HeaderPONTESBURY RESIDENTIAL COURSE MAY 2011
Report on Residential at Pontesbury May 14th-15th 2011
This May's Residential Pontesbury Course, held over the 14th and 15th, was taught by Sensei's Derek Ridgway (7th Dan) and Mick Bayliss (4th Dan) was an exciting mix of Classical Shito Ryu, Okinawan Shorin Ryu and Classical Kobudo weapons training with a bo (staff).
Several members stayed over night while others preferred to arrive on the day. After a hearty breakfast and the customary greetings had been made, the course started with Shorin Ryu's "kushinundo" training exercise where each student takes a turn to count from 1 to 10, controlling the pace of the squats for the rest of the class. This was followed by "tsuki", the traditional art of punching which was conducted in the same manner. This type of warm-up helps to make each student become a part of the session and really sets the tone and atmosphere for the training ahead.
With the initial warm-up completed successfully, Sensei Ridgway took the class through an Okinawan version of Pinan Nidan. The general form of the kata was carefully processed in sections in much the same way as the authentic Okinawan methods of teaching. Advice was given for individual techniques and more general advice was given that when attacking, the stance should be set first before committing the technique; this encourages much more natural power. This feeling tied in nicely with the punching that had been experienced in the warm-up session. Students quickly learned the 'bones' of the kata and were given this knowledge to take home and explore the subtleties of Okinawan karate in their own time.
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With Kata in mind, Sensei also decided to teach the "Shinpa" (Judgement) kata from the Shito Ryu system. This kata is not mainstream and is generally only taught on occasions such as these courses. This fairly short Kata was practised several times to ensure everyone could perform it before the associated bunkai (fighting application) was demonstrated and practised.
Neil and Nigel between training, had kindly taken it upon themselves to co-ordinate and prepare all the food and drinks for the group. The breakfasts, lunch-time meals and evening snacks were interspersed with tea's coffee's and juice's to keep everyone well fed and watered during their training activities. The food was of exceptional quality and value as the dojo was effortlessly converted from training to dining-hall and back again.
Sensei Mick Baylis introduced the group to several elements of bo (long staff) work. To familiarise people with using the bo, the "go go go" (5,5,5) primary sequences of guarding, defending and attacking, were re-iterated before teaching the intermediate bo-kata "Kongo" or "kongo no Kon".
"Go Go Go" flows from one position to another and is repeated from a left and right stand-point. The routine helps to develop fluidity on movement and control of the bo with confidence and accuracy in posture and technique. When students were more at-ease with wielding and moving the bo with some efficiency, the kata was introduced to work these movements into a more practical form of karate.
Several times, the Kata "Kongo" utilises a set sequence of blocks and strikes referred to as "15". This sequence was repeatedly drilled so that proficiency was gained even by those who had done little bo work before. Slowly and surely confidence grew and the pattern was built up and practised, piece by piece, until the whole kata could be performed by each individual. This beautiful bo work with its flowing techniques and swirling sequences often disguises the brutal effectiveness of the applications which were later demonstrated in the kata's bunkai (fighting application). Each person partnered off in pairs and was shown effective attack and counter techniques from a variety of guard positions. Attacking high and low, the bunkai really helped to express and clarify what each sequence was for and helped to explain the performance of the kata itself.
In addition to Kongo, the Shito Ryu version of "Bassai sho" was introduced prior to the second day of the seminar which was used to re-cap everything that had been learned on the previous day and provide a more in-depth evaluation. The training closely followed the format of the previous day to ensure that students developed a deeper understanding of what they had learned and to help remember what had been taught.
To finish the course, instructors tested their students by asking that all the katas and routines be performed from memory;
with this abundance of knowledge in a relatively short space of time, regular practice is required to help keep in mind what is provided on these insightful courses, as new content is prepared and dispensed each time. Approaching it's 30 year Anniversary, Pontesbury has been and will remain a fresh and exciting venue to learn our particular blend of traditional Karate.
Special thanks goes to neil and nigel for serving up excellent meals over the weekend, cheers guys it was appreciated.
also a big thanks to all who turned up and made the course a success, it was a good turnout especially on cup final weekend. so cheers everybody it was a great weekend.
The next residential is on the weekend of 10th-11th September make sure you put it in your diary.