2025-05-12

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

Tonight’s class began with some tai-sabaki training - yori-ashi and ayumi-ashi. Then we proceeded to add techniques to the footwork: kizami-zuki jodan, gyaku-zuki chudan, and mae-geri keage chudan. After everyone was warmed up, we moved on to yakusoku ippon kumite, using the same seven attacks listed in last Wednesday’s entry, in that order. Next we did the same thing, but with both sides starting in jiyu-gamae. Finally, we reduced speed to 50% and the attacker was allowed to use any of those seven attacks without announcing which one was coming. Again, the goal of this final stage is for the defender to be able to identify, and respond to, an unknown attack.

But then, as often happens, we talk a bit. My students have a pretty wide disparity of height. Using our “go-to” techniques for pre-arranged sparring drills, that leaves the tallest students struggling to execute a rising block against the shortest students’ punches to the face. Likewise, the shortest students have trouble using a downward block to defend against a body punch from the tallest students.

This is where the concept of “shu-ha-ri” meets the demands of diversity. It’s probably worth a full-length blog post at some point, but this is how I explained it to my students in the moment: If it’s at all viable, I want you to do things “my” way (e.g. blocking punches to the head with a rising block) until you and I both agree that you’ve got that down. Then you can start geting creative. If it’s not viable, because of a height difference, an injury, or something else, then work with your partner. Ask them to punch a little higher or lower than usual, or use a different defense in that moment, but those are the exceptions to the rule for now.