New Hartlepool Black Belts
Last weekend members of the club headed down to Alfreton for a training course with Okumachi Sensei, 6th Dan JKF-Wadokai and a further two days with Sakagami Sensei, Peter May, Keith Walker and Lee Minion. The session on Saturday was also lead by Okumachi Sensei who had a little bit of extra time before his flight and decided to stick around and teach some more. The Sunday was a further opportunity to run through the elements of the Dan Grade (Black Belt Test) that hadn’t already been covered over the previous two days. The actual test took place after the training.
The Hartlepool folk with Okumachi Sensei on Saturday (Jasmin & Bailey also trained with Sensei on the Friday evening)
It was a long weekend, and all the training (except the test) took place on a typical concrete sports hall floor so by the end of everything our bodies were aching.
A massive congratulations must go to Sensei Michael Jorgeson who was finally coerced into taking his 2nd Dan – after almost 20 years of being 1st Dan! Also, a massive well done to Sensei Vince Dawkins and Beth Gray who have just become our latest Black Belts. They’ve both put in a lot of work over the past 12 months and beyond to get ready for the test and it showed. High Five!!!
Pictures will follow…
Hartlepool wadokai kata course
Yesterday our club ran a wado kata course with Sensei Peter May and Sensei Lee Minion at the Belle Vue sports centre in Hartlepool.
This was the first time that we’ve invited both instructors up at the same time so we wanted as many of our students as possible to train with them.
We split the course into three different sessions and students could choose to attend one, two or all three sessions. I think splitting the event like this helped because it fit into other peoples schedule better, this meant that we got 40 people to the course.
the non-camera shy from Session 1
Session 1 was a general training session, this allowed our younger and low grade students to train. The session covered various types of resistance training as a way of getting your stances right. Then it moved onto sparring. The session was a good warm up for the more experienced, and the younger kids loved every minute of it.
Sensei Minion explaining what not to do during kumite practise
Session 2 was a masterclass in Pinan Godan. This is the first round kata for the August JKF-Wadokai Nationals in Tokyo. A lot of our students also need this kata for their next belt test so this was a logical choice for this session. At the end of the session all the competitors demo’d Pinan Godan and got some more feedback.
The non camera shy from Session 3
In Session 3 we started off with Seishan, this is the compulsory Kata for the Wado World Cup in August. After a short break we moved onto Kushanku, this would be testing everyone’s endurance because at this point we’d all been training for over four hours! Once again, at the end of the session all the competitors heading out to Japan demo’d Kushanku, and once again got some much needed feedback.
I’d like to thank kobukan Darlington, Derby Karate Academy, Teesside, Lincs Aiwakai, and Carlisle for supporting the course.
Kata course this weekend in Hartlepool
As part of Carl & Amy’s prep for the Wado World Cup & Japan Nationals, Hartlepool Wadokai has arranged a special Kata training course with Sensei Peter May 6th Dan JKF-Wadokai & Sensei Lee Minion 5th Dan JKF-Wadokai.
Both instructors are the current Wadokai England National Kata Coaches and though both have visited the club before, this is the first time that they’ve ran a a course in Hartlepool together. Sensei Minion has also been selected to compete in the Senior Men’s Kata Division on behalf of England at the Wado World Cup (alongside Carl).
This is a fantastic opportunity for the club, and friends of the club to get some great training with two of the UK’s best Wado Kata coaches.
For more information, please download the PMay&LMinion Seminar Poster or contact Carl via email (carl at hartlepoolwadokai dot com) or tel 07984 798634.
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