Staff vs double stick "Redonda" practice

Chinto Kata

Second degree Black Belt staff member Jeff C. leads the adult Karate-do class through a round of Chinto Kata the fifth Kata in the system.

Wansu Kata

JRRMAS Staff member and 2nd degree Black belt, Mr. Chaisson leads the adult Karate-do class through a round of Wansu Kata last night. Mr. Chaisson started his study with Sifu Roy when he was just a young boy and has been studying, practicing and now teaching consistently, ever since. His many years of practice are evident in the quality of his basics and his poise and demeanor.

Modern Arnis - Tapi Tapi - Counter their counter

Sifu and JRRMAS staff member PR practice a baiting and locking series. The idea is to counter their counter (Tapi Tapi).

Lesson 1:

Tapi tapi is an excellent platform for skill aquisition

training the 'live hand' to seak the path

Blocking for Self-Defense

JRRMAS adjunct staff member TS from Potsdam NY gives a presentation on Self-Defense blocking. TS started training with me in 1979 and is one of my senior most Black Belts (4th degree) in the American Karate-Do System, he is also a Black Belt in Modern Arnis. He is currently teaching T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Self-Defense and Aerobic Kick Boxing at the University in Potsdam. With over 30 years of consistent training, TS has a lot to offer. It was wonderful to have him assisting with the youth classes in the morning and participating in the Seminar in the afternoon this past Saturday. I only wish he lived closer!

Wudang Sword basic Stab practice

Sifu and JRRMAS Staff members WF, SK and BL practice lines of basic Stabs (Thrusts) with Broadswords.

Lesson 1:

Take any single technique

the more basic the technique is ....the better!

Choose your technique wisely.....

One, that is a common denominator to the Art or Form

Then.....while paying attention to principles and details

repeat the single technique in a line or row

amassing as many repetitions as you have the capacity for

Remember the idea is develop and refine .....

Changing the way you do the technique should happen daily...

Because:

Mastery is the goal!

Lesson 2:

To achieve Mastery in Martial Arts...

Correct practice is essential!

A basic level that is available to everyone is around 10,000 (correct) repetitions

Mastery is only available to those with a life long,

regular daily practice and is around 36,000 repetitions!

Repeating rows of the basic, is the main practice method

Rows makes it relatively easy to repeat the basic 100 or more times in one practice session

Then the secret is to do that practice daily......

It's amazing how quickly the repetitions will amass!

Modern Arnis - Redonda - Forward and Reverse

JRRMAS Staff member PH practices Redonda with Brown Belt student AG.

Lesson 1:

Redonda.....

one circle on the same side

two circle's on the opposite side

The first strike crosses over when going forward

and under when doing the reverse

train both sides simultaneously

Keep the beats even

especially in between side changes

and feel the one, two, three...it's a triplet.....without accents....

add in Rompida and Abinico

Now add stance work...forward, backward and to the sides

It's all there....study the nature of circles, timing and momentum

Truly marvelous practice!

Modern Arnis application from Stick Form 1

JRRMAS Staff member PR leads a recent class in an application exercise based on the first Stick Form (Anyo).

Lesson 1:

In order to lead the mind properly during solo practice...

it's imperative that the practitioner is able to visualize the application of the movement

Practicing the applications of the forms with a partner is the 'secret'

to higher level solo practice...

Visualizating the applications will give the practitioner the correct 'feeling' of the solo gesture

Lesson 2:

"The mind directs, the body follows"

Joint Locking, how to practice it safely and have it contribute to health maintainance

JRRMAS Staff member JK assists Sifu in an explanation of how to correctly practice Joint Lock's.

Lesson 1:

These practices can injure your joints if not practiced properly,

Always practice with respect for each others range of motion limitations.

Injury is guaranteed if you practice to quickly and use too much external muscular force....

Instead, concentrate on the exactness of your fulcrum and lever....

and proper body positioning, listening skills and leverage.

