spiderweb obstacle

So me and Dakota set up an obstacle course for the little white through purple belt class while Jim D. was leading them through some things. First obstacle we had was two wavemasters with a rope connecting them a "spider web". Then a rope the kids were two bunny hop over till they reached a wavemaster. Then some cones they were to run past, then some steps they were to run up, and jump, do a roll, and defend against a overhead club attack. The kids had a little trouble with the overhead club. So I reviewed it several times. Anyway, then the kids were to run on some dots, and black and get some strikes in.

We had the thought of the week. Then we did the obstacle course again while Jim D. checked the kids to see if they were ready for a stripe. Then I changed it to a sideclub instead of an overhead defense. Then we cleared everything away. The kids helped too but I got the big stuff. We played a game, kick the bags.

Next class lined up. We started them running with half the circle then had them do jumping jacks. Then had the run around the whole dojo. We did the thought of the week. Then we broke off into groups. I worked with one green belt on strikes. He needed a couple of them for his next stripe. He also didn't know 18 combination. So I taught him that. I think he probably had it he probably just forgot. Then we played snowballs for a game.

I was reading an article that was discussing whether today's Judoka are as good as yesterday's. One thing it discussed, is traveling costs. For instance, to train an olympic judoka, you would probably want go to training camps where you could get instruction from the best. One thing though, is it is easier to send one person somewhere then a bunch of people.

An example of this is that by the time an owner of a martial arts school goes to seminar, he might as well put one on at his school. One reason is that then he get's help defraying the cost of the seminar. Also, your working with a bunch more people.

The Hill

So I started the weapons class out. Brad was a little late. So I ran with them doing some laps, then did some jumping jacks, push ups and sit ups. Then did some stretches, and warmup stuff. Then started doing some forms. A couple people putting much into the form. So I had one person demonstrate the form and pointed out some of the good things about the form.

Then Brad took over and I went through some bo staff forms. Then I worked with a liliana giving her part of her next form. I showed her the movements, then had her do them on a small wavemaster. I would push it over, when she did an axe strike. Then I had her that part of the form to different angles. Then I would throw a bag and have her hit it while she did the form. Then for the last thing I had her do it on a stacked mat.

Then Brad worked with me. He showed me part of my next bo staff form pronounced Tokomeany. It combines three of the other beginning parts of the bo staff form. Which is interesting. I did another of my upper staff forms.

Then it was time for empty hand class. I had the people line up and mediate, and collected the cards. Then I had them do six laps, some jumping jacks, situps and pushups. Then Jim took over and we did this thing where we jogged in place. Then when he said "down" we would do two pushups. If he said "up" we would do two jumping jacks.

The next thing we did this thing where we laid down in a line and the first person would jump over other people. Then the next person would go. We went across the room several times in this manner. Then everyone was in push up position, and we would crawl under everyone. Then get into a pushup position.

Then we climbed the ropes. I didn't get very far. But I tried.

Then we went and climbed the "hill". We did several forms, such as 1 pinion and Statue of the Crane. Then Jim D. had us do a ring of fire. I grabbed a corn cob and attacked with it. Then next time I grabbed a corn stock. I thought it provided some comic relief. Then we walked back in and bowed out.

Colors of Character

One idea I had with the Colors of Character is perhaps that instead of Self-discipline, Self-Control, and respect, we instead do the five rules of the school. That way it ties into the rules of the school.

No Game :(

Well, before class started the kids on a game called pulling hands that I learned at the seminar. Then had the kids line up, had them "bow in" and mediate. Then had them run some laps. Personally, I think it's better when not to have any passing since when the kids do pass they seem collide with each other. Then we did some stretches.

We had do the some kicks and punches. After which we did some team based things such as having the kids in two lines facing each other trying to be faster then each other. Jim D. had them go back and forth such as doing bunny hops, and such. I tried to gets some bags out and provide a target for kids to hit. Then we split them into five teams. If the kids didn't listen then they got rewarded. I "rewarded" some of the kids by putting elastic bands around their hands. So that they would have to do the what Jim said with elastic bands.

