June 23rd saw much grading success for Haxby at the summer grading course in York. Where HSKC, Selby Shotokan Karate Club and York Shotokan Karate Club were lucky enough to once again host Hans sensei 6th Dan.
As usual a prompt start at 9.30 began with Matt Beard Sensei 3rd Dan taking the Beginners to 11th Kyu for some grading basics and some interesting drills for the youngsters. Hans Rana Sensei took Charge of the Adult beginners to 8th Kyu for their first session of the day, beginning with quick paced relay warm-ups to get the blood pumping, followed by some basic drills and so kumite practise.
The next session saw the pee-wee grades in to their gradings, leaving the adult beginners to 8th kyu with Matt Sensei to work through some grading kata and techniques. The 7th to 4th Kyu’s took their first session with Hans sensei, where he began with some tough core stretches to to loosen us off for some kicking exercises, Sensei said if you want to run you have to walk first, it is the same with kicking if you can control a slow kick you can kick fast properly, so slowly we went forming exact shapes for each section of each kick mai-geri, mawashi-geri, yoko-geri kiagi and kekomi. After we practised some reaction training to move in direction to count while walking.
Up next was the Black and Brown belt session, which began with some partner work focused on kumite and reaction training, balance and position, moving forward and back only jodan and chudan with both being practised on a low squat as we attempted to use full techniques with each attack and block. To finish before lunch, we learn gyaku tsuki no-kata which confused most more than you’d think.
After a quick lunch break, we warmed back up by running through Jono Kata and all 5 Heian katas and tekki Shodan, without stopping between katas and going through with speed and power each kata formed in to one and you had a lot to do to keep up with where you were at. Next sensei Hans took us all through the 5 junro katas in detail. Next we did some conditioning exercises jabbing and striking at partners torso and limbs. Finally, the session was ended with some tough stretching exercises to attempt to loosen off all our limbs and joints after a good long days training.
All the while the gradings were going ahead under the watchful gaze of Keith Gullen Sensei 7th Dan YSKC and Mike Gude sensei 6th HSKC Dan and being lead by Paul Brant Sensei 4th Dan SSKC, some great success for Haxby with a massive 13 members passing their gradings. The successful grades are:
* Erin C 12th Kyu
* Grace C 12th Kyu
* Zane S 11th Kyu
* James H 10th Kyu
* Jack 9th Kyu
* Robert P 8th Kyu
* Adam T 8th Kyu
* Annabelle V 6th Kyu
* Jason H 6th Kyu
* Thomas G 2nd Kyu
* Oliver G 1st Kyu
* Hellen B 1st Kyu
* Ben L 1st Kyu
So after a successful day full of hard work and training and much more success than just that of HSKC a day well spent at manor.
A special thankyou to Paul Sensei for organising the day to run a smoothly as always and to Kieth and Mike sensei’s for taking the gradings. Also thank you to Matt sensei for his instruction on the course and mostly to Hans sensei for traveling all the way from Loughborough to instruct and train alongside us.
Oss
Ben
Visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk
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