Training log.

jks9199

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Chris has made a good point about being careful about what you share and how you share it. I don't know who your teacher is, or their ethnicity. You might want to recall that if they are ethnically Japanese, or really steeped in the culture -- they may not like to say no. Make sure you understand their answer and opinion. I don't teach within the Bujinkan or any other form of Japanese art, but you might notice I rarely go into details about my style. We've been advised that we should use a great deal of care in what we post about our art -- so I do so.
 

Brian R. VanCise

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Getting up yourself is good for you own training after a takedown. It will definitely make your legs like iron after lots and lots of takedowns and then getting back up! ;)
 

Chris Parker

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Yeah.... sorry about that. There's a few I need to reply to, but I'll clear some room now. Give it 5 minutes for me to make a cull...
 
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Personal training log.

I have been working on a number of things, during my personal time away from school.(done for the year, will be back end of next week) I have been doing the sanshin no kata, though I am struggling a little with the last one. More due to my size and poor balance then anything else. Also I have have been spending a lot of time walking through the various aruki tsuki drills we have. They are very difficult for me, and I am putting a lot of time in..

The main reason I have posted this Personal log today is that I am somewhat closer to my goal of doing the backwards roll.. I very nearly had it today, had to stop as I nearly took out a leg of my daughters bed and it was her bed time. (her room is large and spacious, was practicing there. ) I think with some more time on my own ill be able to do it a lot more consistently.

I need to buy some tatami mats, as I need a softer place to learn my rolls at home. Doing them on hard flooring, as a newb at least is painfull on my knees.(I do them from kneeling) I do need to find a way to condition the skin on the tops of my knees, will be further researching this..

What I have found odd is that, the side roll is so much easier to do. I am struggling a bit with my front roll, as I consistently screw up the angle of my shoulder and end up in a very bad side roll.

I have only rolled from standing one time, and that was during class. I will not attempt it, until I get more practice time, doing it under supervision and after I get better at doing them at home kneeling.

Future goals include getting the fixtures to hang my heavy bag at my new home, and to get a good practice 3foot dowel rod so I can work on the three hanbo techniques that sensei wants all beginners to know.

Please, note, this is a personal log, not a official school day log. just a record of my personal home training.
 

Chris Parker

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Personal training log.

I have been working on a number of things, during my personal time away from school.(done for the year, will be back end of next week) I have been doing the sanshin no kata, though I am struggling a little with the last one. More due to my size and poor balance then anything else. Also I have have been spending a lot of time walking through the various aruki tsuki drills we have. They are very difficult for me, and I am putting a lot of time in..

Bend your support knee a little more for better balance in Ku no Kata... and try to get the tsuki as smooth as possible, with each smaller part of your movement moving naturally into the next. It gets smoother with time and practice, and, as it does, it gets faster, and more powerful.... fun!

The main reason I have posted this Personal log today is that I am somewhat closer to my goal of doing the backwards roll.. I very nearly had it today, had to stop as I nearly took out a leg of my daughters bed and it was her bed time. (her room is large and spacious, was practicing there. ) I think with some more time on my own ill be able to do it a lot more consistently.

Ha, cool!

I need to buy some tatami mats, as I need a softer place to learn my rolls at home. Doing them on hard flooring, as a newb at least is painfull on my knees.(I do them from kneeling) I do need to find a way to condition the skin on the tops of my knees, will be further researching this..

Try mattresses, or mats such as jigsaw mats (can be a bit expensive, but not more than tatami mats), should be easier to find, store, and look after, as well as commonly being softer and better to practice on, if you have the room. You also might want to invest in some thin, or basic knee pads if you're doing it all from kneeling.

What I have found odd is that, the side roll is so much easier to do. I am struggling a bit with my front roll, as I consistently screw up the angle of my shoulder and end up in a very bad side roll.

Yeah... that's pretty common. I've noticed a number of reasons, not really any point speculating here, but the end result of them all is the same... as you go forward for your zenpo kaiten, the lead knee turns and points to the side... which turns your body... and leads you into more of a sokuho kaiten instead. Try to ensure the lead knee continues to point in the direction you're rolling, and you could find that helps.

