Gave myself a deadline to start blogging my workout schedule by the start of the taijutsu classes at UR. Well, we started yesterday and here I am, putting some info up. But, not just yesterday, but today as well.
Taijutsu -Â 1/29/07
Started instructing yesterday, first time of the year for the Fitness Insructional Programs at UR. Includes four of us as co-instructors. The first night was mine (as will be all Mondays).
It was a good start. We have 10 people signed up and a brand new facility. The only drawback was all of the drying paint and other fumes. Enough to make you high and then some. But enough of the small stuff, let’s get to the training.
1.5 hours. Got there early to get things prepared. Got to do some rolls. We started with warmups and an overview of some terms from the Bujinkan. Just enough to provide some context. Then some otoshi (breakfalls), only zenpo (forwardwards) and koho (backwards) at this point. Then more active protection: kaiten (rolls). Started the students with the basics of rolling from kneeling, to protect the knee and shoulder, and worked our way up. Once again, limited two the same two directions.
Then we wanted to start working on a some basic movements involving both footwork and using the hands., In this case, we designed the flow of the first night to culminate in a specific movement. Not a specific basic, but something designed as a nice fluid introduction to a combination of the basics or goshenjutsu (loosely translated as protection of self).
We began with falling back from shizen (standing on two feet) and moving back into i-jumonji. Then moved into the beginning of chi no kata and gave them time to get used to moving the hip and shoulder as one unit. This sequed into a basic Bujinkan punch.
Then a standard Bujinkan movement: falling off at 45 degrees. Important training for protection from knife. If you fall straight back, they keep moving and stab you. Move at 90 degrees and your ribs remain in a possible path of the knife in case of a side cut. 45 degrees means they have to step a second time. Small consolation, but it is, after all, a game of giving yourself more time (even if measured in milliseconds) to identify an angle of attack or avenue of escape.
Then we simply hung a strike to the jaw, with the hand coming from the hip, using shakoken (open palm strike). Now put it all together and mix well.
Uke in i-jumonji
Tori in shizen
Uke punches to tori’s chest
Tori falls 45 degrees offline into i-jumonji
Tori immediately shifts to close distance by bringing back foot forward and using shakoken to take uke’s head up and back and off-balance. If done correctly, tori’s knee also strikes uke’s front knee and adds an extra element to take balance.
Mind: normally, uke could just shift backwards to avoid. However, with enough training, tori can make shift back and move forward into one fluid motion, compressing the defense/attack in time and rhythm to match uke’s movements. Also, the fall back would involve a strike to uke’s arm designed to steal balance for just a portion of a second.
Students all seemed to enjoy the lesson and, particularly, the fact it culminated into a single movement. Made for a great first class with lots of positive feedback. Hopefully all of the students will return on Wednesday.
At home -Â 1/30/07
Just some basic exercises tonight.
Shoulders (from my old physical therapy days)
Push-ups
Sit-ups
Pull-ups
Squats
Sanchin (basic Bujinkan movements)
Not a lot, but a start, with more coming between two nights of training. Tomorrow, we train at the university again. I’m ready for it…