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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Shiranamikai 2014 Summer Camp

For the past three years, midway through the school summer holiday, Shiranamikai has run a five-day training camp. As well as breaking up the long school holiday, the aim is to show a different side of karate to that which we would normally have time for during regular sessions; to learn new katas and the application of techniques.

A wardrobe/brain malfunction had me looking less than formal on arrival for the first day, raising quite a few eyebrows as a result. Although some karate styles often practise without their tops on, Shotokan is not one of them. So instead, my new t-shirt received a harsh but satisfying Christening.

This year, with a higher proportion of brown and black belts than on previous camps, we had tougher basics and kumite drills leading up to senior katas: Empi, Jion, Gankaku, Kanku Dai, Kanku Sho and Gojushiho Sho. We’ll continue to practise these katas when time allows during our regular classes this year.

Just to reiterate what I said during the training though: it’s nice to know lots of different katas and good to practise them as it will undoubtably help your development. But it is essential that you focus primarily on one kata at a time; that being your own personal favourite or the one prescribed for your next grading level.

Well done to everybody who trained over the full week but especially those who still attended their regular classes on Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

As in previous years, after the Friday morning session, we all trundled off to enjoy a delicious sushi lunch, topped off by mochi ice cream!

Please put 3rd-7th August 2015 into your diary for next year’s Summer Training Camp!

Austin

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Sasha Farewell

Sasha Sensei delivered an excellent lesson at the end of July.

She showed basics well by example, clearly indicating strike trajectory from start to focus point and gave us time to adjust our positions with a generously timed count initially, up to full power by the end of each set.

Katas Heian Godan and Kanku Dai were given detailed attention with breakdowns and explanations.

We finished off with 99 gyaku tsukis – everybody counting once for three rapid punches. (This was only performed from the left side so we still need to do the right side at some point to even things out!)

This session was more technical than intensive, but because everybody put in maximum effort – challenging themselves and those around – it made for very tough training! Well done to everybody for trying extremely hard and making this session so positive.

Afterwards, there were drinks, snacks and huge slices of another amazing cake made by Alaa!*

When the centre closed, those of us who were still left, continued outside into the warm sunshine and the (uh-hum!) younger ones spent quite some time fooling around in the fountains.

Even though we won’t be seeing Sasha in the dojo, we can all still train in the manner and with the same spirit that she would, if she were there!

*If you have a special occasion coming up, he’s the man to talk cakes with!

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Club Training & Grading, March 2014

Well done to all those who participated in the training and grading

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Shiranamikai 5-Year Anniversary Training

There was a great turnout at the Swiss Cottage dojo for Shiranamikai’s 5-year anniversary. As well as our own club members, we were pleased to welcome two of our friends from JKA Scotland, Senseis Bert and Martin, who were down South for the weekend and with Ohta Sensei taking the class, it all made for a great atmosphere!

After an enthusiastic warm-up from Darius, it was down to basics and partner combinations which formed a precursor to the kata Gankaku (meaning crane on a rock). This kata shows well, the long stances particular to Shotokan karate but the complexity lies in maintaining one’s composure while changing height and direction.

Time really flew by in this session and as we neared the end, the dojo floor cleared and Ohta Sensei demonstrated Gankaku in its entirety, which was superb to observe. Finally, brown and black belts performed the kata one last time before the class was over.

Alaa was primed with two of his delicious handmade cakes and Delia had also prepared crates of bite-sized (read: mouth-filling) cupcakes – all washed down with a soft drink courtesy of Sheila! We spent the next couple of hours in a local Italian restaurant. Unsurprisingly, nobody ordered dessert.

Five years after the club’s inception, it is incredibly rewarding to see how Shiranamikai students and the club as a whole have developed. This is down to everybody who comes to train at our dojos and contributes to the great atmosphere.

Oss!

Austin

Shiranamikai’s first lesson was 6th January 2009

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Club Training & Grading, December 2013

Despite landing on a day viewed with superstition (again), it was a great session to (nearly) round-off the training year. Ohta Sensei’s class was challenging and included some great exercises and a lighthearted critique that hit a chord with the younger club members especially!

The grading itself was a serious matter as always and came with a visible change in spirit. Everybody performed well and passed. There were even some unexpectedly strong performances too – well done! (I’m looking forward to seeing more of it during the lessons!)

Austin

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Club Training & Grading, September 2013

Well done to everybody who graded on Friday 13th September!

We had a very good pre-grading training session with Ohta Sensei – things getting quite energetic, certainly towards the window end of the hall with the extra combinations and sliding kumite drills.

If you didn’t grade this time don’t worry because there will be another opportunity on the next Friday 13th, just three months away!

