Initial Summer Training Regime

Jodan mawashi-geri on one of my senior students, Lyall Stone (4th Dan).

Here’s my updated self-training regime for Natsu (Summer). I am particularly ‘genki’ as Summer is by far my favorite season here in Kyushu! The dojo I now rent has automated and state-of-the-art air conditioning; consequently, when I want to ‘turn up the heat’, I simply do my training outdoors at a local Jinja (Shrine) or Tera (Temple). Nothing has changed!

 

Today for my regime, I’ve also included reps to give some indicator of workout intensity. This entire routine, including rests, is completed in just under three hours each day. As always, I am keeping a training log with progression and analysis. So here we go!

 

基本(KIHON)

Sonoba Kihon

1.     Chudan choku-zuki (Hachinoji-dachi)

2.     Chudan mae-geri keage (Heisoku-dachi).

3.     Hidari kizami-zuki kara migi chudan gyaku-zuki (Hidari zenkutsu-dachi).

4.     Migi kizami-zuki kara hidari chudan gyaku-zuki (Migi zenkutsu-dachi).

5.     Migi chudan mae-geri keage (Hidari zenkutsu-dachi).

6.     Hidari chudan mae-geri keage (Migi zenkutsu-dachi).

 

·        10 slow ‘warm up reps’ followed by a minimum of 30 reps with speed.

 

Ido Kihon

7.     Sanbon ren-zuki (Fudo-dachi/Zenkutsu-dachi/Fudo-dachi).

8.     Mae-geri keage kara oi-zuki.

9.     Mawashi-geri kara gyaku-zuki.

10.Ushiro-geri kekomi kara uraken yokomawashi uchi soshite gyaku-zuki.

11.Yoko-geri keage ashi o kaete yoko-geri kekomi (Kiba-dachi).

12.Jodan age-uke kara mae-geri keage soshite gyaku-zuki.

13.Chudan soto-uke kara yori-ashi yoko enpi-uchi (Kiba-dachi), uraken yokomawashi uchi soshite gyaku-zuki.

14.Chudan shuto-uke (Kokutsu-dachi) kara kizami mae-geri soshite tateshihon nukite.

15.Gedan-barai kara chudan uchi-uke (Nekoashi-dachi), maete ura-zuki soshite gyaku-zuki.

 

·        10 reps—five in each direction with speed (with the exception of yokokeage/kekomi: three repetitions in each direction). At present I am focusing more on keriwaza in my kihon; therefore, when kicks are trained with or without arm techniques I tend to 40-100 reps on average.

 

組手(KUMITE)

五本組手 (Gohon Kihon)

1.     Attack: Jodan (Jodan oi-zuki). Defense: Jodan age-uke: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

2.     Attack: Chudan (Chudan oi-zuki). Defense: Chudan soto-uke: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

3.     Attack: Maegeri (Chudan mae-geri keage). Defense: Gedan-barai: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

4.     Attack: Jodan (Jodan oi-zuki). Defense: A different jodan no ukewaza each time: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

5.     Attack: Jodan (Chudan oi-zuki). Defense: A different chudan no ukewaza each time: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

6.     Attack: Maegeri (Chudan mae-geri keage). A different mae-geri no ukewaza each time: Hangeki—Free choice.

 

·        One rep of each complete drill—attack and defensive aspects—once, followed by a minimum of three times fully with speed. Ideally with training partners but, of course, this can also be done as solo practice. I find that a mix of both is optimal as Gohon Kumite is in fact ‘partner kihon moreso than 'kumite for fighting’. Some may contest this point, however, this view is based on pragmatism and the training of seniors such as Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei, Nakamura Masamitsu Sensei, Osaka Yoshiharu Sensei and indeed others.

 

型(KATA)

 

平安初段 (Heian Shodan).

鉄騎三段 (Tekki Sandan).

燕飛 (Enpi).

慈恩 (Jion).

五十四歩小 (Gojushiho Sho).

古典型 (Koten-gata): A random kata from Asai Sensei based on my daily aims and/or shortcomings; for example, today I worked on 安三 (Ansan), which is a kata practiced in some other styles, but we have a different and completed version from Tomari-Te. 

 

·        Five reps per kata. One slowly, followed by four with regular speed northward, eastward, southward, and finally westward. 

 

 I’ll wrap up on that note! Best wishes in your training and good health.

 Osu!

 

（©）André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2021).