Yamana-Itotani Sensei, 9th dan, graduated three new black belts and eight new brown belts during the annual Shindenkan Spring Tournament.
The event with almost 300 participants, of which a little over 150 of all ages on the floor of Ny Måløvhallen, all distinguished themselves with high spirits, concentration and community through training in Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do.
This event was special, as eleven graduates aged 14 to 50, with five to ten years of training experience behind them, had finally reached the fifth and final stop test in a demanding graduation course. The requirements for black and brown belt in Yakami Shinsei-ryu are twice as tough compared to most other martial arts systems, which also means that it usually takes twice as long to reach these belt degrees.
In the week leading up to the event, they had all passed four stop tests; physical, curriculum, theory and freestyle tests with great results. A result of 9-12 months of targeted preparation. All graduates were up to graduation in two martial arts systems; traditional Karate-do and a total martial arts system with both armed and unarmed techniques in a comprehensive understanding.
Traditional Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu karate-do makes up approx. 16 % of the total martial arts system, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do.
There were seventeen Shindenkaners entered from the start, and the eleven reached the finish line with all five stops. The last and fifth stop test lasted just under 5½ hours. The graduations in high spirits and sweat on their foreheads were a clear underlining of Shindenkan's motto "Place for all - the elite as the exerciser - at all ages".
The following graduations and results are hereby confirmed as of March 20, 2010:
Elisabet Bjarkmann, 14 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 1st dan, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 2nd dan, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
- Shogo; Shishó (pronounced shishå)
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 5 min. 48 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,560 m (12.8 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Jonas Munkesøe, 16 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 1.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1st dan, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 5 min. 41 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,930 m (14.7 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Accepted - on the border
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Karsten Nielsen, 23 years old, Jokokan Korsør Karate School. Chief instructor Martin Hansen;
- 1.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1st dan, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 5 min. 45 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,680 m (13.4 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Accepted - on the border
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Søren Hansen, 49 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 2.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 7 min. 18 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,740 m (13.7 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Accepted - on the border
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Margit Munkesøe, 46 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 2.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 7 min. 01 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,460 m (12.3 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Bertrand Bourgeat, 39 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 2.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 5 min. 16 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,710 m (14.1 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Accepted - on the border
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Henrik Jørgensen, 44 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 2.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 1.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 7 min. 18 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,690 m (13.5 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Charlotte Aagaard, 45 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 3.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 2.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 7 min. 36 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 1,970 m (10 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Agnes Schwartz, 43, Jokokan Ballerup/Frederiksberg Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen/Kjeld Nyrup;
- 3.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 2.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 7 min. 45 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,020 m (10.1 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Anders Hansen, 13 years old, Jokokan Ballerup Karate School. Chief instructor Jens Iversen;
- 3.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 2.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 5 min. 32 seconds and subsequent Cuba test; 2,590 m (13.0 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
Bjørn Thon, 49 years old, Jokokan Korsør Karate School. Chief instructor Martin Hansen;
- 3.kyu, Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do
- 2.kyu, Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do
Results for graduation process stop tests:
- Shindenkan circle: 6 min. 22 seconds and subsequent "Cuba" swim test; 638 m (3.2 km/h)
- Syllabus test 1½ hours: Passed
- Freestyle test ½ hour; Passed
- Definition test; Passed
- Rally test: Passed
- Final graduation; Passed
