Unbalance shoulder...

I am wondering, does this have to do with my training?
Or this causes my punches to be in effective.

Lately, I notice that my right shoulder is actually higher than my left. When punching, I asked people not to tense their shoulder, relax themselves, so that they will not rise their shoulder, making the punches awkward and less powerful.

There is this period of time, when i suddenly thought of conciously 'pulling' my shoulder down. At first, I felt that in this manner, I am able to control my punches better. But when I told others about me doing so, they will tell me I should relax my shoulder instead...

So, how?
May be I will just follow my own instinct for this while, pulling down my shoulder to punch, and see whether it actually helps in controlling, as well as channeling the force all the way to the tip of my knuckles.

Oh ya, according to my friend who is a physiotherapist, she said that my shoulder is higher because the muscle was too tense. So.... could it be because I always tense up my shoulder when i punch my right hand?

Today's 一言：Time to improve

Camp (5)

"You can actually kick well, but you just keep on pulling back."

The Hong Kong sensei commented on my kick when watching my fight in IVP in the video.



I remember there is this one time when i was telling this Junior, saying that don't be afraid of hitting your oponent. By doing so, you are just underestimating your oponent, thinking lowly of them, that they couldn't block you, they couldn't even take a controled punch.



I am not too sure does the same theory applies to me. I am afraid of kicking for I can't control my kick well. If I want to kick it fast and make it fully extended, it is almost like throwing my whole leg out without any further control.

Today's 一言：Control



So, should I be kicking so? Perhaps not.
The remedy? Kick more and to learn how to control a fast kick.

Special training

From books, drama, movie, there are a lot of strong fighters out there. But they are strong not just because they were born so. Perhaps with a bit of talent or gifted in a certain way, unavoidably, there is this training that the person must go through before becoming a good fighter.

Lately have been talking to Kendo people quite frequent. 'Question Mark' made a heavy big boken himself. I am not sure how will he be using that thing, but it is certainly a useful for training. Swinging it down with one hand, it is very hard for me to lift it up again with my wrist.
A tool for his own special training.

I know of a lot of way to train. Punching makiwara, punching sandbag, punching beans and grains, punching telephone book... But what I did? none...
Yesterday, was trying to punch the Bougu of Shannon, another guy in Kendo. I realize one thing. Yes, I may be able to punch hard when punching the air, but when it comes to a real solid hard target, i withdraw a considerable amount of power and strength. Reason? My wrist and knuckle may not be able to take such a big impact.

Today's 一言：Just perfect the punches...

CMAD

CMAD just ended.
How did we do? I will say, ok lah~
We didn't do an exceptinoally well job, but I must agree it was not bad.

Perhaps I held my hope a bit too high for the juniors. The 約束組み手(yakusoku kumite), they still lack a certain element in it. Wee Quan did quite well, but Jun Ming performed slightly lower than my expectation. His stance was wobbly and the movement was not dynamic enough.

A dynamic movement in Karate doesn't necessary mean that it is a continuous, swift and fast motion. It can still be one movement after another with clear distinct pause in between, but each and every action is sharp and clean. Wee Quan is some where there, but JunMing still have have a distant to go. In anycase, I think Roy is doing quite well in this, just that too bad he is not around to perform in CMAD.

型(kata) was also a slight dissapointment. Never mind about the coordination, as I could really understand why they are not able to coordinate. But I have been repeatingly telling the same thing, don't hunch don't hunch don't hunch. Ming Hui still hunched in the end.

Well, I do have problem as well. (Sigh....)
Until now, I still don't quite get it, why sometime the energy flows to the very tip of my fingers, while sometime tht energy just got stuck half way in my forearm. When the energy got stuck, I just simply can't fully enjoy doing Kata.

Today's 一言：Energy flow...

Just started...

School just started.
This implies that there are new comers as well.

After the open house on Monday, there are about 10 people who still present today, an expected turn out.

The begining may be the most boring part, the basic. All I made them do today is just basic, over and over and over again. But even though it is called basic, a lot of them are not doing it quite right. Yes, those are just minor mistakes, but if they are able to do it properly now, it will certainly be a lot easier for them to do everything subsequently, and they will be able to do it better.

The only concern that I have is only two of the new comers are progressing in a speed very slow. Others have got the rough idea and are able to execute the technique more or less correctly, but these two people still found it difficult to coordinate themselves.
Should I move on faster still? Or should I slow down?

