I think I ended up getting too hot this evening during our weekly training session with Sensei Gilbert. Just not feeling great, bunch of stomach acid coming up, and just mentally worn out.
Today we worked on a bunch of blocking techniques involving the elbow as the important focal point.
Since you cannot bend the elbow, it’s an important spot to control to manipulate someone in the direction you’d want them to go.
It’s also important not to put yourself in a vulnerable position while you move the other person. It takes a combination of twisting the wrist and pressing on the space just above the elbow joint. I had trouble doing it effectively. It does take quite a bit of practice to actually execute the maneuver.
You don’t actually want to have a finger raised during these types of movements, but Sensei Gilbert was showing us how your focal direction effects everything during this.
You aren’t using your arm strength to jerk someone around. Someone smaller would be able to do these same motions as long as they’ve practiced and understand the body mechanics.
I have quite a long way to go before I’m ever as fluent as Sensei Gilbert. It’s really enlightening though to be able to observe and learn these kinds of defense moves. Sorry for the short post today. I had intended to write more, but I feel like I’m about to melt into a blob. Thanks for stopping by to read!
Atelier Whootique 