I hope that everybody had a very happy Christmas, and would like to wish all students and their families a happy new year.
Karate classes recommence on Wednesday 7th (St Just), Thursday 8th (Penzance) and Friday 9th (Penzance) January 2009... I look forward to seeing you all there to work-off all of those chocolates and mincepies!!!
Yawara Bo / Kubotan Course
There’s still time to sign-up for the Yawara Bo / Kubotan Course that we are holding in Pendeen on Sunday 25th January 2009.
For those who don’t know, the Yawara Bo is a short stick (when held in the palm of the hand, it sticks out about an inch from either side of the hand), slightly thicker than a marker pen. It is used to stabilise the fist when punching, to gain leverage for breaks and throws, for applying pressure to the sensitive parts of an opponent’s body, or for striking-with using the end/point. The Kubotan is a variation on the Yawara Bo, being slightly shorter in length, and usually attached to a set of keys so that it appears as an innocuous “keyfob” to the untrained eye. It can be used in the same way as the Yawara Bo, plus the keys attached to the other end can be used as a flail of sorts.
If you would like to learn how to use this useful weapon, please speak to Sensei Kevin to book your place on this course without delay.
Adult Christmas Party
Adults and teenagers from Samurai Karate Cornwall’s classes enjoyed a Christmas meal at “Renaissance” in Penzance this year. Below are some of the photos that were taken. All amusing captions that you wish to submit will be gratefully received!!!
Cadet Christmas P-art-y
As something a bit different this year, we organised a Karate-themed art Christmas party for our cadet students this year.
Students undertook a variety of art projects using paint, glue and chalks, as well as undertaking some Christmas-themed origami.
At the end of the party, our cadet yearly award cereony was held, with Annie Thomas winning this year’s “Student of the Year 2008” award. Well done to her!
The £96.00 raised in donations from students attending will be donated to Children’s Hospice Southwest’s “Precious Lives Appeal”.
Sensei Terry Wingrove Course
Once again, Sensei Terry Wingrove and a team of his instructors made the long trip down to Penzance to teach us more Karate Jutsu techniques and philosophies.
On Saturday 29th November 2008, some of the adult students enjoyed a meal with Sensei at Sukothai restaurant in Penzance. After this, Sensei Wingrove took the time to participate in an interview with Sensei Kevin, answering many techniques about his experience in Karate and about Karate Jutsu in particular. The audio recordings have been posted on YouTube, and can be viewed on the new “Videos” page of our website, here.
On Sunday 30th November 2008, the Karate Jutsu course took place at St Just Sports Centre. Due to the nature of the material being taught, this course was open to adults and teenagers only (plus a very small selection of extremely-mature cadets).
The course was thoroughly enjoyed. Students attending one of Sensei’s courses for the first time learned 3 or 4 useful basic techniques to get a flavour of Karate Jutsu’s potential, whilst those who had already attended one of Sensei’s courses were taught further techniques and given the opportunity to put several techniques together in a more realistic and useful way.
We took £370.00 in ticket sales for this course. After the £60.00 venue fee was deducted, it left £310.00 which we will be splitting 50/50 between Sensei Wingrove’s Nominated charity (Richard House Children’s Hospice) and our own charity (Children’s Hospice Southwest’s “Precious Lives” appeal).
Sensei Wingrove will be visiting the southwest again in February/March to run a two day Karate Jutsu course. The first day will be at Penzance on Saturday 28th February 2009, whilst the second day will take place at Sensei John Burke’s dojo in Newton Abbot on Sunday 1st March 2009.
Sensei Wingrove will also be visiting Penzance later in the year to teach Karate Jutsu on Sunday 18th October 2009
We would urge all students to leave these three dates clear in their diaries, to be sure that they can attend.
Some of Sensei Wingrove’s Karate Jutsu instructors didn’t believe Cornwall was a financially-depressed area until they felt “the pinch” after only a few hours of being here!
Sensei Alan Platt said he didn’t enjoy his massage as much as he thought he would!
Group photo (above) is used with kind permission of Sensei Alan Platt (www.uk-karate.com)
More photos of the course can be found, courtesy of Alan Platt, at the following web address:
On Friday 7th November 2008, Sensei Kevin Cooke was invited to attend the Cornwall Sports Awards Ceremony, having been nominated for a coaching award by the Cornwall Sports Partnership.
Upon attending the award ceremony, Sensei Kevin was extremely happy (not to mention extremely surprised) to win the Young Performer’s (Young Person’s) Coach of the Year Award 2008, a real honour when the other nominees for this award were of a very high calibre.
Sensei Kevin is pictured below (stood in the middle, looking very star-struck!) receiving his award from Ed Coode MBE (Olympic Gold Medal Rower) and Emma Adams of Truro College (the sponsors of this particular award).
Congratulations to everybody who passed their Karate gradings on Friday 24th October 2008 at the Penzance Leisure Centre.
All students who successfully-passed a grading on this occasion are listed below:
Red Belt (9th Kyu): Eli Chalwin, Bryce Tremethick, Tilly Tieken, Georgia Neal, Chris Neal, Brandon Shaw.
