Friday 1st February

Cant believe it is February already and I only have 4 weeks left of  my adventure - time is flying in.

I felt a little better today and fit enough to head to the dojo so it was a 10.30am session with Makita Sensei. We done a tube training class which is my favourite so a good one since I wasnt feeling so great still. First with the tube in our right hand we done a circular motion from behind up and over our head height and back to work on the shoulder and arm for the count of 30 each arm, then another set for 30 each arm finishing with a set of 20 each arm. We turned to face the other direction and worked on the same exercise but this time pulling backwards in the circular motion them forward we done this on each arm for 3 sets of 20. Next it was 50 gyakizukis each side with the tube and then facing the other direction the same 50 each side. (The first direction pulling the tube from the wall outwards and the second exercise the tube pulling arm towards wall and me pulling it backwards). Next facing forwards we done 50 maigeris each leg then facing the opposite direction another 50 maigeris each leg. We finished off the tube training with the tube around our waist throwing as many attacks going forward as we could to reach the side of the dojo for 10 sets to our own count. The class finished with kumite in three sets of one minute. The first set was arm attack only both sides attacking and defending, next minute was leg attacks only again both sides attacking and defending and the final set free style kumite (basically anything goes within reason).

I headed for some lunch and to relax for the nights session as felt pretty good after that session. I also started to get my stuff organised for heading off to Nikko tomorrow morning.

The evening session again was taught by Makita Sensei we started off with some stance working starting in front stance moving back leg forward then to the left side into kibi dach stance and then front leg returning to back position making front stance again next moving back leg forward then out to the left side into kibi dach stance and then returning back to original position. Each stance made slowly to the count for 40 each leg. Next we done knife hand block in back stance then changing into front stance making gyakizuki one technique one count for the count of 20 then both techniques one count for the count of 20 then switching to do gyakizuki then knife hand block for the count of 20 we again done this both sides. Next we made cat stance making gedanbari then pushing forward into gyakizuki for the count of 20 one technique one count then 20 both techniques one count then reverse it to make gyakizuki then gedanbari in cat stance for the count of 20 each side. The final basic exercise was cat stance making age uke then maigeri returning foot into cat stance postion then driving forward gyakizuki again we done 20 to the count each technique then 20 to the count both techniques one count and then reversing techniques again for the count of 20 each side. We finished the class of with Junro Shodan and Junro Neidan both katas twice slow to the count and one time full speed to the count.

I headed off for Fish and Chips at the Hub in Sudabashi where I met two guys who were on business from America so got chatting to then for a while turned out one of them was actually from Edinburgh. Its a small world.

Back home to bed as my weeks holiday starts tomorrow and I am quite excited!