英国空手白浪会 Shiranamikai Karate
We had a superb karate lesson this first quarter at our Swiss Cottage dojo with Ohta Sensei. Everybody got a good workout during his challenging kumite drills that were challenging and enjoyable in equal measure!
Congratulations to everyone who passed their grading!
Welcome back to the dojo!
Our Christmas break was shorter this time than on previous years and we had the mid-holiday session too. Even just a few days rest can make it difficult to get going again especially after a sedentary Christmas, but it felt good being back in the dojo!
Maybe you’ve had a few days rest or a few years, or perhaps you are new to martial arts and thinking about trying some karate classes. Whatever your motivation, the main thing to do is get yourself along to whatever it is that catches your interest. Give it a go. The New Year is a great time to start.
And if you do find your way to one of our dojos, you’ll be most welcome.
Austin
Our final class of the year took place on a Sunday morning. After stretching and a light jog around the grounds, it was back into the dojo for upper body basics and kumite. Leg work came later on once we’d properly warmed up. Having just a few days off has such a marked effect on the body! We finished off the session with Heians 1-5 and Tekki.
The mood was good and the atmosphere really positive – well done guys, you trained really hard! Tea and mince pies (thanks, Sensei Sho) were thoroughly deserved!
See you back in Swiss Cottage dojo 2nd January 2016!
HPNY!
Next training: Sunday 27th December. Open dojo; everybody welcome!
P.S. Bring your trainers!
We had a Christmas-cracking club dinner this year. Thanks to everyone who came for making it such a good evening!
After a brilliantly inventive warm-up, Ohta Sensei took lead of the class; slowly through basics to check positions and similarly during kumite, where lots of repetitions with the aim of correct movement over speed and power allowed time to make adjustments. Katas too, were each carefully counted before grading level groups split off with their own instructor for extra practise and to implement any last minute corrections.
Overall, the standard was good and everybody passed their grading. But there is always room for improvement so make sure you practise regularly while away from the dojo and keep checking your own movements even if you’re sure you are doing them correctly. Sensei gave lots of feedback during the class and helpful advice after the grading so please take it onboard and use it to help you progress your technique.
Shiranamikai members attended the recent Four Nations Championship hosted by JKA England, alongside JKA Member countries: Scotland, Ireland, Wales plus Norway and Berlin to make the more, the merrier! There were some exciting performances and categories ran swiftly. So much so that it was a full time job just keeping track of club members across the different areas.
Results and congratulations go to:
Oliver: Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite
Stan: Silver in Kata, Bronze in Kumite
Kentaro: Silver in Kumite, 4th Place Kata
And also to Hina!
Well done guys!
The next competition is a while off yet so now is the time to focus on courses and gradings. Let’s try to maintain the momentum (especially over Christmas) as the next competition will come around quickly enough!
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.