Superb Spring Course

Kagawa Shihan Demonstrating Gedan Barai

Yesterday saw the annual spring technical seminar with Masao Kagawa Shihan (9^th Dan). A solid 9 members attended this course Mike, Ian and Jim sensei,  Paul,  Olivia,  Romie, Ben, Helen, and Adam this was his first course and a great starter for him it was.

After quick greetings with everyone we promptly kicked off the course with introductions to Kagawa Shihan, presentation of Dan diplomas to Ashley Scott-Heald for 5^th Dan pass and Nick Heald Sensei for 7^th San pass last year and finally an address from Sensei Mike following our course in February. The training started with a detailed look at kata: Junro Shodan – Sandan and Heian Shodan – Sandan followed by some bunkai for some of the more interesting and diverse moves of the Junro katas.  All this was covered in the first half of the day which seemed to fly by before you knew it.

Mike Sensei showing us how its done

Following lunch it was right back on to it with a run through of some of the first combinations of the Shodan Khion and we walked away with Shihan’s top advice of more hips, more natural, and longer stances.  Sanbon tsuki needed more drive and to practise this we changed it up to be a step Kizami tsuki gyaku tsuki for distance and then we added a Mae Geri in to the mix as well. On to Soto uke, gedan bari Kizami Geri gyaku tsuki and yoko Geri kiagi & kekomi same leg with full hickiash. After a brief water break it was on to higher kata starting with Jion, then jitte and finishing up with Gankaku for those going for there gradings later in the day.

After the course ended it was on to Sandan gradings up and a good turn out it was with some great successes.  Firstly congratulations to Paul sensei from Selby Shotokan karate club on passing his 4^th dan.  But most of all a massive congratulations tour very own Ian Teadale Sensei for passing his 3^rd Dan, despite being concerned about preforming in front of so many Ian came and preformed amazingly showing off his kata as his own and owned it, he controlled his kumite with complete ease and proved that even having not competed since returning to karate 5 years ago you don’t forget how to do it.

Man of the hour Ian T Sensei after passing his 3rd Dan

Over all a fantastic course from Kagawa Shihan as always, a big thank you to Alan Campbell Sensei and JKS England for arranging the course as usual and congratulations to Ian and Paul sensei again on their gradings.  Finally I would like to urge everyone to take part in these open courses especially when we get Japanese instructors over as they are more than phenomenal to watch and be instructed by.

Oss

Ben 

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

Kangeiko 2019

A quick post run break

January 21^st saw our annual trip over to Cleethorpes for the penultimate day of Kaizen no-Michi’s Kangeiko on the beach.  A nice little group of us went across this year with Jim sensei, Paul B, Ben, Lucy and Ellie, this bunch of crazy karate-ka were up at the usual 5am for the cold drive out.

When we arrived at the beach, we greeted our friends from both Selby Shotokan Karate Club and KNM before we began our mornings training.  Down to the beach front for some quick warm ups to stretch out before the traditional beach front run to the pier and back watching for the slippery ground as we went due to a crisp -2 Degree C wind which battered us.  Finishing the run, it was down on to the beach for the rest of our training, which began with some more warm ups now ready for some sandy karate, followed by some basic drills on the spot trying to have balance on sand and beat the person on the opposite side of the circle.

Group photo in front of the pier

The next section looked at KNM’s Kaizen No-Kata which consists of the first few moves from each Heian and Junro Katas to for one kata, running through to count several times to get he hang of the kata we then had a go through full speed and power and mostly forgot how each kata starts, but it was good fun to give it a go.  Next, we had a go at some kumite drills starting with oi-tsuki, then ren-tsuki and finally sanbon- tsuki and practising the required blocks for each combination.  To round off our kumite we practised several counters to mai geri as beach tradition you must get covered in sand and catching kicks just right is the best way to ensure maximum sand time.  Our final exercise of the day was a karate Mexican wave, starting in the sand we had to jump up punching gyaku tsuki and get back down quick for the return of the wave.

A well earned breakfast

After training had finished it was time to retire to the local greasy spoon for a well-earned fry up, everyone was more than ready for this getting a healthy plate full, and a large plateful for Ben, who managed to clear up everyone else’s left overs as well.  We also had the pleasure to celebrate the birthday of terry from KNM that morning, which is true dedication to karate turning out at that time in the morning to do karate on your birthday.

A big thank you to Andrew Sensei for inviting us across for the morning it was a pleasure as usual and we can’t wait until next year to do it all again, where we plan to try and train the whole of Kangeiko in York through out the week and join KNM for the last day as usual.