Yellow Belt (8th Kyu): Lucy Connick, Caitlin Pyke, Acacia Huish, Reese Tremethick, Alex Johns, Isaac Challen, Linsey Summers, George Mitchell, Sara Summers, Ollie Angove, Lewis Slater.
White Belt Orange Stripe (7 1/2th Kyu): Lilly Irwin, Steven Brown, Jack Baylis.
Orange Belt (7th Kyu): Thomas Baylis, Jack Edwards, Demalza Monk, Cameron Bloor, Joe Kellas, Mark Kellas, Clare Baylis.
White Belt Green Stripe (6 1/2th Kyu): Craig Lowndes-Castle, Naomi Lowndes-Castle, Ben Thomas.
Green Belt (6th Kyu): Georgie Irwin, Frankie Lanni, Chris Savery.
Blue Belt (5th Kyu): Annie Thomas, Aiden Goddard, Poppy Felton, Cameron Clarke, Louise Jay, Elizabeth Jay.
White Belt Purple Stripe (4 1/2th Kyu): Daniel Britton.
Purple Belt (4th Kyu): Robert Blackabey, Peter Blackabey.
Well done to all of you!
Sensei Iain Abernethy Course
On Saturday 30th August 2008, Sensei Iain Abernethy travelled to Penzance to run a Kata bunkai course.
During the course, we took a look at many of the Pinan katas, discussing the commonly-assumed bunkai for the Pinan katas, before Sensei Iain showed us his own bunkai interpretations. Sensei Iain’s bunkai interpretations are based upon his tireless study of ancient texts written by the original Karate masters; these mention many techniques which were (at that time) regularly practiced as part of Karate, but which have since disappeared from many Karate schools’ syllabuses. By a process of reverse-engineering the Kata, the possible original bunkai can be realised.
Sensei Iain demonstrates an interpretation of the first two movements from Pinan Shodan kata.
Sensei Iain demonstrates a cross-buttocks throw, as found in Pinan Sandan.
Cadet students try out some basic groundwork from the scarfhold (the position you would find yourself in if you follow your opponent to the ground after performing the cross-buttocks throw shown in the previous photo).
Sensei Kevin practices an arm-bar, and asks his training partner to check whether he applied anti-perspirant that morning!
Sensei Iain demonstrates an “Itosu-special” (as per the Karate master Yasutsune “Anko” Itosu’s famous reputation for knocking-out his opponents so that they landed face-down!)
Karate students practice a series techniques, ready for trying out on the focus mitts.
The course was attended by instructors and students from many Karate clubs in the local area, and the course content was well-received by everybody with an interest in traditional karate kata.
Excuses
Next time you don’t attend classes, make sure you have an excuse that you can justify to yourself... watch the video to see how valid your excuse really is!
Sensei Phil Nicholls Course
Thank you to everybody who supported our course with Sensei Phil Nicholls (Samurai Karate’s Southwest Chief Instructor) on Sunday 20th July 2008.
Everybody reported back how much they enjoyed this course, which makes the hard work organising it all seem all the more worthwhile.
Some students may be unaware that, after the morning and afternoon sessions, three brave students undertook a grading with Sensei Phil for their Brown Belt White Stripe (3rd Kyu) Belts. I am pleased to report that all three students (Bob Jay, Andy Chellew and Franky Reynolds) all successfully passed, which is no mean feat after spending a hard day undertaking sparring practice and learning two Kata which they had not previously been taught. Well done to the three of you!
I would also like to say “thank you” to St Just Sports Centre, who provided us with an excellent venue at which to run this course.
Team-Building Activity at the Covert Combat Outdoor Lazertag Site
Several students attended an adult-only team-building activity at the Covert Combat Outdoor Lazertag Site, a business based in Penzance which is owned by by Sensei Kevin ad his partner Rachel.
Several games were played over the course of the evening, and the event was finished off with a BBQ meal.
All adults were asked to make a donation of £5.00 each to Children’s Hospice Southwest, rather than paying to play. Sensei Kevin collected all of this money in, and has now forwarded the £45.00 received onto Children’s Hospice Soutwest’s “Precious Lives Appeal”.
Thanks to everybody who supported this event, we know you all had a great time and we will look at running another similar event later in the year.
Knife Self-Defence Classes
During June 2008, we devoted two classes to knife self-defence.
The first class dealt with basic knife blocking / avoidance skills, to provide immediate protection in the event of an unexpected attack. The knife blocking skills were based on the both traditional karate knife defences, Krav Maga techniques, and those used by military forces. To add to the realism, students wore white T-shirts and used rubber knives covered with lipstick, meaning that their T-shirts gave a clear indication of how difficult it is to defend against a knife attack without incuring any injuries. As can be seen, some students came out in a better condition than others!
The second class dealt with controlling the arm which an attacker is using to hold a knife, and basic disarming principles.
The class was enjoyed by all, and was a good reminder, particularly to the teenage students, of why it is foolhardy to have anything to do with knives.
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