    I returned to my partner R to try again. She was now equipped wih the knowledge how to deal with me and actually defended quite well. I figured she was just defending exactly by pulling her elbow to far in, so I waited for the next time to use the intructor's technique against her and try to push her - well, only a gentle try. If I can't do it, so can't she, right? :) I later got a few slaps in yet again, which had the instructor remark: "How come ther are four guys here, two women and I hear most of the slaps from the gentler sex." :) My partner had just about enough of me, I think and the class was near the end. I did my best to help her figure out a defence, but this was by far the best attack I came up with so how could I just give it up? Anyway, I had a lot of fun today :D

    Taiji - 60 something moves
    Silk reeling - was too tired to keep my posture as good as I'd like, but tried to do my best. We then practiced past the 52nd move, there are a few moves from the beginning of the form repeating, so we practiced that and a couple of the latest new moves. I could feel my knees getting strained again as I was practicing, but they hurt only mildly, so I didn't hold back with the jumps, trying to jump high and far. It the Fair Maiden Works the Shuttles, I enjoed the leap, it is such a nice move! The teacher, however, explained that there is an important closing before it, then opening up would push us forwarda nd we mustn't slack with the correct timing, otherwise the move would not work. He said if someone is strong, some people tend to cheat the technique and leap from the spot in one motion, while looking my way... Ah, well I did try to leap far, but I was sure I did the closing before at least to some degree. Not sure I had the same timing as the teacher when he demonstrated, though. Noted, this will need some trying.
    I also wore my new shoes and realized they are fairly comfortable and in some ways better than bare feet. I will probably wear them to classes more regularly now. They also look nice. As proven by a lady who gathered up her courage to ask wehre I bought them. She said she fell in love with them when she saw them and although searching online thoroughly, she couldn't find a shop wehre she could get them :) They do look nice, indeed, so I don't blame her and gave her the name of the shop.
     
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  13. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Wednesday 3.11.

    Taiji - 17th move, instructing
    I planned to arrive early, but I didn't really. And it didn't matter. I wanted to get some solo practice in, but everywhere was occupied anyway, so I just watched the end of the class.
    I was instructed to do the warm-up and go through all the 16 moves with the group twice, while the teacher took a break. This, as expected, took about half an hour. As for silk reeling, for some reason, today as well as yesterday, it felt hard on my legs. I might have put my feet a tiny bit further apart, but very soon became aware it would be a struggle. But I wouldn't change my stance, would I? I think I narrowed it a tiny bit over time, but I was trying to endure. But my thighs hurt and started shaking at a time, until I managed to stop them :D I tried to improve my hip work, but didn't manage to keep my back straight. Straightened only a bit, but I could tell I was leaning forward, but I didn't have the strenght to improve that much. I'll take today as a leg work-out, I guess.
    When the teacher arrived, he explained the next move, went through it with us a few times while explaining and then left it to me to again go through all now 17 moves about a couple of times. I was stepping wide today and in the form it was better than in the silk reeling. My knees again hurt a little, but it seems no matter what I do it simply can't be helped. Luckily they hurt a bit differently than they used to, so at least there's an improvement...

    I was sweating a lot today. I have to pay attention, but it seems to me I actually sweat more in Taiji than in Karate for some reason...
    Also I got my HR up to 160 bpm.
     
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  14. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Thursday 4.11

    I skipped morning Taiji as me and my dad were taking our bikes for a service. I rode there on the way to karte class. It was some 11 km and all the time against the wind, which was quite uncomfortable and I couldn't muster my strenght to ride very fast. Maybe my legs are tired, too.
    Burned over 600 kcal.

    From there I went straight to
    Karate - 108x Gekisai Dai Ichi.
    I had to take a quick shower before the class. My head hurt from the wind, and I didn't feel particularly energetic and therefore not enthusiastic about today's challenge to do 108 katas. A challenge sensei likes. Gekisai Dai Ichi should still be relatively easy, though. I hink it was more than a half o the people present that didn't know the kata. Some knew at least a half, but there was not much time for introduction, so people were left to watch and copy.
    I haven't practiced kata much since covid, so I kind of forgot the motions a little, butwhen I tried, I figured out, it suddenly feels quite different. Most likely because of Taiji teaching me a different type of movement I was doing unconsciously alread,y the tehcniques just went faster and some snapped in place much better than I remembered them to. I was probably using the hips momentum more, although it didn't really feel like it, but the feeling from the kata was very nice. I kept going strong for about the first 20-30, then I realized I shouldn't be going all strong all the time as there were a lot of katas left still. So I relaxed in some a little (though made it a point to do proper stances and only do the strikes in a bit more relaxed way). I was also one of the three people the others could copy from, so I wanted to make my tehcniques nice and readable. I started to tire around 80. At 100, sensei had us do three katas full force, with kiaia for each technique and I felt I was slowly reaching my limit. COuldn'T do the third one full power if I wanted to. The air wasn't very fresh anymore and although I tried to drink at least before this class, I didn't drink much throghout the day and my head would start to feel a tiny bit dizzy. We finished successfully, though.
    I also wanted to make a point to keep my back straight all the time, but couldn't. It's quite hard, especially in stances like zenkutsu dachi, etc., so I gave up really trying at around the 30th kata.
    Burned over 1100 kcal.
     
