Thursday, August 31, 2006

Richmond (Shima Dojo) Class 8/29/2006

The ninja summit was the previous weekend and everyone had a good time. This was my first class at the Bujinkan Shima Dojo although I've attended several events there in the past so I am familiar with the dojo and it's family. Guest instruction was performed by Skip, one of Papa-san's students. He hung around for a few days after the summit. The usual suspects were in attendance. Skip went through the same routine he has for class back home. We started with ukemi including breakfalls. Then we went through several different kamae. Next was sanshin and kihon happo. After that we did a couple of koto ryu techniques which is Skip's favorite ryu. After class Dave and I faced off with padded bokkens.

I had a good time and feel very comfortable being back in Richmond. I'm looking forward to training with old and new friends.

Gambatte.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Arlington Class - 8/22/2006

Roger just returned from Japan and it was he, Lauren, and myself. Forget everything you think you know about taijutsu. That is not how's it done over there these days. OK, it's not quite like that but it is really different to me. That may not say much though since I've never been to Japan or trained with any of the Japanese shihan. Shizen no kamae is different. In self defense shizen is the most useful kamae. That particularly isn't news but what is news is that the other kamae are really just transitions from one shizen to the next. Actually, that isn't news either. That principle has always been known but it just doesn't seem to be practiced and I guess the reason for that is in my experience ichimonji is the dominate kamae and not shizen. Seiza no kamae is the same as shizen no kamae.

Attacking while retreating is important. Move in to strike at the same time you're evading your uke's attack. Even when evading maintain/claim that space you normally would have open. It's as simple as extending an arm. Control the rhythm of the fight. Attack in between beats. One of my previous instructions taught this also and that has been the only other time I've heard this point. Ikken hasso (one fist inifite ways) is important. Using the feet like hands is important. Especially when doing suwari gata. Spinning kicks are cool. One of my previous instructors did them and I loved it. I think I saw Kacem do a couple at a seminar before too.

If you want to be the best mimic the best.

Gambatte dattebayo.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Arlington Class - 8/17/2006

So summer is pretty much over and that's fine by me. The weather in July was too hot. For this class though it was just right. In attendance were me, Tim, Sam, Lauren, Daniel (new dude with previous experience), and Tony (dude with alot of other MA experience and watched and talked more than trained). While waiting on Lauren we did the regular ukemi. Once she was ready to go we did the Shiraishi-sensi style zempo and koho kaitens, and sokuho kaiten. The difference with this sokuho kaiten though was we didn't point our foot in the direction of the roll. The point being to simulate tripping over something. That requires you to roll from a higher point than usual. Then we did two variations of moving from shizen to ichimonji to oten. The first one was typical: from shizen, drop back into ichimonji then oten away. The second was sliding one foot back first to check the environment then moving into ichimonji then oten. We also did a koho kaiten as part of the oten.

The focus was and has been teachings from Shiraishi-sensi. He's got a simple rule when it comes to taijutsu: footwork first, then spine work, then hand work. Another rule is to take 'baby' steps. And another more general training rule is to give yourself options and mobility. With those in mind here are the techniques we attempted.



  1. Uke: Double lapel grab.
    Tori: Shizen no kamae. Raise both hands up to meet uke's as you shift your weight back to one side. Step back into ichimonji on the other side as you raise your outside elbow applying an armbar. That same arm should be able to grab uke's opposite wrist. If not hang on with the other hand. The uke's hands should be in front of you still. Shift into the uke and with the free/rear hand lightly grab the shoulder. Move your rear foot back slightly to create an open space. Drop down to the knee closest to the uke and pull them into that open space.


  2. Uke: Kumiuchi.
    Tori: Kumiuchi. With your weight on your rear foot place your front foot in line with your rear. Shift your weight onto your front foot as you drive your elbow into the base of the uke's sternum. Extend your hand into uke's face as you blade yourself as if doing some sanshin. With your rear hand hold onto uke's wrist as you bring your rear foot forward and place it to the outside of the uke's foot. Give yourself some space with that foot placement because you'll be dropping down to that knee. Rotate to drop down to that knee. The rotation should apply an armbar with your shoulder. Pull the uke's wrist/hand to the inside of your hip. The knee/leg you drop down to could lock the uke's knee.


