Thursday, May 10, 2007

Quebec Open videos

Here's a compilation of our fours katas in the order they happened. Your comments are welcome, as always.


Read the previous post for the story about the whole day...

FM

2 comments:

Mir said...

Thanks for the video! It's really nice how you edited it so well too.

I've got to say how your kata performance has improved. In your traditional kata you look like you are flowing, and gliding across the floor. I've seen how you've managed to improve your speed, and hand exchanges in your Bo staff. Your little drop didn't stop you. Wonderful.. Good training there.

Andrew's manner has matured.. gosh he is looking more and more like a black belt in his movements. His kiai is coming straight from his center now, and echoes. Fantastic!

Remember.. I'm still working on all of the things that I need fixing. But as a gift to you, I'll suggest some things that you could look at to improve:

You are "breaking" at the hips sometimes. This reduces your power. Try tucking in your hips, and tightening your buttocks when you strike those stances. Picture yourself sending the forward power from the bottom up. This should straighten your back, help your balance with your back kicks, and solidify your stance.

You've got the speed now.. work on those quiet slow power movements.. make them stand out like moments of exclamation in the kata. Blur of movement.. and then POW! Hold that power move for a breath.. showing tension.. building tension.. and then go back into the blur. Like how a song will pause, and then start again just as strong. You will then be showing the dynamics of the kata.

I can't put my finger on what is missing in Andrew's kata. I think that it is sharpness. His techniques are good, but they run into each other. It's like one isn't finished, and he's already started the next one. Perhaps he might want to slow down the kata a bit, and look at accenting each move a little.

FrogMan said...

thanks for the very kind comments Mireille, and also for the things that you think need fixing.

My (our) katas are all work in progress and I guess will always remain so. I agree that I'm sometimes a bit locked at the hips and yep, that's something I need to work on.

Andrew, well he has grown quite a bit in his karate in general, but that kata, Cat 1, is one that he's known for maybe a month, month and a half before the competition. Or at least, he's had it down pat for that period before the competition. Prior to that, he's always have a place here or there where he kinda looked confused. He will eventually get it as he grows, as I too grew with Cat 1 as I did it more and more...

Take care, Steve