Today, the last day of 2018, I tried something new in daily training. After kihon drills, I did ten heian kata, two each of the five, the first of which was done very slowly while holding ten pound dumb bells. The second repetition was done kata tempo. The purpose of holding weights was not so much to gain strength, except insofar as the campaign against sarcopenia continues, as to get an exaggerated feeling of what Mr. Rick Hotton encourages, the feeling of falling into technique, the feeling of dropping into blocks, punches, and kicks. The weights exaggerated that feeling, especially when I put them down to do the full speed kata. Drop, fall, move easily and swiftly into the next groove.
Weights help. So do jump ropes and exercise bands. In batto-do we use the suburito to exaggerate the feeling of which muscles contract and when to improve basic form. In boxing we use the heavy bag and the speed bag to improve the power and accuracy of punches.
In 2019 all the accoutrements of my exercise will be pointed to improving my shotokan and battodo. Jump rope work will increase stamina. Weights will preserve and extend muscle mass. Bands will build explosive power. The heavy bag will advance the power of punches and kicks.
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