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This week the class had a treat as Tim San stepped into run it! He introduced the elbow and knee strikes bringing the concept of short range techniques to the class. These elbow and knee strikes are extremely powerful techniques and the new students were amazed at what an effective weapon they were for self defence. The class worked well as we had a couple of black belts taking part, getting in the mood for their advanced class to follow. everyone enjoyed the latest routines as well as the brief re-cap on last weeks training.
Next week should see the return of Dave San, so that should be fun for the students!!
BAMA Advanced Class, Mondays 7.45pm
Well it was great seeing the dedicated ‘High Grade Session’ make it’s return to the dojo this week! This is going to be a must for all grades brown belt and above. This will always be an untempo session of excellence, be that combat, kata or weapons training! We are expecting to see some full on training!!
So we kicked of this first session with the theme ‘moving forward’ or what we like to call ‘second phase combat’. The objective was to remove the mental blocks associated with using single movements during fighting.
Single strikes, although very effective, tend not to ‘lead’ us into the next move. Higher grades however need to follow forward into a series of strikes and domination techniques, it is as much a frame of mind as it is a technique.
The class embarked upon a variety of up-tempo drills and sparring exercises culminating in a positive demonstration of ‘second phase combat’. It is always rewarding, as an instructor, when you see a student grasp something. Great to see our brown belts getting the hang of these advanced concepts.
God help the lower grades on our next sparring session!!!
Monday’s Ken Kai Ryu sword class started at the new time of 7.45pm this week, which we hope will be its new time. In this weeks lesson Richard San taught the Purple belt ‘Battle Kata’ which was a real change from the more Iado patterns of the previous lessons. As it has been some time since this kata has been taught to the sword class many had forgotten how physical this pattern was!
With frequent floor passages and big cuts it demands much from the sword student, both physically and mentally. Sword is about the projection of combat and physicality, if you don’t have the ‘look’ you don’t have the kata!
Next week will show whether the sword class have learnt the lesson this kata is trying to teach!
Reflective Aikido, Tuesdays, 8.30pm
Reflective aikido took an interesting turn this week by taking our 7 element concepts a stage further with the integration of motion, posture and knowledge. The class started with Richard san moving through a basic deflection lesson and then building up to the advanced deflection of the partner to the floor. The class explored these concepts and how they link together and relate to each other whilst performing fluid movements.
The skills required in this class stretch beyond those of simply ‘trying harder’ as there is a huge element of ‘letting go’. Often here we are finding we have to relax in order to find the knack of a movement and try not to let our frustrations get the better of us. This was taken to whole new level by Tim San teaching an exercise in ‘letting go’ whilst performing movements both with and without a partner.
Watching the experienced students such as Hayley San start to achieve this insight was a real pleasure to watch. It is truely ironic just how difficult letting go can actually be, but the results experienced by all added weight to the on going learning curve that less really is more with reflective aikido!
Japanese Sword, Tuesdays, 9.30pm
Ran by Richard San this week, the Japanese Sword Class followed the theme of Simplicity. Coming from a central ‘attitude’ the class started with just 1 cut moving forward. The focus here though was on strong tip control and the path of the cut. Soon we were on to 5 full cuts in total moving through different directions. The class worked well at this first stage, particularly the ‘beginners’ to sword who quickly found their feet with the spins and turns.
Ultimately sword work lends itself to spontaneous movement and this Tuesday was no exception as the class moved on to performing sequences using the cuts learned. This is such a difficult task and it must be said that those new to sword, in particular Kohighs Jose & Matthew, did very well at this.
There is quite an atmosphere in a sword class filled with highly focused individuals, each adding to that feel of concentration and precision. Tuesday nights are fast becoming the place to be to improve focus and awareness.
BAMA Karate and Aikido Te Class, Wednesdays, 6.45pm
This Wednesday was a very busy session and needless to say the training was very energetic. There were high grade Aikido-Te and Karate groups, as well as a few people working very hard in some one-to-one lesson. In addition to all this there were two sessions running to “warm up” a couple of students for their part one Aikido-Te gradings, which took a new format. It was still a test of the application of all required katas, however the “attackers” were all high grade students and Senseis. The attackers were constantly moving and “stalking” before attacking. This created a much more realistic ‘fight feel’ to the katas.
Dohigh Kevin did an excellent first part brown belt grading, remembering all the responses to the attacks for his six katas. Dohigh Chris was going for purple belt part one grading and he did brilliantly.
What makes this type of grading so challenging is it requires the student to respond with the correct defensive moves while their attackers move around, so the static stances and set directions students are used to disappear. This makes the test more instinctive and less of an intellectual/memory exercise. A big congratulations to both Dohigh Kevin and Chris for excellent and well deserved part one gradings.
Also a big thank you to all the attackers. Great to see Sempais Ben and Kash putting pressure on those grading, and a particular mention to Dohigh Jon, who may well be on the receiving end of the attack next week when he goes for his part one.
Dohigh Wayne was working hard in his one to one lesson with Sensei Richard in Jo staff. He’s certainly looking very good for the up coming grading. Everyone else was in the group lead by Sensie Tim and they were treated to a taster of what we’re hoping to work on in our “Art of Kata” workshop on the 26th May. (FREE to all Wisewarrior students). To finish up, Sensei Tim had the group work on a great combat sequence which left everybody in great spirits, but possible aching a bit on Thursday !! 
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A great evening, a great week…
See you in the dojo!
Philosophy Group
One of the lively discussion points this week amongst the Philosophy students was the subject of karma (cause and effect). Each moment may be seen as the creation of the next, yet only our mind can determine how this moment was interpreted to the self. If it was a positive interpretation, then a moment of potential may appear next, if as so often in out lives we see it in a negative mindset then we as travellers of life are unable to move forward to the next point, free from painful attachments. Understanding the cause and affect of karma may help us begin to reduce the emotion of an event that at first could appear negative, yet could be turned into only pure potential. All students had some fun working through that!
Just a reminder all students who are working on their presentations, need to bring a rough copy into Richard San by next Wednesday.
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