Club Jindo

Last night's training class was a bit low keyed. It seems that a virus is making it's rounds and a few people were out sick. A couple of others were suffering the effects of a cold, so we kept the training focused on black belt forms and self-defense techniques. The forms looked clean on the more advanced levels, but the lower belt forms need some more work. More importantly they need to be brushed up on, and practiced more.

The self defense techniques focused on basic wrist locks and bent arm take downs. We also worked on some simple knife disarming tactics. Looks like we will need to push a bit harder during the next martial art training session, after everyone starts to fell a bit better.

Last night's class was pretty good. Everyone was focused and looked strong. We started as a group and worked on forms. Each person individually selected a form to do in front of the rest of the group. Everyone watching the form had to find one thing that went right and one thing that needed improvement. The critiques were very clear and precisely right on the money. All of the forms looked powerful, and clean with only subtle details left to clean up.

We also practiced sparring drill emphasizing head blocking skills. These partner based drills, started at a slow speed, until the pattern was more familiar, and then the speed was increased. It was a successful drill sequence because nobody ended up with a black eye or bloody nose.

Serious black belt training Saturday morning; it was 35 degrees outside for our outdoor training session. I had to scrape ice off of the windshield to see on the drive to the park. The grass fields were covered with frost and it looked like a fresh blanket of snow. Since it was so cold, the group started with a run around the track for warm ups. After some active stretching to keep the muscles warm, we focused on forms today. Starting with the lower level white belt forms and working up to advanced black belt level forms, everyone had a light sweat going before long. You know that some hard black belt training is going on when temperatures are in the 30's and black belt candidates are removing jackets and sweatshirts because they are too warm.

Overall the quality of the forms was quite good. Training on different surfaces challenges everyones' balance and stances, but really improves focus and the strength of the forms. Great progress was made by all, and I'm sure that hot chocolate was abundant upon completion of this black belt workout.

On Saturday mornings we train in the park. The temperature this morning started out at 35 degrees. Ah yes, a true black belt training class. Needless to say, it was pretty cold, so I decided to start with a warm up that was longer and more intense than usual. The blood was flowing pretty good after a 1/4 mile run, 100 jumping jacks, stretch kicks and a variety of front, roundhouse and side kicks. Our chief instructor then took us through a multiple stances combined with strikes and blocks. We split up and worked on forms. I am learning the ITF forms and practiced those for a while and then started working with one of the students I have been working with closely. Forms are tough for some of the students, but I think my favorite part of instruction is helping a student who is struggling with a specific move in a form understand it and all of a sudden I can it see click.