Broken Arm

We had a student tonight who had a broken arm. So instead of pushups, situps. We had him do squats. Then instead of running, we had him do squats. I had him do a squat, then do a strike. I also had worked on some leg manuevers. Instead of running laps, because he could fall down and hurt himself.

So I checked stripes then worked with the green belts. On one kata, 2 kata, and statue of the crane. I had them do it at different angles. Then I had them put on rubber bands and do the form with that on. One point I hope the I tried to make is doing form, helps you to improve your footwork.

Anyway then we played a game, crab ball. Basically, the kids in on all fours, then the kids would try and kick the ball past the other team. When they do so then they would have to do something.

Once summer is over we are going to get some people back. Then we will have to work with the people who haven't been around to get them back where they were. There is about three green-browns that might make it too brown belt this summer.

I got some ideas, I want to discuss with some of the other instructors though.

Tai chi sword form

Before class I practiced my tai chi sword form. I think I need to work on the movements. It will be awhile before I want to work with Jim on it, till I know it is good.

I helped two people in class today. One had a question on 3 pinion, and another on some dragon kempos.

Anyway, class today, one of the blackbelts lead us out. Another one did some strikes, another one did some stretching, then I did a combination of the three. I had the jog in place while I called out some strikes.

Then we went down the line, and worked on what the person asked. A yellow belt on 3 combination. So we got in line and did 3 combination with one person doing three combination and then the rest of the people in a line. Then when the person who was "defending" himself, had did 3 combination on everyone in the line we switched it to the next person, and th next person till we were done.

Then we worked on 3 pinion. So we all did the form. Then we blackbelts broke off into another, group and worked on 22 and 23 combination.

I was asked to work with the brown belts on 3 pinion. I had them do it, then I asked them to lay on their back. The point was that, too not lock into doing something the same way, all the time. In a real life situation, your going to have think on your feet and that was what I wanted to make them do. Well, anyway, then I had the person put a wavemaster top between his legs, and put down some dots. The dots really made him think.

Then I told to go work with the other blackbelts. Well, they were working on a higher combination, so I worked 22 and 23 combination on bags. Then we lined back up and did some strikes.

weapon systems

There seems to be two types of weapons systems, the type that break it alot and do alot of partner drills, and systems that have alot of formwork. One thing, as spending as much time training in the system is how much a balance there is in this art. At the beginning things are very broken down. Makes it easier to learn and teach. Then later more forms, and combinations.

Plastic bottles

Well, got to the studio a little early and practiced my forms and escrima counts. I worked up a good sweat. There weren't much people sparring, but i gave a little guy a few tips.

Weapons class was okay. I hit myself in the groin, when my staff rebounded, from a wave master. Oh well lesson learned. Went through all my bo staff forms and worked more on my highest form. Then got the tonfa's and then the sai's and worked those. I don't usually stay around anymore because after two classes I get rather ripe.

After class I ducked taped a plastic bottle onto the trapline stand. Tried my bo staff on it. Seems good target because if you dont' get the distancing right it will let you know. Seems these are reuseable.

demo team

You know, I was on one of the forums I frequent. It compared martial arts schools to restaurants. In that you can have let's say a dennies or a dinner. Both can be profitable, which is better? Depends what you like.

Been thinking of starting a new school, now that I have my blackbelt. One of my thoughts is demo team, but I cant' start a demo team before I have a school. Now I don't think what a demo team does should be part of the curriculum of a school. One of my thoughts is some people want to be busy some don't. For those that do, I see demo team as a good opportunity for those people. Of course there are people who just want to "be on the team".

new gi

The gi I ordered like a few months back had arrived. It wasn't able to have the villari logo on it, since it was a special uniform and it would cost more to have it printed on there. Oh... well.. just a little disappointing.

Anyway, did the cardio, which was a little more we did bear and crab walking. Then we did some stretches. Then another person did kempos. We went over 22 and learned 23 combination today.
So it was interesting.

