Guitar Nado's sharknado of martial arts

Discussion in 'Training Logs' started by Guitar Nado, Jun 1, 2016.

  1. InkyTommy

    InkyTommy Unique Like Everyone Else

    Man...that gives me some serious nostalgia for when I studied Muay Thai. Sounds a lot like our Saturday classes.

    The workout routine is almost identical.

    We'd to the Beginner Class (which was like an hour warm up) and then stick around for the Sparring Class immediately after.

    Good times! I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now (I was also in better shape...)
     
  2. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Monday did Karate for approx 110 minutes:

    no usual warmup!
    Instead the warmup was Urashi Bo kata from last time I was in class. Did this for approx 45 minutes or so.

    Then the 2 black belts there had me go through all the upper and lower body basics, and all variations, with me naming then in Japanese, describing them, and doing them. I have some trouble remembering them in order, and forget the Japanese for some of them, but I know all the moves. Maybe spent 15-20 minutes on this.

    Then they had me show what I remembered of Naihanchi Kata (not that much), and the walked me through it, and we worked on it for 30 minutes or so.

    Then for the last 20 minutes or so the 3 of us hit pads/wavemaster with some punches. Basically 2 X rounds each of single straight punch, and 2 X rounds each straight punch with either a hook or uppercut.
     
  3. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Wednesday (June 29):

    Did Karate for about 90 minutes.

    Normal warmup - 5-6 minutes jogging, high knees, skips, side to side, etc.
    20 Jumping jacks
    10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 squats X 2
    Stretches

    There were 4 blackbelts there tonight, and 3 of them took turns teaching me while the rest worked bo kata.

    Instructor 1: Worked through Seisan Kata getting lots of corrections.

    Instructor 2: Then worked through basics which are in that Kata, and tried to do them the same in kata as in basic form.

    Instructor 3: pretty much the same sort of thing as #2 but hit and blocked against pads instead of just doing in the air

    Friday:

    Did Muay Thai for about 55 minutes (lunch break!):

    warm up with jogging for maybe 5 min
    Then did a few minutes of alternating 20 squats and 10 "little leaguers" (fast alternating lunges) for 5 minutes.
    Then more jogging for a few minutes.
    Then we did 9 minutes of : 50 reps jumping rope, 10 squats - repeat

    After that - partnered up and did:

    The unexpected!!!!!

    Side kicks (which are as rare as hens teeth in Muay Thai class!). Did standard, switching back leg to front, step through, spinning side kick. Basically each person did a few, switched sides - then switched the kicking shield.

    Then one person got Thai pads and we did:

    30 sec jab cross
    30 sec just jab
    30 sec just cross
    30 sec right round kick
    30 sec switch , left round kick

    Then a combo - double jab, cross, shoulder roll to avoid cross, right round kick.

    Then drilled leg check to lead leg, return push kick

    after running that a few minutes, added a pretty atypical combo to it:

    jab, step forward and cross (they called this a lunge punch), then spinning side (or back) kick

    Then switched pad holders.

    The did the following short ab workout:

    20 sec crunches, 10 sec hold crunch position, 20 leg raises, 10 sec hold feet 6" off floor - X 4
     
  4. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    So due to U.S. 4th of July Holiday, no martial arts classes July 2 - 4th.

    Saturday the 3rd, I did 5 minutes jogging, some situps, pushups, and messed around with some kata, but it wasn't much of a workout.

    Tuesday, July 5th did Muay Thai for 75 minutes:

    Again we worked the atypical side kick and spinning side kick. I think it is a theme for this month. At one point we broke into groups of 3 and did sparring drill, and 2 very short sparring rounds. I forget a lot of the specifics of this class, but I can remember I left thinking I still had some energy in me.

    Wednesday, July 6th did Karate for 90 minutes. One instructor and me were the only ones there.

    Usually warmup, 5 min jog, 20 x each situps. pushups, squats, jumping jacks, stretching.

    Instructor had me do Naihanchi Kata for a while. I had practiced this a bit on 3 day weekend, so I actually had it mostly correct. I got lots of corrections on stances, which is my weak point overall.

    Then same thing on Seiunchin Kata. Same thing, Stances needed work.

    After that when through the Urashi Bo Kata - following along as best I could. I can't remember the sequences of moves on my own, but I can do most of them OK, other than getting hand position wrong sometimes.
     
  5. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    So Thursday, July 7th I went to a Muay Thai class (and was too lazy to log it then). About 60 minutes. Again drilling side kick - so clearly that is a main focus for this month. I don't remember it being a heavy conditioning class, and it was a little shorter than usual, but I was very drained by it.

