"We meet where people are and take them on a journey", DAN course and background

In the period 1967 to approx. In 1981, single-track karate-do was trained more in the organization with learning detours to other forms of martial arts, where after approx. 1981 more and more passed into SST's multi-track family system with more than 1,000 years of experience. This, of course, also went hand in hand with SST's improvement in the world of martial arts and his appointment as future Soke for the ancient martial art system. In the period 1981 – 1989, SST used the time to train and develop the family system so that it could become accessible to everyone. Here he was faced with a big task because the original family system is first from Okuden, 6th dan single track karate-do and he therefore had to develop a new branch to the system which made the transition to the family system possible. This step became Yakami-ryu Jikitai (Karate-do) and Enshin. In short, Yakami-ryu Jikitai and Enshin are still a multi-track martial arts system, which is extremely demanding, but prepares the students optimally and purposefully for the transition to the martial art, where the "beginner level" is Menkyo, 7-8.dan single-track karate-do.

The seven year period from 1990 to 1997 was a very exciting and developing time in Shindenkan. For Kimu Sensei, time brought both export prices, Prince Henrik's medal of honor, etc., but all this hard work was nothing compared to the fulfillment requirements surrounding the training with SST!. Kimu Sensei could be taught by SST six times a year over weekends and holidays over three-week periods at a time, due to his then work as export manager for Japan and the Far East in Danish Crown's group headquarters with over 200 travel days annually. The weekdays usually went like this; 07:00-24:00 work. 24:00-04:00 sleep. 04:00-05:30 Meditation and ki exercises. 05:30-07:00 martial arts training. Saturday and Sunday; 06:00-01:00 teaching of SST in both Ryugi and Ryuha. Ryugi (cosmos, contexts and knowledge of the secrets of life after Menkyo. Before Menkyo; philosophy, train of thought and toolbox). Martial arts training puts a lot of emphasis on not making the same mistake as the person who came before you, - and having respect and acceptance for this. Therefore, SST often took Kimu Sensei out to old temples, castles and cultural attractions, where SST taught Kimu Sensei to "extract" knowledge and experience through symbols, locations and contexts, where nothing was accidental, as it was the fulfillment of man's full potential gathered through thousands of years. It was an incredibly life-affirming experience.

After Kimu Sensei passed his graduation to Menkyo in 1994, the training methodology changed drastically. Not because the "If you don't want it enough once, you've failed one time too many, and then you're not good enough and we part ways" teaching pedagogy no longer applied, but it mattered less. Not only because Kimu Sensei was now "Master of all the martial arts", but more because he now knew himself perfectly, and the performance anxiety and the fear of not being good enough, etc., were therefore no longer present. This opened up entirely new opportunities for learning. As SST pointed out, a “learning rate at least 10 times faster than your best ever before”.

This meant a new world opened up, and Kimu Sensei was now introduced to an inner circle of other Budo and Bujutsu grandmasters from other ancient systems, - Japanese as well as Chinese, with whom he now also got to train with and be taught by - in precisely the essence of their system. This essence is the same for all martial artists, and is only different for all martial artists.

Kimu Sensei understood this and in 1996 Kimu Sensei passed his graduation to Menkyo Kaiden and 8.dan multi-track martial arts in several different systems. It was later followed by further higher graduations in 2000, 2005 and 2008, as the development of organisations, groups and people obliges, – Kimu Sensei himself had to go ahead and show the way, as nothing in the world stands still.

A few months later, Kimu Sensei and Jens Hanshi-dai (then 4th dan) traveled to Cyprus, where the main school for Shindenkan's Greece and Cyprus was located. The training camp was advertised all over Cyprus on both radio and TV, and was to take place at the English base; Royal Akrotiri Airforce Base. Instructors from several British special forces units, as chief instructors from various martial arts schools and Shindenkan's own students, therefore participated. The training camp was a great success, and Kimu Sensei was invited to become the chief melee instructor for some of the British special units, which he politely declined after mature consideration of time and priorities, even though the offered "content package" was reasonably flexible and interesting. This decision was also taken in light of the fact that after this week long training camp, the decision was made that Greece, Cyprus, Ireland and the UK were asked to leave the organization as it had been "politicized" with all that comes with it. This meant that Jokokan Europe was concentrated around Shindenkan Scandinavia and reduced by approx. 90 %. The decision was absolutely right then, as now.

