This year’s annual visit to Shikukai’s Hokusei Jyuku in Norway by Senseis Steve and Pam Rawson was supplemented by Sensei Carol Chatterton. This was not the first time the group had come over together but the last time was surprisingly in 2019.
This year’s course was a three-day event (think Weymouth Spring course timings minus the Monday) with the local club’s numbers swelled by the very welcome addition of seven visiting Shikukai students (all Dan grades) who thankfully embraced the not insignificant journey to and from, to sample a little of what Norway has to offer.
All except Margaret arrived on Thu 24th (she had been in Norway most of September on a working and hiking ‘period’ and arrived on the Friday afternoon – well timed indeed), with one of the club hosts (Per) treating all those staying with hosts in Ulsteinvik to his version of a Norwegian favourite, bacalao as a ‘welcome to us’, first meal. Unfortunately, Margaret not only missed the bacalao but also a (mild) group walk on the Friday, to Nibben (plus a little bit more) just outside of Ulsteinvik. Whilst not part of the course itself, it allowed everyone to catch a view or two and stretch off any lingering journey stiffness.
The first training session ran that evening 18:00-20:00 and as with the whole course, took place at the club’s routine training location, the Dimna Grendahus.
After I had the pleasure of warming up a few more students than I usually see on a training night, Carol took the first session under the watchful eyes of Pam and Steve, with all grades performing basics on the spot with some starting to realise early the underlying themes of the course, Datsu Ryoku and Ryusui. The group was then split into 3 groups for some reenforcing kata instruction (Pinan Shodan, Kushanku, Jion and Wanshu) before rejoining for a selection of (pick a number between 1 and 24) Ura no Kumite technique instruction and practice.
A lot for the first session but the scene was well set.
Saturday is always the longest day for the instructing team as it begins with a juniors session at 10:00 before the masses arrive for the now customary group photograph (thank you, Per) and subsequent adult session (11:30-14:30). This year’s junior session taxed the little ones probably a little more than usual but there was no complaining loud enough to register and they all tried, and indeed did their very best.
The adults session was split as for all three days between Kihon, Kata and Pairs with Pam taking the Kihon element building on Sensei Sugasawa’s direction received on the Spring Course in May. The focus was very much on controlled movement drills, starting with the most basic and returning to the most basic execution, if elements start to unravel.
Pam then took the lower grades, who’s numbers were supplemented for the Saturday session with juniors that are aspiring to move up to the adult training sessions, for some Pinan kata work. Carol took the club brown belts through Rohai and Steve instructed the Dan grades on Jitte.
The final hour was spent training various pair works, with the Kyu grades focussing on the syllabus pairs and the remainder working on Kumite Gata and Kihon Kumite; before everyone worked on some non-syllabus pairs, Sanbon Gumite for the Kyu grades and a mix of Sanbon Gumite and Nihon Gumite for the Dan grades.
A busy day but it didn’t end there as Saturday evening (as per usual) saw a ‘gathering’ at the Wymers’ to sample a friendly few hours of socialising and general merriment. It went well.
Sunday training was sensibly scheduled for an 11:00 start.
Steve took the Kihon element on the Sunday, breaking down some of the senior combination techniques of the syllabus before reconstructing them, once particular elements had been better understood. We then split for kata with the Dan grades being instructed on Chinto by Carol and the Kyu grade group going through Naihanchi with Pam.
The final hour of the day and indeed course was more instruction on the syllabus pairs for the Kyu grades and a ten-part Kihon Kumite drill for the Dan grades. During this session, students were encouraged not to hold on to any remaining power in their technique, (Datsu Ryoku) and to always think about fluid movement as they perform their techniques, (Ryusui).
After we had returned the Grendahus to its original state (puts the mats and mirrors away), as many of the group as could and wished to, went up Hasundhornet (a bigger hill than Friday’s) to get a view of where they had been living and training over the previous few days. Ask the instructors, or Mark, Doug, Sue, Margaret, Matt, Andrew or Meg about the views.
So as always, plenty to think about and plenty to incorporate into our training and hopefully into our our capabilities. And plenty to look forward to should others wish to come over and see our not so little corner of Norway.
Finally, many thanks to the instructors and the visitors for coming, and the hosts for hosting including my live-in long haired general, Gita and of course Eddie. Now we recharge our batteries and start to plan for the next one.
Bob Wymer
Hokusei Jyuku
