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What we began doing last week, and continued this week, was de-training the “left follows right” mentality, this is apotentially bad habit that can come automatically from practicing the base moves. i.e left, follows right, follow left, ad infinitum.

So we were doing:

1. Jodan Tzuki, followed by a Jodan Age Uke, both with the left arm, then both with the right.
2. Chudan Tzuki, followed by an Uchi Uke (again 2 lefts followed by 2 rights).
3. Chudan Tzuki, followed by a Soto Uke.
4. Gedan Tzuki , followed by a Gedan Uke - this one in particular requires a lot of movement of the wrist to do slowly and properly.

We did a few rounds of turning through 180 and 90 degrees with a reverse punch, however, the orange belts, bless ‘em, couldn’t keep themselves in time, so the whole thing was shambolic. It was far better last Friday when we managed to go both forward and reverse around four times (at 100%).

We also did a little movement this week, moving forward and punching, and moving back and punching - though Emma and I found ourselves reverting to Boxing cover when we did this.

The boxing guard is very different to karate because the weight, size and padding of boxing gloves affords their use as a barrier, so the guard is high. In karate, you must protect the head, body and legs, so the guard is lower, and pushed away from the body so that incoming strikes can be intercepted earlier.

The other movement training we did was new. Beginning in Heiko Dachi, perform a Soto Uke, then bringing both arms up to a level front guard before stepping forward into Han Zenkutsu Dachi (with the same side leg that just blocked), performing an Ura Uchi , and then back to a full reset.

The first grading approaches, for some.

Most people from our class will be going for their first grading this weekend (we’re missing it because of a prior arrangement to attend the Whitfield Volleyball tournament). To pass from white to yellow belt it’s necessary to know the basic punches, kicks and blocks (though you don’t have top do them that well) and also to know the pattern for the first kata, which also, you don’t have to do brilliantly, get get the legs and shapes right.