By Jokokan Honbu

Before the start of the summer holidays, Jokokan's instructors always thank the past season with a two-day training camp, specially organized for instructors. This happened again this year. The overall theme for the 2002 camp was "I do as I say, and say as I do".

The training was structured in two blocks, which consisted of 3 x 3 hour lessons in the Dojo, and 3 lessons with individual and group discussion.

The purpose of the conversation lessons was to summarize the previous training lesson in the dojo, prepare for the next one, and benefit from the other instructors' experiences, feedback, and opinions. To help with these lessons, specific questions were designed to facilitate the instructors towards greater self-knowledge, which could be built on permanently after the end of the camp.

The lessons in the dojo were built on the fact that the participants in the last lesson were both physically and psychologically exhausted, and were therefore forced to rely on themselves - without various psychological and physical control measures, while this took place under safe and secure circumstances and relationships.

The training content itself was structured in such a way that if the participants did not use all the tools they had at their disposal, they were very clearly reminded of this. Be it technical, physical and mental tools – the whole palette.

In Jokokan we train in both armed and unarmed techniques, and in unarmed Kumite at “distance” (punches and kicks) and “Close combat” (Jujutsu/Kumi-uchi/Shinen-ryu). This was also trained during this camp.

Everyone had to admit that a mistake or a split second's hesitation or lapse in concentration led to a cash settlement.

Another instructor camp, which was then duly concluded with a high-quality all-you-can-eat barbecue with accompanying delicious drinks – of very varying quality, some of which had been pre-arranged by the instructors who had passed their graduation. The party did not end until the following morning.