Kimu Sensei once said: Life is what you make of it.

It is as true as it is said, because life is created precisely by actions and not by thoughts and speech. When associational life in Denmark was shut down due to Corona on 11 March 2020, it was as if the foundation was ripped away from under many associations and now after a whole year with Corona, this foundation has still not been rebuilt in many of the Danish voluntary associations - in fact there are a great many associations which have completely closed down and which may not be able to get back up at all.

Could this happen in Shindenkan? Yes, it could, if it weren't for the attitude to life of the Shindenkan management. When you as an association and as a person come into headwinds such as a Corona pandemic creates, with associated restrictions and rules that must be observed, then it is very easy to throw it all on the floor, because you don't want to fight that battle - and perhaps especially when we are talking about voluntary and unpaid associations such as e.g. Shindenkan. But again, and this cannot be said enough, it's all about attitude.

According to DGI and DIF, it is as much as 60-70% of the Danish associational life that is very hard hit. It may be surprising that this is so, but the facts are that neither DGI nor DIF have known how they have had to deal with and help the sports associations since March 2020 and when there is no help from their side, many sports associations and organizations have been in disarray and some are unfortunately completely broken in the middle.

With Kimu Sensei at the head and as the always driving force in Shindenkan, we have together fought a battle to maintain the organization and all the local schools, on an equal footing with other associations, the battle has been fought because we WANTED to fight it. We WOULD fight for our members and we REFUSE to give up just because we can't train as usual - then we just have to do something else - and to that extent we have done that.

Many have asked what it is that we are really fighting for and why we keep going. We fight to pass it on to others, we fight to show our members that together we stand strong, we fight to stick to what we believe in and we fight so that everything that has been built up over more than 50 years does not must be torn down, we fight to show that life is what you make it - in other words, we fight for everything we hold dear and we care for what we fight for. We are 100% value-based and we are 100% proud of that.

Corona has undoubtedly created unrest in the water glass, or to put it another way, it has created a stir in our domestic duck pond. Since the shutdown of Denmark in March 2020, there has been a focus on getting Danish society to function optimally under the given circumstances. Association life and workplaces are closed and all employees have been working at home, where several have also had to make everyday life work for their children, as the schools have also been closed. All the places where people have been able to meet and feel each other's energies have been closed down, there have been bans on gatherings and, on the whole, our mental health has been under massive pressure and is still here in April 2021.

When Corona began in March 2020, we at Shindenkan saw very quickly that there would be challenges and therefore multi-track initiatives were launched to help and support our members - we train multi-track and so it is natural to think and act multi-track in all areas of life 🙂 From the very first day, daily meetings began in the management group so that we could coordinate and plan how we could handle the whole situation. At this point, absolutely no one showed that the pandemic would last as long as it did, but the structure was laid with a focus on keeping it and adapting it to reality.

It quickly turned out to be a good idea, because, as previously mentioned, the authorities and the major sports organizations did not quite know how to deal with the whole thing and neither Shindenkan nor other organizations could get help to be guided in the right direction. So, with Kimu Sensei as the driving force, Shindenkan took responsibility and when in the spring of 2020, outdoor training became possible, we had already prepared plans and structures for this.

At this point, the municipalities were at a loss and didn't even know how it was supposed to fit together, but with the plans from Shindenkan they could see that here there were some who had control of the situation and the restrictions. This meant that the municipalities very quickly said OK to us and at the same time they used it as their own basis for other associations' compliance with restrictions and guidelines for their outdoor training - yes, once again Shindenkan made a difference for others 🙂

And it also showed that the same plan could be used when society opened up again and we as an association could enter our normal dojo. After all, it was the same guidelines with a focus on safety, de-alcoholization and cleaning, all of which were completely ready and ready to be carried out as Plug & Play. Boxes were set up indoors and everyone actually thought it was a bit of fun, because now, despite restrictions and rules, you had the opportunity to express yourself anyway - there was nothing that could stop us for life, it's what you make of it.

When a worldwide situation arises, as Corona has been and still is, it creates insecurity for everyone. It is an insecurity that comes from the fact that you as a person do not know what is going to happen because the individual authorities do not quite know how to handle it all either. It's just like a ship sailing around with a hole in the bottom, if the captain can't set the direction and make a plan to close the hole, which can be communicated clearly to everyone, then no one knows what is going to happen and what they must do – do we sail or go down?

In Shindenkan, like everywhere else, there were also members who were confused because no authorities announced clearly and no one knew which way we as a society should go. The level of information was in very different directions. Therefore, Kimu Sensei took responsibility for this and helped all the members by preparing newsletters that all had a clear predictive communication on how the Corona situation would develop. It turned out that ALL predictions that were written in the newsletters matched the development in society - this created an overview and insight into the Corona situation for all members, because with clear communication everyone could understand what happened and why. With that help, the situation improved for many members, as they were cared for here and they could now find peace in their daily lives.

