In class today, Sensei Noia had us revisit a drill that we worked on before that I call small space drills. Many of the students often say that they do not have the space to get in a good Karate workout but there are always ways to train if you try hard enough. We also worked on some striking techniques from katas which I consider kata target practice.
Kicks really do warm you up
We started class with some kicks for our warm up. Â We did the following kicks 10 times with each leg:Â Front snap kick, front snap kick and back kick combination, front snap kick, side thrust kick, back kick and roundhouse kick for each count.
Small space drills
Next, we did what I like to call small space drills.  These drills are something that I don’t talk about enough and they are something that we can all do in a small space but still get a good workout.  For this drill we did the following techniques from a ready stance:
- Step forward into a left leg forward front stance with a downward block and reverse punch
- Step back into a right leg forward front stance with a downward block and reverse punch
- Step forward into a left leg forward horse stance with downward block and reverse punch
- Step back into a right leg forward front stance with downward block and reverse punch
- Step forward into a left leg forward back stance with a reverse punch
You then do the same moves as above but start with the right leg forward for the different stances.
For the next drill, starting from a ready stance again, we did these techniques:
- Step into a left leg forward front stance with a downward block and a reverse punch
- Step back into a right leg forward back stance with an upward rising block and a downward block (mange uke)
- Step left 90 degrees into a left foot forward front stance with a downward block and a reverse punch
- Step back into a right leg forward back stance with an upward rising block and a downward block
- Repeat the same moves until your are facing front again, ending up in a left leg forward front stance with a downward block and reverse punch
You then repeat the same moves but this time your start the front stances with the right leg forward and the back stances with the left leg forward.
Kata target practice
Next, we worked on some techniques from Tekki Shodan with a partner and pad. We worked on the move in Tekki Shodan where your step across into a horse stance with the right arm back hand strike from the beginning of the kata. Â Doing drills like these always helps me get a better grasp on how the kata actually works and how hard the techniques need to be executed for them to be effective.
We then picked the kata of our choice to work on.  I worked on a movement from Gojushiho Sho where you start in a front stance and move backward into a horse stance with a left hand hammer fist.  It is not as powerful of a movement as I thought it would be because of the short range of motion of the left hand. I feel that this movement is more of a stopping technique or a movement to buy time that will be followed up with a move that comes two moves ahead of it.  I’m sure there are many different applications for these moves but that is one of the things that makes Karate an art where you can always learn something new.
We then finished up class by doing the kata of our choice three times.
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