Continuing the momentum

Most people live at a comfortable distance from their bodies. As humans, we spend so much time inside our heads that we often forget the way out. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path




Today's Form Of the Day is Long Qi.

Another Thursday-afternoon three hour stroll. Liking these.

Kung Fu. Instead of the usual hand strike drills, we paired up and one person picked a hand strike attack, hir partner picked a defense and counter. JM chose to attack me with a big White Crane inside-topfist. SK went into this long explanation about meeting circular attacks with linear techniques, and when he finished, I said wryly, "well, that trashes what *I* was going to do," He told me to go ahead and do it anyway... I hit her incoming arm with a Mantis claw and let it slide down to her wrist, while stepping back and pulling her in a continuation of the circle *SHE* had already launched. As I spun her, I planted my elbow in the side of her head, just because it was there. If that wasn't sufficient to finish her off, I could continue with a knee to the face, an armbar, or a face-plant to the floor. I was actually rather proud of that. It was Dragony. I am trying to pay more attention lately- in both kung fu and BJJ- to where the opponent's momentum is going, and see how I can use that to further my own cause.

Then we did this impact drill: low ridge hand, rebound into high small-finger-side forearm block, continue circle into gong sau, then into another high forearm block, then straight palm-heel. I have only done this with Nemesis- who has the world's boniest arms and hits really really hard- so I was quite relieved to be working with JM and then RM instead! When we first began, and RM was facing off against Nemesis, I called, "My heart bleeds for you- this is gonna hurt!"

Then we did some Black Crane line drills (numbers one and three). First in lines and then against each other. I had to substitute Tiger claw for Eagle claw in number three, as my dead finger cannot do Eagle claw competantly.

Final half hour was individual forms time. I worked Long Qi, Cannon Fist (this needs video review), the Mantis stuff from Sunday, Leopard At Dawn, Little Red Dragon, Chen Dao (with a pencil).