What no kumite? Time defeated us before we were able to square up to on another! But it goes without saying that the time was spent constructively nonetheless. We focussed on basics and kata: black belts constructed a multi-punch, multi-block, double kick combination which demanded a high level of competence in the fundamentals – together with a high level of conditioning! The lower grades were similarly challenged. Even two absolute beginners were tackling a punching, blocking, kicking combination within an hour!
An interesting dimension to the session was the performance of the routines in sub-groups; the brown and black belts went tearing up the dojo, followed by the coloured belts, and finally the white belts. The result was extraordinary! The higher grades found an extra ‘umph’ and those watching had a visual representation of what they needed to emulate – and emulate it they did. I asked one of the junior beginners what he thought of the black belts. He replied with one word: “good”. And youngsters aren’t easily impressed these days! I made the point that they didn’t get “good” automatically, but once upon a time they had walked into the dojo wearing shorts and T shirts, knowing nothing about karate. Just look at them now!
At 11.00am we divided up for kata. The team of seven black belts taught the various groups. It was really pleasing to see the club’s strength in depth. Like the high standard achieved by the black belts, it didn’t happen automatically, it has been built in the dojo over the last 23 years!
19 members trained in the session: Alex; Sam; Joshua Cockburn; James Gordon; Luke Cobb; Jonathan Cobb; George Coates; Archie Beardsley; Jonathan Osborne; Paul Osborne; Bob Dainty; Darren Cockburn; Jack Robson; Tom Ludlow; Steve Hull; Caroline Todd; Josh Ludlow; Alan Lea; Ian Lea.
SOUTH NOTTS KARATE 