July 28 2007 Special Training

July 28 2007 Special Training Group
Originally uploaded by The Mad Dance Dad.

Today we had our 2nd special training of the year and what a momentous occasion!

Class began with Sensei Paris Janos leading us through a series of warm-ups and working our way through Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan, Fukyugata Ichi and Ni, Pinan Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan and Godan. We started out doing them slow and soft but they quickly became very vigorous. After warming up with the kata we worked on Naihanchi more intently and Sensei Janos worked with us on principles of using dropping power to make more effective technique with less effort.

After a short break and much needed water, we started again with Sensei Steve Harless. Sensei Harless worked with us on Wankan. This was a special treat, I'm sure, for a couple of the TKC regulars who hadn't learned this kata yet. Sensei Harless spent copious time and energy drilling us on the nuances of each movement. After much drilling, Sensei Harless had each of the groups (Panama City, Gainesville, Tallahassee) go up and perform Wankan for the rest of the class. Everyone looked so awesome doing the Kata and it was really cool to see the subtle differences between styles of performance from group to group.

After another break, I took the next segment and we worked on applications for movements from Naihanchi Shodan. This was the first time I had shown some of my "unique" kata interpretations to my teachers. I will need to ask them off line what they think and hopefully they will be honest (and maybe nice) in their response :)

For the last segment of class, Sensei Janos worked with us on Bojutsu/Suji no Kun. Having 17 people do Bojutsu without destroying the Dojo or hurting each other was very difficult, but it worked out ok. Sensei Janos stressed keeping the Bo close to your body at all times and also using the dropping/floating idea to make power that is coordinated with the strike.

When class was over, Sensei Harless and Sensei Janos had Hal and Dori from Gainesville line up to perform their promotion demonstrations. It is always difficult to do a promotion performance after a few hours of hard training, but Hal and Dori performed flawlessly through a series of standing and moving basics, prearranged kumite, advanced kata and saijutsu kata. For their efforts, Hal was rewarded with a Yondan certificate and Dori, his senior student, received her Nidan ceritificate.

It was bittersweet, however, as Hal is moving out of state next month and this whole event was indeed a good bye party. Hal has taught karate in Gainesville for years and has attended many special trainings in both Tallahassee and Panama City during that time. He will be missed at future events, but I know he will continue to teach in his new locale. I hope Dori will continue to teach in his absence and carry on the Kishaba Juku tradition in Gainesville.

As with most special training events, we ended the day with dinner at a local eating establishment...this time we went to Sonny's Bar-b-que.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, these are the things that make special trainings "Special."