The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

8/20/2025

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:45 pm.  Warm-ups and aikitaisos, brief internals work, and then right into technique work.  We did lots of defenses against the lunge punch, or stepping straight punch:

Kokyonage "buddy drop":  After taisabaki outside the punch, getting deep (and not focusing on blocking the hand so much), monkey grip to the inside shoulder, tying the elbow to the hip and using the "rowing motion" from aikitaisos (funakogi undo) to break the posture, step across behind them and finish on the other shoulder (but really happens at the same time).  I have to keep the rowing close to me, and not out and away from me.  Variations including grabbing the collar at the back of the neck instead of hooking the shoulder to break balance and apply pressure into the hips through the small of the back.

Kotegashi:  From the same punch attack.  After the taisabaki and "block," a tenkan motion sets up the kotegashi.

Jujunage:  The attack was a same side lapel grab followed by a face punch.  Taisabaki outside the punching arm and pass deep at the shoulder.  Then the other hand seizes that punching arm and the other uses the arm grabbing the lapel as a lever into the other arm, as an armbar.  It's a "crossed arms" throw.  Again, step deep and don't think of the hand so much.

Last up was "free work," and I chose to work shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura, both of which are a technique for my rank.

[bushido_man96]

8/21/2025

TKD:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  In basics I focused on breathing and being tight upon execution of techniques, especially the ones where we don't do audible kihaps.  I had a brief stretch after basics, then into forms, Do San x2.  One-steps:  white and low green.  I helped white belt focus on more of the little self-defense aspects.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  Sparred white belt and low green belt kids, a 2nd dan adult, a high blue adult, and a high green adult.  With the kids I worked more from an orthodox stance, and with the higher ranks I worked from unorthodox.  The blue belt gal wanted just wanted to close and punch, so I let her wear herself out.  Next time, she'll see the front leg side kicks.  With the 2nd dan I worked foorwork set-ups and baiting.

The CI addressed students doing the same thing over and over again not working, and having to change things up, try something different.  I thought, "yes, unless you use that knowledge to set them up."

[bushido_man96]

8/22/2025

I had a nice long text string with a former instructor/colleague about law enforcement defensive tactics, and what some of his approaches to it are, and what he thinks of the state of law enforcement DT in general.  Very informative, and we share a lot of the same opinions.

BJJ:  7:00 - 8:15 pm.  Three warmup rounds, got to work the same positions we've been focusing on lately (camping position, low head/high head pressure).  We went at "walking speed," just getting loosened up and "reminding our bodies what jiujitsu is.

Then we were back to working the camping position/low head/high head positions again.  On top, we worked on keeping the hands busy and gradually progressed the drills to positions that would allow us to pass.  I'm starting to see more, to recognize more.  Then we did the standing/sitting pass/destabilize game for a few rounds, then moved to open mat.  I had one good round with the instructor and spent most of the time in a position of disadvantage.  But he said I did a good job defending some things, making him work more.  I had to make some adjustments against a tall, long-limbed guy I rolled with, mainly in that camping position.  I had to settle down with my head a bit lower on his body so I could control his hips better.

[bushido_man96]

8/24/2025

Women's Self-Defense Seminar Day 3:  12:30 - 2:30 pm.  Unfortunately this year, the seminar didn't get as much publicity as it had in years past, and it hurt the numbers a bit.  I didn't attend day 1 due to scheduling conflicts (I'd been working the night shift) and they didn't need as much help on day 1.  I was planning on making day 2, but I hadn't been to sleep at all that morning and knew I wasn't going to remain healthy and make it through.  So day 3 was the only I made it.

This day is the ground defense day.  We started by covering stand up in base, then moved onto ground defense:  dragged by legs, reverse from guard, reverse from mount (more traditional), reverse from mount with the hands pinned to the ground at the wrists, two-handed choke from mount (pluck-and-buck, or just buck), and choke from guard (stretch hips out, make space, kick away to stand up in base).

We had a unique opportunity to work with a gal who had recently been attacked.  I was familiar with the incident due to my line of work.  I spoke with her for a while after the session was over, and I told her that she was in a unique position and could tell us if she thought what we were providing was malarky or not.  She stated that she thought our material was very helpful and was grateful for our work.  That's a pretty good deal.

[bushido_man96]

8/26/2025

TKD:  5:30 - 7:15 pm.  Several sessions overall.

