Several junior beginners enrolled and took part in the 6.15pm session. Alan Lea took the class through a thorough warm up before the session proper began with basic punching practise. The beginners and lower grades quickly progressed to jodan and chudan oi tsuki, whilst the higher grades worked on sanbon tsuki. The brown and black belts used the more advanced style of punching, delivering three in rapid succession: face, body, face.
Kicking practise followed: the beginners and lower grades worked on the front kick, mae geri, whilst the higher grades focussed on the roundhouse kick, maewashi geri. The brown and black belts delivered the back fist/reverse punch combination after the kick. A degree of progress was made by all. A common flaw with the maewashi geri is a failure to fully commit to the kick and this was occassionally evident. Greater rotation on the supporting foot helped to remedy the matter.
The class then divided into three training groups: Rachel Tyler assisted the junior beginners with Kihon Kata; Alan Lea worked with the more experienced lower grades concentrating on appropriate Heian Katas; the brown and black belts concentrated on Bassai Dai and Heian Godan, culminating in the Heian kata being performed in pairs as if in competition. This added a certain “je ne sais quoi”: some performances were enhanced; some suffered!
The 7pm class began with skipping: a 1 x 2 minute round followed by 4 x 1 minute rounds with a tempo change in the last 15 seconds. Between the rounds of skipping a period of stretching took place.
Mitts on, gumshields in! The kumite phase of the session reflected the warm up. We began with a 2 minute round, and then moved onto 1 minute rounds with a tempo change in the last 15 seconds. We worked in groups of three: 2 fighters; 1 referee. At the 45 second point in the bouts yame was called and the winner was indicated by the referee. At this point a 15 second window of opportunity was given in a ‘sudden death’ climax to the bout: the fighter playing catch-up could do just that by scoring and stealing victory from the jaws of defeat; equally the fighter ahead on points could seal the win – or steal defeat from the jaws of victory by getting caught!
Empi, Jion, and Nijushiho were studied in some detail and then performed at full intensity. The energised atmosphere in the dojo during those final few minutes of action was almost tangible!
16 members trained in the 6.15pm session: Izzie Ponsonby; Sam McCallister; Joseph Mann; Archie Beardsley; Jason Mann; George Coates; Paul Osborne; Jonathan Osborne; Gregory Mills; Anthony Mills; Tom Hughes; Harry Heather; Alex Heather; Alex Hull; Darren Cockburn; Steve Hull.
9 members trained in the 7pm session: Ryan Skilton; Rachel Tyler; Tom Ludlow; Steve Hull; Kerry Lee; Dave Cochrane; Teddie Henderson; Rory Cave; Alan Lea.
Assistant instructors: Alan Lea; Rachel Tyler.
SOUTH NOTTS KARATE 