2023-02-22

Teaching my regular classes at the Ross Farnsworth - East Valley YMCA.

We got all the way through Taikyoku Shodan in the beginner class tonight! There were a few “bobbles” but, for the most part, everyone made it through sucessfully! We did it a few times together, with me telling them exactly what to do at each stage. Then, for the final run, I stood up front facing them without giving them specific instructions. Instead, I counted and, between each count, simply said things like, “Okay now … think about which arm and leg to use next, and think about where you’re supposed to end up.” It worked!

In the second class we spent more time on Heian Shodan, particularly pivoting with the heel down. We went through it a few times “normally”, then a few times with our hands on hour hips, just concentrating on the transitions between stances. Once we had that looking good, we added the arms back into the equation. Next we did some impact work, concentrating on gyaku-zuki, mae-geri keage, and kentsui tatte mawashi uchi. Finally, we worked on mawashi-geri, using the ballet bars attached to the wall, with emphasis on bringing the kicking leg up parallel to the floor, with the knee no farther forward than the hip prior to the rotation, and on not rising up on the supporting leg. It was exhausting, but we got through it.