    Sat , July 9th - Muay Thai class - 75 minutes. I haven't went to one of these Saturday morning classes in a while, usually they are a bit tougher from a conditioning standpoint than the usual class, very full, and parking is hard.

    I woke up early, and so decided to go. Found a parking space with no hassle! Again the class focused on the very atypical side kick. I think maybe a year or two ago, there was a month we focused on side kick - and this is a repeat of that.

    Warmed up with jogging, then moving forward with knee strikes the width of the school a few times, then push kicks.

    So did a lot of side kick practice things like - hold on wall with one hand, hold out slow side kick with other side leg, then do fast side kicks - practicing form. This used to be a pretty standard sort of thing back when I did kung fu, but don't see it here much.

    Did a lot of single side kick into belly pad w/ thai pad backup with partner.

    Drilled double jab, slide in side kick.

    Drilled this combo seen on previous days:

    jab, step forward and cross (they called this a lunge punch), then spinning side (or back) kick.

    Drilled what out teacher called a "tkd type switch", where we switch stance with a fast little jump - and then did a spinning back kick. I actually really like this sort of thing, and wish we would do more of it - but I would be surprised if I see it being taught once this focus on side kicks is over.

    We did some ladder drills with punches and round kicks (have to fit those in somewhere). Did sequences like 2 punches, 2 round kicks, 2 punches, 4 round kicks, 2 and 6, 2 and 8, etc. for a few minutes.

    Then a little bit of practice with sparring gear on of the previous sidekick combos. Then sparring, but with the condition the only kick could be the side kick. This was pretty fun actually. I got to spar with one of my pals who used to do kung fu with me, we have sparred many times over the years - but not recently for the past 3 or 4 months, so this was good.

    Good class, I was drained afterwards, but in a good way.

    Later in the day I got the news one of my classmates competed in a grappling tournament. There was only one other person in his division (40+ BJJ white belt), and he won that match. So I was really happy for him.
     
  6. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Today did Karate for 90 minutes 2 blackbelts and me there.:

    short warmup - 5 min jog, 10 X jumping jacks, situps, pushups, squats
    some stretches.

    Worked Urashi Bo Kata for 1 hr. One of the blackbelts had went to a seminar over the weekend and explained the differences in the way this kata was taught there to videos of it, to instruction by another instructor. These were minor variations, and to me as a Karate novice, all interesting. Even though I am not really supposed to know this kata at my level, if I keep doing it maybe I will actually know it soon.

    For 30 min or so did Naihanchi Kata and got corrections and Bunkai observations. At one point a blackbelt asked me what I thought a open hand block with one hand into horizontal elbow strike from other arm could be for, and I answered "perhaps it could be like in Filipino martial arts, where you guide their punch into your elbow". Not sure this was a really good response, because this was a back horizontal elbow, and perhaps guiding a punch into hitting a lead horizontal elbow would be a more valid FMA technique? Not sure, this makes me curious. I have searched youtube for this sort of making a punch hit your elbow technique and haven't found much. But I swear my Kali teacher once showed me this, and it seemed pretty legit to me at the time.

    Anyways, good practice time.
     
  7. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Tuesday did Muay Thai for 75 minutes:

    Just when I was getting used to sidekicks being part of what we were doing - nope, no side kicks here. Was a cool class. did jogging warmup, then knee strikes and then push kicks the length of the classroom, then going backwards with pushkicks and stance change.

    got in groups of 3 - one striker and 2 pad holders who switched off - one pad holder calling kicks, the other calling punch combos.

    One partner did situps and hit wavemaster, while one held pads for a striker, who did this combo:

    1) Head level round kick, spinning backfist, cross. I am gratified that at my age I can pull off the head level round kick fairly decently. Honestly, I am inferior to a lot of my class mates in many ways, but I think my flexibility is pretty decent. Actually for whatever reason, we rarely drill high kicks of any kind. Not sure if this is typical for Muay Thai.

    Did sparring drills where one partner hit wavemaster while other two traded off combos. Free sparring with each partner for a few minutes.

    Did situps as a team with partners.

    Wednesday did Karate for maybe 100 minutes:

    2 blackbelts, a higher level black belt instructor and myself as the lone noob.

    Did jogging warmup for approx 5 min. 20 X jumping jacks, situps , squats, pushups, and then stretching.

    Drilled reverse punch into pads.
    Then cross into pads.
    Then double reverse punch (stepping forward to chase padholder)
    Double reverse punch with target moving off line, then again with them moving back. Drilled the movement to be able to follow and get good power with it.

