IJKA Ireland Coure (Pt 3 of 3)

Saturday morning was a little overcast so we trained in the hotel. We had an hour to spare while the beginners/low grades trained. Sensei Kato told Rebecca to get changed quick and take the low grades. You can imagine the face on it? Once the warm ups were finished Sensei got Helen and Hammer from Ireland to join in as well. I kept well out of the way. The afternoon session was on the Beach, after a few warm ups we were ready for some serious training. We did a lot of kicking, foot techniques, ashi bari and take down training all as a lead in to Kata Training.
Sensei taught Rantai which is an Asai kata to help develop kicking and foot techniques, I quite liked it but it definitely did not suit everyone.

Sensei had us belt training again, the basics for the lower grade and then the lower grades had a chance at getting their own back. The Video show me trying my best to perform the jump in Heian Godan as the belt comes toward me. I don't think it did my old knees any favours.

Kato Sensei had Toomey Sensei teach the Kata Meikyo on Sunday morning while he undertook a dan grading. Sensei finished the course teaching another Asai Kata Rehesu, Sensei said I was too slow learning kata...I told him everyone over 6 feet tall it would take longer to learn because it Had further to go! We had been taught three new katas on the weekend and my brain was struggling.

The video above shows Helen attempt at the scissors take down, she seems a little confused? In the second video below Sensei is close at hand to give some expert tuition, watch out for the extra little kick at the end that Sensei puts in for good measure-sweet.

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