Training Day, worked on Kamae flow drill and the feeling and attitude associated with the different Kamae. We work on our taisabaki (evasion) started slow with 1 punch combos then moved on to 2 and 3 punch variations for our Kentai Ichi (fist/body harmony) we then spend things up a little bit for more realistic training. Worked on basics of omote and ura gyaku and how they translate when disarming a knife attack.

 

Also worked on lessons 1-7 of the Gracie Jiujitsu curriculum, safety note – do not lean forward when bringing someone back into closed guard from  punch block 3 and 4, I got head butted (KeiKaKu Ken) in the jaw and almost knocked out.

Took part in a webinar over the weekend with Shihan Phil Legare from takesaigi.org. Topic of conversation was the western influence on martial arts and the importance (or lack of importance) that should be placed on obtaining rank.

My thought is it depends on your goals in training. If you want to learn some self defense techniques and feel good about yourself with your new found confidence then maybe black belt is a good stopping point. Shihan Phils stance is that once you get a black belt all you have done is learned the basics. I think that if one wants budo to be a way of life then you are never done training regardless of what you know or how good your taijutsu is

These are the people we martial artists need to surround ourselves with other with the same life goals. and understand that Bujinkan budo taijutsu is a way of life and not just some techniques. The true beauty of it is that it is a undefined way and a path that each individual must make on their own.

Training Day, apart from the usual ukeni and taihenjutsu we had a stong emphasis on Ganseke Nage and some henka (varioation) of the technique. This has got to be one of my favorite thorws since it can be applied from a clinch with a underhook from close distance which in a confined space it is good to refine techniques like these. Also trained a lot with muso dori and explored henka with it as well. We trained in the technique by itself and included other aspects. We worked through hicho no kata in its pure form. The issue is starting form hicho no kamae does not seem natural so we also trained in starting from Shizen and falling back into hicho for the gedan negash (lower block) that begins the technique