Weapons class

When to the school early, and practiced my tai chi weapons form. My teacher gave me the sword and gave me free lessons, so I feel obligated to practice it especially since I bugged him to teach me it. After practicing for a while, I've kind of developed some of my own moves. First I want to finish the form. I think I need to practice the form more and gain a better understanding of it before coming up with my own form.

Me and another green-brown belt taught the class tonight. I didn't know till a few moments before the class. So we lead the class through the laps, pushups and situps.

Next we did forms with bo stafs. Once we got to where the orange belts didn't have anymore of the material then we broke the group up. I worked with the blue belts for a while on one form.

Then I worked with the orange blets, on escrima sticks for awhile. I had them partner up and work on different counts. Then worked on male and female footwork on each count.

Then I had them get out six wavemasters and work on the eight angles. First I went in order then backwards. First I went in order, then backwards, then even, odd, then random numbers. I wish we had one eight sided fuzzy dice for this but alas.

Then had them put 3 matts in between wavemasters. Then did the canoe exercise, where you pretend the wavemasters are attackers. We did that about three times.

Then for a finish I had the people group setup steps and do forms on it. We got through two forms. I knew that was a curve ball through.

I had several comments. One is I need to spend more time on what I'm having them do. The next was that it was most interesting.

two for one

Well, I taught two classes today. I went early to class to see if they wanted my help in teaching. So we'll see next week if they want my help again.

Anyway, so we got them lined up, we did the thought of the week. We had them do some laps. I did some of the stretches, and started them on the lotus palm breathing technique. But dont' want to give to much away of that at once. I spent alot of time working with two kids trying on front two knuckle punch, back two knuckle punch, and thrust punch. These are white belts, so I tried being gentle with them.

Then we played a game.

Then next class they lined up, we bowed, and did the thougth of the week. Then they ran some laps. Then we had them do some combinations. Next one person would do a side club, then the rest of the class would do it. Then when we were out of side clubs, we moved on to over heads. We broke up, and I worked on forms with people.

We had the kids work kempos on each other in a triangle. Then we had four people so we did a gauntlet. We did side clubs and overheads. Then it was time for a game which was climbing ropes.

So... we'll see next week how it goes.

Peanut bag

I taped up my peanut bag, so now it's more of a leg bag. Hahahaha, the good part of making one's own equipment is if they want a specific thing, you can make it.

reinforcement on choko kina

We did the warmups: three laps banging our sticks together, and jumping jacks. Then we did some escrima counts together. Next we split off, and I worked on some sai, and tonfa forms. Choko Kaya, still needs work be hey it's it's getting better. Then we did some target practice. My practice really paid off on that one.

my teacher got arrested

Well, my teacher got arrested. No it's nothing for what he did. It's for a charity. You see he's got to get so much money raised to get out. Feel free to send any donations to the school to get him out. It would be appreciated.

Anyway, tonight we had the class line up, bowed in and mediate. Then did the thought of the week. Then run some laps. Then do some stretching. Then I got a fluffy dice, and used it too determine how many techniques to do. I called out the type of techniques, whether sideclub, overhead, or kempo punch technique.

We split the kids up. I had the kids do forms on dots. They could move to other dots they just had to stay on the dots. Then I switched to checking stripes, and worked on the plum tree blocking system, statue of the crane, and side clubs and overheads.

For a game we played vollyball, but in a crane stance. I thought it was good. Maybe we'll do it again.

more practice with popcans

Well, I through some more popcans up in the air. The trick is too hold the staff with one hand and then throw the pop can high enough that it stays in the air long enough to hit it. You got to through it straight up. I also did some side strikes, with it on the trapline and on a rope. Hanging a popcan by a rope keeps it there for a couple of its so you don't have to reposition it after it gets hit. Then I poked them. The last thing I did was hit them in the recycleable bin.

black belt service project update

Well, talked with the other blackbelt about the service project at the parade. We looking at the doing some trail maintence at the Crane Foundation. They have the tools available. We are going to try and pick one project. Thing is now to work something out.

As a backup project we are thinking of building and installing swallow houses. I found some plans today on swallow houses. One house in particular requires no maintaince. We kind of want to do something that we can do, and won't require maintaince.

So why cranes or swallows? Cranes are one of our animals. They symbolize longevity. Also the Grandmaster is very big on swallows.

fun with nunchaka's walnut cracking

Took my nunchaka's outside to crack some walnuts. Cracking the walnuts inside the house leaves a mess. So I don't have to clean them up outside. Well, I put the shells around a plant for mulch.

Traditionally, I had heard that it was the used as a nutcracker. The problem with trying to swing the nunchaku, is that the walnut has a tendency to go flying. So I doubled it up and used it similiar to a club. But if you tried practiced swinging it you would get good at it.

cotton gi

I bought a new gi. Found out it has to be washed in cold water otherwise it shrinks. ....Oh well...

copyrights of martial arts material

Eventually, I think you see alot more copyrighting of martial arts material. Let's face martial arts can be a very profitable business. The way to discourage people copying you is to copyright the material.

If you trying to come up with your own system for instance. You might not want to remember material from a previous system since then it could be a copyright violation. You want to make it your own.

Parade

I marched in the parade today for the school. The demo team was there doing there stuff. Along with some of the kids. The adults handed out materials; brochures, newsletters, flyers, etc. So now that material is out. Hope the school gets some new members from it.

choto cyan

I learned the rest of choto cyan today. Now I just got to get it down. Weapons class was alot of work today.

pop cans.

Well, went out and practiced. Practiced my kicks, and my punches a bit on the bag. Then got out the my tonfa's and nunchaka's. I'm going to have to get a softer nunchaka since wood is hard if it hits you.

