Martial Arts Explorer

Found a good site on Youtube – Martial Arts Explorer. Some excellent tips:

When working on a technique to the opponent’s inside, if they strike with their free hand use the chambered shuto (i.e. cross parry, then strike).

Crane stance (as per Rohai) can be used as a takedown if opponent is getting too close and has his arm around your neck in a “friendly” and disarming manner in preparation for a headlock.
I’m still finding it damned difficult to get my head around the fact that the process of bunkai

needs to be very very flexible.

Zenkutsu dachi gedan harai uke as a takedown;
Opponent grabs with RH. RH hammerfist into crook of elbow (L5) LH uppercut punch to face. LH grab back of neck. Turn 90 degrees left and takedown using LH in gedan harai uke movement.

Bunkai progress

I engineered an application from Seipai last night. I’m not sure which HAOV it’s most suited to countering – essentially an attempted lapel grab, but I hadn’t come up with anything appropriate for that particular mnemonic previously. I think its more practical than previous seipai techniques I've seen but it works on a similar principle.

Pad work

We did some pad work last night from which I really learned a lot. RELAXATION of punching arm, shoulders and torso provide greater power. Don’t drop into low stance – unnecessary. I was taught also that its possible to punch very hard even off one leg – it’s the body movement forwards that generates a large amount of power in this instance. I have a tendency to let the elbow of my punching arm flair out when striking a pad. I'm not sure whether this is a bad habit I've developed due to a lack of practice over the past year or so, or whether its something that comes from never having done any serious pad work, and punching air instead.

The strikes we practised were:

1. Chudan tzuki from heiko dachi
2. Chudan tzuki with sliding left leg into kihon dachi. Stretch left hand out infront, inflate chest and raise up on left leg. Slide right foot forward and punch mid-step before planting right foot. Ensure that you don’t drop down and ensure that right leg doesn’t step forward too far.
3. Mawashi empi with sliding left leg into kihon dachi.