Course Report - June 2001

This weekend course sees another change in our organisation of the seniors/juniors courses. We decided to allow the higher grade kids (green belt and above) to have a special practice to themselves on the Saturday as well as the normal kids course on the Sunday.

- Saturday 2nd-

This was the first of the two day seniors course and naturally it was a lovely sunny day. I could have been at a barbecue, or the pub !

Session 1
We started with the usual warm-up from Stuart Hendry.

After we were suitable sweaty (except the ladies who only "glow") Hugh and Sanny explained what they wanted to work on over the weekend. They had noticed a decline in our form and this was being passed on to the beginners. Even during normal club practices we now spend the first half doing Kihon.

So, off we went into a long line practicing blocks across and back. After a while we paired off with a partner and did more of the same but now also following the other person's timing.

Finally, we finished this session with a few performances of Heian Shodan kata, trying to perform the techniques as accurately as we had during Kihon.

Session 2
After a short break and another warm-up it was back to kihon. This time the stances fudodachi and kokutsudachi were getting the Hughy/Sanny treatment. After a lot of demonstrations of the differences between the two stances and a lot of practicing on our parts they seemed "sort of" happy with them.

Again, some more kata. This time Heian Shodan followed by Nidan to emphasize the differences in the stances we were using.

Session 3
The third and final session started with Heian Shodan. Gradually the black belts were encouraged to bring more "visualizing what was happening to your attacker" into their performances and finally to only breathe in when they weren't in contact with the opponent.

We then moved on to Sanbon Kimite and practiced all that had gone previously (hopefully!)

- Sunday 3rd-

Session 1
After a bit of kata to pull the group together, again each technique being performed as if in Kihon, we again tried Sanbon Kimite in the same style. This went on for most of the first session only being interrupted for changes of partner or a demonstration by Hugh or Sanny.

Session 2
We started with Heian Shodan and Nidan katas and quickly moved on to Sanbon Kimite. The emphasis here was on the different distances required for different blocks. Yeah! I know, it sounds obvious. But, had you thought about it before ?

To finish off this session we went back to the first katas (Taikyoku) with a different attitude to them. We were now very aware of when there was less of a difference between our stances and tried to correct it. Sandan in particular was difficult because of the changes in stance required.

Session 3
This session was mainly performance of kata. We started with Heian Shodan and after a while Hugh pulled the black belts out into a row. We all dropped down into our best Kiba dachi while the rest of the group grabbed at our outstretched hands. This is a training technique used quite often to see if we can stay relaxed in stance and not let someone grabbing us upset that body condition.

Finally, we went through all the Heian katas as one big group.

 
- Saturday 16^th -

Today was another new venture for the club. We decided to try giving the higher grade (green belt and above) juniors a day to themselves. 

Junior black belt Sean Gray gave the assembled group a warm-up and then passed them over to Hugh and Sanny. As with the seniors it was back to Kihon with the attendant black belts going round correcting anything which was not quite right.

To heighten their ability to follow an opponent by touch Hugh had them pair off and one person lead the other who had their eyes shut. The only contact was by light touch on the shoulder of the person leading. This also instills a sense of trust in your partner.

From there, they went on to performing basic blocks back and forth across the hall with a partner.

Finally, on to the Taikyoku katas and then home.

- Sunday 17^th -

 This is the main juniors grades day. Again, somebody booked today without noticing that it was Father's Day. Overheard was Hugh's comments to one parent that to make it a hattrick he was going to have the next one on Christmas Day!!!

Session 1
After another warm-up the group were lined up and went through basics with the black belts moving around and correcting stances and techniques. After each set of techniques they were moved on to a new partner (well, that's what was supposed to happen!) but seemed to get a bit mixed up. We ended up with two spare people on one side and then one on the other side. At this point I saw Hugh staggering over to the wall shaking his head. I think he was looking for some Vallium (only kiddin').

As one large group they then performed Taikyoku Shodan kata to try and bring the Kihon into the kata. Finally they were split into belt groups to perform kata in the middle of the hall.

Session 2
After a refreshment break where most of the kids were running around the hall and the instructors were in a corner drinking tea and shaking their heads it was back to kata. The group was split into three groups by belt with each being allocated a 2nd Dan and some 1st Dans to instruct. Most of this practice was jumping between kata and sanbon kimite.

Hugh took each grade group to the side and he and Aileen put them through their paces.

Finally Edwin Tibbles and Aileen Tait (2nd Dans) read out the grading results. Congratulations to all those who were upgraded. Some people were disappointed with the results, but Hugh won't give a grade if it's not earned! Turning up on the day and doing what you think will do won't impress him. If you didn’t get the grade then you need to work harder next time.