  3. Uke: Kumiuchi.
    Tori: Kumichi. Take a small step towards uke with your rear foot. Place the same side hand onto uke's shoulder. This provides cover. Fudo ken uke's face in an upward motion. With the same side foot lightly kick uke's knee. Place that foot down in the space between uke's feet. Fudo ken again to uke's face with the same hand. Follow through with an elbow strike. With your rear leg create an opening for the uke to fall into. After the elbow strike "punch" straight to the ground bringing uke into that space. That one, two, three combo should be a smooth continuous flow.


  4. Uke: Kumiuchi.
    Tori: Kumiuchi. With the rear hand raise the uke's elbow slightly. Do this by keeping your elbows in and turing your spine in that direction. Bring your other hand over and hold the uke's forearm/wrist. Keep your elbow raised. Shift forward and reach over your arm to lightly grab the uke's nearest shoulder. Rotate your spine towards uke as you urate shuto the neck. Bring that hand under your arm holding the shoulder and grab the back of the arm. Create and opening with your rear leg. Drop to the knee closest to the uke pulling the uke into that space.


  5. Uke: Seiza no kamae.
    Tori: Fudoza no kamae. Uke lunges for a lapel grab or tsuki. Rock back receiving with the same side hand. Your feet should unfold so that the same side foot is on top. Use the bottom foot to keep them at bay and use the top to move the knee off the line of attack just enough to expose the armpit. Sokuyaku keri right into the armpit. Use your foot or knee to apply an armbar to lay the uke onto their stomach. Do as you please from there.



Clearly there is a theme here. Create spaces that you pull the uke into. This is done by following the three rules and taking baby steps. Or not.

Gambatte.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Springfield Class - 8/8/2006

Tim picked me up and then we picked up Lauren and headed to Jong's. Jong and Gino were there. The weather has been nice lately. The mosquitoes were not though. We started with the usual ukemi: zempo, koho, and yoko nagare. Jong had us doing koho kaiten alittle bit differently. Usually when I do koho kaiten when the roll is complete to get into gedan ichimonji I swing the free leg around to the front. Jong had us come up already in that kamae. It was a bit awkward because usually when I roll the forward leg becomes the rear knee that is planted and to get into kamae without moving my other foot I have to move that knee. To do that type of roll you have to extend your foot out and shift your body onto that rear knee as you come up.

After the ukemi we did a round of sanshin no kata and then worked on some kihon happo. First we did regular omote gyaku. Then we did it without using our hands. This was really just an exercise on taking the uke's balance. Musha dori was next. That was it for straight kihon happo.

We did a few of moves from a lapel grab with a punch. For each of these you moved into ichimonji as if applying an uke nagashi to the inside of the incoming punch. First was using your forearm/elbow to deflect the incoming punch and using your hand in their face to take their balance while applying omote gyaku. Second was doing the same thing with your forearm but using omote gyaku to pull the uke closer to you and with your free arm applying musha dori to the uke's free arm. Third was the same move with the forearm except rotate back towards the uke as if doing the gyokko ryu omote gyaku and then using your other hand move the uke's elbow up like musha dori and rotate back to your originial position. Takeori is good here. The fourth and final move was the same with the forearm except this time you went straight in with an urate shuto to the collar area to take the balance.

After that Lauren showed a koto ryu thing we've done before at her place. The uke and tori are walking towards each other. Once you're in range do an omote shuto to the arm or neck, move across in front of the victim, apply another omote shuto, then koho tobi. I can see this being done to a sword carrying samurai. The first strike would be to disable their arm from drawing the sword and on the second strike you could draw their sword with your free hand as you leap away. Or not. Who knows.

Good times.