2026-03-11

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

Continuing with the theme from last time, we worked on staying close to our attacker while blocking and evading, so counter attacks were available right away. Again, it’s human nature to run from danger, and many students have a “default” response of moving straight backward away from an attack. But think about it for a moment … if the average attacker is going to be larger than you, and you’ve backed up out of their range, then they’re no longer in your range either. Instead, it’s much better to move off at an angle, but not back, getting yourself out of their “gun sights” while leaving them squarely in yours.

To train this, I do a version of yakusoku kumite without a count. Instead of going 1, 3, or 5 times, partners just go all the way across the floor. The attacker keeps throwing the same attack every time, and the defender’s job is to block and then counterattack, but with a catch. The defenders aren’t allowed to move their feet after they block. So they can’t slide back to block and then slide forward again to counterattack … nope! Once you’ve blocked, you’re done moving, and you need to be able to counterattack from right there.

I’ll be back in Illinois next week, training with my friends at the Central Illinois Shotokan Karate Association, so thanks in advance to Sensei Barry O’Brien for covering my classes while I’m away.