OSS

Ben

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

Fab February Grading

Red belts running through kata with Steve Sensei

The last York course was another very good day. It began as usual at 9.30 with the adult beginners and red belts going through basics with Alan Campbell Sensei (7^th Dan) before moving on to their gradings, and the child beginners looking at basics and some kicking technics with Steve Carless Sensei (6^th Dan).  Following the first class the adult beginners and red belts moved onto some kata practice breaking Heian Shodan down with Steve Sensei, whilst Alan Sensei took the yellow to purple belts for a look at stances and techniques. 

Yellows and Greens Kicking it off with some kicking practise
with Alan Sensei

Finally as 11.30 loomed it was time for the main class to begin with Steve sensei taking the yellow belts to 1^st Kyu’s the first session looked at kicking technics to begin with looking at yoko geri kekomi and mawashi geri in partners, then after a brief 2 minute break he then took us through some advanced one step, looking at moving out of the way and several different counters for the same situation, then also some self defence technics as well.  At the same time Alan Sensei led the Dan grades through a  Nidan & Sandan grading syllabus, primarily focusing on kumite using several different methods, from moving on the spot to find your target to moving to target past objects to score.

Main class Yoko Geri Kekomi practise with Steve Sensei

After a heavy first hour of training it was lunch and welcome it was, the quick break was used by most for some last-minute practise before their gradings, straight after lunch the yellow and green belts were up for grading and the rest of the class carried on with the a session which focused again on kumite for the next part of the session.  Finally, the two classes finished with a detailed look at kata, the brown belts looking at Jion in detail, and Dan grades looking at Junro Yondan.

Grading results

First up, we had three child beginners grading, one of which is the youngest member of the club at 4 years old George gained his 12 kyu, along with Zane who also put in a good performance and gained his 12 kyu.  Last up in this group we had Jack who moved up to Red belt gaining his 10^th Kyu.

White belt gradings

Second to hit the panel, adult beginners and Red Belts were up, overall some very strong performances with some karate-ka displaying some of their best karate to date.  Adam and Florence were up in front of the grading panel (who had a special guest examiner in the form of our very own Brenda Sensei!) together smashed it both walking away with 9^th kyu grading, going for their 8^th kyu we had Angel, Ella, Lucas, Alfie, Liya and Evan all of which came up, gave it their all, and walked away happy as can be.  Finally, up Jason, Matthew and Stanislaw, these guys looked great and proved they have what it took and came away with shiny new yellow belts.

Next up Daniel, Joshua and Jeon.  Daniel having had to learn a whole new syllabus for this grading had a great performance that he can be proud of and this was matched with a solid 6^th Kyu pass.  Josh and Jeon walked away with a nice 5^th Kyu pass and some sharp new belts to match.

Brown Belts grading

The final Kyu gradings coming up, first to the plate were Thomas and Paul (D), Paul is a credit to his skill and proof that with determination and passion you can do anything only deciding to grade three weeks before the day due to medical reasons which had stopped him from training before Christmas he came and smashed his grading and along with Thomas took their 3^rd kyu grade.  Finally, in front of the panel we had Oliver, Ben, Edwin, Ellie and Helen going for 2^nd kyu and Aiwin up for his 1^st kyu the last step before thinking about his Shodan, everyone put in great levels of focus and determination and great credit to Helen who smashed her kumite despite it not being her 
favourite area of training, everyone walked away with another grading under their belts.

After all the kyu gradings were out of the way and the rest of the training had finished it was time for the main event of the day, one of the busiest Dan gradings we’ve held at our course in a few years. Of the dozen or so karate-ka going for their Shodan we had two members up for their grading, Paul (B) and Olivia were looking to take the next step on their karate journey, Paul going through his grading showed true focus and power through all of his khion, kata and kumite demonstrating his skill to the best of his ability and it paid of with him walking away with a pass.  Olivia after having trained so hard over the last year and after putting everything she had in to her whole grading unfortunately didn’t quite make the cut this time, after this however we were so proud and impressed to see her walk back through the dojo door after the disappointment as it shows true strength of character and real dedication to karate and the determination to gain her Shodan no matter what.

Over all we had a fantastic course with fantastic turn out from all across the country, thanks to all who attended for your ongoing support, a big congratulations to all who passed their gradings, a big thank you to Alan Campbell Sensei and Steve Carless Sensei for an excellent course and last but by no means least thank you to Paul Brant Sensei who arranged the course and ensured it ran smoothly as always and to everyone else who helped during the day.

Oss

Ben

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