The time training outside of the dojo has made me start working on some new drills. These aren’t new techniques, just the same techniques done differently.

Class started doing standing, no power punches. The slight hip movement before the Punch and the connection to the floor start things out. As the warm-up went on, the punching power went up. After that, it was time to do the same from the horse Stance with the same small hip action and connection to the floor, adding some double punches after the single punches.

Next came techniques in a front stance. The normal stepping forward and back with a front punch to get the hips and legs a little warmer, and then the next drill was something that I don’t recall doing in class in the dojo before.

Stepping forward with a front punch, step halfway back into a Cat Stance with a front hand palm strike, and then step all the way back into a front stance with a downward block. This creates a different feel that I don’t remember from before. The front punch moving forward is standard, but moving into the cat stance in-between front stances adds additional elements to the leg moving backward. I continued doing the same leg movements, but the second drill was a low knife hand block in the cat stance, and then the last drill was a reverse punch while in the cat stance. I haven’t done much cat stance work in the past, but I think I found something that I will continue doing going forward.

After that was moving forward with a front snap kick and stepping back with a downward block. Moving into a back stance was the theme today for most of the moves. It just felt right.

The final kihon drill was moving forward with a front snap kick and front punch, working on timing the hand and foot to end at the same time and still stepping back with a downward block.

The next drill was reverse punch, step forward reverse punch, then step back with downward block. This drill started slow then, when adding speed, the first reverse punch is thrown while stepping, and the second is complete as the step is completed. The next drill starting in a ready stance was to shift left with a left hand inside block and then angle 45 degrees forward to the right with right leg and hand in front. The idea behind this drill is the move around an object in front of you by shifting out of the way and then moving into a fighting stance to either block or execute an attack.

The rest of the class was some Heian kata training to finish up training for today.