During this period, two groups were also specially trained by Kimu Sensei in his old apartment, Danmarksgade 12, st, Randers. It was a manor's apartment, which, however, had lost its former glory, but had as many as three living rooms. Therefore, the training took place in one living room of approx. 30 m2, which also functioned as a bedroom - there was a bed in any case!. Once again, Anette, Kimu Sensei's wife proved herself to be a very tolerant and patient one of a kind!. One group consisted of Jens Iversen, who was the highest graduated after Kimu Sensei, and the other group consisted of black belts. The training times were always the same and consisted of 80 % ryuha (technical curriculum training) and 20 % Ryugi (philosophy, train of thought and toolbox) and consisted of; Friday 16:00-02:00 training. Saturday 07:00-22:00 training. 22:00 gala dinner. Sunday; 08:00-18:00 training. 18:00, rounding & homework.

Jokokan Randers also worked fine here, but was only for black belts. Jokokan Randers started with three carefully selected top black belt students from another martial arts system, but quickly became just one student who was up to the distance and the demands. When this student became 1st dan, Yakami-ryu, he was invited to teach at his old system's training camps with great success, despite the fact that this system and local school were the world's most successful at that time in this form of tournament. But it is also not the first time that 1st dan, Yakami Shinsei-ryu black belts, prove their knowledge and multi-track skills against other martial arts systems, which we are of course happy about.

But there have now also been some 1st dan, Yakami Shinsei-ryu black belts, who have used their multi-track knowledge and skills for their own gain and gone solo. This has happened both outside and within Denmark's borders. But such is modern society and demand, and subsequently it has also been shown that they have done very well commercially in their chosen set-up, and many people have thought that it is hip as hap whether they pay to private enterprises, or as at Shindenkan, voluntary and unpaid association work, - as long as they get the product they want delivered.

That's not how it is in Shindenkan, and it never has been. We have some graduation requirements that must be met, and we will not compromise on that. We have 1,000 years of learning and we have great respect, acceptance and honor for that, - but therefore we can easily have fun at the same time, but it undeniably saves some time and makes it ultra efficient when you train directly towards a clear goal, - no matter if you are an exerciser or elite.

But that's why the Jokokan schools before the year 2000 were also perceived as very elitist and targeted schools, where 2-4 dan, black belts from other systems assessed that a 3.kyu, brown belt often corresponded in knowledge and competence to the 2nd dan of many other systems to 3rd dan, black belt. Which resulted in funny episodes, where newly crowned karate-do WC medal winners in Japan were given big challenges with Jokokan's 3.kyu, brown belt during guest training, or in their own words "We got mega bank and we suffered a giga ego blow! ”.

It was then common for 12-18 hours of weekly teaching in the Dojo, where it was necessary to have almost as many self-training hours on the side. Training events lasting 7 days from 06:00 to 24:00 in three to four four-hour blocks daily, however with half a rest day in the middle of the week. After such a training event, it was not unusual for you to be up and running again only after 2-4 weeks. It was also during this period that the physical basic form test for black belt was 3 x military bronze circle in a maximum of 5 minutes (normal was under 4 minutes). A three-minute break to change into running shoes, after which it was a 10 km run in a maximum of 50 minutes (normal was under 40-45 minutes). A three-minute break to take off running shoes, after which the basic form test was completed with 3 x military gold circles in a maximum of 9 minutes (normal was under 6-7 minutes). After that, it was normal for us to train in the dojo for 2-3 hours afterwards.

If it was just the physical part, could i.a. the students who were continental or world class and/or national team athletes followed along, but they most often fell short around brown/black belt, when it quickly became apparent that the physical challenges were nothing compared to the psychological and mental challenges!. There was simply no room for bad days - from day 1. There is much big difference between martial SPORTS, and "go the way" towards the ancient elitist martial ART. In fact, they cannot be compared to each other at all, except that you compare knowledge, experience and insight "about the earth from someone who has never been outside their city in their entire life, with someone who has traveled the world thin" - these are two profoundly different worlds and perspectives.

It goes without saying that this very elitist form was not exactly a "kiosk basker" and the dropout rate of new members in the first year averaged around 95 %. But all that was focused on was developing according to the old Japanese methodology and form of learning, which has its origins in "the complete elitist samurai training through the optimal physical, psychological and mental preparation for the coming civil war, as an additional survival and motivation factor ”.

