Friday 15 September 2017 will be remembered as the Friday when the start of a fantastic future began for all members of Shindenkan. It was the day on which the very first OBC course was held. The content of this OBC1 course was module 1; Ju-Jutsu 1 and 2 as well as module 2; Task Fighting 1 and 2.
OBC – Compulsory annual certification was launched in the wake of NKT – National Competence Training, which ran throughout the 2016-2017 season. NKT was launched as a national standardized maintenance. NKT unexpectedly put the spotlight on the fact that almost all member schools had not maintained the course competencies to national level. And therefore would dump with a bang in the new OBC course competence graduation stop test per 1/1.2018, which was adopted at Honbu's 2017 general meeting.
The OBC course, with national NKT periods three times a year and local OBC training every 14 days, was therefore introduced to help all members reach a nationally standardized level. As an extra "carrot", OBC Competence Marks (OBC KM) have also been introduced, which after the annual OBC graduation can be obtained and worn visibly on the vest. OBC KM is a graduation valid for 1 year at a time.
During NKT, we found a problem that the skills were not maintained to a national standard. This would mean that the members would drop out after the GF17 adopted decision on formal competence course stop test after 1.1.2018. We could have pointed fingers at each other, but that would not have solved the problem. Instead, we learned from the problem and solved the problem as a positive challenge. As we do in Shindenkan, the problem was turned into a challenge and a celebration!
80 happy participants aged 8 to 70. Together with Honbu's chief instructor, Kimu Sensei and Honbu competency course instructors for season 2017-2018, who were also at OBC1, they got 3½ hours of intense and inspiring review of competencies. Essen's competencies follow a clear common thread, as according to the original OBC1 courses, which were run for the first time in the period 2002-2008 by Kimu Sensei. It led to many aha experiences along the way, although everyone without exception 🙂 of course could remember everything 🙂 .
It was also the first time that everyone under black belt had to be taught directly by the Shindenkan Grandmaster, Yamana-Itotani Sensei during a competency course. So most people were very expectant and curious. But they soon found out that Kimu Sensei is quite down to earth, present, inspiring, humorous and sharp in all fields, so it is difficult to "hide".
In addition, it runs at a reasonably high pace for most people with fewer breaks, which requires all students to be "on" so they don't miss anything, as time passes quickly in a lesson by Kimu Sensei. This has probably meant that many slept very well at night 🙂 . Many probably also think that it was quite enjoyable to note that honbu instructors of the 5-7th dan, black belt are built just like they are, and can scream just as loudly and writhe in pain when Yakami Shinsei- ryu simple but effective techniques were used during the OBC1 course.
It's always exciting when something new has to be rolled out and it's also always exciting to see if it produces the results you want to achieve. The OBC was rolled out this Friday and it was a HUGE success with an average participation rate of 75%. In other words, this means that 3 out of 4 who have taken the courses in OBC 1 and who are still active participated in the first OBC course.
There was no doubt that the members of Shindenkan were also looking forward to getting their skills up to a higher level. In fact, the joy of OBC was also reflected in the two courses held on the same weekend, namely Ken-jutsu 1 and Task Fighting 1. Entries for these courses averaged nearly 50 %! higher than the average over the last 5 years.
It tells that the members of Shindenkan have understood the message to take the courses in the optimal order so that they can participate in the next OBC 1-4 rounds with associated certification and the very nice OBC mark at Gien. There is no doubt that OBC is drawing the future and there is no doubt at all that the members of Shindenkan know very well that with an active member there will also be a super result.
OBC 1 is here to stay, and those who attended the first OBC 1 also showed courage that showed that they had come to learn and become more skilled.
It is Kimu Sensei who is the creative part of OBC and it is also Kimu Sensei who teaches the skills the OBC courses contain. He does so for the reason that he is the only one in the Shindenkan who is a true international Budo and Bujutsu Great Grandmaster. The Honbu-Dojo instructors appointed by him are also allowed to bid, and here Kimu Sensei then comes in with corrections and structure for the future courses, so that a standardization comes in and so that the course gets back on the right original track. Some may think that the courses will be new and completely different, but that is not the case. They just become original again, with a clear red thread – again and as something new – a national control through a stop test and an OBC KM – Competence mark.
