SMR Jodo Mini-gasshuku 26-27 January

Hello All,

A mini-gasshuku for SMR jodo was held at YMCA Camp Warrawee on the North side of Brisbane over the Australia Day weekend (26-27 January). The largest contingent of participants were from Queensland with people from Chushinkan Dojo (Brisbane), Airlie Beach, Yoshinkan Dojo (Sunshine Coast), and Toowoomba. Sensei Andy Poulos also came up from Sydney to attend, along with one of Sensei Glen Henry students who is living & training in Perth.

We were lucky to have a large contingent of senior practitioners at this camp along with two Menkyo Kaiden: Glen Henry sensei and Andy Poulos sensei. I would also like to mention that BBRD had a new student attend this gasshuku, Joanne Murrell. Hopefully her brain did not get too seriously overloaded, and we look forward to her applying what she learned in future training sessions.

Another bit of news from this gasshuku, Adrian Knight received his Menkyo Kaiden from Glen Henry sensei during the closing ceremony. He now joins the ranks with three other practising Menkyo Kaiden in Australia.

As with other gasshuku, there was plenty of opportunity to work on a variety of skills and kata with instruction from a number of senior practitioners.

Eric

In training this week

I hope that everyone has been enjoying their long weekend, and ready for the challenges of the new week and indeed month!

Just to confirm, there is no training on tonight (Monday 28), but we will be getting into the swing of things from tomorrow, where Fencing will have its first session after the holiday hiatus. Wednesday night I would ask that you please bring an old t-shirt, or at least something you don’t mind getting lipstick stains out of as we shall be doing some knife defence “pressure testing” work to cap off our month long focus on self defence and weapons work. 

I will not be available to train this Saturday due to a family committment, and will check to see Wednesday night whether Brady can cover Jujutsu and if Kateena and Sean are happy to have a kendo session in my absence. Likewise, we will have to see what can be done regarding the idea of lunchtime jujutsu sessions, particularly as we need to balance the cost of venue hire for those who are potentially attending. 

Timetable changes

From March, there will have to be a number of changes to the training timetable to accomodate me having to be in Bundaberg from Monday evenings through to Thursday mornings this semester coming. We will be discussing this as a Club Executive once Sian returns from the AIJSC in Hobart so as to minimise disruption. 

The main proposed change with be to Jujutsu, FlexiFit and Kendo. Specifically, that Jujutsu shift to Thursday night from Wednesday, Having an opportunity to train Kendo on Thursdays, and the order of trading on Saturdays change to Kendo from 2 pm, then Jujutsu from 3.30 pm, then FlexiFit to finish off the afternoon from 4.45 pm. I will also have to see what can be done with regular Go sessions, given I will have to leave Monday afternoon no later than 1.30 pm in order to arrive in Bundaberg with sufficient daylight, which means that we will probably start at 12 pm sharp.  

Please watch this space, and any alterations will be in force from Week 1 of USQ semester.  

Date saver: Wednesday 27 February

The new academic year is fast approaching, and the USQ O-week market day and Club muster will be on Wednesday 27 February. 

The Semester 1 O-week event is one of the Club’s main opportunities to engage with the University community, and to recruit new members. We will be doing our usual meet and greets, and demonstrations of what we practice to try and entice folk to train with us. 

It would be most appreciated if you can take time off that day to help out, even if it is only for an hour or so over the busy lunchtime period. Please let myself or one of the other Executive members know ASAP your availability.  

Back to school, back to training

This week marks the twilight period of the Australian holiday season as we transition from Christmas/New Year/School holidays and get ready to pick up the rhythm of another school year after the 26th. I know a number of you are starting back at work today, and for others who have been studying over the summer, the end of semester rush is now on. For those in our community who are in the throws of lesson planning and ensuring that all is in order for this year’s classes, I want to wish you all the best both for your preparations this week and into the coming year. 

Holy Name Catholic Primary School opens its office today, and the MEAC is scheduled for a floor clean later this week. As a result, we shall spend some time on Wednesday night getting ready for our regular storage configuration, and hence we will have to again factor in time to set up and put away tatami in the disciplines that require them. It would be most appreciated if you can ensure that you are at the dojo on time (i.e. before the scheduled class start) to help facilitate this. 

Given that we will have the mat off the floor by mid-week, we shall not hold the lunchtime Jujutsu class in the MEAC on Thursday. I will be looking to see if we can get some casual space at the PCYC, and will let folk know tonight at training what the lunchtime arrangements will be for the next few weeks.  

