sensei maria's class

techniques
1. round house punch - close window: lead with hip, not arms when hitch stepping in. notice that sensei maria's hands lead first w/ back of wrists and last minute catches uke's arm w/ palm-side of hands. don't why this is so, but very interesting to watch. don't rise up when stepping, stay low.

2. round house punch - catch crook of elbow, turn hip, bend knees: trying to do close window, but doesn't work, then inside forearm hooks into uke's elbow and pulls toward own body to bend striking arm, catch uke wrist w/ both arms w/ uke arm now bent, twist hips which should cause great off balance to uke, bend knees for take down.

* felt like there was no struggle to take uke off balance w/ the twisting of hip

3. round house punch - parry + step even straighter, knife edge hand to crook of hip + uke takes back fall

* notice that when stepping in, feel like taking center, especially when your knee nudges up against uke's knee.

4. round house punch - step in + parry, sweep striking arm down + catch and pull across uke center line + keep turning uke's wrist, step thru to opposite side uke toe, apply shihonage

5. round house punch - shihonage save w/ kotogaeshi: uke saves self from shihonage that you are trying apply, immediately step to side of uke, attacking arm now right next to/almost parallel to ground your hand/arm, step back + kotogaeshi

6. ippon seionage drills - really clip uke bicep w/ crook of elbow, feet together, back straight, face is straight + not looking down, don't bend at butt, twist hip and look to the side + behind you

7. round house punch - ippon seionage: 2nd time i got knocked in head because I was too slow to hitch step in. need to hitch step into + very close to uke/bodies touching - helps avoid punch

8. round house punch - elbow strike + head throw: step in + elbow strike + parry punch (u + uke in opposite stances), elbow striking arm immediately grabs opposite side ear + other arm goes for other uke ear, make sure u catch uke head in front of you + not behind you otherwise not effective, leg of elbow striking side arm kneels to ground as the twisting of hip aids in bringing uke head straight down. don't throw uke head forward but straight down. uke takes breakfall but can roll out too

9. round house punch - katanage: step in + parry, sweep uke striking arm down + across center line of uke, take off balance, stuff shoulder into uke arm pit and step thru uke - feels like your the center of your forward momentum with stepping thru crosses uke's centerline, uke is off balance + takes roll

* i really felt that this "sword throw" was more effective by stepping somewhat at angle thru uke than straight forward. is this right?

remembering details
A. doing the ippon seionage drills - where we setup 9 times before throwing reminded me of exercises from last year from sensei c
1. basically we stood a step away from wall, stepped to wall as if we were doing ippon, and then we'd "get small" - put our heels together and kept our back straight as possible using the wall as a guide. this might be helpful to try at home.

B. need to lead with hips not arms, keeping back straight