The modern explanatory and motivational factor, and challenge was just that, for example, there had not been a civil war in Japan since the 1860s, and in Denmark for over 1,000 years, - and around the turn of the millennium we were only approx. 45 members. In addition, there was only one person who had achieved the competence level of martial arts grand master and one martial arts master in Denmark, according to the ancient Japanese densho degree's standard - a somewhat meager result after 46 years of work and targeted effort and tens of thousands of practitioners over time - but according to SST's standard a very nice and satisfying result!.

Therefore, in the wake of this self-examination in the year 2000, a re-definition of competence requirements, attitudes, teaching methodologies and the building of a bridge between the mysticism of the East and the West – the best of the best from both. It brought life advice and mottos such as; "Space for everyone - the elite as exercisers", "We meet people where they are and take them on a journey" and "You can do much more than you and others tell you", etc.

This led to a gigantic cultural change and turnaround of Jokokan in Europe and Denmark. Greece, Cyprus, Ireland and the UK were previously cut off in 1996, when there was "politics in it" with all that comes with it. This also meant a natural departure and replacement of many instructors and senior practitioners, as the focus had now shifted to "Space for everyone - the elite as the exerciser", which also entailed a much greater demand for management and organizational development, in the middle of a turnaround and cultural change process, at the same time as a massive expansion of members and local schools. For many years it became "Tordenskjold's soldiers" as it often happens in voluntary and unpaid association work, which naturally also entails many hats for the very few.

The biggest challenge was actually the entire core of Jokokan; to make the over 1,000-year-old system understandable and visible, at the same time as "We meet people where they are and take them on a journey".

The only one who could do this was a martial arts grandmaster who had a "full journeyman's certificate" according to the 1,000-year-old competence standard within martial arts, thus 1,000 years of knowledge and skills were passed on intact with a clear common thread. So after 20 years as federation chairman, Kimu Sensei passed the chairmanship torch on to the next generation to concentrate on Honbu dojo and local school Jokokan Ballerup Karate School, which was started by Jens Hanshi-dai and Kimu Sensei, as a socially responsible contribution to their municipality of residence.

In the years 2005-2011, the multi-track martial arts system Yakami Shinsei-ryu was made more understandable by making the values visible, where the various professional skills were made visible, but following a clear common thread at the right time and place in the development of the individual member in the system. Six years it took Kimu Sensei to put the finishing touches on the last KYU course, all of which were carried out in uncompromising quality to the highest international standards. This also brought the greatest international recognition from SST and the other martial arts grandmasters from various Japanese and Chinese martial arts systems.

Kimu Sensei is now working on all the black belt courses. With only one resource to do this work, usually only one Black Belt course can be completed per year. season, possibly two at times. As you can read about in the "Yakami Shinsei-ryu's curriculum handbook", there are over 40 black belt courses up to JODEN, 4th dan Yakami Shinsei-ryu, 5th dan Bujutsu Kodosokukai Karate-do. This means that this work will probably not be completed in Kimu Sensei's lifetime - but he has promised to make an attempt. But it is also possible that the future will hopefully bring another martial arts grandmaster on the field, thus doubling the resources and halving the work. We can only hope for and strive for that, but no one passes without meeting the same competence criteria as for over 1,000 years. Here it is completely uncompromising.

Pilot projects, historical learning and the development of the current learning wheel

The TG4, TG5, TG6 and TG7, DAN courses are the prerequisite for progression and basic subject competence understanding in the multi-track martial arts system; Yakami Shinsei-ryu. TG groups are degrees that we know from experience enjoy each other as a group, as there is someone in front, behind and right next to you on the journey. This is particularly important for Dan degrees. We know this through three DAN degree pilot projects;

