Wot I done in the summer holidays

This summer woz great. I go to GKR Karate and we done loads of stuff all summer.

Here's the Peace Pagoda in Milton Keynes. The day we was there, it was the 60th anniversary of the atom bomb in Nagasaki, so the monks was lighting candles in little paper rafts on the lake to remember. Like in Karate Kid 2.

We started off on the 23^rd of July with a massive Next is Black seminar in Chadwell Heath with sensay Joe Estrada. He’s a 4^th dan, and he was helping us take our karate to the next level. We done loads of new stretching, and a weird combination, and I got to do lots of koomitay with everyone. I even got to fight sensay Joe. He kicked my butt. And my head. Twice. It was Awesome!

On the 6^th of August, we got up really early and went to Milton Keynes in sensay Adrian’s region to train at a Buddist temple and shrine. It’s the only proper Buddist temple outside the country they come from (Budda land?) I had to get up at 5AM so we could get there in time for the start at 7AM. Normally I’m only just in bed at that time!

Anyway, loads of people was there, and it was great. We started off doing 1,000,000 punches for Kancho. Well, maybe not 1,000,000 but it seemed like it. Sensay Joe said it was 500, but I don't think he counts all that good! We did loads of punching in class two days before, so my shoulders was killing me, and it felt like I got punched in both sides of my ribs. Next time Kancho can do his own punches! Ha ha – just kidding Kancho!

.	This is the only true Buddist temple apart from the country they come from.

Then we ran around the hills near the peace pagoda (which is like a sort of mini temple) for a bit, and then did some basics on a really steep hill. I thought that keeping my balance then was hard enough, but when we done kata on the hill, that was double-hard! At least the regional sensays had to do it with us and they was having trouble balancing too!

Later on, some of us did a demonstration of kata sanseroo like the Japanese karate people do it. That means we all had to take our tops off and do it naked – even the girls – except they kept their bras and stuff on! Just kidding! Anyway, everyone seemed to like watching it, but a lot of us wished we did more sit ups and press ups before so we could impress the ladies more!

.	Inside the temple. I think gold must be their favourite colour...

We done lots of other training and finished off with a picnic and Frisbee. Thanks to the little kid who nicked my mini-rugby ball. Not to worry though, it was a really fantastic day. I love GKR days!

Two days later on the 8^th I went to a kata thing with sensay Jason in Canvey Island in sensay Lyn’s dojo. She’s scary! Anyway, it was a good class where sensay Jason talked about understanding the importance of the slow bits in kata. Basicly if it’s slow, it means it’s either to show off or learn important details, or because the move has to be done with strength. We done kata saifar working out what bits was for detail and what bits was for strength. Then we split up and practiced our katas with the other sensays. There was lots of sensays there to help everyone get the best from their katas.

Here's a shrine. People put money in the hole. Apparently it's bad manners to take the money... Well, they should have put a sign up or something then!

That weekend, there was an open grading when anyone could go along and join in to find out what a grading feels like. There was also some people doing their grading, including my friends Sam, Victoria and Matt. They all worked super-hard and got their 1^st kyus. It was emotional and I had a lump in my throat when they got their belts. I know they all put in a lot of practice to earn those belts.

At Shoeberryness beach training.

The next weekend (the 21^st), we all went to beach training at Shoeberry with sensay Jason again. It started at 10 which wasn’t too early for a change! When we got up, the sky was really dark, like it was going to be a storm or something, and I think a lot of people stayed away because they thought it was going to rain. Idiots! That’s a normal English summer! Anyway, it never rained, and loads of people still turned up, and we had a fantastic time. We did loads of good stuff on the sand, like practice our sanchin, and do exercises to build the strength of our stances. We also played some great stance games, then we went up onto the grass and done our katas. By the time we finished our katas, the tide was right in so we went into the sea in our gis, and did some koomitay. I sparred sensay Jason. Got my butt kicked again. I hope it’s not habit-forming!

.	I don't know why the Aussies go on about their beaches. Look at that beautiful sea and that amazing sky. They had to put the posts in the water so you could tell where the sea ends and the sky begins...

On the 23^rd we had a special koomitay class at Southend with sensay Jason. It wasn’t the biggest class ever, but that meant that sensay could spend more time explaining stuff to us. He talked about hiding your intenshuns until the last second. And he talked about the way your guard makes your partner attack you and what sort of blocks you can do from each guard. There was a lot of informashun and my brain ached a bit after, but it was one of the most informanative koomitay classes I’ve ever bin to.

The next weekend, went to sensay Damien’s region which is Brentwood. He was running a 100 man koomitay and sensay Joe was there too. It was really great even though I made us all get lost on the way there so we was late. Everyone should no better than to let me read the map, so it was partly there fault too! There was loads of people from all the other regions, and there was this black belt from Australia – I think he was one of sensay Joe’s students when he taught in Oz.

Anyway, we all got to fight against loads of people for 1 minute at a time, then we had 5 secs to get a new partner and we carried on fighting. I was all jumping around full of life at the start but by the end I was a sweaty pile on the floor. I got to fight sensay Joe for 3 rounds and sensay Damien even more. I’m sure you can guess what happened but if you can’t, just rearrange these words into a sentence – kicked got I butt my!!!

Sensay Joe gave us a few good tips but he didn’t talk for ages which was great. I don't mind him talking of course, but on that day I just wanted to practice my fighting, not spend loads of time cooling down all the time.

 The next weekend, we all went back to Brentwood. It was for a special tournament skills day. There wasn’t many people there – maybe 20 – and I thought it was going to be a bit boring, but as it turned out, it was really great. Sensay Jason ran it, and because there weren’t too many people, it meant we got a lot done and we all got loads of practice.  For the first hour we done kata, practicing how to go into the ring at a tournament, and what the judges are looking for. Then the next two hours we done koomitay. Sensay Jason made this sheet that showed us how to think about koomitay better (attacking, countering, or moving). Sometimes it’s good to break stuff down so its simple like that. The instructors sparred at the end, and sensay Jason’s wife Caroline kicked his butt! He was only using one arm though, because the finger of his other one was hurt (I can vilins playing), but I still think she would have won a points fight because sensay Jason has to be nice to her or he don't get a cuddle when he goes home!

I never took a picture Sheharn there, so this one from somewhere else will have to do!

Last weekend (10^th September), we all trained with Sheharn. He’s Kancho’s second-in-command, and his karate is wicked. It was his last class before he goes back to Australia to live with the kangaroos again!

Sheharn mostly did really basic basics, but it was excellent because it was just what we needed. He also made some points clear about 1^st and 2nd kata that different people do in different ways. While we were there, a famous artist presented a painting of Kancho. It was a brilliant caricature – with exaggerated features and a big nose – like a newspaper cartoon. It was unbelievably good!!!! Wish I got a photo of it, but I bet it'll be in an issue of Shimbun.

On the 11^th, there was a grading again. There was over 150 people grading from all over Essex and they all worked their sox off. One girl graded to brown, and a brother and sister graded to red, and loads of others graded to the lower colours. The grading was held in a social club, and they was cooking burgers  all the time, and the smell was making everyone’s tummies rumble. I’m sure sensay Jason paid them to do it to torture us, because just before the grading finished, they shut the kitchen. Noooooooooooo!

.	Kangaroos - waiting for Sheharn to get home

Next week, we’ve got a tournament, and it will be the qualifiers for the nationals. The world cup is going to be in Sydney at the end of October, and I’m going to that too. Then the Nationals are in Crystal Palace in December. There’s still lots of good stuff to look forward to!

We did loads of great stuff in karate this summer, and of course, I still done my normal classes.

I wonder what other karate clubs done?