Class Notes: Dec 6, 2015

Attendees:
Bryant
Dan
Yonas
Guro Lem

Notes:
Reviewed Transitional Drills 1-5 with Dan and Bryant
Reviewed TD 1 with Yonas and learned TD 2

Switched between teaching and drilling with the guys. Talked about how each drill has a theme and not just individual techniques. Each transitional drill teaches the Feeder or Receiver something new, but each one has a concept or theme that can be learned as a whole. These drills can be learned to be ingrained into muscle memory, but it is meant to orient and feel/see different attacks. The transitional drills can also assist our blade observation skills. By seeing a wide range of attacks that can come from a bladed encounter, we can make a correct response to a knife attack.

Class Notes: Nov 22, 2015

Attendees:
Yonas
Bryant
Dan
Guro Lem

Notes:
 Yonas and Dan reviewed transitonal drill 1.
 Bryant reviewed with Dan TDs 1-5.
 Taught TD6 to Dan and Bryant.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Mr. Dan and Mr. Bryant and family.

Class Notes: Nov 15, 2015

Attendees:
Bryant
Yonas
Guro Lem

Notes:
Review 3 of 9 w/tapping, 3 of 9 rh/lh, left defeats right
Installed transitional drill (TD) 6 from Instructors weekend 2015 (winter sama sama)

Heart
Abdominal Aorta
Abdominal Aorta
Kidney
Heart
Lung
Subclavian
BW
Kidney
Heart

During a transition in the drill, one of the guys was having problems with the footwork and kicking. We figured out that he wasn't stepping back with his left leg when passing with his right hand. This gives him time and distance when the blade comes for his subclavian. I remembered when doing 7 count passing drill, Tuhon Tom Kier talked about how to correctly pass the attackers blade without pretending we were the fastest man alive. It's like having his blade hand moving at you at 50mph, you'd have to be twice as fast to catch up to his attack or your getting hit. You'd have to move 100mph to get that attack passed. Three things needed for a good pass to happen correctly. Time (you can bump his attack arm to buy time), distance (angle in or angle out), and technique. It was good to see what happens when the technique isn't working out. Problem solving why and how to make it work is more rewarding than seeing my guys getting it the first time.

Next, we will try getting our cross-tapping stronger and making our forearms harder. Thanks to Guro Matt Campbell for his suggestions on hardening. Also, we will work with Atienza Kali passing with weapons in the future with Bolo Evo 1.

Class Notes: Nov 1, 2015

Attendees:
Yonas
Rich
Guro Lem

Notes:
3 of 9 template rh/lh/both at the same time
3 of 9 left defeats right
7 count passing drill
Counters to reflexive response with two hand grabs

Class Notes: Oct 11, 2015

Attendees:
Dan
Guro Lem
Richard
Yonas


Notes:
Reviewed 3 of 9 template RH
Taught 3 of 9 template LH
3 of 9 w/tapping
Left defeats Right hand
Back to back drill/exercise: Feeder chose 3 predetermined attacks. Receiver tries to correctly tap his attacks. 

Later, we discussed the exercise and what questions they may have, "What should the Receiver try to do if being crowded?" Some answers were to strike back or go into the grappling range. All good answers, but for this exercise it might be hard to do unless we can gear up with protection and mma gloves. But for now, I asked again, "What other answers could you come up with?". Distance to extend the time to react. Also, work on getting better with cross-tapping.

One thing to remember when training. It's just training. It's a time to get better in areas where we are weak. Everyone has a skill set in fighting. It's easy to train our strengths, but we need to train our weaknesses too to get well rounded and better. You'll get cut and messed up, but it's a time to see what works and what doesn't. So when the time comes for us to use it in real life situation, it will be tried with many reps (hopefully with correct technique and responses). So... Find the answers during training!

Class Notes: Oct 4, 2015

Attendees:
Bryant
Guro Lem
Richard (new perspective student)
Yonas

Notes:
3 of 9 template RH
3 of 9 w/tapping
Discussed reactionary gap, Blade passing protocol

Maharlika Martial Arts: Sept 22 & 27, 2015

Sept. 22 - We taught the 5 count passing tonight. Pointers to remember when doing the drill is to remind them to stay close to do the passing. Remember to use head movement when doing counts 1 and 2. Showed the different ranges of the drill.

Sept. 29 - On this evening, we taught the 5 count passing drill but included the them with the combat set. We trained the combat set with counts 1 - 3. These combat sets go into the grappling range for the drill. Hopefully next class we can try getting these into free flow.