One of the biggest draws in the multi-track initiative is our National community-based Virtual KataFIT on our Facebook group - Shindenkan – Together we stand strong. It has now been running for a year and the registrations have flowed in the 2 times a week it has been carried out since March 2020. And why? Because KataFIT provides peace of mind, it provides well-being and it provides balance in body, mind and soul. The members can feel it and they know that by doing KataFIT they are taking care of themselves, which is essential in a time of Corona - it is the right attitude. KataFIT is a toolbox and with closed gyms, the members can create physical and mental well-being with this toolbox and thus also reduce the pressure on their mental health, because with 2 times a week KataFIT creates a normality and there is something everyone needs 🙂 .

At the same time as a huge helping hand from the predictive newsletters and the community-oriented KataFIT, home training programs were also prepared for all the TG groups and a process was initiated which helped with weight control according to the motto: Everything to gain nothing to lose with the KISS method - Keep It Simple and Safe. Shindenkan's Cybersecurity expert also helped to give all members an insight into where they should be careful, because Corona was also the time when Cybercrime increased. All measures that made Shindenkan's members feel like part of a community and part of an organization that wanted the best for its members through care, support and communication.

Since March 2020, we have done a lot for our members in Shindenkan and many of our initiatives have been an inspiration for both authorities and other associations and organisations. Throughout the Corona period, we have stuck to our set of values and we have NEVER compromised on safety. From the first day of March 2020, we began to investigate the possibilities for security and what could be done. This meant that long before the authorities knew what to report, we had purchased over 6,000 pieces at Shindenkan. surgical 3-layer masks and several liters of effective hand sanitizer so that we were ready.

At the same time, we also knew that it was important to get clarity on whether the instructor staff at Shindenkan were or had been infected with Corona. Therefore, all instructors in Shindenkan Antigen were tested so that we could get clarity on where we were in terms of infection - it was about safety both ways. This was carried out on 1 May 2020 and at this time only approx. 5-10% of all tested healthcare personnel Antigen tested. But we did not hold back on this and Shindenkan's own special medical team had even procured a CE approved Antigen test kit which was better than the test kits used by the Danish healthcare staff – this despite the fact that the Statens Serum Institut had tested and approved both test kits.

The result of the test showed that at that time 15% of the instructors had been infected with Corona and had formed antibodies, but this completely without knowing it and without any symptoms. All instructors were subsequently also PCR tested and all were negative. This is by now normal for many, but in March 2020 and several months ahead, no one knew what to do and many still don't quite know. In Shindenkan, we have stuck to the procedure and all instructors are weekly PCR tested for safety reasons - we think this is responsible as we are thus taking care of our own safety and that of our members.

At the same time that all measures had to be rolled out and maintained, there was also a focus on retaining and taking in new members. The Corona period has been completely turbulent with moves, cancellations and changes of plans all the time. This also means that all the communal events that Shindenkan normally plans a whole year in advance have not been possible. This would also mean that the possibility of graduations had been dormant since March 2020, as neither the spring nor summer assembly and associated graduations could be held.

When the calendar says December 2020, we at Shindenkan could feel that the members' concern for the future was growing, because many had been ready for graduation since March 2020 and did not know if they were graduated and when and how it could be done. At the same time, a shutdown of the community was announced in the week leading up to the annual planned X-mas graduation - so there was only one thing to do - the management of Shindenkan took 4 days out of the calendar and worked around the clock on a solution that could give the members in Shindenkan opportunity to end 2020 with a graduation bang and thus create positive energy well into 2021.

The solution was to create an X-mas BOKS graduation in a safe and secure environment according to restrictions and guidelines for all the participants, but to a large extent also for the spectators. The biggest challenge was that the date of the X-mas BOKS convention had to be moved forward one week. This is because, as I said, a shutdown had been announced and since we didn't know whether it was carried out or not, we in Shindenkan took no chances, but instead took responsibility and managed what we could manage, namely an option for liquidation the week before. It then simply required that all candidates could advance their plans by one week. The best thing about this period was that all members in Shindenkan showed so much support for this opportunity that within 24 hours more than 75% had urgently changed their plans and agreed, and the last 25 % came after just a few days. Here Shindenkan once again showed that together we stand strong.

The X-mas BOKS graduation 2020 was a heartfelt and very beautiful experience, at a time when it was really needed. The whole day created security and a massive belief in the future – not only for the participants, but to a large extent also for parents and families. Shindenkan showed great care and great unity and the motivation among the members rose to new heights and can now be felt right into 2021.

This also created energy, because the normal planned recruitment campaigns, with new members bringing new energy, have been completely impossible to hold and all community-building activities as well. We have not been able to train together and create the energy and flow that motivates and inspires everyone. Therefore, at the end of 2020 and at the beginning of 2021, we had to think outside the box and come up with something new.

