2023-08-23

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

We had a kyu grading tonight and, although I don’t announce results until the next class, I can say I was very pleased with everyone’s performance. One of the hardest things for beginners to “internalize” is the need to rotate the hips back for blocking techniques and forward for attacking techniques. We’ve been working on it quite a bit, and overall it looks much better.

Some of the more advanced students had side kicks on their grading for the first time and, as usual, making side snap kick and side thrust kick look distinctly different has been a challenge. We talk a lot about the differences: how side snap kick rises into the target while side thrust kick goes straight into the target. One is more like a backfist and the other is more like a punch, I suppose. Work on kata application is progressing nicely, and students are getting more comfortable with being aggressive with their stances - using them as more than just a “launching platform” for hand and foot techniques.