May 2011
1 post
3 tags
Grading: 7th May, 2011.
After a week or so I can now take stock of the grading and think about what went well and what didn’t and how the preparation helped…or not? My main concern leading up to the day wasmemory recall of the techniques. I’ve grained long enough to know them to a fair standard (some better than others, granted) so this didn’t trouble me so much. I did however *still* get muddled...
May 19th
2 notes
March 2011
6 posts
Mar 27th
1 note
Mar 15th
Mar 15th
Mar 14th
Mar 14th
Mar 14th
February 2011
4 posts
WatchWatch
Juho-1st dan syllabus
Feb 16th
WatchWatch
Goho - 1st Dan syllabus
Feb 16th
4 tags
Feb 10th
Feb 7th
January 2011
4 posts
3 tags
Jan 5th
2 notes
3 tags
Jan 5th
3 tags
Jan 3rd
3 tags
Jan 3rd
1 note
November 2010
4 posts
3 tags
Nov 29th
2 tags
Sparring practice and eager to score
A tiring session tonight started with some light randori to warm up and also to see what issues fell out of these encounters with which to work upon. On of the things that sensei TO mentioned was the concept of winning before the engagement. An idea which involved trying to stack all the cards in your favour before the conflict even starts: something which can involve many elements but on the...
Nov 29th
Nov 12th
4 tags
Seminar in Dingle, Ireland
After an unforgettable welcome off the plane by Paddy, our Irish host, we went on to have a fun packed and non stop weekend of kempo training and Guinness. It’s always nice to meet new kenshi; this is certainly something I find different from other martial arts. There is an obvious family spirit without the macho rubbish found in other arts which helps foster a sense of cooperation...
Nov 2nd
September 2010
3 posts
3 tags
Spartan's from CSKD come back with shields
Today a bunch of Mad Badgers ran in the name of the Cambridge Shorinji Kempo Dojo (CSKD) at the Spartan race (www.spartanrace.com), Bassingbourn. This was a gruelling (otherwise it wouldn’t have been ‘Spartan’, right?) 5 kilometre race at the military barrack assault course with some interesting additions. On top of a LONG dark tunnel to crawl through, streams to splodge...
Sep 19th
4 tags
Sep 19th
2 tags
Sep 1st
August 2010
4 posts
2 tags
Aug 19th
3 tags
Aug 3rd
Aug 3rd
2 tags
Aug 3rd
July 2010
2 posts
Jul 20th
Jul 19th
June 2010
8 posts
Jun 30th
Jun 30th
Jun 30th
2 tags
Jun 30th
4 tags
Jun 29th
Jun 24th
2 tags
Jun 15th
Jun 15th
May 2010
1 post
2 tags
Grading, Kilburn.
I had to stop and check out the boats as they clunk-whished past me on the river Cam. It was a nice settling noise which eased my nerves a little… After having met up with the other grading candidates we chatted on the train to London and tried to remain focused. We each had our ways of handling the nerves but mostly we didn’t try and swot up, but simply relaxed. Jonathan’s...
May 3rd
April 2010
6 posts
3 tags
Apr 20th
Apr 9th
Apr 7th
4 tags
Apr 6th
3 tags
Apr 3rd
4 tags
Learning with a Clear Mind
Last night’s Shorinji Kempo lesson turned out to be a good, sweaty session with lots of refining technique and learning formats ready for the grading. Unfortunately as I entered the dojo I had a few things on my mind and I was in a dark and painful mental state. These, typically (for me, at any rate), can be difficult to shake and the first 20 minutes training (warm-up and kihon) were not...
Apr 2nd
March 2010
5 posts
5 tags
Mar 16th
4 tags
Mar 16th
3 tags
Mar 11th
4 tags
Mar 9th
2 tags
Mar 6th
February 2010
1 post
Feb 11th
January 2010
1 post
4 tags
Happy New Year and happy feet
After a somewhat long absence from the dojo I returned this week to normal lessons and found that my foot regime had worked a treat. Over the holidays I had a bit more time than I usually have so I was able to pamper my neglected feet. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not *that* disgusting but other than clipping my toenails and keeping them clean I don’t really pay them much...
Jan 6th