The annual Australian Iaido and Jodo Seminar and Championships (AIJSC) will commence in Hobart this weekend, and I want to wish all the best to the broad community of BBRD members, supporters and friends who are travelling down to train, compete and grade— in particular to Sian C, who will be making the trip to the AIJSC for the first time since it was last held in Queensland (gambatte!). 2020 will see the AIJSC be hosted in Queensland again, so we shall look forward to that over the coming year. 

The Club’s committee will be starting discussions in order to lock down the training timetable for the coming year, as some changes will be necessary due to me heading back up to Bundaberg from March 11. During term time, I will regularly be out of Toowoomba from Monday afternoon till Thursday afternoon. We will be discussing options with regular class attendees to ensure that there is minimal disruption as a result. 

And a final reminder that while Toowoomba has missed the worst of the rolling heatwaves that have affected large parts of Australia, I would like for everyone to be mindful of working within their limits and maintaining hydration while they train. Although we do try to take pause regularly when the temperature is hot, please make sure that you are monitoring your own need to stop for fluid intake. I would strongly recommend that you bring a water bottle that can be left near the edge of the training area. 

So have a great week everyone, and as always, I’ll look forward to seeing you in the dojo! 

Mats pick up Wednesday night (23 Jan.)

The mats will need to be picked up off of the MEAC floor by Thursday (24 January) due to the floor being cleaned by Friday.  Assistance would be greatly appreciated— both in terms of the mat uplift and ensuring that the storage area is tidy. If you can help out (and are not training Jujutsu that night), please drop by the MEAC around 7.30 pm on Wednesday.

Eric

Mini SMR Jodo Gasshaku Jan. 26-27

Hello All,

This coming weekend there will be a mini gasshaku for SMR jodo for the Australian contingent of the art. This will be a good chance to brush up on techniques by training with practitioners from around Australia. It is to be held at Camp Warrawee in Brisbane’s Northern suburbs. It is expected for this to become a yearly event.

Eric

Back to training this week ...

The Club will continue to ease back into the new year of training tonight with regular Monday night classes including FlexiFit at 6 pm and Jujutsu at 7 pm. January’s focus in Jujutsu is self defence (goshin jutsu) and weapons work (Heiki wasa) so please make sure that you bring your jo, tanto and bokken if you have your own. 

I am out of town this weekend, so there will be no Saturday classes. I will be confirming with the other Michael’s regarding official starts to Systema and Fencing, so please watch this space.

I will look forward to seeing you in the dojo over the coming weeks! 

Keiko hajime wrap up

Thursday’s start to the training year was once again an enjoyable and energising session. I’d like to thank everyone who came in to participate and to share some sushi, mochi and tea at the end.  

In particular, it was lovely to see members of the Taiko group participate and perform two sets to open and close the evening. Many thanks to Tomoko for making some sushi to share, and to Kateena for helping to coordinate the rest of the supper.   

I’m looking forward to the year of training. It will certainly continue with some of the challenges from last year with my absences from Toowoomba, but I am confident that the Club will continue to grow in spite of this.  

To 2019! Let’s make this a year of continued beginnings and connect with the joy of what we do.  

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone has had a restful and recharging fortnight since I last wrote a post for the Budo Bulletin. With 2018 finally drawing to a close and the prospect of a very full and exciting 2019 ahead, I’d like to thank everyone in the extended BBRD community for the dedication, generosity and determination that have characterised the year. 

2018 has been a year of transition, as I have had to spend a significant chunk of it in Bundaberg, and this enforced absence will again be a feature of 2019. However, I think that we can say that folk in the Club have definitely stepped up into support and leadership roles both teaching and administratively, and we are heading into the new year well prepared. The year past has also brought new opportunities to expand on what we love doing, and I am looking forward to continuing that for the coming year in the Bundaberg district.  

Our year will officially kick off this Thursday, 3 January for keiko hajime. We will be opening up the dojo doors at 5 pm and give the dojo floor and mats a quick clean down before we start promptly at 6 pm. Please ensure that you get to the dojo as close to 5 pm as you can make it so that you can do your bit for the tidy up and get yourself ready for the evening’s training to commence.  

I will be conferring with the other discipline instructors over the next few days, but I expect that the format of the evening will be broadly similar to previous years. If in doubt, bring along your various items of training equipment/uniforms and expect to be an active participant.  

I am wanting to do the whole sushi/mochi/cha light supper at the end of the evening, so please confirm your attendence either directly to me or via the Facebook group so that we can cater appropriately.  

So I hope everyone goes well into this coming year. I wish everyone the very best in meeting the challenges that 2019 will bring, and hope that it provides the opportunity for fulfilment and reward for the effort I know you will be making in your various endeavours.