Tornado Watch

There was a tornado watch today so we were in the showers dressing rooms etc for the first ten minutes of class. We cut the cardiovascular portion short today. Then I checked stripes, and watched as the kids did the gauntlet. I also worked with a person today on 5 combination. Went over some things hoped it helped.

Trampeen stand

I was using an old trampoline in the backyard to practice my precision with the bo staff. The balloons had a tendency to fall off the stand when I first hit them so next time I plan on taping them down better. One of my thoughts was there has to be a better way to do this. But I'll leave that up to the engineers.

starting tournament preparation

I practiced for an hour walking up and saying my name, my rank, what system I was in, where I'm from, etc. A simple as that sounds, it's important to get it right.

Leadership Team meeting

Well went to a leadership team meeting saturday. There was discussion about positive reenforcement. One thing I learned is that changing it up can help to not get someone to shut down. Of course it the food was nice too. I got an assistant instructor patch. The only other lst degree black belt was there had been teaching for two years so they gave her an instructor patch. You snooze you lose.

side clubs and overheads

We did some laps, and then went into some stretches, and cardio activities. Then we went over overheads. We did 12 combination in between each overhead club technique. Then we broke down into groups, and I lead one of the groups in side clubs. Then we went over sideclubs, and I went over that again and again we did 12 combination inbetween each sideclub. Then Jim had us do some punches individually, then he had us do them together.

Peripheral Vision

We started class, then we went through the normal routine. We worked on combinations a little though. Then we split up. I checked stripes while the other instructor did something else. One thing I notice is when I have the kids have a tendency to forget their techniques. Then there is a point which you can't get them to do anymore.

During the summer there is less kids attending the class. Well I guess we have the dedicated ones attending, which is fine for me. But once some of them do comeback, they will have to be refreshed on things.

Anyway, we had a discussion on why do learn all these techniques if they won't really matter if you had to defend yourself. Well, part of the point I made is you could still use part of the techniques. One thing is so many people concentrate on a "street" fight as being a situation where one defends one's self, when in reality there are many situations where one might have to that are nowhere near a street. Another thing is we have sparring classes, not alot of people show up too. If they were really interested in that type of training wouldn't they show up to that?

But I'm digressing, after that another person came over worked with the green belts, while I and Matt worked on combinations. What we did is split the kids into two groups. Then had the center person face the side of the school. Then one signal one side to punch in, and the center person would do a combination. I thought that was a good exercise. Maybe we should do more of that.

For a game we did crab walks, I tried giving someone a stripe but the office was closed. So I initialled there card. Hopefully I can get them there stripe later.

defanging the snake

So we did our laps, then we did a cardio-stretch routine. I was tired by the end of it. Then we went into combinations, going over that. Then we put a combination together with punches, and another combination.

Jim had us line up and each do seven kempos then switch people, then they would do seven kempo's down the line. Then we did all of our kempos. Next we did kempos in a circle of fire.

After class I worked with another person. Hoped I helped him expand his knowledge a little bit. He's going into the military so got to be hard on him to get him prepared.

I went through my tai chi sword form by myself. There is a few questions I have on it so we'll see.

working with the bo staff

I went outside with the goal of practicing my bo staff forms. Well that didnt' happen, instead I practiced whacking weeds. It was interesting to practice, and I experimented with various things. 7 and eight strikes, singe handedstrikes, etc. etc.

My goal of starting a martial arts school

You know you achieve a high level in anything and that transfer into anything else. I seem to be doing well in the martial arts, so I think I should pick that. The best way for me to advance in the system is to open a school.

I don't know where, I don't know when yet. But I am attracted to trying to find a place that near me that I could share a building with. Then working a day job, then at night teach reinvesting the profits from the school into the organization.

helping someone with 6 combination

Helped someone with six combination today. I did it several times for him but he still didn't get it. He was having trouble with it, so I said, "this is the block, this is the trap, and this is the kick." He got it after that.

black belt sparring

A little different then I remember. Not used to having those hit like that.

