Week 27

The first hour tonight was designated to grading specific work. So I had the pleasure of working with H on the 3 drill and lat sau.

3 drill detail worth noting is that all we need to demonstrate in the 1st grade is an ability to change when asked, to fully extend the lap as well as being relaxed in the arm when being lapped, all attacks forward to the face, defence energy is forward without zoning out. Thankfully Martin highlighted some gaping holes in my 3 drill in that I kept hitting the arms and not the face. So for me this is my target to sort out. Amongst the training, H chose to sidetrack me with his story of the week which was so funny that I bent over laughing. In addition we briefly chatted capoeria and the beauty of it and the merits or not of it’s effectiveness. H recounted a clip he saw where the said stylist got battered. This link suggests otherwise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6oiADjOdFg

Lat sau: Previously the aspect of training I would have happily never done again yet tonight training with H we managed to roll correctly and for an extended period without the deltoid burn that was apparent in previous sessions. Nice relaxed arms were the key for me. As we hat to test each other’s forward energy of the punches I learnt a simple lesson. Whenever you take the hand away to cover the face, place the bloody thing on the face. Mine was a few centimetres away and deservedly got hit in the hand which twated me in the face. At least H’s punches were going where they were meant to.

Next we moved on to a pair of sparring techniques: Lap punch – chicken wing elbow – horizontal elbow to the chin. The extended version was an uppercut then elbow the face. Felt nice to use the elbow as a lever to enter and control their space. Martin also demo’d the tighter power of using the elbow to lever gaps in standing grappling.

Sparring: Felt like we had not this for ages. The routine was 1 minute defend, then attack followed by both attacking. I got a bollocking for shit footwork – my stance was far too shallow. We then had a brief break to work a low solid base. The drill was to push our partner back by using deep but short steps. Utilising the legs to do the work. From then on I endeavoured (when not tied up) to work the footwork. For me this was to the detriment of my hands but I feel like I really need to sort out the feet first. To get a better feel I was using the footwork to press my partner back. A few notes on who I sparred with.

H attacked with tight shapes and excellent forward energy. Made me believe that if I did not defend then a fat lip would be my gift.

The Last Samurai palm striked the crap out of my face. He likes to hold the wrists so need to muse a cunning escape plan. Maybe rolling and rotating elbows would work?

Kam was constant forward energy, no breaks but so relaxed and precise in his movements. Reminded me of the sparring technique we practised and managed to employ it just once. Too busy trying to keep my stance sensible.

Paul wants to tie up and grapple, very strong, will be a menace when that strength softens and becomes octopus-esqe in his grappling.

Z has great hip awareness, won’t let you get near him, posts his arms well into the hips when looking to tie up. Time to pull out the flying triangles... This video has some tremendous takedown action, a shame that it is so rare in judo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u41omoNO4U

Pure commitment to technique

We ended with a pad training circuit. A new one for me tonight was the 1-2-9-10-9-10-3-2. AS always, jolly good fun.

Finally and sadly tonight was the end of an era. After 16 years the school hall of Waddon Infants is to be demolished. The school has relocated so the developers are to move in and make a killing. I first walked through the doors of this school in 1997. When I came back this year, it was exactly the same. The old hall has served Martin and his students well over the years. I am sure he will be quite sad at leaving but change is an inevitable part of life. Time to look forward to a new chapter. Timely words I guess as no training for me next week I will be undergoing the small matter of a snipping procedure. Pics and audio files to follow...