Reminder for Kendoka and Iaidoka ...

Just a reminder that all practitioners of Kendo and Seitei Iaido are expected to have current PCYC Queensland memberships. This will allow you to train without complication at the PCYC on a Sunday (for either discipline) and give us access to the PCYC bus when travelling to seminars and special training events outside of Toowoomba.

If you have not done so already, could you please ensure that your membership is up to date. The PCYC have apparently changed their systems to allow you to more easily renew your memberships, and I ask that you do so ASAP.

Seitei Iaido for this week

We are still to finalise the regular schedule for Seitei Iaido for the year. However, we are going to be locking in the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month in the second session of the evening (from 7.50 pm) starting tonight for those interested.

We hope to lock in one trip a month to Collingwood Park to train with Johnson sensei (most likely the last Monday of the month) and again the first Sunday of the month at the PCYC (after Kendo). However with Johnson sensei away till April, we will be firming those arrangement in the coming weeks.

Quick message of thanks

Lauren Ole wanted me to pass on her thanks for the well wishes an condolences provided via the Club over the past few weeks.

Amber still has a way to go in her recovery, and this will, as it always does, come in fits and starts. So I will continue to offer what practical support we can, and ask that you continue to keep the Ole family in your thoughts.

Kendo thought for the week

I was talking with Itakura sensei after Kendo yesterday about what might be the best thing to concentrate on this week coming during training.

His response was simple and in keeping with what we have always tried to do with our Kendo here in Toowoomba — elegance, decisiveness and not beginning the "next" moment until the present one has finished.

On a meta-level, this means paying particular attention to issoku itto no maai (one step to cut) and zanshin (remaining spirit). Broken down, what we will be focussing on is maintaining correct posture; cutting with the shoulders and torso rather than the elbows; gliding (rather than galloping); maintaining kiai through the turn; and how to create the still point before the next action.

I have a few ideas/drills I would like to put into action to see if we can make progress on these things. One includes porting across some of the Internal Power training that has been practised  on Thursday nights. Another is to do some short, sharp kakarigeiko work to expand the sense of zanshin.

Would love to see as many kendoka as can make it this week to give things a red hot testing!

Gym and Swim for February

We are beginning a new macro cycle with our Gym and Swim training this week. We may be revising the training times to make it easier for more of the regulars to attend, so please talk to Michael to let him know your availability.

Hopefully Lauren will be there to help correct form (see enclosed picture of Michael's poor attempt at the dish ...

Beginning of the month!

First week of the month starts tonight at the BBRD with all that entails. Could I ask that everyone who is intending to contribute monthly payments please do so this week. Also note that we now have slightly revised contribution rates.

For those coming to Jujutsu classes this month, we are focussing on kyusho jutsu (anatomical vulnerability), so please bring your 4 oz. gloves, mouth guards and shin guards (if you have them) to all classes. Depending on the temperature, we may take to training in t-shirts or rashies this month, so include something to change into in your kit as well!

Potential date claimer: Saturday 14 March

Bunnings Toowoomba have asked the Club whether we would like to participate in their Family Fun Day on Saturday 14 March.

Unfortunately I will be in Canberra that weekend to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday, so we need to know potential numbers ASAP as to whether we can cover that commitment.

Please let your relevant instructors know if you can help.

Andrew Seyderhelm seminar 21 February

I'm very pleased to announce that the flights have been booked and Andrew Seyderhelm will be coming to Toowoomba on 21 February to run a six-hour training day.

Andrew is one of the founding members of BBRD and a fully qualified Combat Systema instructor under Kevin Secours and Vasiliev Systema instructor (in the days before some of the senior practitioners looked like they were auditioning for a spot in the Ministry of Silly Walks). In recent years he has worked as a Sydney-based officer in the Australian Federal Police.

I can't oversell the opportunity to train with Andrew. He is a fine martial artist with an excellent knowledge of the core principles and training approaches that initially attracted us to the Russian Art.

There will be two sessions — 10am–1pm and 2–5pm. Costs for the day will be $60 for BBRD members and $80 for non-members, or $40 and $50 respectively for one session.

Executive meeting this Friday

Just to let you know that the Club's Executive will be meeting this Friday to plan for the next few months. This includes demonstrations and recruitment activities for USQ Orientation Week; Fund raising opportunities, such as the April 4 Bunnings BBQ; Seminars, such as Andrew Seyderhelm's Systema day and the Club Taste Tester weekend; and other matters of Club importance.

If you want to have anything raised at the committee meeting, please funnel these through your relevant instructors.

Holy Name School Year starts this Tuesday

The Australia Day Long Weekend always has been the unofficial start to the year in Australia — a time after which  school starts and the rest of the country cannot pretend it is still on holiday!

With the start of school term, we go back to having to be more aware of attendance times and care when training of an evening. As we cannot be guaranteed access to the MEAC before  6pm, we need to have sufficient time to "bump in" and get changed into appropriate training gear. Therefore, I ask that if you are attending a class in the first session of the evening you are there early enough to help set up — many hands and all that ...

Second, we need to be mindful that the MEAC is a shared space. This means not encroaching on the Extend After School Care's desks and tidying up after yourself. It is also especially important to put away any and all training equipment used in the evening, particularly anything that children could get into/cause trouble with (I'm thinking bokken, tanto etc.). These must be placed into the Club's cupboard in the store room, and the cupboard locked at the end of the evening.

Instructors will be reminding classes of the appropriate protocols for doing this over the coming fortnight.

So have an excellent week everyone, and I hope to see training attendance get back up to its pre-Christmas levels!