Karate-Kyokushin organises 25th training camp |06 April 2013

  
The school has been organising the camp since 1988 and last week’s four-day camp was held at the Baie Ste Anne primary school. It attracted 48 Kyokushin karatekas including 14 black belt holders.

Branch chief Shihan Phillip Moustache (6th dan) ran the camp with the help of shihans Francis Françoise and Phillip Verghese (both 5th dans). According to the organisers, the camp was a great success.

The camp was aimed at preparing a junior member for his black belt grading this weekend and at preparing the members for the forthcoming visit of Shihan Kenny Uytenbogaardt (7th dan), Kyokushinkai chairman for Africa and who is also a international committee member.

During his visit, Shihan Kenny will be conducting a black belt grading for the senior members as well as assessing other members in preparation for their future grading.

Three training sessions were scheduled per day during the Easter camp with students required to wake up at 5am every morning.
 Following the mandatory 45-minute morning run at 5.30am, the students had to take part in the Ido Kihon (standing basics) session which ended at 8am. Once again, the students were taught the meditation techniques of Ritsu Zen. This year, a large part of the camp was devoted to the teaching of self-defence techniques against unarmed and armed attackers. The numerous repetitions ensured that the students got the techniques correctly. One session was devoted to Ippon (one-step) and Sanbon (three-step) kumite.

One of the trademarks of the Kyokushin Gasshku is the non-stop performance of numerous punching techniques to demonstrate the students’ ‘Spirit of Osu’ or perseverance beyond one’s limit.

On the first day, the students performed about 5,000 punching techniques which lasted for one and a half hour.
     
During the beach training session at the Côte d’Or beach, the students were exposed to the benefits of kicking techniques while in the water. They were also able to practice their jumping kicks while in the water as well as sharpen their fighting skills during kumite on the beach.

Students holding lower grades took part in a grading on the last day which they all successfully passed. The senior students will be taking part in a black belt grading today at the Young Lions Dojo.

The organisers would like to express their gratitude to the following for making the camp a success: Ministry of Education, Oceana Fisheries, Inter Island Boats, parents and the Kyokushin students.