I have only rolled from standing one time, and that was during class. I will not attempt it, until I get more practice time, doing it under supervision and after I get better at doing them at home kneeling.

Cool.

Future goals include getting the fixtures to hang my heavy bag at my new home, and to get a good practice 3foot dowel rod so I can work on the three hanbo techniques that sensei wants all beginners to know.

Cool. Dowel tends to not be so good for anything with impact (it can splinter or break, having a wider grain, and being less "solid"), but for practicing actions, good idea.

Please, note, this is a personal log, not a official school day log. just a record of my personal home training.

Nice work, this is a good way to track your progress. Very cool.
 

Carol

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Love reading your log, KFrame. :asian:

If by chance you are interested in puzzle mats for your workout area, check out Harbor Freight Tools or Ocean State Job Lot -- if you have either near you. I saw 1/2" puzzle mats in both shops for a decent price...I'm planning on picking some up to make a more rigid floor for my tent :)
 
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Kframe

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I found some at Costco so im going to pick some up. Should make my ukemi practice so much more comfortable. Thank you for the suggestion.

Still however, I need to formulate a plan to condition the skin on my knees. These are meant to save my bacon on any surface, so I need to not feel pain there.
I would love to have my knees conditioned by spring, so I can do my rolls in my grass out side my house.
 

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As you improve kframe you won't even use your hands to roll, let alone your knees! Youl be right :)
 

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Hi Kframe,
"The main reason I have posted this Personal log today is that I am somewhat closer to my goal of doing the backwards roll.. I very nearly had it today, had to stop as I nearly took out a leg of my daughters bed and it was her bed time. (her room is large and spacious, was practicing there. ) I think with some more time on my own ill be able to do it a lot more consistently."


When I started out I moved the dining table out of the way, which gave me a clear shot from the front wall to the back door or about 20 feet. It is a lot easier practicing rolls for the first time in winter if you do them indoors rather than outside. No disrespect to my sensei, but it is very cold in VA in December and I was a wuss.


"I need to buy some tatami mats, as I need a softer place to learn my rolls at home. Doing them on hard flooring, as a newb at least is painfull on my knees.(I do them from kneeling) I do need to find a way to condition the skin on the tops of my knees, will be further researching this.."


Are you working on hardwood floors? Carpeted floors? I found that I learned well on the second (1st?) floor of my house where it was carpet on plywood and when I could tolerate it moved to the basement (1st?)where the floor is concrete.


"What I have found odd is that, the side roll is so much easier to do. I am struggling a bit with my front roll, as I consistently screw up the angle of my shoulder and end up in a very bad side roll."


Yeah, totally counterintuitive isn't it. :) May I offer a little advice on the front roll? You will go where your leading foot is pointed. So if it is pointed off at an angle you are most likely to follow it than proceed straight. Also, correct hand placement helps a lot too.


"I have only rolled from standing one time, and that was during class. I will not attempt it, until I get more practice time, doing it under supervision and after I get better at doing them at home kneeling."


You are going to love rolling from standing. There are three techniques which come to mind. :D


"Please, note, this is a personal log, not a official school day log. just a record of my personal home training."


Sounds like you are moving ahead. Keep rolling and memorize the terminology/meanings. :)
 

gapjumper

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I found some at Costco so im going to pick some up. Should make my ukemi practice so much more comfortable. Thank you for the suggestion.

Still however, I need to formulate a plan to condition the skin on my knees. These are meant to save my bacon on any surface, so I need to not feel pain there.
I would love to have my knees conditioned by spring, so I can do my rolls in my grass out side my house.

"Conditioning" your knees sounds like you could just damage yourself. Practising rolling is the key, then your knees will be fine. Rolling should not hurt your knees, unless you are doing them very wrong.

Can I just suggest that instead of going away from class thinking you need to toughen the skin on your knees, that you simply ask your instructor what you should do/are doing wrong?
 
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"Conditioning" your knees sounds like you could just damage yourself. Practising rolling is the key, then your knees will be fine. Rolling should not hurt your knees, unless you are doing them very wrong.

