13/05/09

Saturday 3rd May

 

This year marked the 6th year that the Spring Martial Arts Course has been held and once again all the feedback I have received has been positive. With around 36 attending on the Saturday and 26 on the Sunday. Instructors and students came from as far away as Nottingham, Thatcham, Reading and Exmouth.

The main aim of these courses has been always to give instructors and students the chance to meet and experience other martial arts and allow them to see the often common roots and principles underlying them.

This years course as usual covered a variety of martial arts:

On the Saturday Shihan Gordon Lawson (6th Dan BZJFA Judo) opened proceedings with a session on Zen Judo Movement and applications, this was followed by Sensei Jo Harbert (6th Dan TJU Judo) with a session on groundwork skills, covering arm locks, leg locks and strangles.
After a relaxed lunch break we all returned to the mat for a lively session on the Go-No-Sen_No-Kata by Sensei John Goldman (7th Dan UBA Judo) and his Instructors Ruth Goldman (5th Dan UBA Judo) and Nigel Hopkins (5th Dan UBA Judo), after a short refreshment break the afternoon was finished by a choice of martial arts with a Tae Kwon Do kata applications session from Sensei Ron Davidson (7th Dan Tae-Kwon-Do) or Jujitsu stick work with Sensei Tony Richards (5th Dan Kensekei Jujitsu).

Go-No-Sen-No-Kata movement session with Sensei John Goldman 7th Dan UBA Judo

The Saturday evening's entertainment

The Saturday evening has become a bit of a social occasion with some of the instructors and students with there families going out for a Chinese meal. This year the highlight was the sight of Graham teaching a table napkin to behave.

 
Sensei Tony Richards - Jujitsu session

Sunday 4th May

Sensei John Goldman 7th Dan UBA Judo

The Sunday proved to be a slightly more laid back day after the exuberance of the Saturday.

The first big surprise of the morning was the appearance of Shihan Andrew Millard 7th Dan BZJFA (One of the founder members of the BZJFA) on the mat, unfortunately he was unable to take a session due to work commitments. If you ever get the chance to experience one of Sensei Millards Judo sessions don't miss it.

After a warm up led by Sensei Ruth Goldman using the stretching exercises devised by Sensei John Goldman to help teach basic jujitsu and self defence movements, the first session was taken by Sensei Keith Harby who is a black belt Instructor in Wing Chun Kung Fu, Keith's session covered a number of very basic drills, including an introduction to "sticky Hands". After a short break we were joined on the mat again by Sensei John Goldman and his Instructors. Sensei Goldman continued and expanded on the theme started by Sensei Harbert on the Saturday, looking at body movement and ground work skills, this was a rare chance to see Sensei Goldman in action.

Presentation to Shihan Gordon Lawson 6th Dan BZJFA
on behalf of the Bognor Zen Judo Club by Yvonne Robertson
 

After a break for lunch Shihan Gordon Lawson assisted by Sensei Anne Parker (4th Dan BZJFA Judo) ran a session on the Kime-No-Kata, this was as usual so well received that the planned inclusion of a follow up session on the applications used in the kata by Sensei Jim Dart didn't quite materialise, sorry Jim maybe next time!.
The final sessions of the afternoon covered Knife Defences with Sensei Ron Davidson and Judo "blind fighting" and awareness waza by Sensei Martin  Robertson (3rd Dan ZJF / 2nd Dan BZJFA Judo) with some of the juniors, after which the course was over for another year.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to all of the Instructors who gave up there time and also the students who attended and without which the course would not be the success it has become.

I should also thank Yvonne, Sharna, Glenis and Gail for there valuable help in the kitchen and also the other members of the Bognor Zen Judo Club for there help in the organisation of the course.

Finally as you might have noticed I have already provisionally booked the following dates for next years course, Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd May (Bank Holiday) 2010.

Hope to see you all again next year.


John Robertson 3rd Dan ZJF & 2nd Dan BZJFA
(Chief Instructor Bognor Zen Judo Club)

The course is over for another year - Sensei Jim Dart shows his Pankuzu Waza !

Course Instructors:
*(Shihan Andrew Millard 7th Dan BZJFA)
Shihan Gordon Lawson 6th Dan BZJFA Judo
Sensei John Goldman 7th Dan UBA Judo
Sensei Ron Davidson 7th Dan Tae Kwon Do
Sensei Jo Harbert TJUK Judo
Sensei Tony Richards 5th Dan Kensekei Jujitsu
Sensei Ruth Goldman 5th Dan UBA Judo
Sensei Nigel Hopkins 5th Dan UBA Judo
Sensei Anne Parker 4th Dan BZJFA Judo
*(Sensei Graham Padgett 4th Dan BZJFA Judo)
*(Sensei Jim Dart 4th Dan BZJFA Judo)
Sensei Keith Harby Black Belt Instructor Wing Chun Kung Fu
Sensei Martin Robertson 3rd Dan ZJF 2nd Dan BZJFA

NB:* Present