Kangeiko 2016

It seemed very early indeed when my alarm went off to get me up to head off to Cleethorpes for our annual Kangeiko with Kiazen No Michi and Selby Karate Club. To be fair it was 4:45am, and my only consolation was that I knew that Joe had been awake since 4am!

Kangeiko on the Beach 2016

After picking up Joe, Helen and Olivia we headed into the darkness on what seemed like an endless tour of East Yorkshire villages (we only discovered later that the Sat Nav had been set to avoid toll roads so refused to direct us over the Humber Bridge which added 20 minutes onto our journey!).

Despite this we arrived just before 7am to join the others who were mad enough to gather in a very cold and dark leisure centre car park. The welcome that we got however was very warm from Andy and Jackie Sensei and our friends from Kiazen and Selby. After a quick warm up to stretch out our cold muscles we started with the traditional run along the sea front to get the blood flowing. Then it was onto the beach for some fast and furious Kihon combinations to make sure we did not get cold.

Sunrise

If you have never trained on the beach I high recommend that you try it. Not having a firm surface to push against means that you have to move in an entirely different way – if you want to try we will be returning to Cleethorpes in the summer for ‘Bears on the Beach’ (it should be a little warmer by then!).

To Finish off Andy Sensei lead us through the Kata Sochin, and introduced us to some very effective Bunkai for the first series of moves. 

Training over we moved down the beach for some photos in front of the pier, and then (for some the highlight of the trip!) we adjourned to Browns Cafe for a celebratory fry up! It was great to warm up and take the edge of the appetite that the training had given us. It was also great to be able to catch up with some friends form Kiazen that we do not get to see very often.

Joe, Olivia, Helen and Jim after training

I’d like to thank Andy and Jackie Sensei for their kind invite, and everyone from Kiazen for their warm welcome. I’m looking forward to Bears on the Beach in the summer, and returning on another cold and dark January morning for Kangeiko next year.

OSU

Jim

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk