With a record number of participants of 170 participants and just as many spectators, the stove was set for a X-mas camp of large dimensions. The number of participants clearly showed that the local schools' focus on the 5 KPIs since September had yielded results. It will be exciting to see the number of participants at the upcoming camps.
The X-mas camp 2010 was, as always, organized meticulously by Yamana-Itotani Sensei and this time too, a camp with smiles, important information and teaching that gave food for thought. The main message at this camp was:
Correct attitude from the beginning - Realize your full potential with optimal toolboxes - The wheel and the deep plate ARE invented - Be smart and good about yourself - YOU are much better than yourself and others tell you to be, if you want to and act accordingly and not just talking and thinking it.
As at all camps, the participants are divided into groups to get optimal teaching. This time there were three groups who all worked at different levels and techniques. Group 1 was the group from 10 kyu to 9 kyu with 3 strokes – a total of 74 participants. Group 2 was the group from 8 kyu to 5 kyu – with a total of 74 participants and group 3 was for all those enrolled in the monthly brown and black belt curriculum training – a total of 22 participants.
Group 1 and 2 both trained in the same hall. Group 3 trained in the associated barefoot gym and had the honor of being taught by Yamana-Itotani Sensei in all lessons. This was actually a smaller training camp for them, since the day before they had participated in the second part of the Jo-jutsu course and since Yamana-Itotani Sensei during the X-mas camp, had planned a recap of this course especially for this group. Jo-jutsu is precisely an important toolbox that fitted perfectly into the rest of the theme of the x-mas camp, namely: Understanding and training on an optimal basis.
The first lesson consisted of basics performed at a very slow tempo. When you talk about slow pace in Shindenkan, you mean slow pace.
A tempo of 20 % means Tai Chi tempo, which means very slow. It is extremely important to get to know your own limitations and deficiencies in the basics, because if you don't find this you can't build on and thus get better. And it is precisely this that is the purpose of this lesson, that everyone should understand how important the basis is, so that the participants do not get a huge shock later on and lose their courage.
You cannot build a stable house without a strong and stable foundation. In the same way, it is based in Shindenkan. As the participants also found out, you cannot perform the techniques optimally with 50 % and 80 % force, if you cannot do it with 20 % force. Which again means that if you can't attack correctly with 20 % power, you can't do it with "just" 50 % power and 80 % power either. The participants found this out during lesson 2, where they trained in increased understanding between optimal kihon and increased probability of success in kumite. In total, it must be said that it was 2 lessons where the participants found out that the slower you can perform your techniques, the more difficult they become, and the more you learn.
All 170 participants were not only put under technical pressure. Mentally there was also something to work on.
As always during a Shindenkan camp, an atmosphere is set by the Shindenkan organization's "Master motivator". This time was no exception. But a new strike song on the field and a super-motivated "Master motivator" were set up for a roar of a common song. “Shindenkan-Shindenkan where are you?” it sounded repeatedly, with a response that read: "We are here - We are here and we are ready for more" after which it was again asked: "Shindenkan-Shindenkan who are you?" to which the answer was given "I'm me - I'm me and I'm just cool".
With the division of the participants into three groups, there was of course planned for a fight between the groups and there were also none of the groups that held back when they were challenged. Which also resulted in a challenge between the chief instructors and all the participants. As the day progressed, it became clear that the singing voice of the "Master motivator" has seen better days and there were better voices among the chief instructors. This was of course taken as an invitation, in the usual positive and cheerful Shindenkan spirit, and resulted in a multi-voiced chant from the head instructors and out to all the students.
"It's Christmas, it's cool, now is the best time to enjoy yourself", is probably the thought the spectators present had in mind with the euphoric atmosphere that spread during the X-mas camp 2010.
After three hours of highly concentrated training, it was time for graduation. 104 applicants had to go through the belt grades from 10.1 kyu to 4 kyu. But before then, the participants from Kotachi package 1 and Task Fighting 1 and 2 respectively had to go through a competence graduation where they had to show what they had learned during the courses.
Both course types are very important skills in Shindenkan and therefore it is also important that the participants are graduated in them so that they can expand their skills by gaining access to subsequent courses within the same type. All the participants performed a great graduation and passed.
Subsequently, it was time for the "normal" kyu graduation which ended with a kata separation course. That is all kata are shown by the students who know them. Both brown and black belts got on the floor even if they were not set for graduation. This also gave the spectators a small "Christmas present" as they got to see black belt katas that they may not have seen before.
Before the day was completely over and everyone could go on a well-deserved Christmas holiday, it was time to thank all those who had made a difference during the year. During 2010, a great deal of work was carried out with regard to translations of articles from Danish to English, so that the English part of the website is "up to date".
Likewise, the students who are always available when something practical needs to be done at camps and courses also received a big thank you from the federation chairman and the honbu-dojo.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, all the schools have a focus on 5 KPIs, which are 5 measurement points that will help manage and build the schools. It will be really exciting to see the results of these measurement points at the upcoming training camps. It would like to create even more records in the number of participants.
From all of Shindenkan, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.
