Day 3 was another productive experience for me. The morning class was another warm one and Sensei Martin took us through some intense speed training. We went through most of the kihons, first by just stepping and then through again adding punches. Then it was speed kata time. Doing katas quickly has always been something I am not 100% comfortable with. I think this is because I am always trying to be as precise and controlled as possible, and doing the katas as fast as possible can throw that all out the window. I understand the reason behind the speed training, and it is something that I will continue to work and improve on.
The evening class was a lot less intense, and I was able to do some bo training. The bo is my favourite of the kobudo weapons, as it really can amplify your technique and gives great feedback for improving your kihons. Because the bo is an extension of your punch, it has to be on point to be effective. We focused on pulling back with the hips to generate the power, which was a change for me because I am usually thinking of pushing the hip forward, not pulling backwards. I found this helped with how much I was using my shoulders during the strikes, and I felt more balanced as an effect.