Category: Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings
For three days on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday preceeding the August Bank Holiday weekend, Shiranamikai held its first beach gasshuku (or ‘Shelanamikai’ as it became affectionately known) at Camber Sands, Sussex.
At the start of each session we had a gentle jog along the beach to help us warm up. Thursday and Friday we had the place pretty much to ourselves but on Saturday morning, the amazing weather brought everybody flocking to the beach. Fortunately the coastline at Camber is vast and has a gentle incline so there was still plenty of space to train on one of the many banks of sand closer to the sea. Nobody kicked sand in our faces. But they didn’t need to anyway as we seemed quite adept at doing it to ourselves. (Have you ever tried doing mae geri on a sandy beach?)
We had a total of four chilled training sessions, during which we practised Heians Shodan, Nidan and Godan, Kanku Dai, Empi and Sochin. The evenings too were enjoyable with a great bunch; back at the cottage, dinner included delicious takoyaki, courtesy of Sonoko and Miyuki and a tasty barbecue with lots of fruit and veg. With Camber being just over two-hours’ drive from London, we’ll definitely be doing it again next year!
Once training had finished on Saturday, there was just enough time for a splash around in the sea before a quick change, bite to eat, and shooting back to Swiss Cottage for our afternoon session.
Back at the dojo, it was the last* club session of the year for Sonoko, Anju and Yuma until they return next summer. We all wish them our very best and hope that they enjoy training in Japan.
*Nearly the last as they were back on Sunday morning… then trained on Monday evening too! See you soon, ladies!
This year during summer camp we looked at Kihon kata, Heians Nidan through to Godan, Jion, Empi, Unsu, Nijushiho and Sochin. Team exercises helped students explore the meaning of each sequence.
There were some very creative interpretations and entertaining demonstrations (!) but everybody worked well together to show their understanding of the kata bunkai.
After our final session on Friday it was off for some well-deserved sushi – a fitting end to the week’s training.
To those who attended each day, well done, you get a certificate for your efforts. Two students received merit for also training Tuesday and Wednesday evening, while three picked up distinction for outstanding attendance by coming Saturday and Sunday too – that’s every possible Shiranamikai lesson over the whole week!
After training on Saturday, we were out to eat again for Sonoko, Anju and Yuma’s farewell dinner!
Put the first week of August in your diary for next year: Monday 1st-Friday 5th August 2016.
This was a very good hour-and-a-half lesson from Ohta Sensei prior to our club kyu grading. We were pleased to welcome Sensei Sarah and her students for their first grading – well done everybody, you trained really hard!
Congratulations to all who passed. Keep up the training and practise every day so that when the next grading comes around in September, you’ll be ready.
It was great fun on Easter Saturday!
We had our regular afternoon training session with lots of basics and combos, finishing with kata.
Afterwards it was time for the chocolate Easter egg and spoon races: a regular egg and spoon race first as a warm-up, followed by (in the style of) crabs, Popeye, wheelbarrow and Haribos balanced on heads.
Well done to each of the winning teams – hope you enjoy eating your prizes!
Remember that training continues throughout the Easter break so if you are off from school, this is a good opportunity to get some eggstra training!
Kumite was based around kaishi ippon which is new on the syllabus for students attempting 3rd and 2nd kyu. Having the attacker ‘win’ may seem at odds with the concept of karate being an effective defence, but it is perhaps best seen as an important exercise in preparing for jiyu kumite by allowing both sides to attack and defend with each step. It also highlights one’s ability to release tension in order to react quickly to the next technique.
Well done to all those who graded. It’s great to see everybody in the club developing their karate. Keep up the good work!
Wishing all of our friends in karate, a Very Happy Christmas and New Year! From Everyone at Shiranamikai!
SEASONAL TRAINING SCHEDULE:
Tuesday 16th December, 6.30pm
Regular Training
@O2 Centre, Finchley Road
Wednesday 17th December, 7pm
Regular Training
@Harrow School Sports Centre
Saturday 20th December, 4pm
Keiko Osame, Last (regular) Training of the Year followed by Club Christmas Dinner
@Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre
Sunday 21st December, 10am
FREE Training
An early Christmas present to you all!