Until then we have the international training camp coming up at the end of this month and then at the beginning of November it’s the JKA England 10th Anniversary Championship. So after this you should feel confident enough to tackle anything that the next Friday the 13th may bring!

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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Shiranamikai 2013 Summer Camp

The long school summer holiday period offers the perfect opportunity for extra karate practise. Cue our five day training camp!

The two hour morning sessions have different themes with various exercise drills in basics and kumite. Having more time also gives us plenty of scope to break down kata and practise applications. Over the five days we studied; Heians 2-5 and their related brown belt level katas Jion and Kanku Dai, finishing with Kihon kata and Empi.

Midweek, to help beat the two-day aches (and introduce more in muscles you never knew existed), we were joined by Kei Asanuma. Kei is a qualified PE instructor but her unique skill set lies in her being a contemporary dancer and Japan Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion. Top-level dancers and gymnasts have excellent posture with long, strong and supple muscles. They are able to demonstrate smooth body control contrasted with dynamic, explosive movements. All of these things are necessary for karate kata, with its emphasis on form, timing changes and flow of energy. So with this in mind, Kei Sensei led us through a brilliant 45 minutes stretch and conditioning class. Everybody was so quiet… then came the groaning!

Toward the end of the last day, we split everyone into teams of four to choose a kata from those practised during the camp. Everyone then had time to rehearse before performing their kata and demonstrating a bunkai sequence in front of the class. There were some good performances and each group clearly showed their understanding of their chosen kata. Well done!

At the end of the session, we presented certificates to those who had attended the whole week. After a quick change, it was off for some well-deserved sushi!

Next year’s summer camp will be 4th-8th August.

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Club Training & Grading, June 2013

Midsummer. Summer solstice. Gradings often feel like the longest days and it was certainly the case on this occasion (though thankfully, there wasn’t any strange dancing or chanting!).

Overall, the standard was good and everybody passed. Ohta Sensei gave some quite detailed feedback and points to improve upon, and in some cases commented on what you were doing well!

As the overall grade level of the club increases, the lesson content of some classes is becoming more advanced. We will give you as much information as we can to help you continue to improve.

The next gradings will take place on Friday 13th September and Friday 13th December but there should be no need for lucky charms, just lots of practise!

Austin

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

JKA European Champions Visit Shiranamikai, April 2013

It was in September 2010 that teammates Roisin Campbell, Rachel O’Halloran and Jana Sersnova first visited Shiranamikai. Over the past two and a half years, they have sustained an excellent record in JKA international competition. Among their achievements are 2012 JKA European Ladies Team Kumite Champions, Silver Medallists for Ladies Team Kumite in the 12th Funakoshi Gichin World Cup and Bronze Medallists for Team Kata in the same event. And in her debut appearance at the most recent All Japan JKA Championship, Roisin performed superbly, achieving a hotly contested place in the kata final and an impressive 5th place overall.

We were also pleased to have Mama Jeni back (herself a former gold medalist in team kata as well as a qualified JKA referee) to give everybody a thorough warm-up and stretch.

We had an hour of basics, ippon kumite and a little bunkai from Kanku Sho (a dynamic kata featuring timing changes, escapes and evasive techniques) before running through the kata twice slowly. Then the Ladies Team showed us how it should be done!

By now, the lesson had run into extended time but with everybody keen to stay for more, we split the class for more kata. Starting from the top, Roisin looked after the Brown belts, Jana: Purple stripe; Rachel: Green & Purple; Jeni: Yellow; Sasha: Red; Me: Orange belts & Beginners. For many, this was the first opportunity to learn the kata for their next grade after the kyu grading we had held two weeks previously.

Each of the six groups had 15 minutes tuition from a black belt before being called up by section in front of the class. Roisin, Rachel and Jana were on hand to show each of Heian 1-4 and Tekki Shodan individually, and Bassai Dai as a team. This was a great way for everyone to experience how dynamic the Heian and Tekki kata can be, and how they really can be polished to another level by hard work and consistent effort.

Everybody worked very hard in this session – well done! And many thanks to our guests for taking the time to come to our club!

Austin

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News Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Club Training & Grading, March 2013

Well done to everybody who graded this time – it was one of the smoothest we’ve had at the club and meant we could wrap up half an hour ahead of schedule. This left us enough time at the end for a nice group photo!

During the grading, one couldn’t help but notice our two youngest who have been “trying [their] very best” recently. It was clear to see that they had been practising at home, appearing confident during proceedings, even under pressure from Ohta Sensei!

The following day saw continuing sub-zero temperatures and snow. So it was good to see the majority of people back in the dojo in spite of this. Now with spring finally on the horizon, Saturday morning classes should seem even more appealing!

Lessons will continue throughout the Easter holiday and we have some eggciting things in store!

Austin

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