So then the kids didn't listen so we setup to have a game, and then the kids watched in front position. Well the kids didn't stay in front position. So Jim D. had them do pushups. I tried correcting the kids posture when they were doing pushups and situps.

I went over to the other side to get the kids lined up. I had them mediate till all the kids were lined up, since Jim D. was doing other stuff. Then we went through stretches, then some kicks such as roundhouse, frontball kicks, instep kicks, hook kicks, and cresent kicks. Then we went into one and two pinion.

Then we broke off into groups, Brittany took the green-brown belts, Zach took the blue-green belts, and I took the blue belts. I went into 1 kata. I kind of had a brain fart on it. Jim came back and he watched what I was doing and he teaches it a little different but that's fine. I think I not sure as the person I learned it from knew it that well. I went into one kata, because I had alot of people to work with, and most of the people needed to work on it. Then those that didn't could use the review.

Then we played jump the dragon. I swung the dragon on the first round. Then zach did the Dragon swung it on the second round.

Then we lined up for the green-black belt class. Sara warmed us up by doing some laps, then we did some stretches. Then we did pull hands, and push hands exercises from the seminar. Then we broke off into a groups. I, Sara, and Bill worked on the 22, and 23 combinations. Then I worked on some of my other combinatiosn and some of the black belt ones.

Then for the last few seconds we did a kempo. I didn't understand what they were doing but I followed along as best we could. Then we bowed out.

2007 Shaolin Study Tour

I really want to go on it. It's going to cost 4600 dollars to go on it. That probably is going to mean some fundraising. We'll see how it goes though. Another consideration is getting the days off.

Chin Na/Ci qong seminar

Learned a few things, like Galloping Horse, and the Golden Ball exercise. Master Grupposo and Master Bombalier came. Master Grupposo did the chin na. Then Master Bombalier did the qiqong, along with some exercises.

We also did a belt technique which was interesting. It's alot like 13 combination. It would be nice to learn some more.

Ready to send some people to the blackbelt test

So had the kids play the pass the ball. Maybe I need to find another game for them to play before class. Anyway, then I had the kids line up, then I had them go back to what they were doing, and line up again.

For a warmup, had them do some log rolls on a mat, then jump over some stepmasters. Then did some stretches and some pushups, situps, and jumping jacks. Then did some heats, where they would run over and hit a shield with different strikes and kicks. We did that till we did the thought of the week.

After the thought of the week, then I worked with some white belts and purple belts, getting them some more material and checking them for some stripes. Their were some people close to get a stripe but no one got a stripe. It would have been nice to see one person get it.

Then we played kick the bags for a game. One thing is kids have a hard time remembering which side to go on. So we'll have to find a way to fix that.

Next class, lined up had the green-belts hold their arms up in the air because of them was playing with them before class. Then I had them keep jogging till everyone was lined up. Then we broke off into groups, I took the green-brown through blue-green belts. One of brown belts was helping me, check stripes, then took the blue-greens.

I worked with the green and green-brown belts on sideclubs. I had had them do as many as they could before. A green-brown belt needs seven overhead club techniques for that stripe.

Then kids played freeze tag for a game.

Then I had the green through brown belt class bow in and mediate. Then I had them do some laps. One thing I had the people going for their blackbelt do is yoke two forms. I wanted to throw a curve ball at them.

Then Jim came back and we did a bunch of the forms. I broke off and helped one of the brown belts with 3 kata. Then that was the end of class.

Demo Team

I was watching the demo team. Alot of teenagers are involved with it. One of my thoughts is a demo team should demonstrate the techniques of that school. So people say I want to learn that, it looks cool.

In the past people have had trouble recognizing what demo team is doing. So perhaps weapons techniques would be good, because people understand, oh he got attacked by a club, or a knife. Perhaps focus more on the applications of techniques.

“Love is like a friendship
caught on fire.
In the beginning a flame, very pretty,
often hot and fierce,
but still only light and flickering.
As love grows older,
our hearts mature
and our love becomes as coals,
deep-burning and unquenchable.”

~ Bruce Lee ~

Going outside

Got the kids playing Passing the ball before class. Then had them lined up and got them bowed into class. Had them run around for their cardio, then do some pushups, situps and jumping jacks. Then had them half-moon forward and backwards. Next came some basic strikes.

