Since I'm currently at home in NC, I am not able to train in my MI dojo as I normally would. So I contacted the sensei of a nearby Isshinryu dojo and asked if I could train in his dojo during July, and he kindly consented.
Last night was my first training session, and it was very informative and useful. The warmups were more physical than I'm used to - no stretching, students apparently do that on their own before class begins. I did my best to keep up.
I would not be a qualified orange belt under this dojo's rules, but I am an orange belt under my home dojo's rules, so I wore my belt and sensei had no objections. About half the class is white belts, and they give out various colored tips to indicated minor progression - new to me.
I noticed that some of the moves are different here. For example, they do their 'number ten' exercise (what I call a backfist and reverse punch or 'ura uchi, seiken tsuki') as a upper blody block, then a backfist, then a reverse punch. Kind of throws off my stride, but I'll get the hang of it.
The dojo is physically larger, and so are the students! Many of them are quite large, but all seem to be in reasonable physical condition. I do not mean to be critical, but their white belts have some crappy punches - they toss their arms out like it's a dance. Of course, it's not my place to say anything.
Anyway, it's interesting visiting a different dojo to work out temporarily. I'm looking forward to learning more about the differences and similarities.
Last night was my first training session, and it was very informative and useful. The warmups were more physical than I'm used to - no stretching, students apparently do that on their own before class begins. I did my best to keep up.
I would not be a qualified orange belt under this dojo's rules, but I am an orange belt under my home dojo's rules, so I wore my belt and sensei had no objections. About half the class is white belts, and they give out various colored tips to indicated minor progression - new to me.
I noticed that some of the moves are different here. For example, they do their 'number ten' exercise (what I call a backfist and reverse punch or 'ura uchi, seiken tsuki') as a upper blody block, then a backfist, then a reverse punch. Kind of throws off my stride, but I'll get the hang of it.
The dojo is physically larger, and so are the students! Many of them are quite large, but all seem to be in reasonable physical condition. I do not mean to be critical, but their white belts have some crappy punches - they toss their arms out like it's a dance. Of course, it's not my place to say anything.
Anyway, it's interesting visiting a different dojo to work out temporarily. I'm looking forward to learning more about the differences and similarities.