Updates!

18/06/2020:  I have still been training since the last blog entry.  My training has been structured in the format of: warm up, 4-8 kata and 10-20 minutes of conditioning.  I have changed it to 30 mins on the clock, 2 kata then 2 sets of conditioning exercises.  Today I worked on Hangets, Seishan and Seisan (Shotokan, Wado and Goju) with Kanku Sho wroked in too.  I did kettlebell high pulls, Powerclub movements and TRX for my conditioning.  Good training today!

07/06/2020:

The importance of physical conditioning cannot be downplayed!  I am using powerclubs in this picture.  I have been using them to mimic throwing and grappling type activities as the pandemic does not allow any real partner based training.  They are useful in multiplanar movements that carry over well to combat and indeed most athletic endeavour.

04/05/2020:

Lockdown fitness workout challenge!  This is a body weight workout that will be quite useful for Martial arts. 10 squats, 10 side lunges, 10 walkout and press ups, 10 lunges.  Next round 8 of each, next round 6 of each, then 4 then 2.  The point is to aim for the quickest time possible so once you have warmed up start the clock and aim for a personal best! Once this becomes easy work your way back up from 2 to 10!  These are all "big" exercises that are useful for functional combat as opposed to biceps curls etc. that are more aesthetic exercises!

04/05/2020:

Backyard dojo training!  This is from a few days ago but I was working on the variants of Kanku dai.  These are the shotokan, Shito Ryu and Wado Ryu versions of the kata.  As one of my students has said previously, the same song played by a different band!  When lockdown finishes and I think I will make these the theme of a lesson.

04/05/2020:

"Lockdown" continues as does my own solo training.  My routine is more or less 40 minutes per day mixed between kata and conditioning exercises.  The conditioning exercises include kettlebells, clubbells and sandbags.  I have recently started using a suspension trainer and doing some Pilates and yoga (I am a qualified Pilates matwork instructor, but I have only recently done any yoga!).

I do need to get a schedule for my kata though.  My back yard dojo is good but I would like the "space" to do some budo.

21/04/2020:

We are early in the fourth week of "lockdown" in the UK meaning that dojo are closed across the country.  Many of my fellow instructors are doing online training.  None of the Wa Shin Kan students wanted this, in some way I am sad but in another way they are all senior grades and taking ownership of their training.  Personally I have been able to train almost every day and able to reflect on my direction and develop some ideas for the dojo when we are let back out.

29/12/19:

It has been a good year!  We have had three members achieve 2nd Dan at karate! Congratulations to Ian Campbell, Garry Gordon and Lauren Campbell!  

17/08/19

A great session was had by all this weekend!  With many of the judoka being away the first session was a hybrid strength and conditioning class featuring suspension training, agility ladders, powerclubs and focus pads.  We try to make sure we are doing multi-planar work that will meet the demands of multi-planar combat.  It's no use training like a bodybuilder!

Karate class that followed consisted of Ju Ippon Kumite, Okuri Ju Ippon Kumite and Kaeshi Ippon Kumite.  We managed to cover a lot of kata: Bassai dai, Jion, Enpi, Jiin, Rohai and Bassai Sho!

10/08/19

It has been a while since this site has been updated!  

Sorry!

We had two great sessions at the dojo yesterday.  The Judo crew got to practice hiza guruma from an o uchi gari entry and we did five one minute rounds of newaza randori and five one minute rounds of tachiwaza!  Great training.

The karate class studied Kanku Dai kata and Rohai.  there was a good bit of impact training and bunkai thrown in that escalated into a canny flow grill.

10/04/2018:

There has been some great things happening at Wa Shin Kan.  Recently some of the seniors visited the British Combat Academy where we trained with Sensei Peter Constadine 9th Dan and Sensei Brian Seabright 6th Dan.  The session was primarily combat based and had a focus on impact.  A slightly different approach to what we have been used to but the Wa Shin Kan have never been afraid of being outside of our comfort zone!  the session was VERY physical with a great focus on using the body and the hips to generate power!  We will be going again!

Sat 13th Jan:

A busy dojo today, there were four judoka on the tatami.  It seems the Wa Shin kan Judokai is made up by the Lambert Brothers!  They all trained had working on contest technique and strategy and some conditioning.  we could do with more judoka 1:30-2:30 every saturday.

We had two great karate sessions with ten karateka training which included the return of Megan Fish, Shodan (She has a cracking kicking techniquess - see pic from a few years ago!).

We did a lot of kihon waza and kata.  the kihon consisted of some old school yoko geri practice and Meg's technique still looked good!  In kihon practice we worked on the primary basics and some combinations, looking at the rhythm and timing. In addition we covered heian shodan, nidan, sandan and Godan.  In the second session we covered all the heians and tekki shodan and the kata was Bassai dai and hangetsu for the yudansha.  Lots of progress made, let's keep it up and consistent for next class!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23rd December 2017:

The final class of the year was great and we had two karate sessions but no judo this time.

In the karate we worked on ido kihon, which is moving basics and although as a club we do acknowledge that basics for basics sake is like doing kyu grade karate for year BUT I used the analogy of the musician and told everyone we had to "practice our scales".  We also worked on some Heian Shodan and Nidan and Meikyo for the black belts.  There was some pad training in the session for all students and the advanced krateka worked on power from no kamae and some tai sabaki and footwork drills.  The dojo's new 9th Kyu were presented with their certificates and the customary group photo was taken.  I enjoyed teaching the session and hopefully all who attended got something from it.  See you all in 2018 (or at the traditional December sesison for brown and blackbelts! )

SAT 17th DECEMBER:

I am sitting in Sunderland after meeting a fitness student, reflecting on those that I have taught over the years and the course I taught on yesterday at the Tohokushin Budo kai.  There were three hours of training delivered with James Dobson Sensei teaching what I would describe as "karate grappling", kevin Blewitt Sensei teaching what I like to call "intelligent" kumite and I taught  seisan kata.  It was a great spectrum of karate and I would like to think the gathered students from Wa Shin Kan, Renshinkai, Toukon and of course Tohokushin got something from the sessions.  Personally I am becomming more and more frustrated with my teaching, I don't feel like I am doing enough BUT teaching is not about what I get from the exchange but rather what the students/learners do!  I did enjoy seeing some of my students gathered in the social after the session, some who started with me at 5 year old who are now in their late teens and early twenties and have grown into such great young adults that make me immeasurably proud...feeling my age perhaps but perhaps teaching and helping people on this journey is my Ikigai.  I am looking forward to 2018 with Wa Shin kan and our friends.

 Friday 15th December

I am writing this as I plan my session for the Tohokushin course tomorrow and I am just thinking about the year gone by! This is a photo that possibly represent 2017 in the dojo for me - everyone there bar myself!  I have been lucky that there are some great guys who can keep OUR dojo running when I am not there and I thank you all for it!  2018 will be a year that I am much more hands on and  I look forward to working with you all in more detail.  I know we are not a large club - I have never wanted that BUT we could do with a few more members!  I am hoping to run a beginner course from the 20th Jan for both Judo and karate so if anyone has any friends you would like to kick in the chops or smash on the floor try to talk them into coming along! 2:30-3:30 Sat 20th Jan!