In the winter of 2020/2021, the time had therefore come for us to take the next step in the virtual world – ShindenZoom was introduced 🙂

ShindenZoom is basically training like in a Dojo, but it all takes place via Zoom and what a huge success it has been. Now we could train together, even if our normal Dojo was closed and even if we couldn't be outside. It created time for refinement and deep drilling in the basic techniques for the benefit of all members. In other words, it means that the level was maintained and I wonder if it turns out that the level has actually increased, because there is a really trained base 🙂

It's always exciting with new initiatives and even though many used it beforehand via work and school, it has been really good to be able to use it for training as well. Think for a moment how little is needed to make life easier and create happiness for many. That's how we think at Shindenkan and that's why we do what we do and it's all worth it. ShindenZoom also made it possible for us to train several schools together, which has created synergy and unity across the organization, because now we could train locally together Nationally 🙂

Even though we in Shindenkan have fought with everything we have to create unity and community, there are members who are challenged to the maximum and there is nothing to say about that, because Corona has played a role on all fronts and everyone's everyday life has turned around 180 degrees upside down and back again several times. This leads to demotivation among many members and even though many activities have been initiated to hold on, there are some who need extra care at this time.

80% of our members have, despite the mental pressure, been active in all initiatives. The last 20% needed extra help to get started and they got that because there were telephone conversations every week with all the members, which is completely unique and in the right Shindenkan spirit and with the set of values in the right place. Those phone calls have given many members faith in the future, because they now know that there is someone who will be there for them if they need help.

What is better for mental health than sunlight and fresh air? Not much if we ask the members, because with the shutdown again in December 2020, Shindenkan's management had to think outside the box to help everyone, so no one was left alone on the platform. We couldn't train together as we would have liked and even though ShindenZoom was a success, we could feel that the mental health suffered seriously. So walks were initiated in accordance with the assembly ban and with a focus on safety in all guises.

The planned walks were a success, because we could gather in groups and talk to each other in a new and refreshing way - it was a hit because it created hope for everyone and many members were influenced by virtual initiatives in their daily lives with school and work, and now that the training would also be virtual, mental health will be put under extra pressure. But with a walk in a good mood, it was clear to feel that the energy came back to the members again - it takes so little and it just gives so much 🙂

With the outdoor walks also came the opportunity to reach out to those who hung more than others. Reaching out to others and thinking of others is something we value very much at Shindenkan. The thing to say to your training buddies who hang around – Hey, we miss you and we're thinking of you - it can help a lot more than you think - sometimes it takes so little to make a huge difference, but it means so much, because it shows camaraderie and togetherness in a difficult time and we all need that kind of care for.

So thank you very much to all of you who have stepped forward to help all your training mates and who have reached out to those who have had a hard time - it is completely in the right and completely genuine Shindenkan spirit.

We now have Easter 2021 and Corona is still a massive part of our everyday life. Society is slowly opening up again and vaccinations are running at full speed. But we as an organization do not yet know how to open up to us and what restrictions will affect us if we can get indoors again. But instead of waiting, we just take responsibility ourselves with some fantastic outdoor workouts.

Just like in the spring of 2020 when we drew up plans for the outdoor training, so in 2021 they were just polished off and in the course of a very few days all schools' outdoor training plans were approved by the local municipalities and police circles - they knew immediately that in Shindenkan was who controls it. Lanes were marked by the municipality, in some places even with concrete blocks so that no cars could enter - in other words, the municipalities made it safe for us to train together outdoors. Now we just needed the weather to do the same.

And it came as we hoped. We have now until Easter 2021 been able to gather the members locally for 3 of the coolest outdoor training sessions we have had this year. The mood and the positive energy have been fantastic. For safety reasons to look after each other, we train with masks on, and even through that, it has been clear to see the joy in the members' eyes - because this is exactly where you can see the soul and what it contains 🙂 . There is nothing better than being let out on the grass again, because just think of training with air and sunlight around you and with a temperature that says spring, birds chirping and towards the end a sunset that is so beautiful that you get goosebumps - that has been absolutely fantastic and there is no doubt that the instructors are really looking forward to getting out and training again after Easter.

The fact that we can train together and do something together creates so much positive energy and joy that faith in the future becomes brighter and brighter. And if you're sitting there thinking – I want to be a part of that too - then you are most welcome. Check out our website - www.jokokan.com – where you can find your local school.

The summer is fast approaching and with all the initiatives that have been carried out during the Corona period in Shindenkan, you can say that there have been every opportunity to keep fit, technique and mental health up to date - it's just a matter of attitude and now remember that: Life is what you make of it.

We at Shindenkan make life a bright and positive place, where we care for others, where there is room for everyone, with camaraderie and togetherness at the forefront - it's just up to you to reach out and accept. We are looking forward to training with everyone again and there is no doubt that our members do too - because we can feel it in our hearts 🙂