    Then did hands only sparring for a while against everyone else there. I actually wore Karate point gloves which I bought a while back for Karate point sparring. Ironically, 2 of the other 3 wore boxing gloves. Not sure how long we sparred, maybe 4-5 minutes each against everyone? I know I was pretty tired after sparring the 3 of them, and my footwork was slow at the end. It's cool to spar in a different way than I am used to, and the Karate gloves are weird. I don't feel happy with my control doing Karate sparring, and I don't want to be a jerk. I also was crappy working angles as was pointed out to me - one of the guys there is maybe 6'3" and I am 5'8", so me going straight in is ridiculous.

    Then did the Urashi Bo Kata for maybe 30 minutes. I don't feel like I did this as well as I have in the past, but i don't really know it - and at my level I'm not expected to know it either. So I am just following along really.

    So I felt like I could have been better at everything, but it was good because it ended up being way more of a workout than I was expecting. Typically Karate class is maybe 70-80% the intensity of Muay Thai, but this one was pretty much 100% - and it went on for over an hour and a half.
     
  8. InkyTommy

    InkyTommy Unique Like Everyone Else

    You are. And I hate you for it.

    (But I respect, admire and envy you more).

    Yeah, it's fairly typical from my experience. When I was studying Muay Thai, we drilled mostly torso level kicks. Punches and elbow are for the face (though we never threw elbows during sparring).

    Back in the day, I could throw a head level kicks (hence the reason I hate you), but I'd usually go for the legs or sides and then pummel people with fisticuffs.
     
  9. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Thanks I appreciate the envy! I appreciate it, because in general I feel I am not very good at martial arts.

    Also good to hear about the way you sparred at your school. That's pretty much exactly what we do at my school. So good to hear.

    I can't pull off the high kicks fast enough in sparring really. I am too old and slow I think. But I can do them for pad work at least.
     
  10. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    Speed is overrated, IMO. Timing and positioning are more useful. Most useful is borking up the opponent's timing and positioning :p
     
  11. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    So Thursday (July 14th) did Muay Thai for a short class (45 min):

    Partnered up with a new student to our school. I had heard him mention that he had done some Wing Chun before, so curious about that. Will quiz him more later.

    Worked very similar things as last class: Head level round kick, spinning backfist, cross.

    mixed in 50 X jab/cross, 50 X hooks, 50 X uppercuts

    Then a drill - freestyle punches on wave master, then partner (180 degrees from wavemaster) calls right or left round kick. To my embarrassment, one of my round kicks skimmed off the top of the thai pads and whacked my partner in the jaw. Honestly this was probably 65% pad holding, and 35% my lack of control. I apologized a bunch, and partner was OK and cool.

    We practiced what our prof. called "Dracula guard" - in standard stance, push partner with right hand, cover face with left arm in a "Dracula covering face with cape" type move, then right round kick. Idea is that the push gets the distance right for power right round kick. We worked this last class too, but I forgot to mention.

    worst part of class - 35 "birthday" burpees due to instructors birthday.

    -------------

    today:

    Was going to go to sparring class tonight, but got invited out for Lebanese food by pals, also was real tired (from being up early do to work stuff) - so napped for a bit and had food instead.

    Side note - had ordered 1 oak bo, 1 rattan bo, 1 rattan jo, and one small toothpick style oak jo sized bo. Next week there is a Bo seminar in Karate class so I need my own bo (or jo at least) for it. This stuff showed up yesterday (along with some other neat stuff), and today I messed with it a bit. Oak jo size staff I didn't like, so I sawed off tapered ends to armpit height on me. The oak bo is really nice. The rattan bo and jo are great, and if I ever need to I feel I can cut down to Eskrima sticks or whatever. So that was cool to mess with today.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
  12. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    Say, do MT gyms typically offer fitness-oriented classes? I'd like a coach to help me with all the conditioning, bag drills, etc, but my doc won't let me do full contact sparring due to my CNS disorder. :/ :'( Thanks! :)
     
  13. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    The Muay Thai place I go to doesn't do full contact sparring usually for the average student. Sparring contact is usually light (10% power), and we don't ever use elbows in sparring. I am an older MA person not in great shape, and would be kidding myself if saying I was ready for full contact anything.

    I think if someone was planning to complete in matches, this would be a different story, and the training would be much different. Some of my pals in class, we sort of have an unwritten agreement that power level will be higher. Some students, I just know will just with no discussion will spar me with more contact, and that is OK. I think on the other hand you could say I want to only spar 10 % power, and you would be fine.

