In the last couple of months (since our last post) we have all been hard at work at training and put posting on the blog in the second plan. We are happy to announce that  we are back now.

Our teacher Alex was on a trip to Japan at the end of February where he (and a couple of students) studied techniques of the shoden, or first level, of Koto Ryu.  On the trainings we are now going through that material and covering one or two kata (plus accompanying henka) per training.

The techniques that we have covered so far are:

初伝型 Shoden Gata – beginning level transmission forms
抒投 Yokutō – scoop up and throw
押虚 Ōgyaku – push into space
抗抒 Kōyoku – oppose and eliminate
拡倒 Shitō – extend and knock down
捕捉 Hosoku – capture
放擲 Hōteki – release and hit, abandon
斜倒 Shatō – oblique knock down
掛倒 Ketō – hang and knock down

(List taken from Mark Brown's excellent Bujinkan Blog)

On Thursday we started training with some punching drills. Blocks and gyaku fudo ken into focus mitts. After that we continued to cover the following techniques:

搾撃 Sakugeki – squeeze and strike
擔撃 Tangeki – carry or shoulder and strike

We had a new beginners course in January and many people showed up, trained with us and put a lot of effort and sweat in it. On Monday and Thursday training this week couple of them passed the grading. Great work guys, congratulations.

Gambatte.