![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Bujinkan tonight was a lot of fun. I keep getting roped into training with the new girl who started training, and I kinda hate that - not because I mind training her (and I really don't most of the time), but because it's based on the faulty assumption that the new girl should train with one of the two women in the class because we're the only ones who'll be nice to her and not scare her away. And I find this kinda weird cause I barely ever trained with M. or R. (the only two women who were training when I first joined) when I first started, and I found it insulting when I was regulated to training with one of them by the assumption that we're the same gender so of course we'll train together. Of course, I'm pretty weird and the things that scare the majority of people away from buyu didn't stick with me *L* Anyway, since I wanted to really get some training in today, avoid training with the new girl, and save C. from having to train with him again, I chose the father of the new girl (also a newbie) to train with. He's a huge guy who body builds so he's built like a large (Amer.) football player. I thought he'd be a lot of fun to train with because of that since a) I could use his height and size against him, and b) muscles provide enough cushioning that I could hit a lot harder without really hurting him and c) he'd never trained with me before so he had no preconceptions.
Jack did a sort of 'escapes plus reactions to someone attacking you' quickly theme. So the first was someone just trying to grab you with both hands and you went into kamae with your arm straight to take the space (on their T) in the middle of their chest, then again by digging into that notch in the clavicle. Then we did shrugging off a quick punch (lift your shoulder and throw it forward a little, sink your weight) which is something you really need to learn in Buyu cause someday someone might just attack you from behind like that (as Jack can attest... the soke siced someone on him at a taikai). Then there was thwarting a football tackle (you have to spread your legs out and slide your body weight forward while taking the space around their arms) and getting out of a football tackle (forearm to the throat with you hand on their shoulder acting as the fulcrum of the lever). Then we did various full body grabs like a bear hug from the front, behind etc. Those were easiest cause I've done them all before, though it was pretty cool when the new guy really squeezed tight on a behind bear hug and I had to drop my weight and really work my arms up my sides (you need to bend your elbows, preferably evenly) to get out of it. I've never had someone attack me with that much force before so it was good to see how easy it was to get out of despite the python like constriction.
Amusingly, I tried to return the favour, but of course, the guy's really built! So my arms got only about half way around him - which everybody in the class spotted and laughed their heads off about (me included). We could still train cause your arms don't really need to go around the person so long as you can put pressure on their arms, but we did look ridiculous. I also enjoyed finding out if you want to get someone's clasped hands apart and they're really strong, one cheat is to drive a fingernail into the fleshy side of the finger (I've still got a mark from where Jack did it). Weapon of the night was hung bo, and the key was coming in at the right moment either taking the space where the hand swinging the stick will be, or if they're swinging wildly back and forth, waiting for the point where you can jump in and take their foot off in the right direction. At one point I was avoiding a forward stab with the stick (you aim for the hand holding the stick with your opposite hand, but barely move the rest of your body believe it or not) and I did one hit to the guy's neck which made a smacking sound (it's all the muscle) and Jack was like, "Show him the love!" *L* I taught the guy a lot of striking points on the head and arms cause he wanted to know *shrugs* He was actually pretty good for his level, though I discovered he only learnt by example and that he really wasn't conceptualizing anything I said without me demonstrating what I was saying in conjunction and him then trying it to discover it was working.
Afterwards, C. and I continued our long standing war (he pulls my braid, I either pull his belt, or smack him upside the head). I got him upside the head after class, and made sure to back away quickly, brandishing my own belt as a weapon. He backed down so I thought I was safe, but as I was heading for my own bag, I saw him pull off his gi out of the corner of my eye, then he made a perfect toss of the thing over my head (like something out of a jackie chan movie). I said, "Shit." and crouched down low and went backwards to get out of it, but it would have been too late if he'd actually wanted to hit me. It was a pretty awesome move *L*
I've taken to showing off my bruises to my friend N. in Japanese class, and she's taken to calling me a BAMF. lol.
Jack did a sort of 'escapes plus reactions to someone attacking you' quickly theme. So the first was someone just trying to grab you with both hands and you went into kamae with your arm straight to take the space (on their T) in the middle of their chest, then again by digging into that notch in the clavicle. Then we did shrugging off a quick punch (lift your shoulder and throw it forward a little, sink your weight) which is something you really need to learn in Buyu cause someday someone might just attack you from behind like that (as Jack can attest... the soke siced someone on him at a taikai). Then there was thwarting a football tackle (you have to spread your legs out and slide your body weight forward while taking the space around their arms) and getting out of a football tackle (forearm to the throat with you hand on their shoulder acting as the fulcrum of the lever). Then we did various full body grabs like a bear hug from the front, behind etc. Those were easiest cause I've done them all before, though it was pretty cool when the new guy really squeezed tight on a behind bear hug and I had to drop my weight and really work my arms up my sides (you need to bend your elbows, preferably evenly) to get out of it. I've never had someone attack me with that much force before so it was good to see how easy it was to get out of despite the python like constriction.
Amusingly, I tried to return the favour, but of course, the guy's really built! So my arms got only about half way around him - which everybody in the class spotted and laughed their heads off about (me included). We could still train cause your arms don't really need to go around the person so long as you can put pressure on their arms, but we did look ridiculous. I also enjoyed finding out if you want to get someone's clasped hands apart and they're really strong, one cheat is to drive a fingernail into the fleshy side of the finger (I've still got a mark from where Jack did it). Weapon of the night was hung bo, and the key was coming in at the right moment either taking the space where the hand swinging the stick will be, or if they're swinging wildly back and forth, waiting for the point where you can jump in and take their foot off in the right direction. At one point I was avoiding a forward stab with the stick (you aim for the hand holding the stick with your opposite hand, but barely move the rest of your body believe it or not) and I did one hit to the guy's neck which made a smacking sound (it's all the muscle) and Jack was like, "Show him the love!" *L* I taught the guy a lot of striking points on the head and arms cause he wanted to know *shrugs* He was actually pretty good for his level, though I discovered he only learnt by example and that he really wasn't conceptualizing anything I said without me demonstrating what I was saying in conjunction and him then trying it to discover it was working.
Afterwards, C. and I continued our long standing war (he pulls my braid, I either pull his belt, or smack him upside the head). I got him upside the head after class, and made sure to back away quickly, brandishing my own belt as a weapon. He backed down so I thought I was safe, but as I was heading for my own bag, I saw him pull off his gi out of the corner of my eye, then he made a perfect toss of the thing over my head (like something out of a jackie chan movie). I said, "Shit." and crouched down low and went backwards to get out of it, but it would have been too late if he'd actually wanted to hit me. It was a pretty awesome move *L*
I've taken to showing off my bruises to my friend N. in Japanese class, and she's taken to calling me a BAMF. lol.
Tags: