What did I teach today?

[JusticeZero]

Class had three adults in it; for the most part it was a rerun of the last one, but instead of the acrobatics, I covered tactics:

The importance of escape, the importance of directly controlling your attacker and the onlookers, and the value of girly screaming combined with a frightened expression and falling down as part of your technique so that (as Vidro put it) "-THEY- are going to go to the hospital or jail, but YOU are going to go home and play on your X-Box because YOU weren't fighting, as far as anyone watching was concerned."

[JusticeZero]

Had the TKD kids in class again. Now I need to figure out a larger variety of ways to address the annoying comment "That's not how we do it in TKD."

I also need to figure out ways to deal with varying levels of skill better. Vidro does a lot of the lines very slowly and deliberately, playing with balance and technique, pushing the envelope, and falling down a lot; one of the TKD kids also has little background in body movement, and has difficulty with movement. Two of the TKD kids are breakdancers by hobby, and once they grasp a movement (or, at least, THINK they grasp it) they blow down the line in seconds.

Routine was the usual stretch kicks and stretch twists, then evasions flowing into floor movements *without moving the feet* (this part throws people; you should be able to do many of your transitions in place), then some sweeping work. Then one of the TKD kids - the same one who was smart-aleck stepping out of a takedown a few days ago, I think? started trying to tell me that my spinning kick was easy to stop by blocking the leg. Well, duh, you can disrupt ANY technique, even a boxing jab; I showed them a few places on their TKD kicks where the kick could be disrupted. "Yeah, but I can switch to this other thing if they do that..." and here is two or three things that I can change the original kick to if it is stopped. Then some comment of how the crescent kick I was teaching was easy to block with a circular block. "Here, hold this heavy kicking shield like you were doing a circular block." *KERPOW!!!* "Remember, I have bare feet right now. Normally, I train or practice this in shoes. That means you're blocking that plus the weight of my shoe, and i'm probably hitting in part with the side of the sole. I can adjust the angle if I think you're going to stick your elbow out." This led in to, in a similar vein shortly afterward, "You like doing those nifty shoulder rolls. Have you ever tried doing one on pavement? How about rough pavement? Or gravel?"

After the TKD kids left, me and my usual students went out and did, in fact, practice some of our Cap type tumbling on the pavement. I want to do that more, but the traffic blows the young one's concentration out the door.

I will admit to being a bit cranky about the mats. Two toenails were lost to that mat on Thursday, in their entirety; one was mine. We were in no way doing anything unusual which might cause it. I HATE the mats.

[tallgeese]

I wonder if your problem with mats has to do with the particular movements of your art? If there is some body mechanic that predisposes your lower extremities to injury? Not that it matters, it's an academic question.

I've just spent alot, like nearly all, my training time on mats over the years and have rarely had an injury that I could point to the mat as a proximate cause of. It's interesting.

I do know the frustration that can come with the "this isn't how we do it in....." statement. I've usually found that it's just to repeat the "this is not that art...." mantra to them. They will either eventually come to realize this, or leave.

On another note, I have indeed had to both breakfall and roll out of things on non matted surfaces. One was even in gravel. Yes, it stinks, however, it's better than not doing so. Even if it leave marks now and then .

[JusticeZero]

Well, we do a lot of gliding and stepping with feet and legs that are almost limp, and then we twist a lot standing on the ball of our feet with our heel way up where we can sit on it. In shoes, this is very easy. In bare feet on a grippy surface? Toes get caught a lot. Vidro started getting his toes caught in the mats a lot around the time that he started to grasp the body mechanics.

On your other note: I can deal with rolls as a breakfall, but these rolls were just being used as a method of covering ground.

[bushido_man96]

Had the TKD kids in class again. Now I need to figure out a larger variety of ways to address the annoying comment "That's not how we do it in TKD."

I also need to figure out ways to deal with varying levels of skill better. Vidro does a lot of the lines very slowly and deliberately, playing with balance and technique, pushing the envelope, and falling down a lot; one of the TKD kids also has little background in body movement, and has difficulty with movement. Two of the TKD kids are breakdancers by hobby, and once they grasp a movement (or, at least, THINK they grasp it) they blow down the line in seconds.

