The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

3/20/2025

So this ended up being a good day of training!

Aikido:  9:00 - 10:00 am.  Back to morning classes!  This was spring break week, and I was the only one in that morning.  The sensei had been sick the night before and was concerned about being too close, so this provided an interesting training opportunity.  He offered we could do weapons training, which I always enjoy, or we could practice my testing techniques using a kata approach.  I opted for the latter, as I really want to test.  And I really enjoyed it.  It probably has something to do with the fact that I've been doing forms and one-steps for so many years, but I found it really helped me get lots of reps and really see what my hips were doing.

We did dynamic ikkyo, both omote and ura, then we did the static version, which is done from a lapel grab.  Next was shomenuchi katatori iriminage (I struggle with this one, and I think the kata approach helped out a lot).  I really enjoyed this approach, and hope to do it some more.  I plan on picking one prior to class and using it as bit of a warmup.

TKD:  Rank Class:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Got through all the basics, but it took about 30 minutes.  I watched white belts do their forms, then taught Won Hyo to a high green belt.  Finished with white belt one-steps.

BJJ:  7:00 - 8:30 pm.  We worked in gi tonight, and the focus was on standing passing.

Game 1:  Top/standing player was attempting to do a Toriando pass by getting grips on the knees or ankles, getting the bottom player onto their back, and then get around a leg by collapsing them and then stretching one out and sneaking the far leg around to then pass to side control.  Bottom player tried to sit up, retain posture, and defend the pass.  To pass was to win.

8 min, round robin.

Game 2:  Same game, but now the bottom player had the added benefit of trying to off-balance/destablize the standing player, and by getting the standing player's hands or butt on the ground gave them a win.  If the seated player could pull in close underneath the standing player, they could get hooks and sweep by pulling them over you.

8 min, round robin.

Game 3:  Same game, but the standing player got to expand the pass game to more than just the Toriando; knee slices, etc were all-go.  Coach explained to us that we have to make their grips a liability.  Trying to do that sounded easy enough, but the game moves so much that a disadvantage may only last a second, and you've got to capitalize on it quick.

8 min, round robin.  Only three of us in class tonight, so got lots of work, and lots of tired. 

After all that, the other student in the class, who said he'd had other experience in striking styles, specifically mentioned Shotokan, talked through his frustrations.  He talked about how he had trouble seeing "the way forward."  He felt he could defend well, but had trouble seeing what "winning," like successfully gaining a position, was like.  We talked about our thoughts for a while, and I likened it to having the "empty cup" approach.  I think he struggles with the ecological approach, especially coming from styles where we stand up and learn techniques in the air before moving to application, and perhaps from a more pliant partner experience.

I think he'd rather do a more static approach to training, where we talk through a technique like an armbar applied when in mount, or drilling the triangle choke from guard.  I think it would help him see "the way forward" better, even though when we start rolling all those steps get pretty jumbled and thrown out the window.  I offered that it might be beneficial to start with a static drill like that, and then move into the games using that as the image to fall back on.  Coach was really open to listening, and he may change up his approach some.  Personally, I haven't minded the approach he's used thus far; it's very different to what I'm used to, but that's what I like about it.  It's taking me out of my comfort zone and really showing me my weaknesses.

Edited March 25 by bushido_man96

[bushido_man96]

3/24/2025

TKD:  Forms/One-Steps Class:  5:30 - 6:00 pm.  Three of us, counting the CI, so we all did colored belt one-steps in a round-robin style.  Worked well, we got through them all, and it afforded us each a little rest after each one-step.

Sparring Drills:  6:00 - 6:30 pm.  Warmups:  knee-ups, down the floor forward and stepping backwards going back.  Stretch kicks going down, then round kick knee chambers going back, really extending the knee forward and locking out and stretching the hip.

Standing bag drills:

In-and-out FL round kicks:  1 min each side, 30 sec rest between rounds.

Stance switch then switch round kick:  1 min each side, 30 sec rest between rounds.

FL side kick/spin side kick, alternating:  1 min total.

FL side check kick to round kick:  1 min each round, 30 sec rest between rounds.

Black Belt Class:  6:30 - 7:30 pm.  We did "exploratory" one-steps and two-steps.  We started with one-steps, with one random attack from either side.  The defender would defend as normal and then counter, but the attacker would block/move/counter the defender's first technique.  Then the defender would have to adjust and finish the one-step from there.  We did the same for two-steps attacks.  It was a fun approach, and we looked at different counters and talked out some of the things we did.  It was a fun hour of work.

I wanted to stretch afterwards, but my left hip kept charlying up, making it a pain to stretch.