• A former international elite sportsman and very experienced national coach, who has produced several world and European champions, trained as TG4 with the TG5 group for a number of years. It was no problem for him physically, but the constant psychological and mental challenges surrounding development were almost at the breaking point for him. It meant a particularly large effort and significant resource consumption to get him over to the TG5 group through development "on the road - do - Michi".
• JokoTeen's black belts are usually "raised" in the Shindenkan and have lived very sheltered locally, where they are often among the best and most talented in the local school. The pilot projects of the last two years have taught us that the transition here is too abrupt. That is, the transition from being the local hero/heroine to being the one who can't keep up, Despite special attention, resource consumption and consideration. There has been too great a difference from the relatively protected and safe local environment to the national and continental level. The dropout of JokoTeens during this pilot period was approx. 50 %, which shows that the transition has been too great for the renegades, as they have simply given up and avoided more defeats, although this is part of the development process, stamina and attitude to achieve the goals within the multi-track martial arts system; Yakami Shinsei-ryu, and has been for more than 1,000 years. This has been thought provoking as they actually have single track martial arts skills from 1.dan, 2.dan and 3.dan level - they are definitely not beginners!. But in our multi-track system this corresponds to 1st-2nd kyu, brown belt and 1st dan black belt. There is a world of difference.
• The pilot projects and history have also shown that the transition can be experienced as too violent especially for TG4 versus TG5, but also for TG5 versus TG6. In addition, history also shows that the greater the demands and the more difficult it is, the more "full" people become. All people want development and communicate this, but it must be on their own terms and if it becomes too demanding, a reprioritization takes place, as this also strongly challenges a person's inferiority and "life's goodies". But this is how it has been for over 1,000 years with the system, and this natural selection also exists in other aspects of life. In the old days it was a question of survival, so the motivation was very high, today it has to be of one's own desire, drive and will. There is a big difference. The transition from TG6 to TG7 is definitely the most difficult, as this is the bridge between martial arts and martial arts. The prize is "Kend dig selv" and the high degree Menkyo, which means "Master of all the martial arts". But if the demands have felt great up to this point, it is nothing to compare with the demands afterwards – this is the world of martial arts.

The combination of the knowledge sharing requirements, the lessons learned from the pilot projects, and making the over 1,000-year-old system understandable and visible, at the same time as "We meet people where they are and take them on a journey" has been extremely challenging as it is ultra complex with ultra many unknown and changing currents in the members of Shindenkan.

This led to Kimu Sensei developing the following set-up for multi-track black belts within three main learning and development circles, each with their own underlying circles.

1. "Everyone is welcome - the elite as the exerciser" and the student chooses for himself or herself, depending on whether the student wants progression or not, - according to the common standards; Yakami Shinsei-ryu Syllabus Handbook.
   1. The shut-in stage; SBTLUS - Black Belt Topic Leader Development Seminars of approx. 27 hours duration in December and June
   2. The first step; KKKPV – KYU Competence Course Curriculum Maintenance – 10 seminars of 1 hour duration, together with and after the brown belt team's seminar lessons.
   3. The second step; PTLUS – Curriculum TrainingLederDevelopmentSeminar – 8-10 CISIS self-training seminars lasting 3 hours, where all TG groups are together. CISIS stands for Centry, INintegration and “pe” other train IN pbelonging = CISIS, which was developed by Kimu Sensei in the year 2000. CISIS training takes place according to Kimu Sensei's planning and content - both KYU and DAN TG content.
   4. The third step; TTLUS – ThemeTrainingLeaderDevelopmentSeminar – 1H – 6 to 8 lessons of 3-4 hours duration by Kimu Sensei. Immersion and expansion of known curriculum
2. "By Invitation" by Kimu Sensei, according to the student's track record, effort, attitude, motivation and own wishes continuously shown throughout one whole season. Here, the student wants progression according to the common standards; Yakami Shinsei-ryu Syllabus Handbook, and has demonstrated this in thought, word and deed. There are increasing requirements and requirements for home training for each session, so that progression can be ensured for both the individual student, but also for the whole team, which should not be slowed down unnecessarily due to lack of preparation.
   