Routine was the usual stretch kicks and stretch twists, then evasions flowing into floor movements *without moving the feet* (this part throws people; you should be able to do many of your transitions in place), then some sweeping work. Then one of the TKD kids - the same one who was smart-aleck stepping out of a takedown a few days ago, I think? started trying to tell me that my spinning kick was easy to stop by blocking the leg. Well, duh, you can disrupt ANY technique, even a boxing jab; I showed them a few places on their TKD kicks where the kick could be disrupted. "Yeah, but I can switch to this other thing if they do that..." and here is two or three things that I can change the original kick to if it is stopped. Then some comment of how the crescent kick I was teaching was easy to block with a circular block. "Here, hold this heavy kicking shield like you were doing a circular block." *KERPOW!!!* "Remember, I have bare feet right now. Normally, I train or practice this in shoes. That means you're blocking that plus the weight of my shoe, and i'm probably hitting in part with the side of the sole. I can adjust the angle if I think you're going to stick your elbow out." This led in to, in a similar vein shortly afterward, "You like doing those nifty shoulder rolls. Have you ever tried doing one on pavement? How about rough pavement? Or gravel?"

After the TKD kids left, me and my usual students went out and did, in fact, practice some of our Cap type tumbling on the pavement. I want to do that more, but the traffic blows the young one's concentration out the door.

Man, I don't envy you here. At times, it gets so frustrating that I would just want to say "Ok, here it comes, try to stop it that way..." Are these kids in there willingly, or otherwise? If they are there because they want to be, I would be inclined to tell them that in TKD, they can do TKD, and with you, they should do Capoeira. I think in time, they will begin to see the differences, and appreciate them.

[JusticeZero]

They're there because the instructor who is letting me use his space sent some of his students (mostly kids, which I try not to cater to) to my class to try it out. For added annoyance, it's the kick in the 0:20 KO video that they were griping about; It can't sacrifice power without sacrificing speed.

[sensei8]

Today at the Hombu, I taught the Bunkai of Wankan to the Senior Yudansha's. This week, Wankan, will be disected piece by piece and movement by movement to bring a deeper knowledge and understanding of the waza's that comprise Wankan.

Wankan's been on my heart lately and one heart means one understanding!

Today was a good day!

[JusticeZero]

Vidro is recovering from injury, so I don't get to do much. If I try, he jumps in and aggravates the injury (a cracked collarbone).

Thursday, I covered dirty tricks; knee strike to the floating rib or head, and turning a side slip into a palm strike targeted somewhere from the groin to kneecap, using breath and a body drop for power generation and staying defended.

Also covered application of the basic crossing hand movement and its importance in power storage and defense.

Saturday was music practice, as I got a berimbau in. So was today.

[cathal]

I'm pretty sure I didn't see this one posted already. This is called Taking the Centre (or for you US folk, Center).

For beginners we place a mark using masking tape (or something else non-permanent) and this is designated as The Centre. The first of the pair stands over this mark and is permitted to move 1-2 steps away during technique execution. The other student, who must then take the centre, can use set techniques to usher his opponent from controlling the centre. For beginners I usually have them do very simple techniques such as lunge punch, front snap kick, or even just a push or a grab & throw. The beginner in the centre, at this level, doesn't use counterattacks, they simply avoid & dodge. They're permitted to block of course, but they must remain in control of the centre by getting their opponent out of the 1-2 step range of the centre.

Most beginners have no idea how to do this but this helps to teach them awareness, dodging & escape, and the importance of maintaining balance. If the student in the centre loses balance or can't keep their opponent from the centre they switch roles.

Intermediate students have a bit more to do, they're permitted to use grapples, most kicks, etc.

Advanced level students are permitted to use whatever technique they choose but the student in the centre isn't aware of the technique to be used against them.

The goals of this exercise are numerous. You've got the aforementioned dodging, awareness, etc. But as they advance you'll see the student becoming more and more comfortable with random attacks being used against them. Students who used to flinch, blink, tense their shoulders and chest, etc eventually stop this as they become more and more comfortable and more importantly, more self confident.

The trick is to start slowly so the beginners aren't full of intimidation and fear. Eventually they'll pair up with a senior student or myself to help control these feelings but still aware of what techniques are to be used.

I get good feedback from this exercise and I'm constantly refining it.

What do you think?

[bushido_man96]

That sounds like a great tool to use, cathal. I'd love to see it in action.

8-18-09

During class tonight, there were a few times I got to work with kids.

The first was in one-steps, and I worked with him on getting into his stances with techniques stepping forward and back, and on targeting his attacks to the nose.

The second was with a young gal in sparring. I helped her to keep her body bladed so she didn't offer too many targets, working a bit of angles and countering in combinations.