I do hope that those who learn faster will have the patient to repeat the same thing over and over again and try to perfect them; while those who learn slower will have the courage to move with their own pace, improving bit by bit.

Today's 一言：Build a strong foundation!

Open house

Karate open house!

Perhaps my memory is really failing me... I can't remember what is the turn up normally like. This year, there are about 30 something people who turn up for the open house, and something slightly encouraging at this point of time, is that there are about the same number of guys and girls. Haha....

Due to some 'technical mistake', we didn't have the time to just sit down and talk about a bit of history, the different style, the three K (Kihon, Kata, Kumite), etc. Immediately at 7pm, I started to lead the warming up, and immediately we fall in and start the lesson.

Lesson 1: Punch! Yes, this is the basic, and also the advance stuff. We start off with just making sure the hand is moving in the correct way, and slowly procede on to how to add in more force, twist, and so on and so on. But before those, punch, punch more, and more and more...

Lesson 2: Blocks. As always, the 4 basic blocks will come into picture: Ageuke, yokouchi, yokouke, and gedanbarai. Repeat repeat repeat until we are able to coordinate, until we are able to feel it better and exert some force into it without compromising our posture, stance and balance...

Not too sure how many people will be continuing with the training. I just hope that at least there will be about 6 to 10 people who are really interested, and will continue to train and train harder. And may be can dig out some Kata player also! wahaha....

Today's 一言：Searching for Kata player to train together.

Kendo fight again!

Hmm... the title seems a bit misleading..
Should be fighting with kendo people. Wahaha....

After the CMAD rehersal today, Kendo people fought with Karate people again.
This time round, I fought with Kitt, instead of Nich.

The feeling of fighting with Kitt was so much different from fighting with Nicholas. Her movements were much slower than Nich, and so much easier to dodge and evade. Or perhaps it was because I had had a bit of experience and had been thinking over how to fight for two days which made me able to fight in a better way.

But Kitt had something up her sleeve as well. She was able to read the oponents state. For several time, she could see through me, knowing that I was not in focus, and attacked me straight away.

Some more things to think about. Evading perhaps is a good idea, but if the oponent raise their hand high, trying to perform a big cut, perhaps one could try to get into place before they cut downwards, blocking their hands from further movement.
Well, I tried that, but I was not fast enough. The other thing that i tried was to move in and grab the hand. Only manage to touch her hand (instead of grab) once.

Today's 一言: When will be the next time?

Kendo fight!

The theory of fighting with people holding weapon is always easy, but I have never really try it out. For one small mistake will end up with serious injuries.

Today, met the Kendo people. I borrowed the 防具 (bougu) of Yick Siew (THANK YOU Yick Siew), wore it, and fight with the Nicholas. There isn't much technique, just one simple head attack, and i tried to count the timing, evade and counter.

But it is far more difficult that i expect.

The moment Nicholas raise up his Shinai, I started to move my body. Seeing my body move, he swang his sword slightly sideways, cutting down still exactly on my head.
One time, two time, three time... Only once in a while, I manage to control myself, only move when his hand started to move down. But My body didn't move enough and he still hit my shoulder.

Too bad we both didn't play for long, need to rush off for next lecture. Else, I would really like to keep on trying, until I am able to master the evading technique. Hopefully I will be able to try again.

Today's 一言: This is REAL training

Improvement

CMAD is coming up.
This year, I wanted the juniors to get onto the stage. From my point of view, it is just a good chance for them to have the exposure, and a target to hit, an objective to attain, something to aim, to train and to improve.

Perhaps there is one major thing that I forgot about. The performance is not only about us, but also the name of the dojo, and the name of sensei. Although I trust that they will have enough time to practice and to improve, but how far will they able to go is something that I myself is not sure.

Luckily today when they did, it looks better. There is some clear improvement in them, but having said that, there are still plenty of room for improvement. But improvement takes time and practice, and perhaps is hard to attain especially in this era when study and school work should be given the higher priority comparing to training and practicing.
Even for myself, I notice that although I have been practicing and training alone when I felt like doing so, the improvement in me is so minute and perhaps insignificant. I need more intensive training, but sadly I can't devote that much time for it.

In anycase, it is certainly heart warming to see the juniors started to show some improvement. And I really hope that the improvement will carry on.