    So my point is, find a place that has the fitness, bag drills, pad drills, etc. that work for you. The Muay Thai place I go to would be fine for you with that. I honestly think that most places you would go into and tell them what you are after would be fine. Their motivation is to have happy students, and if you are only able to do certain things, they should work around that.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
  14. InkyTommy

    InkyTommy Unique Like Everyone Else

    Yikes! That's brutal!

    There was a quick conditioning drill I used to do when I was doing parkour where we'd do 10 crunches, 8 jump-knee tucks and 10 burpees. That's one round.

    The goal was to get in as many rounds in 15 minutes. I think my max was 13 rounds.

    But to this day, I hate burpees because of that.

    Awesome! My staff is rattan and I love it. It's light enough to wield quickly but strong enough put the hurt on someone if you get 'em in the right spot (or so I'm told...)
     
  15. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Today I did Karate for 90 minutes:

    Today only one black belt instructor and myself, so this is really pretty much a private lesson. No warmup, straight into the following (basically me being quizzed on my knowledge):

    15 upper body basics
    10 lower body basics.

    Naihanchi Kata X 2
    Seiunchin Kata X 2
    Seisan Kata X 2

    I'm not 100% on any of the above, so some corrections. Pretty much the main theme is my stances need work.

    Then worked a few things beyond my grade (this is what happens when pretty much everyone in your club is 1st dan or greater but you):

    Urashi Bo Kata - me leading this is no good, but I am 90% accurate following. X 2

    Shishi No Kun - first few sequences.

    My understanding is that next class will be instructions on Bo Kata by upper level instructor. That is why I got a little Shishi No Kun instruction to be ready for that.
     
  16. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    Never heard of those bo kata.^^ What style are they from?
     
  17. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Isshinryu Karate is the style I am learning them from. Something an instructor said (or I read somewhere) has led me to believe the bo kata aren't considered to be unique to Isshinryu (by Isshinryu people), but are added on from another system.

    A quick google shows the two I mention were taught to Shimabuku Tatsuo (the founder of Isshinryu) by Shinken Taira .

    Not sure if they exist somewhere outside of Isshinryu today, and not sure if they do if they are exactly the same. I know next to nothing about this stuff.
     
  18. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    Today (Tuesday, Jul 19th) did Muay Thai for approx 75 minutes:

    Note: Again I am wearing shoes with a taped up toe, in an effort to fully heal it up.

    Jogging and shadow boxing for warmup. Our teacher had us practice hook kicks which is pretty much a new thing for this class.

    also did knee strikes across the room a few time, then push kicks.

    Partnered up with a new student at our school. Clearly he had some Muay Thai skills (asked him after class and he had trained at Yamasaki Academy in nearby Virginia a few years ago). Cool dude, very nice - young guy and clearly very fit.

    One partner practiced punches on wave master, other partner was behind them with kicking shield calling left or right (side kick!).

    Then did continuous sidekick, spinning side kick into pad.

    The one partner did straight punches into wave master, pad holder (with Thai pads) called left or right side kick.

    Switched pad holder on the above.

    Did 100 straight punches.

    Then jab, cross, head height round kick.

    Again 100 straight punches.

    jab, cross, head height round kick, spinning backfist.

    Again 100 straight punches.

    jab, cross, head height round kick, spinning backfist, head height round kick

    Again 100 straight punches.

    Jab, cross, head height round kick, spinning backfist, head height round kick, hook kick

    Again 100 straight punches.

    switched pad holder, and repeated.

    Did some sparring like drills, but no real sparring.

    So after all that did a 3 minute plank. deal was if you wanted to take a break from the plank, you could do 3 situps as a break. I did 90 seconds, then situps. Then another minute and situps. Clock timer is big and easy to see.

    Then some stretching for a few minutes.

    I am feeling pretty drained by this class. Not sure if I am aging out of this sort of thing, or it is just the very hot heat in Maryland, or what.
     
  19. flaming

    flaming Valued Member

    I find it's the humidity that is tiring more than the heat. Thankfully its cloudy rainy here today.
     
  20. InkyTommy

    InkyTommy Unique Like Everyone Else

    Don't take this the wrong way...but this is the oddest type of Muay Thai I've ever heard of.

    Typically, they don't use a lot of side or hook kicks. They just have their two basic kicks, their special roundhouse kick and the push kick. So it's interesting to hear that you're also doing spinning, side and hook kicks.

    We also focused on straight punches and elbows. And absolutely no spinning back fists! In fact, my coach used to always say "Never turn your back on your opponent."

    This almost sounds more like a type of MMA Fighting Style that's a hybrid of various styles.

    Which isn't a bad thing...just different. You're doing a lot of stuff we never learned.

    But hey! That's what makes the world go round, right?
     

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