Saturday's Sempai's and Tuesday's Trainees

Saturday at Tooting Karate Club saw Sensei Helen Smith and Sensei Chris Poore, both regular students of Sensei Linda Marchant, take the class in her absence. She was away celebrating her partner's birthday, yet her absence wasn't enough to reduce the enthusiasm amongst the dojo and a well attended class took to an upbeat tempo with plenty of kicks being thrown. Perhaps Sensei Helen's kickboxing training has made her favour leg work? Thanks to both of them for a sterling session.

On Tuesday Sensei Marchant returned to roost and with her came a number of newcomers including Sensei Chris Poore's younger brother James and another karate-ka with Shotokan and Kyokushin experience. It was also good to see some regular faces who've been away for various reasons - welcome back Kevin and Anne-Marie.

The session's main teaching focussed on moving explosively and effectively, whether that be offensively or evasively. We trained "Tai Sabaki", or twisting from the hips as well as moving in Front Stance or Zenkutsu Dachi. Sensei Linda stressed to us that the feet should slide and not step as to do so makes one far more vulnerable to sweeping as well as unable to stop and change as easily throughout the motion. Of course the theory takes a lot less time to express nicely than the practical...