Bag Circuit:  5:30 - 5:40 pm.  One of the rooms at the gym has been converted to a "Boxing Room," with several different hanging bags.  I did a pre-class circuit, 1 minute on each bag, 1 minute rest, 5 rounds total.

1.  Kickboxing on a standard sized bag.

2.  Headache ball, or double-end ball.  It doesn't work great due to not being tethered to the floor properly.

3.  Kickboxing on a heavier bag.

4.  Long, slender bag (I think they might be called banana bags?), focusing on low shin kicks and elbows.

5.  Round bag, uppercuts and hooks.

Traditional Class:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Taught this class.  Regular basics, then forms:  white, orange, low green, high green, high blue, 2nd dan and 3rd dan.  One-steps for same.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  Taught/participated in this class.  Two rounds of regular sparring, then two rounds of making them switch feet after stepping back to their fighting positions.  They had to keep that other foot forward as much as possible.  I wanted them to get more comfortable sparring from the other side.  Then two more rounds where I made them keep their front feet inside the square (puzzle mats).  They could kick with the front foot, but it had to go back down inside the square, or they had to switch the other foot into the square.  This was to get them more comfortable with sparring in close quarters.  Any techniques were allowed, but I told them I didn't just want them punching because they were close.

My left wrist is really bothering me.  The round of bag work with uppercuts/hooks really hurt at times.  Made me focus more on form and rotating my wrist and arm the right way to nullify the pain.  And something funny tonight; one of the green belt girls kicked me right in the face.  She threw a round kick that I blocked, but she doubled it up (I thought she was dropping it to the ground).  That repeat kick caught me right in the mouth!  Keep my hands up!

[bushido_man96]

8/27/2025

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:45 pm.  Warmed up on our own then we got right into technique work.

Yokomenuchi sokumen iriminage (5th kyu):  Omote and ura versions.  Ura was much more difficult, with a tenkan (a back turn) and then continuing to twist.  On both versions I must focus on drawing the arm across my body (drawing my hand to my ribs).  This helps with kazushi.  We did the same technique against a knife attack (yokomen).  I also concentrated on trying to fall properly, as the way I'd learned to fall in TKD and Hapkido was a bit different.

I did a little video review of previous ranks before class.

[bushido_man96]

8/28/2025

TKD:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  This is kind of silly, but I got angry with myself because my hands shake so much and I can't control it.  I decided to just squeeze my fists together even tighter, causing them to really shake, very noticeably.  This went on throughout basics.  Stretch after basics.  For forms, I did Choi Yong twice.  I'm still having trouble with balance on a back leg round kick repeat side kick.  One-steps were low orange belt.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  Lots of working with kids and low ranks.

Unfortunately, BJJ got canceled tonight.

[bushido_man96]

9/3/2025

Taekwondo:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  I taught this class.  In basics I worked extra on the side kick chambers.  I'm a real stickler on side kick technique, and the side kick is a big part of Taekwondo.  Forms consisted of white, low orange, and low green blet.  One-steps for same.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  I did a few rounds of regular sparring to warm up, then changed it up.  Next was one round of kicking only with the front leg, then one round of kicks to the head only.  Next was situational drilling for three rounds.  Students were set up in an open stance, and the attacker did a back leg round kick and defender would block and counter with a reverse side kick.  I had them attack for one round and defend for the next.  The last of these three rounds was more like free sparring, just limited to an attack of a back leg round kick and the defense of block/counter reverse side kick.  I was trying to get the students to begin to recognize the attack and counter it.

I had one adolescent girl break down crying twice in class.  I tried to figure out what was wrong, but she wouldn't answer so I just had her sit out until she calmed down.  She broke down once in basics and once while sparring, and sparring wasn't due to being struck.  She struggles in class, and I'm trying to get her to move more deliberately, and I pace the class pretty quickly.  I do this at times to get the students to think less and go more.  I think this frustrated her.

[bushido_man96]

9/5/2025

Trying to get back to some form of strength training.

Squats:  45x5x2, 135x5, 185x3, 185x3, 185x3.

Press:  45x5x2, 65x5, 75x5, 75x5, 75x5.

I'm going to play with the rep range and try a 5/3/1 approach.  I want that last set to be somewhat heavy, but doing heavy 5's makes pressure build up in my head.