Balance

In Karate, we train to become stronger, and train to control ourselves as well.

Apparently, i lost the balance.
Like what Colin suggested to me last training, after i punch my punch don't stop there. It continues to move its way forward slightly, dissipating the extra forces that I pushed in and didn't have anything to pull it back.
Today's training, I paid attention to my punches. A lot of time, i manage to throw them out, but without much control. Perhaps it has something to do with me not training properly for time too long. The punches just find its way forward in all direction. I can't aim at a single spot, i can't focus my punches.

More training, not only physcial training, also mental training is needed, i guess.
I think this is what they meant by 'When the mind and body becomes one'. Now, mine is still two very seperate entity.

Today's 一言：
Focus

Kata and Kumite

Kata was not well done today. Colin, Ivan and me was practicing kata in turns and gave each other comment. I didn't do well. In terms of stance, speed, power, everything is lacking.
Is it the fact that I know too many kata and have been doing all the kata? Comparing to the past, where i only know a few kata, and kept on repeating them. They have been repeated so many times that they are registered as a reflex movement of my muscle. But now?
Or perhaps is this transition state, from shotokan to shitoryu, all the stance are neither here nor there.

Simply not good.

Kumite training. Although we should try to fight with different people, but end up fighting Ivan again today.
My eyes are faster now. At least i am able to see things much clearer. Whether the body are able to react to it, that is another story. The last moment, i manage to see that he lost his balance, and immediately i made my mind to move in and draw him down. Success.
Haha... now with 'faster' eye, i need faster movement.

Today's 一言:
Need to train for speed

Left hand punch

Perhaps it was the training that i used to have, and the fact that i am a right hander, my left hand punch is very not smooth.
Even when i am doing kata, the left hand punch can sometime be obviously problematic. In kumite, the problem is more significant. After punching my right hand, the chances of punching my left hand is far less than pulling back and punch my right hand.

That is not good.

I have realize this problem for a long time, but never really tried to overcome it. It is not that difficult, just punch more with the left hand.
That is what i did today. Continuously, just punch my left hand. Jodan, Chudan, Gedan. Gyaku, and Jun. All just left hand.

Will there be any improvement? I doubt so. Afterall, this is just one time training.

Today's 一言:
Technique are not learnt overnight.

Back Pain

There are no training at the dojo today, but still did some of my own training.

Did some skipping on and off from the 'stairs' of the height of slightly above my knee. But whenever I land back on to the floor, there is a sharp pain at my back. This never happen before. Last time, the pain at my back only comes by with certain posture with me over extending my back. Now?

Thinking of the problem, i got a bit distracted from my practice later on. Couldn't concentrate to do any kata. So, i decided just to repeat all the kata that i know, as a revision. Not with full power, not with full stance. Just the technique there.

After going through a round of all the kata that i know i tried to do the skipping again.
No pain this time.
I wonder is it that my mind surpresses the feeling of pain, or there is really no more problem after strectching here and there while doing my kata.
Just hope that it is not something serious.

Today's 一言:
Back pain!

Ivan's Technique

Somehow, i still make my way down for karate training today.

Did some kumite practiced today with Ivan. He taught me his technique.
But before that, i think i need to reflect myself also. Have been sparring with him, seeing him using this technique for so many times, but i never really make out what is his move.
Since it is his move, I think i shall not write out here lah~

Ziwee senpai said something today that is worth noting as well.
In practice, we are drilling with one set of technique only. No point keep on varying your move. You will need to drill your technique until that it is fast enough for you to attack your oponent even he knows that you are coming in with it.

And that was what i did in the training, and that was what Ivan made me do when he taught me the technique.

Today's 一言：
We learn from everyone.

Heiku (2)

Try practicing this kata again.
Didn't try much today, but just mainly focus the first two slide and punch.
Apparently, i need a stronger calves. The sliding although seems to be easy, but the current way i am doing doesn't seem right. It looks ugly, i think. I appeared to be hopping rather than sliding, especially when i tried to move without punching. I found myself to be able to slide better if i punch at the same time, but the leg movement is too much and a bit unsightly.
Guess i need to train more calves muscle, so that i will be able to pull off this very first two technique.