The thought of the week, was me Chelsie and Dakota trying to get the kids to get out of a horse stance. It didn't really work the way I wanted it too. But it was interesting.

Had the purple belts and the orange belt go outside with Chelsie. Me and Dakota, worked with the yellow and white belts with cardio paddles. At first I had them half moon up and do a strike or a kick. But later I had them run up.

Then when everyone was inside again we played Kick the bag. Where you, kick the bag instead of throwing it. We had a couple games of that going.

Next class came in, and I tried having them do a figure eight. But it ended up several times of them just going in a circle. It was had to describe.

Then Jim had them do some kicks and punches and some combinations. He called it out and if they didn't do anything then they would do pushups. Then we had a competition where me and Jim D. would hold bags, and kids would race to see which row could get done first. Then we went outside, and I checked stripes and worked with a few people.

Then green through brown belt class got started, and I had to go to the bathroom. When I came back I tried running, but I had the class finish the laps, then do the lotus palm breathing technique. Then run through some stretches.

Then we did some kicks and punches. I then worked with two people, a green-brown belt, and a newer brown belt. They both needed to review their handstrikes, so the person who hesitated first had too do pushups. Then I worked their kempos with takedowns. We got out the crash mat, and I worked with them on the mat. Finally I worked with them on slapping out and rolling out.

kama practice

Kama's were usually used like a handaxe. So splitting wood with them, would be one way to practice with them.

pass the ball

So before class, I had the kids playing kick the pass the ball. I figured it would help develop their legs and coordination. Also keep them out of trouble.

The kids were slow to get lined up, so I had them go back and do it again. Then they were slow to get on their feet again after mediating, so I had them sit down and redo it. We had them run around, then Dakota, and Chelsie stretched them out. I did some of the stretches too, until I put some mats up. Then we did the thought of the week, which was going over the newsletter.

Jim D, then had the kids do some strikes. Then we helpers got the pads out and held the pads for the kids. It gives them something to aim for.

I worked with a group of orange belts on their strikes. Their were yellow belts, so I I called out some strikes, and had them do it. Then I got out a cardio paddle and had them hit the paddle one at a time. Then moved on to the next person.

We then played a game of jump the Dragon. I first spinned the rope, then another person spun the rope for the kids. I jumped in the Dragon, and it was pretty good cardio.

So then the blue-green/brown class got lined up. We put wavemaster tops down and had the kids jump over them. Realistically I next time I would probably use shields or something instead. Then the class did one pinion together.

I worked with checked stripes. I worked with a couple people on their kempos, and worked with one person on strikes and combinations. Then I worked with the green belts going over combinations. One thing is getting the green belts too sink in 15 combination so they could actually put a person on their legs, instead of of them falling off and not being able to do it.

So then we played a game of frisbees. So we setup the pins and the kids played. We are using a variety of different things right now; frisbees, snowballs, dice, etc.

Then the green-brown belt class got line up. Jim wanted them to jump over the mats. So I had them run over the mats then around some cones. Didn't work out as I planned but it was okay. Then I had them step up on the mats and do some strikes. Then press their heels onto the mats. Next I had them use their combinations as warm-ups.

Perhaps, I should have just done some stretching after the running but oh well. So Jim D, led us through stretching along with a few tai chi exercises. Then we did some warmups exercises, such as pushups, situps, and jumping jacks.

We broke off into a group and worked on combinations. I had the group work on 6, 7, 3, 5, and 13. Figuring that working on the basics would be best. We were going to demonstrate them but we ran out of time. Then we line into two rows and did 1 kata, and 3 pinion. We had to redo 1 kata because we weren't doing it together.

demo team

I came in early and watched the demo team practice. It was kind of interesting because they did some stuff I didn't recognize. I found out it was a demo form the team leader made up.

We ran six laps, which was tiring but I kept up. Then we started class the 1st degree brown belts led the stretching. I got to work on my upperbelt combinations, and six kata, a little more this time. It's kind of interesting because you do a hop, half-moon, a villari v in it.