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  15. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Saturday 6.11.

    International IOGF Online Black Belt Gasshuku, day 1

    Sett and I went for this lartge online event. Four hours of practice with senior IOGKF instructors.
    Each part was 45 mins and a much needed 15 mins break - not for relaxing, we haven't actually practiced very hard, but to quickly write down all the info we got in the 45 mins. My hand always hurt from writing!
    First classs wasn't practice, it was sensei Nakamura interviewing sensei Kazuo Terauchi, one of the few 9th degree black belt is IOGKF as he never said much about his life. It was quite interesting.
    Second class was divided into groups, our junior group practiced Sanseru kata with sensei Nakamura (IOGKF World Chief instructor). He went through it step by step with us and pointed out many details, some of which we have been doing differently or weren't very aware of.
    Thirds class was all groups together and sensei Bakkies (also 9th degree black belt) had a lecture about Sanchin kata. Sensei Bakkies usually teaches basic techniques of some kind of kumite, I've never seen him teach Sanchin kata before, but it was very interesting!
    Last class was everyone taught by sensei Nakamura agian, going through the details and some applications of Shisochin kata. There were a bil less details, I think, but not of any less importance.

    I didn't break much sweat during the seminar, as it was mostly about hteory, but I welcomed that, my knees were giving me some trouble, especially during the many turns in Shisochin. It was a very nice event!
     
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  16. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Saturday 7.11.

    International IOGF Online Black Belt Gasshuku, day 2

    Second day of the event.
    First block started with sensei Ernie Molyneux (8th dan) teaching a class with kihon combinations. We went through quite a few, quite quickly. I always tend to have trouble catching on quickly and doing the right succession of techniques with the steps sensei had shown, but I think that isn't really the point here and I am not the only one. Many interesting combinations tried, too bad I struggled with doing them right that I forgot them right away...
    Second block was with Nakamura sensei, today teaching our junior group Seiyunchin kata. We went through it step by step, stopped at some onf the more prominent techniques where sensei emphasised some details we practiced for a while, and still had 10 mins left for a couple of aplications, practicing deai techniques (block and strike at the same time as soon as an opponent attacks).
    Third block was taught by sensei Henrik Larsen (8th dan), focusing on the, well, external aspect of Tensho kata. We haven't practiced the breathing, inner workings of it, only the tehcniques, which muscles groups move the arms at which time, how to optimize the movement and how to do it fast actually. Sensei also demonstrated some applications.
    The last block was with sensei Nakamura again, this time about the very first kata - Gekisai Dai Ichi. We went through it quickly and sensei showed us three techniques that should be different for black belts and we practiced then as a little more advanced version of Gekisai Dai Ichi. It was still done over quickly, so sensei had us do a bit of a work-out with various techniques - tsuki, tsuki adn blocks in shiko dachi, a lot of mae geri in quick succession etc. At the end sensei talked and showed us pictures about late Shuichi Aragaki sensei, who was the last living uchi deshi of Chojun Miyagi sensei and also the first karate teacher of sensei Nakamura. We had the chance to meet with him in Okinawa in 2016 and I think only shortly see him in 2019. He passed this August at the age of 92.

    It was a great seminar, today was, well, a similar amount of theory, but a bit more practice, too, so I burned just over 1000 kcal. I can't help but always have great respect for sensei Nakamura and appreciate how easy going he is. When we had a break between the blocks, instead of just switching his camera of and being done with it, he'd converse with the people present, saying hi to everyone, asking how they were and trying to rememeber how to say hi in their language etc. :) As for me and Sett, sensei seemed to actually remember us by face and even remember we were from the Czech Republic. Considering how many countries he has seminars in and how many people he meets, this was a very pleasant surprise for us. :)

    This seminar was attended by people from over 30 countries from all around the world. Respect to the New Zealanders who had the seminar at 3-7 am :D
     
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  17. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Monday 8.11.