Practiced throwing up pop cans in the air and hitting them like you would a baseball. Some took me a few tries. Then I poked them on the ground. Then used my foot to get them off my bo staff.

Also practiced horizontal strikes a bit by placing them on the trampline and a few pokes. Kind of hoping to beable to string up pop cans on rope. But I was able to put the end of the rope through the tab to hold it up. One thing is you don't want to it a pop can on the bottom or top, since that area is generally reinforced.

crane stance

I got the kids lined up and we had them mediating. We had them do one pinion. Next 20 jumping jacks. Then we did the thought of the week. We moved onto stretching. Next, we had them stand in crane stand for the longest, during which we had them do one pinion, and two pinion, an assortment of handstrikes. Then we worked on combinations. After that we did strikes. For a game we played a game of crab ball.

It was a different format. One reason is that we had only three people and usually we have four. Also there was a different person there.

my peanut bag part 2

So I put the peanut bag a little higher. It was a bit too high to practice my kicks on though. Punching was fun to do. Though a couple times it hit me. Then I got out the escrima sticks that was fun.

the middle road

Something I learned in a JKD video once I think is appropriate. The person said, there was a difference between self perfection, and self preservation. You don't want to be doing to much of either. For instance you could be doing a forms all day long, but if you don't have the people skills to deal with someone punching in at you.... Like wise you could focus on alot of techniques, but if you don't have any of them down good enough to actually work...

What I'm saying is that there is a balance. You have to balance things in live. The external and the internal.

One thing I think about the school system is it's all about self-perfection. The highschool I went to was very good at what it did; sports, science, and song. But how does that help you in the real world? After you leave highschool? Sure alot of those kids should be going to college.

Pop cans on the trampline stand

Well, I ducked taped some pop cans to the trampline, and used them for bo staff targets. To work my focus a bit. It's a good exercise, but the problem with it is the time to set it up, and reuse of materials. Maybe I should try plastic bottles instead. Anyway then I threw them on the ground a poked them.

my homemade peanut bag

Well, got a workout of sorts at home today. I modified the bag I was using too make it into sort of a peanut bag. I started out punching then moving. Then I started kicking it. One thing is this bag has a way to go in unexpected directions such as getting caught on a branch and swinging back. Also it can hit you back it your not careful. Then I got out the bo staff and started doing pokes and side strikes on it(overhead strikes didn't work to well since tree). It also had a tendency to trap my bo staff.

My homemade bag

I had a rope I had put a t-shirt on and wrapped with duck tape and on a rope. I flunk that over a tree, and started using it like I would a double ended bag. Then I moved to kicks. Then I took out my tai chi sword and worked with that.

I would like to have multiple targets on the bag. I like it because it moves around. One thing is get it the right height. Next time I will probably try dodging.

Choto Cyan

I went early to the study to practice with my bo staff, and escrima sticks. One idea I've thought of for an exercise is to have a mat stacked on the floor with two wave masters. They are paddling along, when they are attacked which the wavemasters represent.

We started with escrima sticks and ran three laps around hitting them together over our heads. Next we did escrima counts. We got to six count and the blue belts couldn't remember it. So I helped them out. They got it after I showed it too them a few times but one was having problems. So I had the other two work with each other, while I worked with one who was having trouble.

Next we got out sai's and ran through that. I had trouble with the sai form. Which surprised me since I hadn't had any problems before class with it. Then the blue belts got there staff's out and ran over bo staff forms with the orange belts.

I did my tonfa form, and brad showed me a few things to work on. One is more extension, another is I forgot a few things. After that I worked on Choto Cyan. That may not be the right spelling for the form though.

Question

I was asked whether I enjoy teaching or not. Also whether I learn from it or not. Here is my answer.

I find teaching helps me to reinforce what I have already learned. I learn more from watching dvd's then or taking a class from the school owner. Do I enjoy teaching? I like knowing that I'm helping someone get better improve there skills.

Frustrated

I was frustrated with not being able to find something. So I went out and practiced my tai chi sword form. It was a nice day outside, nice breeze, birds singing. So it felt good.

Homestudy Program

I think homestudy programs are alright but there are problems. One problem with watching videos is it might be hard to pick up some angles. Also getting a "feeling" for the correct way a technique should be applied.

One thing with is some require a partner to work with. While this is good in that you know each other, it also means you only have one person to work with. Also, if the partner can't do it anymore... well....

Another thing is safety. A good instructor will watchout to make sure his students dont' get hurt. While, you can still get hurt even under the best instructors, I like to avoid injury as much as possible.

Also feedback in class of an instructor. Sure some systems, have where you video tape yourself. He can he is there, not 1,000 miles away.

Personally I learn alot watching videos and watching videos have helped me to understand system's techniques I study better. One thing is, perhaps homestudy systems would work best with someone already advanced in the techniques.

Linear Movement

I know a martial artist, who always emphasises linear movement. He's good at it, and he's a tall guy. He does have some good points.

Thing is that might not work for someone else of a different body type. Or what if he finds someone else who is taller than he? There is also circular, and diagonal movement that can be used.

Thoughts about the upcoming blackbelt project

Here are my thoughts;

1. It should be local in nature. Doing something nationally is just to big, besides there is national organizations to compete with.
2. I want it to somehow be martial arts themed, like the Crane center, or the Tiger center.
3. Personally, I dont' want to raise money, since I don't know where it's going.

I've canceled my bushido.com account

Since I'm going to be working, a second job, I've decided to cancel my account since I won't have much time to view the videos. It's been a good experience though. I've learned stuff from it.