Speed is good.....

up until the point where the slack is taken out of their joint

then you must go slowly giving them time to 'slap out'

Going slowly at the point that the joint lock is 'activated' ......

will gradually increase the strength and the range of movement in the joint

Then instead of injuring the joints

they are slowly being strengthened and stretched!

Sifu

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance, Part Three, Issuing Side

JRRMAS Staff member BL and Sifu practice Part Three of Grand Master T. T. Liang's T'ai-Chi Dance. Sifu is practicing the issuing side.

American Karate-Do, Black Belts Side Kicking practice

JRRMAS Staff members NL, JC and DG practice defensive (not stepping in) Side Kicks in a recent Adult American Karate-Do class. NL is leading the class. All are demonstrating excellent form.

Lesson 1:

Side Kicks are both a classical and a modern basic technique

The kick also crosses over to real life self-defense

from both a standing and a lying position.

It is one of the most powerful techniques in Martial Arts, especially for women.

For men the legs are twice as powerful as their arms,

but for women the legs are four times as powerful as their arms!

So learning to kick is a must for women's self-protection,

especially the side kicking action

that uses the joints of the hip and the knee working in unison.

The Side Kick is a very powerful kick indeed!

Lesson 2:

Remember to drive your knee straight up (as in a front kick)

and learn to use the momentum of the initial vertical action of the knee

changing it from vertical to horizontal

The 'secret' to a quick and powerful Side Kick

is keeping the knee up as the initial power of the vertical knee drive

turns the 'corner' to a horizontal thrusting action using the hip and the knee joint

Be very clear about the 'line of power' at the end of your kick!!

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance, Part Three, Receiving Side

Sifu and JRRMAS Staff member BL practice Grand Master T. T. Liang's T'ai-Chi Dance. Sifu is on the receiving side of Part Three

Lesson 1:

When practicing,

at first go slowly,

Concluding your gestures with your whole body ONE unit!

pausing slightly as you synchronize your movements

as the Yin/Yang flow and exchange

The Dance is truly marvelous and infinite

as you learn to SEE with your touch,

and not merely your eyes!

Lesson 2:

The eye is easy to fool, but to fool the touch of a T'ai Chi Ch'uan Master, is very difficult, indeed!

Once you know the 'sequence' of a solo or two person set, then try practicing with your eyes closed. Remember to meditate on the principles, your balance point and your breathing!

Practicing with your eyes closed is an excellent way to practice anything from solo forms to Trapping Hands and Chasing Hands, as well as any of the Pushing Hands and Da Lu variations.

Bagua Zhang, 1st Yin Fu Set, Change #3

Sifu and JRRMAS Staff members BL and WF practice the third change in the first Yin Fu Set.

Lesson 1:

Because Bagua Zhang is moving meditation

with a focus on correct body mechanics,

T'an T'ien breathing

The mind is controlling the bodies movements,

with low single leg squats for strength and flexibility

and standing on one leg for balance

twisting the limbs and trunk for circulation.

With all of the 'principles of Bagua Zhang' that are going on simultaneously,

regular DAILY practice of Bagua Zhang

WILL:

improve and maintain your overall health

and well being!

You will become Stronger (in your overall constitution),

more apt to be Centered (especially in high stress situations)

Calmer in your approach to everyday life

More apt to have a positive attitude in general

and especially towards life little surprises!

Sifu

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance. Part One, Receiving Side

JRRMAS Staff member BL and Sifu practice Grand Master T. T. Liangs two person "T'ai-Chi Dance".

Grand Master Liang combined numerous drills and applications from the many Masters that he trained with to develop this very unique and advanced sensitivity training method with 176 movements on each side. Part 1 of the Dance is the Yang families 'Da Lu' or big Roll Back.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance, Part One, Issue Side

JRRMAS Staff member BL and Sifu practicing Grand Master T. T. Liangs two person set called the 'T'ai-Chi Dance' Sifu is practicing the Issuing Side.