    Karate kids
    A normal class, we taught the kids yoko and harai uke and practiced them and other techniques in kihon ido.

    Karate adults
    Since last class we did 108 Gekisai Dai Ichi kata and not everyone knew it and there wasn't much time for explanation, we decided to use this class to explain all of it, step by step and practie a bit. What a pity it was that the beginning adults who were there of Thursday mostly didn't come today... We taught the younger ones at least and practiced.
    For a warm-up we did a game of tag, which was fun.
    My knees feel a bit better actually. Like karate in the weekend and even today seemed to help! I guess kicking is good, it helps stretch and relax the parts that hurt. I'll probably worsen them tommorrow at Taiji, though :/ I'll try again to focus on not twisting them in any way, though I think it is mostly the stances that engage those parts too much.
     
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  18. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Tuesday 9.11.

    Morning Taiji
    The head teacher is healthy and back. He hasn't seen us for a couple of weeks, so this might give him a perspective on what has changed. I got two main corrections today, one was basically the hip thing I am trying to improve on since the last seminar. It was said with different words, and in a different move, but the mistake was the same. And hard to correct in this form! My practice obviously hasn't been very successful.... yet!
    I haven't done any Taiji since last Wednesday and felt stiff. I should have practiced! I always tell myself this in this first class of the week...
     
  19. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Tuesday 9.11.

    Taiji Kung-fu

    Maybe due to some new covid restrictions - like keeping distance from others, there was no push hands practice today. We started with silk reeling with fajings (I did poorly today) and then the head teacher let us do a part of the form and called us by groups to give us individual corrections and goals to work on now. He had the two most senior guys (practice-wise) practice together, then asked instructor L to work with me on the few last movements of the form. He gave me a few corrections that were general - turning aong my body's axis - I tend to move at the waist at times, I know that. And the usual, I get like every single time - straighten the back more and shift the weight more to the back. After he gave work to the rest of the students, he came by us as we were at the mirror and told instructor L: "So I've just discovered I am doing a mistake" followed by a self-deprecating remark. I smiled a little and when the teacher saw that, he pointed at me: "But you do the same thing!" I was like: "I've no doubt!" So what started as a complaint to himself, ended up as a string of corrections for me.... -_- The things to focus on started piling up, so I varied each try. The teacher also added that "my Taiji was nice, but...." ...... there's always that but. I practiced the last few moves over and over, trying to improve the mistakes I was doing and I felt very nice, I was able to do nice stances (in my opinion anyway, the teacher still had quite a few "buts") and I felt nicely stretched, too. Taiji is really nice for stretching. It might have been for the very first time today that I was able to plant my face to my knees when standing with feet together :)

    The first hour of training passed like that. For the second, the most advanced class started at the other side of the gym. And the teacher's treacherous side showed itself again. He called me over to join for the warm up - which is the whole Lao Jia Yi Lu, which I knew. The other three instructors/seniors who usually join this class were left peracticing for some reason, so I was a bit unsure on what was going on. I stood to the back of the group as I would leave after the warm-up, I supposed. The teacher told me: "Come, you can come forward a bit (there was a free space). I felt more comfy at the back and wanted to leave space for the instructor leading the class, which... turned out to be me, as the teacher announced as he was leaving. -_- :eek:
    Aaah, this again! I must have looked nervous. I did go the form in front of the class, but messed up as I put the ending forms I was practicing at different places in my focus not to mess up. And all the effort in correcting my mistakes from before went down the drain. When we were finishing, teacher P was already there and started the class after the warm-up, at which point I quietly dissappeared.
    The rest of the class I was still practicing the ending of the form. Keeping my back straight, turning around the axis, not moving my butt, turning the hips correctly, flowing more from one move to another... and trying to keep my balance in the (for me at least) very difficult Turn Back and Double Wave Lotus move. I was working ont he kick and tunr there, still figuring how to do it correctly and not lose balance. I was starting to be a bit tiren and figured out I can do the kick in a similar trajectory when I do it slower, conserving energy. I shouldn't have. When teacher R saw me, he told me ot do all the kicks fast and explosive and also though it was because I was doing the round kick with straight leg, which is slower. Well, no doubt, it would be slower, but this was definitely the top speed I could do. Anyway, I was told I should do the kick with bending the knee at the beginning and at the end. Oh no. I can't do that. I was drilling for a while, but you know, I've always done Mikazuki geri in karate with leg straight. This messed up my balance more. When teacher P came by, he saw I was wobbly there and added several corrections on top of everything, leaving with "And keep your back straight!" Aaargh. I was done, seriously. No, ok, I kept drilling over and over, I felt good today, but I could feel my body tired and found it hard to focus on balancing the kick etc. The class ended soon after.

