By Michael Nørgaard, Shisho, 1st Dan Yakami Shinsei-ryu, 1st Dan Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Jikitai Karate-do, 3rd Dan Bujutsu Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu Karate-do, Team Instructor

My OBC course 2018-2019

OBC must ensure a minimum standard that is constantly raised in terms of competence.

NKT test and competency tests must ensure that everyone meets the same standard, so that we do not drift in different directions, by only maintaining our competency courses locally.

OBC must also shorten the distance to Kimu Sensei, and make Kimu Sensei get to know everyone a little better.

The OBC course also means that you can come back after breaks, voluntary or involuntary, and raise your level by participating in the OBC course.

It can be opt-out due to injuries, stress, work-related, education, death, divorce and much more.

So OBC meets the members' needs where they are, and ensures that the system requirements are the same.

The OBC concept raises the level min. 1 degree per 3 years, but it is up to the effort of the participants to take the learned 100% and implement it so that it can be built on top.

OBC has got its own OBC Competence mark. The highest degree attainable is 'Black with 3 stripes', but it will become more difficult to achieve each season as the level is continuously raised. If you do not participate in the season's OBC courses and complete the competence graduation, the OBC Competence badge cannot be worn. The OBC marks show our single-track competencies and are directly comparable to the degrees in other single-track systems. In this way, it is easy to communicate our real competences in a generally comprehensible way with reference to the black belt on the badge and the number of stripes.

Once again, in the OBC course, we get the essence of the 1000 years of historical experience gained on the battlefield. And uses it as a tool for personal development. In Shindenkan we train like the old Samurai. We train the entire palette, instead of just a single competence. So we get a full education, instead of just taking the 'Danish' lessons. 1000 years of heritage means we have the ability to see beyond the tip of our own nose, unlike most people. People tend to evaluate and judge based on their own world view.

Being clear, taking responsibility and having control, dealing with reality are some of the things that are our worst enemy, but which we have to deal with if we want to develop as people. Being settled means everything. For every action you take, what you choose to do and what you choose not to do has consequences. But not only for you, but also the people around you. In a melee, you enter the opponent's comfort zone and the opponent enters yours. Whoever has the right attitude quickly gets ahead of his opponent. Without the right attitude, belief in yourself, you will never get far. You quickly give up, let the pity creep in, and you quickly become "beaten meat".

You must be clear about yourself and your situation!

And what does the above have to do with my OBC course? - EVERYTHING!

After all, OBC 1-6 is training, maintenance and development of our skills, and this happens throughout the entire OBC course. But after I have come through the course, I have realized that it is not just the technical skills that are maintained and developed in the OBC course.

It is just as much your human, mental skills/competencies and clarification that are developed, and for me it has been just as big an eye-opener as the clear development of the technical skills.

So OBC – YES THANK YOU!! Repeatedly.