This month was eventful for me. I had two opportunities to teach - only got picture for one - and a tournament. I also continued in my observations of the older kids and talking to them about how they learn. I'll show my best pictures and explain them for this post.
This is the little group. I gave them too big nunchucks on accident. They did well enough. We didn't get to the kata itself. It was just practice using the nunchucks. I may or may not have said this already, but they are a hard weapon.
Medium group. They also didn't get to the kata. They did a bit better than the younger group, but that isn't surprising.
The big group. I did no practice with them because they understand how to use nunchucks. It was only the kata with them. They did well.
Now on the 26th there was a Cookies & Punch/Skills tournament. Every 6 or so months the three cities Sensei teaches in all come to La Verne and compete in coordination - or skill - drills. At the end they are all given cookies and punch. I'd like to thank Kirstie for taking the good pictures and Anthony for owning the camera. So much better than my little phone camera.
These pictures show the majority of the kids that showed up to the tournament. Add maybe 2/3 and that would aproximately be the entirety of the kids enrolled currently. It's a very big system, and Sensei knows every kid by name.
The first event was star throw. The littlest kids take a suction-cup throwing star and try to hit a square on the glass, while standing a distance away. I teach this fairly often. Holding the star is kinda hard, so the little ones don't quite pick it up yet. The tournament is good practice for them in that sense.
These pictures are examples of the "Jumping Side-thrust Kick" Completely useless in a street fight, but the kids like to jump. Sensei gives them a practice kick where they aim for his hand. Then they use the heel of the foot to break that yellow board Sensei is holding. The second-smallest kids participate in this. It requires significant coordination to do well, which is why Sensei is using the board that you could break by looking at aggressively. It's really easy. Except it isn't easy for the little ones.
Yes, I'm in the background fiddling with my phone. I was trying to get good pictures on my own. Didn't work well. In my opinion I show up in far too many.
As a show of sportsmanship, and how we are all the same karate studio, The kids were made to shake hands and say good game to each other.
Limbo. Not much else to say. A couple kids from each team competing against someone the same size. I've taught this to the littles.
This is called "Snake in the Box." It's basically tug-o-war but the people stand on a box. They can't step off and they can't let go. It is more of a mind game than muscle as you try to trick your oponent into falling off by giving the rope slack. I run this one fairly often.
One of the main events is Ball Game, and it's probably what I run the most with the little ones. Two teams throw a ball at each other and try to get the other players out. This was the big kids and both teams got two adults. It sound simple but there are many other rules not worth getting in to. The better the player, the harder it is for them. Meaning it's pretty easy for the little little kids, but dear god the adults are tough. I would know. I've been nailed in the face by men 3x my strength.
Jump kicking is the pinnacle of the karate experience for us. It shows off coordination, flexibility, and how high one can jump. All the kids did it, and they all love doing it. Small groups of about the same size and skill go against each other to see who can jump the highest. Like Jumping Side-thrust, it isn't applicable in a fight, but that's what makes it the most fun.
It's actually something of a skill.
There is a record for the highest jump kick in our system at 9' 1''. These boys here are not trying to break that record, but they are the highest jumpers that showed up. Another guy jumps higher than them who didn't. Every single kid sitting down wants to be these boys, I guarantee you. Except maybe the first one.
These three pictures are examples of who I work with. Mostly men, with the youngest in his 30s. It might sound kinda creepy, but it really isn't. We're all just advanced students and teachers under Sensei. I teach, learn, and sometimes make jokes. I've actually taught some of them - the man on the far right 1st pic, far left 2nd, his father - not pictured, and the man in the middle 3rd. I think they all respect me as someone who knows what she's doing. On the other hand I'm a teenager who's young enough to be their daughter. Most of them have kids older than me.
Those are the main events of the tournament. Most significant thing this month.
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