Video
Fri, 2011-06-24 12:52
This clip looks at the shoulder throw found in Pinan / Heian Godan, the following shoulder lock, and a variation on the throw. It was filmed in the dojo yesterday.
The sequence we are looking at is commonly explained as a punch, a leap over an attack, before cross-blocking a low kick. There are so many faults with the common interpretation that it’s hard to know where to begin. One key
...more
Mon, 2011-06-20 18:45
This is a piece of footage of taken at a seminar in Stuttgart, Germany on the 18th of June 2011. On the day we looked at bunkai for Jion kata and this clip shows an application for the sequence in the Shotokan version involving the age-ukes, two gaku-zukis, and one oi-zuki.
The idea is to keep the initiative and rapidly strike the enemy if they should grab you to prevent you from running to
...more
Thu, 2011-06-16 09:02
Hi All,
A simple drill filmed at the end of training last week. This one involves a palm-heel, a slap and a hammer-fist (all generally under practised techniques) in a short sequence that utilises forward drive, rotation and dropping. We hope you find it useful!
All the best,
Iain
PS If you’d prefer to watch it on YouTube please click HERE
...more
Thu, 2011-06-16 08:29
Hi All,
Here is a quick pad work drill we filmed at the end of training last week. It a simple one that involves reacting, regaining the initiative, hitting while the enemy drops forward, and a low hook to the head to finish. We hope you enjoy working with it!
All the best,
Iain
PS If you'd prefer to watch the video on YouTube please click HERE
...more
Sun, 2011-06-12 09:58
At this class we had been practising “restricted punching” from sitting, kneeling and lying positions. It is quite common in traditional Japanese arts for people to practise techniques from kneeling and other culturally appropriate positions.
We feel it is a good idea for karateka to also “westernise” and modernise this practise to include punching from chairs etc.
...more
Fri, 2011-06-10 13:10
In our dojo we have many different types of sparring; each with specific goals and objectives. The purpose of this drill is to bring home the idea that “fighting” is not the best way to deal with multiple enemies. Tactical positioning and trying to escape are the best idea. However, the switches in this drill mean you are frequently starting from a bad position i.e. with one or more
...more
Tue, 2011-06-07 09:43
Here is a drill for the opening motions of Kushanku / Kanku-Dai. This video was filmed at a seminar in Scotland in June 2011.
When looking at the drill, it is important to understand that the angles in kata give us the angle we need to be at in relation to the enemy. The angle does not, as is commonly thought, represent the angle the enemy is attacking from. Masters such as Mabuni and Motobu
...more
Fri, 2011-06-03 08:09
Here is a clip taken from my Bunkai-Jutsu 5 DVD which covers Chinto / Gankaku kata. This particular clip shows the application for the end spin.
The preceding motions clear a path for a grip that allows an elbow to the face to be delivered. The enemy’s head is then pulled to the side to gain better control before cranking the neck and simultaneously driving the knee into the enemy
...more
Tue, 2011-05-31 15:16
Here are a couple of combinations for you to try! We filmed this at the end of a recent training session and these are two of the set drills we did in that session. The key is efficient transitions between technique and adapting for distance. The combinations should be done with maximum intent such that you hold nothing back. If you are performing the combinations with enough intent, aggression
...more
Fri, 2011-05-27 10:58
Here is a clip of me teaching some bunkai for the opening sequence of Pinan Godan. As I’m sure you know, the angle in the kata tells us the angle we need to be at in relationship to the enemy. The ninety degree angle at the start of the kata therefore tells us to shift to the side of the enemy (away from his free hand) and then to apply the kata.
Because of the chaotic nature of
...more
News, Articles and Updates