Class Record: Advanced Rolling + Tenchi no Kata + Syllabus

Class: Thursday 30th August

The rolling we did was from Ichimonji no kamae but involved rolling to the rear from this position over each shoulder. We also had to do some fast rolling.

Tenchi No Kata from our Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu Chuden No Gata has  an interesting variation of Oni Kudaki and this kata had us make use of setting up uke such that when applied with a  kick this gyaku should damage uke while making them land awkwardly. We applied similar ideas with a hanbo and then against a long-range knife attack.

The Dan grade syllabus involved another look at Kukishin Sojutsu with a particular emphasis on the swordman being aggresive. This made the spearman  look at distance and drawing out the swordsman –  a bit like how the taijutsu from  earlier worked – go figure!

Thought Provoker: If we cut down a kata from punch/punch/punch/kick/punch to just one punch,  should tori’s  kamae, in this shortened version, mimic the same position in the full kata?

– Ali Martinez

Open Mat Sessions

Don’t forget that the dojo opens about an hour before class Monday and Thursdays for  Open Mat

So team up,  open your syllabus – and play nice!

– Ali Martinez

Class Record: Kukishin Ryu – Ura Nami no Kata + Syllabus

Class: Monday 28th August

Ura Nami

This kata from the Chuden level really makes us apply a familiar lock under conditons we set up with uke to make them fall into it. I found that the lock applied this way acts on the spine rather than the arm. Later, kicks or characteristically “Kukishin” twists finish the job. Either way, your balance is tinkering on the edge – like standing in a water knocked by waves.

We looked at the same idea form a grab/punch combination and also applied hanbo to the movement. As usual ukemi from this postion could prove difficult as there are many directions to be knocked over while having both arms trapped.

Syllabus work kicked off with the Kyu grades doing Nage Waza and ukemi while the Dan grades continued to study Kukishin Sojutsu with the “Hitotsuki Ai ho” kata.

This kata contains the classic thrusting strike that makes sense with the spear, helped by some interesting spinning strikes. These allow us to set up the guarded swordsman to reveal holes in his kamae. All the time  the distance advantage with the spear is maintained. As the swordsman, it’s important to maintain Seigan no Kamae and I was reminded of Tim Bathursts very animated Seigan vs Bo in the Bojutsu DVD ’05 where the shielding power of the sword along with footwork is put to the test.

Thought Provoker:
Alex mentioned the concept of “Kasumi No Ken” in this class. How does this apply to our armed and unarmed waza?

– Ali Martinez

Event: Kihon Gata workshop

On Saturday September 8th, there will be a one day workshop in Rathmines focusing on kihon gata, or the basics of the Budo Taijutsu system.

This training is aimed at all students at the dojo, with equal emphasise placed on skill acquisition for newer students and consolidation for senior kyu and dan graded students. We will take the time on this day to cover:

Taihenjutsu (rolling and breakfalling), including
– Front rolling with one, two and no hands
– Diving rolls
– Side rolling
– Sideways leaping rolls
– back rolls
– twisting back rolls
– twisting leaping back rolls.

Kihon Happo no kata

Sanshin no kata

While we normally include some of these techniques in every class, we often skim over them and don’t take the time to focus on them in depth. In this session, everyone will get specific feedback individually on each one of their kata with the goal of allowing them to make specfic advances in their own skill.

There will be personal, hands on instruction for each participant at every level. I intend this to be a very intense session and one from which people should leave with their understanding of our kihon gata dramatically changed. Shidoshi level participants will also get shown some methods of teaching these waza to newer students.

This workshop is open to all Bujinkan students, subject to prebooking a place via e-mail or PM here on this board. The workshop will cost €35 and include personal hands on tuition appropriate to the level of the students – all skill levels will be accomodated. While this workshop is aimed at my students, others are welcome to attend as well.

Anybody who would like to attend this training should reserve a place by e-mailing me at the usual address.

There are currently n0 places left on this course as of today, August 31st.

You can still have your name placed on the waiting list in case someone drops out. Drop me a mail.

Class Record: Ichimonji no Kata + Kukishin Kata + Hojojutsu

Class: Saturday 25th August 

After doing some basic Ichimonji no Kata  practice we looked at some henka with kicks  -which brought us into looking at basic kicking. Later we applied rope to this movement. I think that the use of the rope to ensnare uke encourages good use of footwork and makes us think about openings too. There’s some neat looping tricks that can be done. I also think that shuriken and hanbo practice really helps when using the rope.

After break we looked at  a couple of the Kukishin chuden gata in their basic form and then applied the “kyoketsu shoge” to the movement – using the ring to strike and ensare and the blade to hook. The chuden gata as tought by Pol used a lot of attacks to hoshi and the rope and hook were usefull for attacking the same kyusho/pivot points. I wasn’t suprised when the rope also came into use with that “decending” feeling in some of the Kukishin waza thought by Alex. 

The only way of getting good with the rope is to practice, so September’s Saturday classes will see a lot of it applied to the Kukishin theme as well as continuing with the basics from the syllabus.

Thought provoker: Why is shuriken and hanbo practice good for rope-work?

