Shima Dojo 10/23/2007

We began class with sanshin no kata followed by a series a stretching exercises. Doug added a new exercise where you would stand a little more than arms length from a wall, lean forward to put your hands on the wall and then walk down and up the wall with your hands bending your knees as you went down. We repeated that a few times stepping further away from the wall.

Next we lined up and did zenpo kaiten across the dojo in both directions. Then we paired up and did a ichimonji exercise from the last class. Uke would throw a jodan tsuki while the tori would move from shizen no kamae to ichimonji no kamae to gedan ichimonji no kamae.

Then we lined up and did koho kaiten across the dojo in both directions. Then we paired up and did sui no kata with a partner. After that Doug showed a counter. As uke, when tori approaches with the omote shutoken shift back, catch the hand and apply omote gyaku.

After that we lined up for the last ukemi: zenpo kaiten followed by koho kaiten. Then we paired up and did ka no kata with a partner. After that we did another counter where the uke receives the uke nagashi atemi such that you can move that arm over to catch the incoming ura shutoken on the outside and apply muso dori.

Next we practiced a basic ura gyaku followed by a basic counter. The counter was when the tori would begin to apply the ura gyaku you stepped behind the tori's foot and forced your hand behind and around the tori's head.

We wrapped up the class with a kata from the Kukishinden Ryu. I believe it was Chikusei from the Sabaki Gata. Uke throws a jodan tsuki, a jodan tsuki, a zenpo geri and another jodan tsuki. Tori performs an uke nagashi on the first two attacks, holding onto the wrist after the second attack. When the zenpo geri comes tori applies omote gyaku to the uke's forearm while at the same time performing a gedan uke nagashi to ensure the attack is defeated. A jodan uke is applied with the same hand to the final tsuki. After that fudoken to the uke's face as you reach over to setup ura gyaku. If the uke resists the omote gyaku this should come easily. Apply ura gyaku as you strike the uke's ribs with a fudoken or happaken. Grab flesh and apply a simple sweep to drop the uke face first.

There were two variations on this. With the first one the tori would apply a musha dori like gyaku instead of ura gyaku. The hand that would do the ura gyaku does the musha dori as you step behind the uke and control him. With the second one the tori would move in and apply a simple sweep to the uke to drop him on his back instead of the ura gyaku. This would occur after the last uke nagashi when the tori would strike the uke in the face.

That was a lot of material covered in one class.

Gambatte kudasai!