@Stanmore Dojo
Sunday 28th December, 10am
Open Dojo – Mid-Break Training.
Feeling stuffed after that stuffing? Come along and have a little exercise at (nearly) your own pace. Everybody welcome!
@Stanmore Dojo
Saturday 3rd January, 4pm
Keiko Hajime, First Training of the New Year
Time to shift that Christmas pudding!
@Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre
Regular club training times and locations can be found here…
Shiranamikai members enjoyed another good mental and physical workout with Ohta Sensei, Chief Instructor of JKA England, when he visited our O2 dojo in December. The knife-hand block, turning sequences were especially challenging!
During the grading, all the extra practise that students had put in after class and at home was clear to see, which in turn, brought some positive feedback afterwards! Well done!
As we approach the end of the club year, try to make the most of the remaining training opportunities and if you are going away, keep up the practise every day during the break.
Our seasonal training schedule can be found here…
We had a fantastic lesson with Shiina Sensei at the O2 dojo. Students who attended the gasshuku will have had an idea about what to expect – boundless energy from this huge personality… and powerful techniques delivered with great control.
What was particularly engaging about Shiina’s style of teaching was the way in which he involved everyone present. Right from the beginning, he asked if there were any special requests for him to cover during training. He also said that we should discuss techniques with each other and work collaboratively to make them effective.
This was a tough training session! Punching, kicking and leg switching to loosen us up; put into practise with groups of three in ten-set rotations, over and over again, spurred on by Sensei’s shouts of “DON’T STOP! DON’T STOP! DON’T STOP!” And we didn’t. For the best part of forty-five minutes, the training was intense.
A brief respite came while Shiina Sensei instructed Heian Nidan. Gathering grades up to 4th Kyu close, he demonstrated each sequence of applications clearly for practise in groups of three. Brown and black belts were tasked with Bassai Dai and after performing the kata, it was bunkai for us too. Sensei asked us to suggest four elements of the kata to practise surrounded by the same number of attackers. After finishing with the fourth attack, it was straight back to the first opponent for a round of ten free-kumite attacks!
Toward the end of the session, coloured belts joined the groups of brown and black. To finish, all black and brown belts lined up and other grades faced them for free kumite. Three partner changes later, the lesson was over.
Somebody commented how they’d never seen my face so red before. This is quite possibly true. I myself noted that some people seemed to have sweated for the first time ever in a session – well done! But out of everyone who attended, there wasn’t a single face without a smile.
Many thanks to Shiina Sensei for visiting our club!
Austin
Shiina Katsutoshi 7th Dan will be special guest instructor at Shiranamikai on Tuesday 30th September, 6.30-8pm.
Shiina Sensei is a full-time instructor at the Japan Karate Association Honbu in Tokyo and many-time kata and kumite champion. His visit is a great opportunity for everybody so we would like to extend a warm welcome to all members of JKA England who wish to join us for this event.
Spaces will be limited and made available on a first come, first served basis so I recommend that you book now (by clicking the banner below) to secure your place via email.*
Dojo location: The Venue, 2nd Floor, O2 Centre, 255 Finchley Road, London, NW3 6LU
The O2 Centre is a 1 minute walk from Finchley Road Underground station. Turn left out of the station, then left again into the O2 Centre. When you reach the second floor, take the corridor between Frankie & Benny’s and Byron restaurants and turn left at the end where you will find the Venue O2 Community Hall.
If you are driving, you will find ample parking in the O2 Centre car park.
N.B. Changing facilities are limited.
Shiina Sensei’s classes are insightful, inspirational and very enjoyable. He is a great instructor with a huge personality and amazing flexibility! See him in action here:
*We will respond to your reservation email with a PayPal request for the £15 training fee. Once we have received this, we will send you confirmation of your place by return email. Attendance is by pre-booking only – we won’t be able to accept any payment on the day.