All Grades Course – Bath University

Saturday 19th March saw over 200 students attend Bath University for the ‘All Grades’ Training Course and Dan Grading - a great turnout!

Click Here for Dan Grade Passes

The three one hour sessions of Kihon, Kumite and Kata really flew by. The excellent instruction from Chief Instructor Sensei Ohta was very constructive giving everyone plenty to think about and take back to the dojo to practice and work on.

Emphasis on correct direction of power when blocking was explained and practiced. (Drills 1 & 2 below). Next attacks to the front, side and rear were practiced using a different stance for each change of direction, first with hand techniques then with kicks added. (Drill 3 & 4 below). Session two saw students paired up; the attacker moving forward with kicks, the defender retreating, blocking each kick and sliding in with a counter attack and then back out again. (Drill 5 below). Sensei Ohta then explained that a technique does not always have to correspond to a finished stance position.

As students become more experienced it is sometimes required to 'separate' what the top half of the body is doing from the bottom half to achieve certain goals. This was first demonstrated by requiring the defender to systematically retreat whilst the attacker steps forward attacking with numerous techniques unconnected to the feet position. This enables the attacker to use feints and to draw the defenders guard away to enable a decisive blow to be delivered. Then, to fully understand this, student practiced attacking each other with first one, then two, then three techniques moving in fast from a distance in one step with the last technique being the decisive blow, the others setting this up.
(Drills 6, 7 & 8 below).

Finally Kata practice began. Students were split into groups, choosing which Kata they would like to practice (bearing in mind the Dan gradings to follow) Choice was Sensei Ohta (Nijushiho and Bassai-sho), Sensei Ismail (Jion), Sensei Morgan (Bassai-Dai), Sensei Maliszewski (Empi) and Sensei Byrne (Heian's).

Students attempting the Coaching Licence Examination were separated from the group and were assessed by Sensei Tomlin. Congratulations to those who passed.

Finally as one large group everyone was taken through the Kata Heian Yondan step by step by Sensei Ohta who emphasised the details and important points, this allowed those attempting the Dan grading to fine tune the Kata before the afternoon grading.

Congratulations to all candidates who were successful in passing their Dan gradings and thanks to all Instructors, organisers and everyone who made the effort to attend, especially those who travelled in from outside the region. A great day and a great venue!

A recap on some of the exercises are:

Drill 1:
From Yoi, step back in front stance and block first left age-uke - stand back up then step back right age-uke - stand up - rotate 90° clockwise and step back left hand soto-uke - stand up and face front - then rotate 90° anti-clockwise step back right hand soto-uke - stand up and face front - next turn 90° anti- clockwise and step back left hand uchi-uke -stand up and face front then turn 90° clockwise and step back right hand uchi-uke.

Drill 2:
As drill 1 but add gyaku-zuki to the age-uke. add yoko-empi in kibadachi to the soto-uke and add kizami-zuki plus gyaku-zuki to the uchi-uke.

Drill 3:
From Yoi, step forward right oi-zuki in front stance - step back feet together then out 90° to the right yoko empi in straddle stance - step back feet together then straight back shuto-uke in back stance followed by nukite shifting into front stance. Stand up and repeat for the other side.

Drill 4:
As drill 3 but add a mae-geri before the oi-zuki - add a yoko-geri kiage before the empi and add an ushiro-geri before the shuto-uke. Stand up and repeat for the other side.

Drill 5:
Pair up. Attacker from gedan-barai, defender from Yoi. Attacker stepping forward four times kicking alternate legs mae-geri, kekomi, mawashi-geri and ushiro-geri. Defender steps back and blocks each kick (age-uke, soto-uke, uchi-uke, soto-uke) after each block defender slides into range and counters with gyaku-zuki then slides back out again. Change sides and change attacker.

Drill 6:
Pair up. Both freestyle kamae. Attacker left leg forward, defender right leg forward. Normal fighting distance. Attacker moves quickly in with right gyaku-zuki jodan which by using extra upper body rotation should reach it's target before the step forward is complete. Once perfected defender should then block this punch and counter at the same time. Change sides and change attacker.

Drill 7:
As Drill 6 but starting position is half a metre further apart. Attacker again leaps in with gyaku-zuki jodan completing it half way through the step forward but this will now be out of range, so as the step is completed performs a left gyaku-zuki chudan to score. Note first gyaku-zuki becomes a feint drawing the defenders guard upwards. Again once perfected defender should then step or slide away, block the second punch and counter (any technique). Change sides and change attacker.

Drill 8:
As drill 7 but moving another half metre apart. Attacker leaps in with one long step but now performing three attacks whilst stepping; two jodan as feints and one chudan which should reach it's target. As can be seen the upper body is performing techniques independently from the stepping lower body. The defender should attempt to block these attacks and  keep within range (not back right off) so as to be able to counter at the instant the attacker finishes his attack. Change sides change attacker.

Article by
Alan Larcombe 3rd Dan
Wareham & Purbeck