Wednesday, July 12, 2006

White Belt Appreciation Form


This is the very first kata. It's kind of a "pre-kata". None the less, it is hard to learn and hard to do right. The details matter.

The appreciation form forms the basis for Short One and Long One and Three Count Basics and many other advanced drills. When you test for your black belt, the first exercise is....the appreciation form.

Leader - Position
Team - position punching out forward and low with both hands into the "position" stance which has the legs together

Leader - Focus
Team - Focus - Putting right fist in front of you into left open hand with elbow out.

Leader - Horse Stance

Horse Stance (legs wide apart, knees bent) with both hands in fists pulled back into chamber. You stay with your legs in horse stance for the whole exercise.
Horse Stance. Arms in Chamber. 

One - Right inward block, leaving left hand in chamber
Two - Left inward block, pulling right hand back into chamber

Three - Right outward block, pulling left hand in chamber
Four - Left outward block, pulling right hand in chamber

Five - Right upward block, pulling left hand in chamber
Six - Left upward block, pulling right hand in chamber

Seven - Right downward block, pulling left hand in chamber
Eight - Left downward block, pulling right hand in chamber

Focus - Hands back into starting position with elbows out, arms horizontal, and the right fist into the left hand. Be sure to keep the horse stance low. Try not to grimace.

Position - Back to position with legs at shoulder width and two hands punching out & down.

Remember, fast punches, sharp high chambers, low horse stances, totally still between movements, and keep those shoulders square!
This detail is important. Unlike when you sparing, in horse stance, you keep your shoulders squared up at all times!

Congratulations, You are on your way.

4 comments:

Mike said...

Hi John. This is a nice-looking blog. My family just started at LaValle's here in Syracuse and I was checking out the appreciation kata article you wrote. I can see this being very helpful to us to have the katas documented this way.

I thought you'd want to know, though, that the video for the kata doesn't seem to be working.

Regards,

Mike

Mike said...

It's working now. Carry on. :D

Tomas said...

I am very glad I found our site. It's very encouraging to read about your story. I just started Kenpo karate a few weeks ago here in Delray Beach (Florida) -and I am close to 50 years old. It seems like your Appreciation kata is the same that I am learning at my dojo. Your video is of great help for me when I practice at home.

Thanks!

Tomas

Livermore Martial Arts said...

I think, they should do the self defense technique. Nice Blog