– Ali Martinez

Class Record: Guest teacher Pol MacFionmhacain

Somehow Pol managed to squeeze in everything we covered at the seminar on Saturday!

For people who were at the seminar it was an opportunity to consolidate what was practiced. For people who weren’t at the seminar, despite it being a whilrwhind of kata and techniques I think some of the essential bigger principles might have come out. Kind of like watching a fast forwarded version of a film – you’d get the gist.

Thought Provoker: What’s the gist of the Chuden Gata?

All the bits in the middle – the places to strike, footwork, locks etc Pol came around and helped people individually.

– Ali Martinez

September/October 07 Gradings

The 9th Kyu grading will take place on Thursday September 6th so from today there are seven classes at the dojo in which the current ungraded students can practice for their test.

Practice involves pairing up with another beginner to go over the requirements and/or asking a blackbelt for assistence. This practice will be done formally in the latter half of every Thursday class and during “open mat” sessions. The Saturday class will also have a dedicated syllabus section.

Gradings for students going for grades above 9th Kyu will take place later in September.

– Ali Martinez

Open Mat

What is it?

Any occasion when the dojo is open and available for use outside of normal class time to allow students at the dojo to practice material they have already been taught in class.

When is it?
– roughly an hour before weekday classes
– an hour after Saturday classes
– near grading times the dojo may be available in the evening on request should a group of students wish to obtain more practice. This will have a nominal fee attached.

What to practice?
– syllabus requirements
– padwork drills, weapons, randori, ukemi, stretching, kamae, kata etc
What does it cost?
When open mat takes place after or before a normal class, it is free. If you can’t make a class but want to avail of an open mat session, then the cost is a small contribution to the dojo kitty.

Rules:
– All weapons and the nature of their use must be checked with the supervisor before use
– randori must be in line with a persons grade and of a nature consistent with Bujinkan methodology
– the supervisor has the final word on all aspects of training at open mat.

Supervisors:

Ali, Shane, Rex and/or Alex

Important:
Open mat is not a class so the point is not to seek instruction in things you haven’t yet been taught, but rather to practice what you have already learned.

– Ali Martinez

Beginners Course: Week 8 – Completion

Class: Monday 20th August

We practiced our forward, backward and sideways rolling. The sideways rolling was given an extra dimension by getting people to reach out to pick up an object. This encouraged them to stay low and to not focus on the roll too much.

Everyone then practiced all 3 kata for the 9th Kyu Grade. These 3 kata form the basic striking forms that are studied at all grades. We then looked at the 3 “throwing” techniques required for all beginnners. There was also a combination strike and wrist lock technique to  be practiced.

This beginners course is now finished. The purpose of the course was to introduce people who are unfamiliar with Bujinkan to some  of the basic  priciples – relaxed whole body movement, use of the feet, ukemi or “receiving” techniques like rollin and breakfalling, basic striking  and to have a general grasp of the Bujinkan methodology.

All ungraded students are now elligible to take their 9th Kyu grade test and free to attend any class at the Bujinkan Meehan Dojo.

– Ali Martinez

Shidoshi Pol MacFionmhacain Seminar, August 18th 2007

Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu: Kihon Happo + Chuden Gata

Pol gave us a fantastic day of Budo Taijutsu with most Irish clubs represented at the seminar. I think there was actually twice the number expected. It was great to see the top guys in Ireland all there as well as our Buyu friend Norman Smithers who flew in especially from the UK.

Pol started off with the Kihon Happo to get us moving. He called on folks from each club to do the basic and then showed us a more Kukishin flavoured version. This often involved closer distances and twisting and dropping uke around the hip. He told us that the Chuden level kata of Kukishin’s dakentaijutsu is all about setting uke up the way you want them to strike, before throwing them. All this made sense with the idea of wearing armour in mind. With this feeling the striking and grabbing done was to areas that could be accessed through the armour.

So we covered the entire level and there were 2 sets of armour available for us to see how this works. Kamae becomes lower, movement becomes very economical and striking is done to effect structure rather than inflict pain. Of course pain itself can do this and Pol mentioned that is often necessary in training to take it that far so that you can get the natural body response necessary to follow through with a lock or takedown. Several Kyusho – “Hoshi” was used a lot for example – and ways of striking e.g. “koppo ken” – were used.

Because a lot of different throws are involved, Pol showed us a paired drill to practice how one can enter in the person’s space before throwing. This was from a kumiuchi style position. Some of the kata had counters to throws too so as well so is was important to get used to being thrown correctly.

Pol took the time to walk the room and everyone I talked to said they experienced something directly from him. The entire seminar was robust and definitely gave everyone a valuable experience in this year’s theme. As Pol is a regular student of the Japanese and Hatsumi Sensei, we were very lucky to have him share his knowledge with us at this stage in the year. He mentioned that he is visiting most of the dojo that were represented at the seminar this week so catch him if you can – and if you can, catch him twice!

I think an important point was made at the seminar by Alex- that kata practice is not fighting so when kata are being done they should look like kata. They should have good form and be done exactly as shown by the teacher. Pol noted that we should all try and do exactly what he’s doing and not what we’re used to.

A number of people got graded too so congrats to all of them.