Today's 一言: Bit by bit, it is still improvement.

Camp (4)

Don't think of force only. Must use brain.

This is kind of a pet line for Yamada Sensei. He emphasizes a lot on the basic movement, how should the body be moving instead of straight to the point where he wants every one to pump in all the force that they have.

Throughout his training, it always start off with the slower movement (with his own unique rhythm), where he focus on the steadiness, the control of the body, focus. Only after several repetition, then we will try to put in force to punch harder, to hit harder.

Perhaps because I started training when I was young. When I was young, I don't have that much energy to execute a daunting punch. To compromise for that, I learn to maneuver my body, making use of all the possible movement that can enhance my punches.

I like this idea, of always knowing the basic movement before we start to put in speed and force. But a lot of Juniors somehow are still not fond of this idea.

Today's 一言：I shall continue with my basic training.

Rhythm

After coming to Shitoryu, I noticed something, when i do my kata, i haven't been counting timing for a long time.

When i was doing Shotokan kata, a lot of time and a lot of action and movement that is slow, i count by the rhythm of four. But now, it is more like just move slowly, don't care what is the rhytm or tempo. Perhaps this is the reason that is hard for us to coordinate the movement when we are trying to do team kata.

Today Yamada sensei is the one teaching us. And as usual, he likes to count. I still remember his beethovan punches. Today, we do the punches in accordance to his rhythm. With the tempo, some how i felt that the movement seems to be abit easier.
Another thing that Yamada sensei reminded me is the quote that my sensei at Sabah always tell me. 'From nothing to something'.
Each and every motion start off with nothing, then ends with something. So, when one punches, one only grip the hand tight at the very end of the punch, and it becomes something.

Ah.... typing blog using other people's computer felt awkward, i think i will just stop here lah.

Today's Hitokoto: With the rhythm, don't forget to breath as well.

Camp (3)

Your kicking pad is very nice. How much is one?
The Hong Kong sensei was telling me that the kicking pad that we have is nice. It is not too hard, but relatively soft. Especially good for young one to practice their kicks.

Well, I didn't kick any pads throughout the whole camp, cause when they were kicking the pad, I was not around. But there is one thing that i realized, for a long time, I have been kicking, but not really kicking....
Confusing?

As every time, I can only kick the air. When I was younger, thrusting too much actually hurts my knees. So from then onwards, I only kick but not thrusting forward with full force. In other words, it may look the same, it has no force at all.

Thinking of getting the kicking pad out from the club room and kick them more often...

Today's 一言：Should fully utilize things that we have...

Camp (2)

Sensei Cheng's son was taking part in the competition.

While we finished our training, sitting leisurely enjoying the breeze, his wife called telling him that his son lost. Reason? According to him, the way he taught his son to do the kata was the old way. The referee apparently didn't know that it used to be done that way and somehow disqualifies him.

Yes, this is one of the frustrating thing for Kata players. What is the exact motion of each technique? Which is the correct movement?

I remember once a person in a Karate Forum said, when he got his cert to be a kata referee, one thing that they were told is that there can be slight variation in all the movement. So where is the standard guideline?

I guess this will boils down to personal preference. FOr me, as long as the Kata still looks nice, as long as all the motion and movement are able to train my mind, body and soul, I am happy enough to stick with the way the kata is done. Perhaps some motion will seems awkward, difficult... this is training! It is something that can only be done after repetitive practice! The easy way out will not bring one further forward.

That is what I believe.

Today's 一言： Kata is the dance of death... (can't remember where i heard this...)

Training in the dark

Some renovation going on and we couldn't turn on the light. With the rows of doors open, still the lighting is limited.

In the dark, we can't really see things clearly. So it is important to understand the command. Not bad! A lot of people understand my self-invented terms for the warming up. At least they seems to be able to follow what I am doing ( I guess...)

We did 五本組み手 (gohon kumite) in the dark. My partner is Vincenzo, Yamada Sensei's student. Perhaps it was the darkness that made me focus extra hard. Without counting, we move by the signal of the opponent's slightest give away signal.
Vincenzo was able to control his force really well. Because of the confusion, he punched at the third time instead of the fifth time I move forward and punch. I was still moving forward charging in while he punch. But the moment when his punch touches my body, a lot of his force are drawn back, leaving minimal impact on me.
That was good control.

Today's 一言： Fun training in dark