Jujutsu Class Diary
31 March 2003
Spent this evening mostly working on nidan (aikido: nikkyo), from sleeve grab, chest grab and strike. The more senior students looked at how to get the technique on against strong resistance without the liberal use of atemi. Always an interesting exercise.Towards the end of the class we then did some sword work, based on the Toyama Ryu kata. Cerebral exercise over with, I then stole a kids Judo game: divide into two teams by size and indulge in groundwork, winner stays on.
Classes have been continuing since the 3rd March, but I've got behind on updating the diary. It's been a good few weeks though - 4 new visitors and the mat comfortably full.
3 March 2003
Started the session working on some Kamishin Ryu techniques for a change. They tend to be more "direct" than the corresponding Hakko Ryu versions. This seemed to set the flavour for the rest of the evening: we moved on to techniques directed against the elbow joint, notably taking wakigatame from chudan tsuki. Carrying on with this spirit of exuberance, we finished off the evening working on escapes and reversals when pinned against the wall.
Highlight of the evening was when Chas turned up with Mungo, his few month old son. Big grins from Mungo as all these strange adults kept flying through the air - obviously a new game.
24 February 2003
Yet another newcomer - Mathew has just moved in to the area and came along to see how we compared with his previous club. To boost the numbers still further, Simon was back on the mat for the first time in 6 months following a back problem. Nothing to do with us, honest!
For the first half, we divided the class in to two, with the senior students working on nidangi whilst I went through a brief introduction to Dentokan Jujutsu with the others. Basic locks and rolls, probably a bit overwhelming, but it gave a flavour of what we get up to.
The last half of the class was more work on moving off line and taking the balance from a strike. By the end, this was worked up in to a tekagami from a punch to the body, and a wakigatame takedown from a face punch.
17 February 2003
Another newcomer this week: Steve joined us for the first time and seemed to enjoy himself. He certainly got the hang of tekagami quite quickly.
We spent some more time on taking the balance from a strike and moving in to the technique from there. This extended into looking at "soggy blocks" for a while.
While we were working through nidangi, Jim pointed out something which probably should have been obvious for years. The strike to the forearm in mune osae dori can be ineffective if uke has clamped on hard. Targeting the strike to the gakun (pressure point) on the forearm makes it much easier to float uke and so apply the technique. Thanks Jim!
10 February 2003
Carrying on with my earlier theme: closing against a striking attack and taking a technique from there. We closed the distance this evening and looked at jabs, deflecting with the elbow to take balance and then taking the technique. More practice required!
Slowing down a little, we then spent a while looking at the detail of sandan wrist bend, experimenting with directions for maximum effect and weaknesses in the technique. Interestingly, in escaping we kept reproducing the unusual lock present in mochi mawari: perhaps this is where it comes from.
To finish a little nidan: first from Hakko Ryu ude osae dori, then the shorter Daiwa Ryu version, then the very direct Reg Siger special.
3 February 2003
At a suggestion from Utsav, we spent most of this evening working through a variety of counters: one each to shodan, nidan and sandan locks, then counters to tekagami and niho nage. As ever, timing and posture proved crucial to all of these.
27 January 2003
Back to a normal class. The first hour was spent working on kata: nidan for the blue belts, shodan for the others. We then started looking at a problem I want to spend quite a bit of time on this year. Applying locking techniques from grappling flows quite well, but to apply the same techniques in the face of rapid striking attacks is, in my opinion, difficult without the use of significant atemi. So what better way to start the new year than to look at deflecting strikes, taking the balance and then taking a lock. If it's hard it's got to be fun to try.
25 January 2003
Not a normal class. Instead Chas, Frances and I took part in a "martial arts extravaganza" being organised by the Oxford University Asia Pacific Society. This took the form of half a dozen martial arts clubs giving a 20 minute demonstration of their style. The afternoon ran well with only minor hiccups. The prize for best presentation in adversity must surely have gone to Gareth Smith of the OU Kendo Club. Headroom in the hall was woefully inadequate for swinging shinai, but Gareth stoically dressed in full armour made a good pitch to his audience.
20 January 2003
Back on the mat after a long break. The house move has happened; some, but not enough, decorating has been done. All in all it's great to be back on the mat.
With everyone feeling a little rusty, we settled on a general recap of the underlying principles of shodan, nidan and sandan. One nasty moment when Utsav had a knee twinge, possibly due in part to ACL surgery a few years before. He seemed to be much recovered after a rest, but wisely took no further part that evening so as not to exacerbate the injury.
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