The Christmas holiday awaits, and after it comes the New Year and thus the traditional status of the year, through ups and downs, settled in clarification and development.

But before that it's time for black belt training meet – TSM (the second of its kind) and Xmas training meet for everyone.

The total crowd at the black belt training meet is now 18 people high, and as with any party, more participants mean a better party.

This time, Kimu Sensei's common thread in the event was Koryu Naihanchi, and that meant a focus on basic technique, analysis of what works well and what works less well. And why! In practice, a technique that does not work always means that it has not been carried out correctly.
We started with an overview of the structure of the curriculum - i.e. learning methodology, and from there went into specifics and started from scratch with leg positions, where Kimu Sensei also reviewed the structure and learning methodology for leg positions and the advantages and disadvantages of the different leg positions, as well as what we could extract from each one.

From time to time, students ask me what we train at black belt training, chief instructor training and competitions, most often with an expectation of deadly tales of near-death experiences, secret techniques and tricks only for the initiated. It also happens :-), but in the vast majority of cases we return to the starting point and dig deeper and deeper into techniques – typically those that are introduced to beginners within the first 6-12 months.

"The last must be first", and the easiest is always the hardest!
This time the example was ido-unsoku and the subsequent unsoku 1 and unsoku 2, as well as their mutual relationship, where ido-unsoku is the basis for unsoku 1 and 2. But neither unsoku 1 nor 2 can be performed correctly if one does not master ido-unsoku .
At the same time, leg positions naturally utilize the whole body to be performed correctly and with full potential, and thus we entered tai-seigyo (body control), which is also totally basic, but at the same time super advanced. If you can harness your body 100%, you can generate tremendous power in your techniques. But it also requires that you can move the individual body parts of your body in the optimal way, and that you are able to relax and tense all muscles at the correct time. And any imbalance or uncertainty in body, mind or soul shows up in all 3 aspects.

We have of course trained in tai-seigyo (body control) and Koryu Naihanchi Shodan for a while. Therefore, it was a revelation that the improvement circle works so well. Leg position, tai-seigyo, and properly performed technique were reviewed in ido-unsoku, tested as a walker, and then tested in kumite and kata Koryu Naihanchi Shodan. And then the circle started all over again with a base, actually each time with new experience and realization that could be tested in the next circle.
The goal is to be able to control your body, but to do it unconsciously, thereby releasing control, and trusting that you are doing the right thing, rather than controlling everything in detail - which inhibits and stifles an adapted reaction right from the start.

Then it's time for a quick dinner and a Ryugi (theory) task, where through group work we had to place the new and controversial POMW course (Project Old Modern Warrior) on the red thread of the Curriculum handbook, and make a business case on how to communicate it to members at all levels of the Shindenkan, taking into account values and teaching principles.
When that was over, it was time to make action out of the words, by making a presentation containing the essence of our business case, for display at the x-mas convention itself.

And then home and get a few hours on the eye, before the continuation the next morning, where there was a presentation of the results on overhead, with lively sparring from Kimu Sensei. Has the group reached a result, are they speaking with one voice, are they all in agreement and on board – one for all, all for one? This is quickly revealed by body language.

Back in the dojo again, we had to refresh the learning from yesterday, train ourselves on the exercises, and then show that we could also use it.
The training drew clear traces to the Koryu Naihanchi Shodan training, Jo-jutsu training, ju-jutsu 3 and Task Fighting 3, as well as many kinds of basic training, in the form of connections formed on the retina during the training.

Then it was time for brown belt graduation, where our team stepped in as the fresh forces that had to give resistance to the graduates, and that is always a pleasure.
The x-mas convention itself had up to 220 participants on the floor this year – a new record, SUPER, and thus there were so many of us that everyone could easily get along. The atmosphere was high throughout the day, and ended with a pillow test/pillow bashing and celebration of graduates and helpers. Big congratulations to everyone and with that, and not least to Jens Hanshi-dai who had achieved Menkyo Omote.

So what have I taken home with me after this convention to work on?
Preparation is at least 80% of a good result
Training must be more targeted in order to achieve additional results
The training cycle, with built-in improvement is brilliant, but requires honesty and self-righteousness
Clarification, clarification, clarification, clarification
If changes are to be made, it is I who must make them happen.

Thanks for a good camp, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone
Kjeld Renshi-dai