Our Classes
Our classes are a joy to be in. Like every martial arts class, we start with the greeting (Selam) of the flag if there is one in the Alplik School (country flag and Turkish flag), then we greet the instructor (Aybar).
Our 20 to 30 minutes initial time is for warm up and conditioning which also include foundation techniques. When the warm up is concluded, students rest and tidy up for 3 minutes to start actual training of advanced techniques depending on the level of the class.
A typical Sayokan class is usually 1.5 hours (one and a half hours). However, instructors can adjust this in terms of longevity depending on the need for conditioning and none black belts. 20-30 minutes of warm up and foundation techniques if done properly can be overwhelming for lower ranked Alps (students) including SAN graded ones. So it shouldn't be taken lightly.
Please find below our typical session starter below:
1. Toe exercise: Legs are shoulder width open and slightly bent, bend right leg further while push forward and straighten left leg feet on the floor toes pointing forward. Then lift the toes up and pull back, then curl and squeeze gently (heel always touching floor).
2. Rolling feet exercise: Legs are shoulder width open and slightly bent, toes pointing forward, feet parallel to each other and hands put on knees. Stand on tip toes while pushing knees forward, stand on heels while pulling knees back to starting place. This exercise is done 10 times. Speed of it increased as students get used to it.
3. Knee rotating: Put the feet together (slight gap in between), toes pointing forward, with the help of hands holding knees draw circles, starting from left side, then right side. This exercise is done 10 times each side.
4. Ankle rotating: Legs are shoulder width open, stand straight lifting the left knee up draw circles with your feet rotating from the ankle (to the left and then right 10 repetitions each). Repeat the same with right leg.
5. Knee lifting: Legs are shoulder width open and stand straight. Starting from the left leg, lift the knee up, without touching down to the floor lift the knee up as far as you can comfortably and drop down. This exercise is done 10 times each side.
6. Shoulder/trunk Rotating: Legs are shoulder width open and slightly bent (ready stance), hands are raised up to the shoulder height and upper body is rotated starting from left keeping the lower body straight. Each side is emphasized 2 times (one/two at one go). Exercise is done by using arms to lead the body. This exercise is done 10 times each side.
7. Fingers/knuckles/wrists rotation: From the ready stance hands in front elbows sticking to the body rotate wrists/finger/knuckles by drawing circle inwards followed by outwards 10 times each. Then push the right hand fingers back gently and do the same with right.
8. Horse riding stance exercises:
a. Side (external oblique) bends: Legs are two shoulder widths apart, knees are bent and feet parallel to each other, toes pointing forward and body straight (horse riding stand). Hands are joined together on top of the head and starting from the left, body is gently bent towards to left 2 times (one-two) and then followed by right side (one-two). This exercise is done 10 times each side.
b. Trunk Rotating (upper body): From the horse riding stand, hands are 45 degree pointing up joined like a handling a gun with two hands, starting from the left a 360 degree circle is drawn with pointing fingers by rotating the upper body.
c. Quadriceps work: From horse riding stand, hands are on the hips, body is lifted up and down in small moves. This exercise is done 30 times.
9. Neck Mobility: Rotation: Turn your chin laterally toward your left shoulder and then rotate it toward your right shoulder. 6 to 10 repetitions. Flexion/Extension: Tuck your chin into your chest, and then lift your chin upward as far as possible. 6 to 10 repetitions. Lateral Flexion: Lower your left ear toward your left shoulder and then your right ear to your right shoulder. 6 to 10 repetitions.
10. Breathing 1: From the ready stance, hands are raised as high as they can palms facing each other, lungs are filled with air (inhale), palms are pushed against each other with a little power and pulled down slowly to the chest level slowly breathing out (exhale). This exercise is done 5 times.
11. Leg stretches:
a. Adductor stretch: Right feet points towards right side and leg bent from the knee, left leg straight, left toes pointing front side stretched. Small moves of up/down is made during this exercise. Same exercise done for the right leg as well and 5 times for each side.
b. Short leg stretch: From horse riding stand bend and sit on right leg while the other stays straight and toes pointing upwards. Small moves of up/down are made while stretching. Change leg straight from this position to stretch the same way right leg. 5 times each side.
12. Side split: Starting from left side make side splits. 2 times each side again moving up/down in small movements during stretch. Hands should support from the sides.
13. Middle split: With the support of hands in the front, middle split should be done with the same small moves.
14. Legs apart sit: From the middle split, students should sit on the floor without changing the leg positions.
a. Stretching back: hands should be extended forward on the floor trying to reach as far as possible while pushing the chest towards the floor.
b. Stretching sides: Head is pulled towards the left knee and then right knee to the sides with the help of hands and sides of the body should be stretched. Same principle of small moves done for active stretching. This exercise done two times each side.
c. Rotating feet: from same position, left leg is put on top of right leg and left feet is rotated by hand 10 times each clockwise, anticlockwise and stretched. Followed by right feet.
15. Sit-ups: Turn 45 degrees to the right and do 30 sit-ups. These are dome by hands on the side of the head and pulling the pulling the knees (alternatively each) towards the head each time.
16. Scissors: From the sit-ups, lift the legs up while lying on your back and do horizontal as well as vertical scissors without touching the floor.
17. Leg push: From scissors without putting legs down, both legs pulled towards chest and pushed away parallel to the floor.
18. Push-ups: Turn 45 degrees to right side and do 30 push-ups on the knuckles.
19. Stretch shoulders and chest: From push-ups put hands down on the floor and pull the body back stretching shoulders, back and the chest.
20. Foundation techniques 1: At this stage, from the ready position basic Sayokan techniques are done. 10 times each with starting 5 half power and 5 full power. In this section hand techniques are practiced.
21. Horse riding stand side bends: As in 8-a.
22. Side splits, middle splits: As in 11,12, 13.
23. Rotating legs: From the ready stance, starting from the left, taking your leg in front of other bring up to stomach level and rotate towards the side and put in it’s starting place. Do this 5 times each side.
24. Knee stretch: From the ready position, lift your knee up and pull to your chest with your hands and keep a few seconds. Repeat 2 times starting from left.
25. Leg raises: Turn 45 degree to right side. Left leg at the back, raise your left leg straight to hip level 5 times. Repeat the same with right leg. Do this exercise 2 times more by lifting to the chest and as high as you can.
26. Foundation techniques 2: From ready position, turn 45 degrees to the right side. Work on leg techniques ( lift the legs to the side, alt/orta/ust tirpan, omca, eklem tekmesi).
27. Quadriceps work: In the ready position, hands on the belt, move down (as much as you can go down) and up standing straight 30 times.
28. Breathing 2: 5 times Sayokan breathing.
29. Rest: 3 minutes resting and tidy up.