   5. The fourth step; KTLUS-TG4 – Category TrainingLeaderDevelopmentSeminar – 2H – 6 to 8 lessons of 1-4 hours duration by Kimu Sensei. Immersion, expansion and new curriculum
   6. The fifth step; KTLUS-CI – Category TrainingLeaderDevelopmentSeminar-Chief Instructors – 2H – 6 to 8 lessons of 2-4 hours duration by Kimu Sensei. Immersion, expansion and new curriculum
   7. The Sixth Step; KTLUS-CITG6 – Category TrainingLeaderDevelopmentSeminar-Chief Instructors TG6 – 2H – 6 to 8 lessons of 3-4 hours duration by Kimu Sensei. Immersion, expansion and new curriculum
   8. The Seventh Step; KTLUS-CITG7+ – Category TrainingLeaderDevelopmentSeminar-Chief Instructors TG7+ – 4-6 Sundays of 6-8 hours duration by Kimu Sensei. Immersion, expansion and new curriculum
3. RRCamps – RyugiRyuhaCamp. These are specially designed camps from time to time by Kimu Sensei and only for head instructors of Shindenkan. Duration 1 to 5 days over a weekend. Both theory and practice are included, both inside and outside the dojo. From TG5 it is "By Invitation" by Kimu Sensei, after the student's track record, effort, attitude, motivation and own wishes continuously shown throughout one whole season. Here, the student wants progression according to the common standards; Yakami Shinsei-ryu Syllabus Handbook, and has demonstrated this in thought, word and deed. There are increasing requirements and requirements for home training for each session, so that progression can be ensured for both the individual student, but also for the whole team, which should not be slowed down unnecessarily due to lack of preparation.
   From TG5, it is a requirement with an associated personal payment, since RRCampén able to take place outside Denmark, if a reasonable economic offer chance for this arises. In Shindenkan it is important to learn from other peoples, to understand them and their background through history, thus an increased tolerance through increased understanding, skills and vision will necessarily arise. If an RRCamp takes place abroad, there will be many preparatory lessons about this country's socio-culture and history before departure, and the immersion in this will be prepared from home.
   
   9. This is an advanced seminar series for TG4, TG5, TG6, TG7+, which is both personal, as association and organizational development in both the short and long term.
   10. The fifth step advanced level; RRCampCI-TG4 – RyugiRyuhaChefInstructor. This is a 1-1½ day weekend seminar, which has a lot of focus on the chief instructor and leadership role in a local association according to the Danish Associations Act, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.
   11. Because it is voluntary and unpaid association work, it does not have to run inefficiently if you utilize the skills from business in the organization, which are already in Shindenkan. We have of course also done that and refined it throughout our history. In this way, we also get more association forces on the field to make an active contribution locally as well as nationally. It is always more fun when there is a check on it and everyone can concentrate more on what they came for; Yakami Shinsei-ryu!
   12. The sixth step advanced level 1; RRCampCI-TG5 – RyugiRyuha.Sr.Chief Instructor. This is most often a 2-4 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on developing the leadership role in a local association according to the Danish Associations Act, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.
   13. The sixth step advanced level 2; RRCampCI-TG6 – RyugiRyuha.MasterChefInstructor. This is most often a 3-5 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on the development of the leadership role and the development of others at all levels in a local association according to the Danish Associations Act, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.
   14. The seventh step advanced level; RRCampCI-TG7 – RyugiRyuha.Sr.MasterChefInstructor. This is most often a 3-5 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on the development of the leadership role and the development of other leaders at all levels both locally and nationally according to the Danish Associations Act, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.
   15. The eighth step advanced level; RRCampCI-TG8 – RyugiRyuha.GrandMasterChefInstructor. This is most often a 3-5 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on the development of the leadership role and the development of other leaders at all levels nationally according to the Danish Associations Act, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.
   16. The ninth step advanced level; RRCampCI-TG9 – RyugiRyuha.Sr.GrandMasterChefInstructor. This is most often a 3-5 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on the development of the leadership role and the development of other leaders at all levels nationally and continentally according to the Danish and the various countries' association laws, as well as the management and administrative tools that are already has been developed for this purpose.
   17. The tenth step advanced level; RRCampCI-TG10 – RyugiRyuha.GreatGrandMasterChefInstructor. This is most often a 3-5 day seminar over a weekend, which has a lot of focus on the development of the leadership role and the development of other leaders at all levels continentally and internationally according to the association laws of the various countries, as well as the management and administrative tools that have already been developed for this purpose.

Over the coming months, each of the three main learning and development circles with their underlying circles will be described in more detail through experiences, benefits and reflections from participants. This is done through articles targeted at the knowledge sharing and learning forum; "The wheel & the deep plate".

This Shindenkan forum arose directly in the wake of Kimu Sensei's vision of "Imagine if no knowledge and experience were lost, - good or bad, but were passed on from generation to generation and from the next to the next in line in their search for the truth about and in life".

Read next time;

Honbu's teaching structure through competence and in-depth seminars 2
"We meet where people are and take them on a journey", the Dan course

Experiences, benefits and reflections from participants in the Inclusion stage; SBTLUS - Black Belt Topic Leader Development Seminars