By Agnes Schwartz, Member until 2015

Shinden Fight 1 is a course that builds on Task Fighting 3.

The course's instructors consisted of Søren Renshi and Martin Renshi-dai.

The course was/is an immersion and repetitions of TF3.

Time was spent on techniques that worked really well and we also tried techniques that didn't work so well.

But common to the techniques was that your taisabaki increased your chances of survival.

I mean really survive, because with the intensity and distance we trained with, there was a cash settlement.

When we trained "in a row" and with the techniques we were told, the reckoning came constantly in the form of practice, practice and practice. Surely that taisabaki can't knock everything on the floor. Yes, it can

When we were allowed to train MMA, the settlement came in the form of upper cuts, broken toes, twisted feet, concussions, kneecaps that hurt, bloody lips and air knocked out of the stomach.

It was not only because of the taisabaki, but it learned smoke together with the attitude when you are pressured. You act purely instinctively and that is fine enough, but what is interesting is that you have trained between 5 and 7 years and have learned a lot.

But when you are pressed, you switch to autopilot.

I guess this is really where we have to be role models, both to ourselves, but also to our colleagues.

After all, we cannot preach; use your TAK & MY & CT when the only thing we have in MMA is our instinct.

Do we not trust what is taught?

Should we have a separate course in correct setting?

Of course we rely on what we learn, but we have so many patterns of action that have worked before.

We were able to cheat a little in our kumite. Not to cheat our training partners, but it was easier for yourself.

And our training partner didn't make it through, did he?

The course was, as courses always are at Shindenkan, well organised, with room for both learning and lots of laughs along the way.

I look forward to it being offered again, it deserves a repeat.

Like a good book – it is also read more than once.

Agnes