"What a party we had now last night" - That's how the stanzas from a famous Danish song sound. In Shindenkan we can relate it to what a spring meeting we had on Saturday 🙂 . With 141 registrants, plans were made for a fantastic continuation of the train trip that many Shindenkaners have taken since the summer of 2018. The train carriages are called OBC – Competence courses and, not least, rallies. It is from the local school platforms that the passengers get on the train and where the trip takes everyone on a fantastic journey towards the wonderful world of martial arts.

Spring meeting 2019 showed that even though there was disease in Denmark, Shindenkan's students want to train and they want to train properly. The energy that spread in the hall during this spring meeting was positive and filled with wide smiles - it could be felt that spring had come into force and summer was not so far away.

The theme for Spring Meeting 2019 was "Use the knowledge you have and get, because what is the value of knowledge that is not used" built up in 3 steps and with 3 processes.

Why should we train Kata? How is it built up with knowledge from the old karate grandmasters? A completely fantastic theme that just shows that kata is far more than just figure exercises that no one understands the effect of. Remember that the old grandmasters were often at war and therefore created the tools that could make them effective on the battlefield - so kata is real and useful on all fronts.

Everyone, without exception, was given challenges and training that could really be felt and which to that extent gave the impression that the Shindenkan train is speeding up and the students in Shindenkan are with you all the way. It was also clear during the practical preparation of the convention – never before have so many offered to help and never before has the togetherness and camaraderie been as clear as it is now in Shindenkan. There is calm and there is a positive atmosphere which is really significant.

During the convention break, there was a crowd at the cafe where coffee and very tasty cakes were served to the participants. Shindenbrands were ordered and there were big smiles all over – so it's a beautiful sight to see how the members between the different schools get together at crossroads. It is as if everyone has become open to new and significant friendships and ways to get together, regardless of where in the country you live and train.

With the introduction of OBC, Kimu Sensei has initiated an opportunity for continuous improvement for all members. It can be seen from the registrations for the OBC courses that this continuous improvement is being welcomed - an increase of 34 percent says it all.

It can also be seen and felt that the level of competence has increased due to OBC. Kimu Sensei was impressed by how quickly the OBC learning has been integrated and when the OBC year certification itself was conducted at this spring meeting, there was a wave of intensity from one end of the hall all the way down to the other. It was as if something was triggered and spread in the right positive spirit.

Originally, the plan was for the level of competence to increase by one belt degree per third year through OBC. It has turned out that it has actually increased in just 2 years, which is extremely fantastic - but of course also an expression of the harvesting of the "low-hanging fruit" first. Kimu Sensei was really happy and satisfied that it has gone that way, because it really just shows that OBC makes a difference that is noticeable both in the practitioners, as a visibly satisfied grandmaster.

The OBC annual certification was on the OBC KM 1 and OBC KM 2 brands. That is certification in the unarmed skills Ju-jutsu 1 and 2 – Task Fighting 1 and 2 as well as the armed skills Ken-jutsu 1 and 2 – Kotachi-jutsu 1 and 2. Several parts of the whole that make up Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate Do. The OBC certification with the OBC KM 1 and OBC KM 2 marks was to that extent a stepping stone.

The area where the certification was carried out was full of students who really gave it gas and there was huge interest in what happened from both the audience and the other participants at the spring meeting.

When the OBC KM badges were to be distributed, a very special atmosphere was created and there was crowding on the podium because the number of OBC certified has increased significantly 🙂 . To the sound of a nice fanfare and with a subsequent roar from Taiko drums, there was a sound pressure in the whole hall which initiated a walk of new OBC KM brand certified up to the podium. This also means that the OBC ambassadors have been expanded with many more who can now help others with their skills - yes, unity and camaraderie are of course also included, because it is also an essential natural part of the whole of Yakami Shinsei Ryu Karate Do.