One man drills for uechi-ryu(other then kata)

[fivedragons]

There's probably some legend in China of a lead drinking master.

What's the big deal anyway? I don't fight people, why the hell should I give a sh#t about this arcane and esoteric crap.



It's just a general health paradigm.

Karate hasn't turned me into the person that I thought I needed to be at one time, (and I'm so very thankful for that ) but I actually feel better mentally and physically at 39 than I did when I was in school playing soccer.

[fivedragons]

Here's another drill Adam.

Sit comfortably cross legged or whatever, on the floor, bed, couch etc.

Make sure that you are able to relax into a comfortable stabe position without tension before you start.

With your hands palm up, place your right hand on top of your left, with the tips of your thumbs resting against each other.

Place the tip of your tongue lightly but firmly against the top of your mouth just behind the teeth.

Close your eyes.

Start to count to fifteen with each NATURAL exhale of breathe. Do not try to regulate your breathing, just wait for the exhale and add one more to the count.

The moment ANY THOUGHT arises, stop counting, visualize the thought as a word or words, accept it, and let the next exhale blow it into infinity, as if it was made of fog, smoke, etc.

Start over at one.

Do not try to get to fifteen. Do not try to fight your thoughts. Be thankful when they happen, accept them for what they are, and let the next exhale gently blow them away.

That is the point of the exercise, not getting to fifteen.

Continue for as long as you can feel relaxed and without tension or desire. DO NOT FORCE YOUSELF. Stop, and enjoy it tomorrow. Do not set a goal of getting to fifteen, for that is not the point, and getting to fifteen doesn't mean anything.

Sooner or later, you will probably get to fifteen, after which you can continue to sit there without counting or paying attention to your breath.

Just smile and observe the simple and benign energy of life play and dissipate like the waves of the ocean lovingly carressing the shore.

THIS IS KARATE.

[Jake Steinmann]

Adam,

While not a "karate" drill per se...do you do any kind of physical conditioning? Running? Strength training?

It's an excellent use of your free time, and will, if done properly, definitely help your karate in the long run.

Just a thought.

[fivedragons]

Here's a couple good ones that I do every other day, when I'm working legs and stomach as opposed to arms and chest.

The lean.

Stand left foot well forward, foot pointed straight ahead. Right foot back and point forward 45 degrees.

Clasp right wrist behind the back with the left hand.

Lean forward in a lunge position, making a straight line from your rear foot to the top of your head, keeping your head vertical.

Lean back, bending your right knee until there is a straight line from your forward foot to your chin, keeping your head vertical.

You want to find your center of gravity, and feel stable.

You can experiment with the feeling of relaxing and taking a deep breath in each position, also try tensing your midsection at the point where you feel most stable.

I do this twelve times, then repeat on the other side.



Dan tien exercise.

Stand in a normal relaxed shoulder width stance.

Take a nice relaxed deep breath into your stomach.

Count to three while you contract your stomach muscles inward as far as you can without causing pain, or feeling dizzy etc.

You have to take it easy until you learn how to contract "underneath the breath", and not unduly compress your diaphragm or lungs. You should be learning how to isolate and contract the lower abdominal muscles.

Hold for a count of three, then slowly relax while counting to three.

Exhale. With your lungs empty, repeat the cycle. Pull your stomach in while counting to three, hold for three, and release in a slow three count.

During this cycle you should be able to focus on the musculature at the top, directly over the diaphragm.

I go through this cycle three times.

[fivedragons]

As you can see, I have a thing about numbers.

Sanchin as yoga.

Bow, brings hads across and down to in front of hips, while widening stance. Perform relaxed but with explosive momentum. Visualize energy projecting and continuing on the same path, while hands stop and relax. Sink into position for three NATURAL breaths.

Step forward and double thrust. Same method. Hold and sink for three natural slow relaxed breaths.

Bring arms across and up to eye level. Same thing.

Left nukite thrust. Same thing. Thrust and let energy escape your hand while remaining still and sinking into outstretched position. Three natural breaths. Banish impatience.

Left foot turns for change of direction. Don't bring your right foot around, but sink into the cat stance that happens before you fully commit to the turn. With arms in sanchin sink into and relax for three breaths.

Complete turn, right thrust. Same deal.

Turn right foot without bring left foot around. Enjoy cat stance for three breaths.

Complete turn, left thrust. Same deal.

Double nukite. Send it out, let it stay while energy escapes, relax and sink into position.

Bring right foot into position for wa uke, left hand just to right of centerline, right just to right of knee. Left foot remains in same position. Left foot pointed straight ahead, right foot 45 degrees.

Bring left foot into normal position, wa uke and strike, bring hands back and sink into position.

Leaving right foot where it is, extend left foot into horse stance for next wa uke. Both feet should have toes at 45 degrees. Right hand just left of centerline, left just past knee. Sink and hold.

Bring right foot into position, wa uke and stike, retract strike and sink into position. Hold.

Put right foot into position for last wa uke, left and right foot in short horse stance both pointing the same direction, 45 degrees to sanchi north. Same deal.

I hope you get the picture, because I'm tired of typing.

Closed gate.

Bow.

Edit: I forgot after the double nukite you should bring your hands back into the palm out bushiken eye gouge posture and savor it for three breaths before turning into the first wa uke.

[John Giacoletti]

I suggest several minutes of a variety of kegel compressions and squeezes.

Not only is it great for childbirth, it's one of the parts of Sanchin bandras (bodily locking devices/your cklosed gates)that helps to set the conditions under which you can better stimulate your (speaking metaphorically, of course) kundalini powers and release the energy from the sacral chakra, transmitting it up the spine to the brain.

[AAAhmed46]

Awsomeness....

[Bill Glasheen]

I suggest several minutes of a variety of kegel compressions and squeezes.

Not only is it great for childbirth, it's one of the parts of Sanchin bandras (bodily locking devices/your cklosed gates)that helps to set the conditions under which you can better stimulate your (speaking metaphorically, of course) kundalini powers and release the energy from the sacral chakra, transmitting it up the spine to the brain.

I can't vouch for the above. But I do know they're recommended by health care practitioners to help your love life - whether male or female.

Anything which makes you more coordinated and/or stronger in ANY part of your body has a use.

release the energy from the sacral chakra, transmitting it up the spine to the brain

Oh my...

- Bill

[MikeK]

It happened to me and I ended up having to wear a truss.