For those times when advancing students have too much energy.

Back at the end of the 1980s I had a group of very talented green and brown belt teenagers. Of course they had too much energy available for them and often that led to friendly trouble,

 

I thought about that and worked up a way for them too get rid of their excess energy.

 

What I did was work up a way to use the Isshinryu Naifanchi Kata to be a bit more challenging.

 

As that time there was far less access to recording equipment and I have no video of this drill.

 

My solution was to add several 360 degree jumping crescent kicks to the kata. Then multiple performances would slake their excess energy.

 

1.     From closed stance natural stance, Rei and close the two open hands down.

2.     Step to the left in Naifanchi Stance with the right hand in right chamber position and the left hand striking out to the side with a palm up haito strike.

3.     Remaining in stance deliver a right empi strike into the left open hand palm.

4.     Remaining in stance place both hands down atop the left hip chamber position, Right fist atop the left fist.

5.     The right foot steps out in Naifanchi Stance as the right hand strikes down with a right low strike. The left hand remains in chamber.

6.     Then remain in stance and chamber the right hand to the right hip as the left hand strikes across the body with an open hand spear hand strike (palm up)

7.     ** At this point raise the left knee up and begin a right jumping spinning crescent kick. As you jump and spin you are rotate 360 degrees turning counter-clockwise (as spinning toward your back). The entire time the right hand remains in chamber while the left hand maintains its cross body strike.

8.     As you finish in Naifanchi facing toward the front. Your left hand performs a left open hand outside strike/block while your right open hand spear strike downward toward the opponents groin.

9.     Again remaining in Naifanchi Stance, your left open hand parried down toward your mid section and the right hand rises and then snaps out in a right hand backfist strike to the bridge of your opponents nose.

10.                     Turning your head to the left, remaining in stance, deliver a right backfist strike to the right side, while your left hand simultaneously strikes across your body.

11.                     Remaining in stance deliver a right hammer fist strike across your body, As your left fist chambers on your left hip.

12.                     Conclude. still remaining in stance your head turns to your right and right hand delivers a straight punch to the right side, while the left hand also punches to the right across your body stopping at the side of your body.

13.                     /////////////////////////////////////////////////

14.                     Step to the left in Naifanchi Stance with the right hand in right chamber position and the left hand striking out to the side with a palm up haito strike.

15.                     Remaining in stance deliver a left empi strike into the right open hand palm.

16.                     Remaining in stance place both hands down atop the right hip chamber position, Left fist atop the right fist.

17.                     The left foot steps out in Naifanchi Stance as the lert hand strikes down with a right low strike. The right hand remains in chamber.

18.                     Then remain in stance and chamber the left hand to the right hip as the right hand strikes across the body with an open hand spear hand strike (palm up)

19.                     ** At this point raise the right knee up and begin a left jumping spinning crescent kick. As you jump and spin you are rotate 360 degrees turning clockwise (as spinning toward your back). The entire time the left hand remains in chamber while the right hand maintains its cross body strike.

20.                     As you finish in Naifanchi facing toward the front. Your right hand performs a right open hand outside strike/block while your left open hand spear strike downward toward the opponents groin.

21.                     Again remaining in Naifanchi Stance, your right open hand parried down toward your mid section and the left hand rises and then snaps out in a left hand backfist strike to the bridge of your opponents nose.

22.                     Turning your head to the right, remaining in stance, deliver a left backfist strike to the left side, while your right hand simultaneously strikes across your body.

23.                     Remaining in stance deliver a left hammer fist strike across your body, As your right fist chambers on your right hip.

24.                     Conclude. still remaining in stance your head turns to your left and left hand delivers a straight punch to the left side, while the right hand also punches to the leftt across your body stopping at the side of your body..

25.                     Close your feet to natural stance, Rei and close the two open hands down

 

Thus it makes this version a most interesting exercise, one to make the individual work harder and harder.

 

 

It was Charles Murray who taught me the principle underlying how this change was made.

 

One day when I was a brown belt and studying with him, I had suffered a slight pull on my left leg and as a result I could not perform the jumping front kick from kata Chinto.

 

Charles explained that was not a reason to practice the kata. What he told me to do was replace the jumping front kick by moving the technique down one notch, Instead replace the jumping kick with a stepping forward front kick. Making possible the kata practice.

 

Thereby giving me a tool to use when a student had problems with a technique, then just dialing it back a level to a lower level execution of the technique., for the time being until execution improves.

 

I used the same principle but in the other direction with the addition of the jump spinning crescent kick.

 

There was an adult version where I replaced the jump spinning crescent kick with a stepping 360 degree crescent kick, Where I dialed the kick down a notch.

 

It was used in those years where I had a strong group of teens. But in time the membership of the class changed in different directions, both the youth group and of course the adult program. As a result this drill was put aside.