Can I just suggest that instead of going away from class thinking you need to toughen the skin on your knees, that you simply ask your instructor what you should do/are doing wrong?


I guess I should clarify here. Most here know that im in the middle of my weight loss journey. I have lost 100lbs, but have like 90 to go. So for me, starting on my knees, the skin hurts. At the finish of the roll, I end up back on my knees, right before I stand up. Again, its not the roll that hurts my skin, its the weight of my whale blubber on my skin during those moments im on the ground on my knees. Its not the knee joint that hurts, its the skin on top of the knee.
 

jks9199

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I think the skin on your knees is a problem that'll take care of itself, in two ways. First, as you continue to practice, you're going to be doing most of your rolls from a standing or upright position and going right back to that standing or upright position. After all, one of the purposes of rolling is to let you get back up, ready to fight, if you're thrown, right? Second, your weight loss journey is ongoing -- and while it's not instant, you're going to continue to lose weight.
 
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Ya it is incase you get thown. But there is a moment your on your knees. Its that moment that hurts. The journey is long and hard. It would have been easier to just get lapband and be done with it, but i didn't want to get cut open like a fish. Plus its not a safe surgery, people that go through it look unhealthy and malnourished. Not how i want to loose weight..

So bike and yoga is what im doing right now.
 
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Captains personal log Star date... Oh wait wrong log..

Had a interesting thought pop into my head that im interested to scratch, when my next beginner class starts. Way back when I had my first class, one of the things we did was ura gyaku.. I was watching videos of another move called Hon Gyaku. I saw some similarities to the way we were doing our ura gyaku that day.. Namely, after we rotated the hand out, our other hand came up in a shuto and pushed down on the elbow and he would continue to the ground going forward and down.

Watching videos of hon gyaku it appears to move in a similar path with a assist on the opponents elbow. I have watched many videos of ura, and I have not come across any that do it the way we do. Though I did see one were a guy used his palm to push the elbow down.

I find this fascinating, as both seam very similar but, also different. Its almost as if there isn't a wrong way to do some of this. Either way, I cant wait to get to class and find out, as im sure that section of the kihon hapo is next based on the pacing of the last few class's in relation to my newbi hand book.

Just the inner thinking of a madman. I cant help it. When im interested in a martial art, especially one im actually doing, I spend great quantities of time replaying and trying to think of ways to apply what I have learned. Even though I have only been shown a little. I think im a little crazy.
 

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Heh heh heh.... Hon Gyaku.... my guys love that one.... uh, maybe not "love"... ha!

Realistically, although they look similar, Ura Gyaku and Hon Gyaku are quite different. Ura Gyaku is a twist to the wrist, whereas Hon Gyaku is a lock of the wrist. Honestly, wait until you feel it before playing around with it... it's nasty, and comes on damn quick!

With regards to the skin on your knees, I'm just going to re-iterate... knee pads! Don't worry about when you get thrown later, realistically you should never land on your knees anyway, and the most common reason to work on the conditioning of your knees is for the suwari waza (kneeling techniques), in which case... knee pads!
 
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Chris, can you suggest any knee pads that might be available in USA? I bought a pair from walmart and they are so poorly made. They only have one support strap and wont stay put on my knees.

You mention the knees are not really used during the rolls. But it seams like at some point, you flow over your knees, as you move out of the roll? Maybe its just that im at the newbie stage of the rolls.
 

jks9199

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Chris, can you suggest any knee pads that might be available in USA? I bought a pair from walmart and they are so poorly made. They only have one support strap and wont stay put on my knees.

You mention the knees are not really used during the rolls. But it seams like at some point, you flow over your knees, as you move out of the roll? Maybe its just that im at the newbie stage of the rolls.

A couple of places you might look for kneepads that are more durable might be Galls or 5.11. Both are LE gear providers and not a few SWAT types use kneepads.

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Maybe its just that im at the newbie stage of the rolls.
Yes :) You will learn to roll smoother and smoother without banging your knees to the floor. Eventually you can do it on concrete or pavement without hurting yourself too much. Just keep practicing.


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