Today's 一言：
Am I thinking correctly?

Heiku

Heiku.
Perhaps this will be the kata that i am going to practice.
There are several version of this kata. I was told that it will be better if i do the ryoei-ryu version. It has something to do with my background as a shotokan player.
But i am still thinking, if i do it that way, then will it defeat the purpose i wanted to train a new kata?
I wanted a shitoryu kata, for the coming compeition. I want to compete with shitoryu style, and not shotokan style. If i do it the ryoei-ryu style, does it strays away from my original intention?

Today is just the first day I learn this kata. Perhaps will push myself to do the shitoryu style, the one with the first two technique that is difficult.

Today's 一言:
Re-learning to punch with left hand.

Shitoryu kata...

The very moment when i decided to convert to shitoryu, i was thinking and hoping that the next competition, i will be able to do a shitoryu kata, instead of doing a shotokan kata.
But the shitoryu kata that i know is really limited. Which one shall i be doing?

Was asking Ivan and Colin for their opinion, what kata should i be doing.
They think that because of my body size, and because of my background of shotokan, I need to choose kata that is more of power.
But one important thing that worries them is that, my stance, at this point of time, is neither here nor there. I really need to make some effort in making my stance right and consistent.
But what kata?
Perhaps, will ask Ivan to teach me Heiku this thursday.

Today's 一言:
Ivan wants his name mention here!

Repeating

In Karate training, there is a constant repeating of technique, kata. These repetition forms a big part of the training.
To become better, repeating is necessary.
Being so, doesn't mean that to become better, just simply repeat.
If the mistake is repeated over and over again, then there will be no improvement.
If the repetition is not done wholeheartedly, then there will be no improvement.

Kata practice again.
Changing style from shotokan to shitoryu, one of the most difficult task that i face is the stance. In shotokan, there is only 3 main stance. Repeated practice allow me to step into this three stance, almost exactly the same length same width each time. On top of that, the three stance are of equal height, allows me to judge how long and how wide is my stance simply by feeling how 'tall' is my stance.
But in shitoryu, the stance are more complicated. All of them are of different length and of slightly different height. I still find myself stepping into different length and width everytime. Still can't do them consistently.
Shikoudachi gave me another problem. Somehow, when moving 45 degree, I can't move accurately.

Perhaps I will need to go back to the basic training, to stick sticker on the floor, and repeat the stance over and over and over and over and over again.

Today's 一言:
Think before repeating

Today

It has been about a month since we last train under Sensei.
Kind of obvious that today his training is to let the newly promoted 8th kyu to have some foundation and basic in sparring.
One question seisei asked is what is the two main part in kicking, to make the kick powerful?
Most of our answer were knee and "jyousokute".
Sensei said no. It should be the ankle and the knee. They should be tighten and not soft. If the ankle is stiffen, then so wil the 'jyousokute'.
Thinking carefully, that is true as well. Even if we were able to generate all the power, but if the knee and the ankle are 'soft', it will just divert the power or spread out the force.

Did basic sparring with Ivan today (again?). Although he is a right hander, his left hand 逆突き(gyaku tsuki) is much faster than the right hand. I thought perhaps it is due to his withdrawing hand is right hand, but not sure still.

Anyway, am thinking how heavy is my punch actually.
I thought i didn't put much energy in the punch, but apparently it is quite heavy. I know the idea of controling my punch, but i just still don't get the idea which is the heaviest punch that i can use in kumite training.

**********************************************************************************

Got my certificate today. Given 4th Kyu.
Haha.... now I am officially converting to shitoryu.
In shitoryu, I am still a begginer.
Still, there are a lot for me to learn.


Today's 一言:
Need to learn 心波／新破(Shimpa), 慈恩(jion), 抜塞大(basaidai), and 征遠鎮(seienchin)