Weapons class, we went through some of the combinations, I think I'm getting used to nine count, and eight. I'm getting better at my forms.

willing to pay in blogexplosion credits to get my sidebar fixed

How would you like 200 blogexplosion credits. Yes 100 credits. That's alot of credits. If you can get me to fix my blog I will pay you that.

today's class

I worked with a white belt today on the eight point blocking system. I hope it helped him out.

Well, today I lead the class out in laps. Then Jim had us go through forms. One thing I learned is that the posture while doing a u-punch, if you put your bend your back, someone can push you down but if your straight, it's harder too do. Then I helped someone on one of there forms. I had them do it over and over again. One thing I had them do is do there form on plastic dots. It made her think while doing the form. Another thing I learned with the eight point blocking system is to replace the blocks. Something I will have to work on.

Quote from Master Twakefield

A person only gets mixed up in the systems when they do not have a home base to operate from. One style should be your main focus, and any others should be there only to augment it. SKK is the art of balanced knowledge through selective incorporation.

Master Wakefield.

Master Twakefield operates the Villari in Aurora, Ontario

stand up comedian

I helped someone before class with 3 Pinion, and helped someone else with 3 Kata.

Well, we did laps, then we did some stretches. What I thought was cool was incorporating punches into the stretches. Then we did some combinations. Jim told us of a few changes he wanted to make.

worked with the two brown belts. I ran them through strikes, and I had them do different strikes in a leapord stance. One thing I did is I asked them what shaolin, kempo, and karate ment. Then went through a few forms, then some club techniques, then we had a discussion about grapplying. Learned a few things about grapplying.

Then we did ten punches over and over again, and we mediated.

moveable wall

In class sometimes we stack mats in a pile and climb over them. I was thinking it would be cool to have a slight angle to the wall, and some hand holds. Make it easier for people to climb over it.

teaching my first empty hand class

Well I concentrated on doing four things. One pinion, doing various types of one on one training, a discussion on sideclubs, and doing a game. I was tired from getting back late.

The first thing we did for a warmup was too, go through one pinion alot of different ways. I think I made a list of them. But I didnt' get to all of them because of time, and some of them might have been too difficult for the class being a mixed belt class.

The the next thing I had them do was pair off. Then the front row got different type of training gear, some were using cardio paddles, some were using foam bats, some were using focus mits, etc. But the thing was to do a different type of thing. As soon as I heard talking, I had them rotate.

Then we had a discussion about the applications of our club techniques. One thing is why practice the techniques when someone might be not attacking us with a club? I hope the people in the class left with another reason to practice there techniques.

Then we played dodgeball but I put a twist on it. When someone was hit they had to do all there kempos. So for a white belt, that's not alot, but for a brown belt.... well it can take awhile.

I was still alittle tired from the night before. I had to get up to wash my gi. I think I will be sore for awhile.

black belt test

I went down with another person to the blackbelt test and got back late. But I got it, and we got back late. As far as what happened in between then.... that's private stuff. But one of the testors said I did good. Which, coming from him was a great compliment. I will be sore for awhile. Took some hits, but nothing major.

kempos

So we got kids doing there exercises, then we split off. I checked stripes and worked with some people on some stuff. Should have checked too see if I could work with more than one at a time, but oh well. Always something one can do better of.

Anyway, so I took the green belts, and started working with them on the plum tree blocking system. After that I worked on side clubs. I asked each one to do a side club. After we did all the side clubs, we did kempos. The kids really wanted to show off there kempos.

Then we played dogball with the whole class. I was thinking you know we need a martial arts twist on this. So maybe have them do all there kempos or something like that before they can go back in.

preparations

I spent most of the morning, trying to sew a tiger patch on my gi. By that, I mean with a needle and thread, then I spent some time practicing. Maybe I will go mediate some more later.