    Taiji - 63 forms
    I took a tiny break to drink and when I came back for the silk reeling, my knees were already stiff and hurting. I did the silk reeling in a higher stance, but knees were tired anyway. We went trough the firs 63 moves of the form and I knew I couldn't do well anymore, minding all the turns and stuff and sometimes I felt a stab in my knees. I thought I'd just leave as soon as we're done with the form, but teacher R had a few things to say, so I listened first. The class was handed over to teacher P and I thought it would be rude to leave without saying anything, but didn't want to disrupt the class by saying anything. So I still practiced the last moves for a bit before we moved onto the one that helped stretch and ease my knees last time. When we were done with it, there was like 10 mins left till the end of the class, so.... I pushed through, being careful, knees hurting. At least I got a chance to use the wall bars after the class to thoroughly stratch my legs in any way I could think of and try to relax the muscles in all positions. I think my flexibility is improving little by little and after the stretching the knees felt better. At least I was able to walk down the stairs quite fast. When walking home, I made a conscious effort to relax the muscles around the knees. As I felt them tired and worried about stepping wrong, I realised I keep them tightened and it didn't help things at all.
    By now even my back was hurting and a thumb on my right foot that sometimes hurt a little. I was very tired. The Polar measurements revealed why:

    Time: 3:32 (I switched the training hald an hour late, so some relaxed time is included in teh measurements too)
    Max HR: 170
    Average HR: 132
    Training benefit: Steady State training +
    Kcal: 1644
    Fat burn: 31%
    Cardio load: Very high: 293

    Over 3800 kcal burned today.
     
  20. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Wednesday 10.11.

    Taiji 17 moves, assisting
    My knees were getting better throughout the day and unless I wasked down the hill, stairs or wanted to squat, I was fairly ok. My legs weren't sore, they're really past that, but did feel a bit tired.
    The class started as usual, the teacher left for the first half of it while I led thr class through meditation, silk reeling and a couple of repetitions of the 17 moves. My legs were tired, so I adjusted my stance to a higher one. I had mixed feelings from today's silk reeling. I felt soft from yesterday's training, I think I did better with not moving my waist, but turning along the body axis. On the other hand, my tired body couldn't keep my posture up to the teacher's standards (he wasn't there, though :p). Meaning I was leaning a bit forward with back bent a little. But no matter what, I was really unable to keep it straight throughout the silk reeling. I was focusing more on the body axes and turning the whole body by moving hips. I didn't have the capacity to check if I wasn't turning it the ankles by focusing on turning the knee outwards before starting to shift my weight (as instructor L adviced me before and as I was working on it). I felt like I was more or less doing ok there. By the improved hip movement and focus on the body axes, I was able to let the arms flow and the whole silk-reeling movement felt very smooth today. The smoothness was deteriorating a little with my increasing tiredness, but I was still happy about it, I felt good in it. If I was able to keep my back straight as well, that would be really awesome! :D Well, maybe next time...
    When doing the form and then reviewing the last three movements with the class when the teacher was explaining, my knees felt fairly ok, soft and with good range of motion. It's usually like this, though, but they start hurting afterwards... Not today though as today's training was far more relaxed then yesterday's.

    When the class ended I appologized to the teacher that I planned on not coming next week as I'll be celebrating Sett's birthday. He said it was fine, but probably starting from December a new class will be opened parallel to this one, so my presence would be more important. Ah, I knew this would come sooner or later! I estimate they might postpone it to January, though (unless covid closes the gyms), but I promised to start mentally preparing myself :D Ah, I am nervous just thinking about it.

    As for my knees, although the yperformed quite well today as the training wasn't very hard, I am thinking of going to a physio. I found a sport physiotherapy center nearby. The prices are, as expected, awful, but this problem lasts way too long now without actually dissappearing and I am now thinking getting it checked by someone who knows about sports might be a good idea. I want to make sure if there is or isn't something wrong and in case I might get tips on how to improve that (other than quitting Taiji), that would be perfect.
     

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