Class this last Friday was focused solely on breaking down Jodan Uke and applying it in a more functional manner, with focus specifically on the 'off' hand as it moved through the center line.
This was done partially in the vein of a recent visit I made, in June, to the Lincoln Martial Arts Center for the Sho Rei Shobu Kan's Convention put on by my Teacher's Teacher, Shihan John Roseberry.
He took a Kata he created, Gakusei No Kata, and broke it down into sparring drills that we worked for eight hours, from beginning, to end, which really shed some light onto not only the applications there-in, but approaching application of Kata in general.
I had worked a twelve hour shift off of Graves, from Midnight to Noon, and had stuff to do throughout the day, so I had finally laid down for bed when my phone went off asking what time Karate Class was, since it was Friday.
My body said, 'No class today,' but a voice in my head said, 'You have to get up and work with these kids,' so I told the person that Class would be around six o'clock and took about an hour nap, then went to teach.
Class started off with a grueling warm-up, myself and my students performed what I call 'frog sprints' and a quickened 'lizard walk' both of which contain elements of various other exercises meant to work multiple muscle groups at the same time, with a focus specifically on the core.
Some kids were having a hard time with it, some were getting it, but still missing elements, so we took some time to go over proper form and the reason for proper form in all things, which lead to the next focus of class, Jodan Uke.
We started off just standing in Sanchin Dachi performing Jodan Uke, then moved into partner work with specific focus on Ude Uke to the center line as one partner quickly reached out with open hands to tag the defender in the center of the chest, or the head, targeting was random.
Again, the focus was on the reason for proper form and how it feeds the functionality of the technique and, in turn, shows that the target does not matter, the function of the movement is the same.
We ended with the last portion of Jodan Uke turning into a strike after the initial Ude Uke, with a pull in to Chamber and a forearm strike/hammerfist follow-through to the head.
After this more about form and function were stressed as we moved in to closing. The classes are not specifically formal, I simply have them sit and focus on a spot on the ground, then we have a Q and A session and class is over.
I went home and crashed hard, slept for a few hours, then woke up feeling rested, but a different kind of rested, something had changed.
I went back to sleep again after spending some time with my kids, then woke up to the news that Shihan John Roseberry had passed.
It was not really a surprise, I somehow knew, but regardless, it hit many, including myself, pretty hard.
The above is to illustrate the legacy that Shihan left behind, this is how we honor his memory, this is how we continue his legacy.
Who is senior? Who is his successor? These things really don't matter because we are all successors to aspects of what he taught and THIS is how we move forward, by not getting caught up in our own sadness, by continuing as we always have.
Ultimately death is a natural part of life and is not something to be viewed in a negative light, it is something to be celebrated and welcomed, to be accepted for what it is.
Shihan is not gone, he has just entered the next phase of his journey.
Keep finding answers on the floor. Until we all meet again.
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