Empowerment is pervasive in Shindenkan, but you cannot be obligated beyond your knowledge and skills. NKT put the spotlight on this, the problem became a challenge and the challenge was solved.
It is actually the case that the courses were originally structured and created in the same way as they are taught at OBC. It has just happened that the understanding and passing on of the course content has changed over time. Therefore, it is now back on the rails so that the competence train can once again run at full speed in the future with associated super skilled practitioners. And there is absolutely no doubt that this is how it will go 🙂
OBC 1 began this Friday with Ju-Jutsu 1 and 2 – Fall and throw technique. Many of those present had taken both courses over 9-12 years ago, so they were looking forward to once again getting the details in place so that they could once again display their skills with pride, totally polished technique that will just sit right in the cupboard . Kimu Sensei had structured the whole thing in a way that gave greater understanding but also easier learning for the individual skills. It was all laid out in a step-by-step structure that took everyone on a journey that began with a trip through "memory lane" and which continues into the future on the way to brighter and better times for all practitioners of the multi-track martial arts system Yakami Shinsei -Ryu karate – Do.
The skills learned from OBC must of course be maintained, so that the foundation can be preserved until next year's OBC 1, where the foundation would like to be expanded with even more details and make the participants even better at the first 4 OBC course competencies. The way they are maintained is, among other things, with a local OBC training every fortnight in the local school. This training is reserved for the students who have participated in the individual OBC courses and it is about maintaining and training so that body, mind and soul are equipped to achieve a completely unique level of all the multi-track skills such as Yakami Shinsei-Ryu Karate -do contains.
A unique level that is reserved for the OBC participants who have decided to become more skilled and who now have the opportunity to become more skilled. Achieving a unique level also requires a unique effort and it must be said that the OBC participants have shown that. 4 hours of Ju-Jutsu 1-2 and Task Fighting 1-2 also left their mark, but no more than that there were huge smiles all the way from start to finish. And you can't help but smile when the opportunity to be taught by a unique grandmaster is present, especially in light of the fact that the unique grandmaster has only one purpose, namely to make the participants even better than they already are.
There were many who found out along the way that they were capable of much more than they themselves thought. And there were clear signs that Shindenkan as an organization is about to create a larger group of super cool women and teenage girls who take care of themselves to that extent and who you shouldn't think you can run around a corner with. Unless you want to have a flying trip over their head with a "mud can" on the floor as a result 🙂
Yes, Kjeld Renshi-Dai was actually kind enough to show the participants that even if you are smaller than your opponent, you can "smash" a 192 cm tall man with a Shiho-nage. The sounds of Søren Renshi on his way down to the floor also brought a smile to the participants' faces, because even if it sounded heavy when he landed on the mats, a well-executed throw can also be greeted with joy and good humor.
The Ju-Jutsu module ended with the joint lock Kanzetzu-wasa which is always a hit with those who perform it. It is close combat and to that extent something that exceeds comfort zones. But despite this, the big smiles appeared as the participants discovered the effect of the technique.
Subsequently, it was on Task Fighting and if the participants expected to leave the OBC course with a prize, they would be badly disappointed. Task Fighting is not about winning or scoring points in battle – it's about mastering the technique. Mastering your technique means having 100% control over the technique so that you can control it in all situations.
This gave the participants some challenges but also insight into what Task Fighting is really about and why Task Fighting course no. 1 is the most important TF course. But as always, there are challenges to be solved and that was TF 1-2 as well. There is absolutely no doubt that being able to fight properly and thus take care of oneself effectively was something that the participants got a more concrete angle on during this OBC 1 course.
It must be so exciting to participate in the next OBC courses because it is destined to be a super success and to that extent it is doomed to create super skilled practitioners of martial arts and perhaps in the long run super skilled practitioners of martial arts. Regardless of what happens, one thing is certain – namely that OBC is shaping the future.
