Aiki Karate Course 2012 - London



Date(s): 19-20 May, 2012
 
Location/Venue(s):

TBC

(likely King Solomon Academy, Penfold Street, London, United Kingdom)
 
Organisers:

London Karate Do Shoto Association, in collaboration with

Aiki Karate Do Association, Belgium
 
Outline of Event:

Karate-do (way of empty handed practice) and aikido (way of universal harmony) have been sibling martial arts with each other since the time of Master Gichin Funakoshi, founder of karate-do, and Master Ueshiba, founder of aikido. This is because both strive for similar end goals (philosophically and technically) and, thus, have considerable overlap. It is therefore with the common philosophy and technical aims in mind that Master Funakoshi used to send his karate students to learn from Master Ueshiba. Master Funakoshi's successor (Egami Sensei) used to do the same, sending his karate students to study with/under the students of Ueshiba Sensei. Our generation is no different. The chief instructor of London Karate-do Shoto Association (Dr Mohi Chowdhury) recognise the merit of learning from our fellow Aikido-ka and actively encourage this practice. One Shotokai 5th Dan Master, Yves Thelen (chief instructor from Belgium), has taken this one step further and has merged the two arts (as well as judo learning) to create a form of practice called Aiki-Karate Do. Each year, therefore, we benefit from his teaching and guidance at two courses: one in our dojo (London, UK) and one in Master Thelen's dojo (Liege, Belgium).

 

"When you are as one with your opponent and move naturally with him without opposition, then there is no such thing as a first strike. The meaning of Karate ni sente nashi (There is no first strike in karate) cannot be understood until you achieve this state."
             The Heart of Karate-Do - Shigeru Egami, Kodansha Int., Tokyo , 1980, p 19

The vocation of the AKD school is to contribute to and unify three major principles of modern Budo:

Judo : use, by the flexibility, the strength of the aggressor
Aikido : to transcend the fight to discover the harmony
Karate-do shotokai: the union body-spirit to mobilize all the energy and make only one with the partner.

This is a joint course led by Master Yves Thelen, 5th Dan Master from Belgium and Dr Mohi Chowdhury, the chief instructor for London.

 
Limited to: 50 practitioners. Please contact the organisers for further information.
 
Suitable for: All grades/skill levels.
All ages from 14 upwards.

Younger applicants may be considered at the discretion of the chief instructor.

 

Training Details:

 We have a fully matted large sports hall (3 basketball courts in size) to make practice safe and enjoyable.

Simplicity: we shall try our best to avoid speeches and applauses in order to 'maximum' time to communicate our practice. The youngest will be invited to help in the preservation of the Dojo and the cafeteria.

Rigour: the schedule will be strictly respected.
 
Accommodation: For those coming from outside London, we may be able to help you find accommodation locally at considerably lower costs than local B&Bs or hotels. Please contact the chief instructor for further information.
 
What to bring:
  • Karate-gi (preferably two, if you have them)
  • Hakama
  • Tabi (optional)
  • Warm clothing
  • Plug converters (if coming from outside UK)
  • Towels
  • Pocket money (Pounds Sterling, if coming from outside UK)
  • Personal hygiene items (e.g. toothbrush, paste, soap, shaving items etc.)
 
Cost & Deadlines :

All deadlines will be strictly adhered to, without exception. The prices listed below are non-residential rates.

Level 1 Package holder = Standard training only (i.e. courses paid for separately)
Level 2 Package holder = Level 1 + UK courses, if booked by the package deadline*
Level 3 Package holder = Level 2 + European courses, if booked by package deadline*


* Courses are filled on a first come, first served basis. So even if a person is on a package, if they delay, they may not get a place (i.e. if the course is completely full)

Deadline Level 2 & 3 Package Holders Other Participants

19 February, 2012

Deadline to confirm their intention to attend (i.e. reserve their place) at no additional cost.

 N/A

19 April, 2012

£20 per person

 £40 per person
12:00 hours GMT
19 April, 2012		 Dinner menu choices must be decided (any applications after this date may have to pay separately for the course dinner)

19 May, 2012

(i.e. at the course)

 £40 per person £80 per person

The prices listed above includes the following:

  • Training for the weekend (inc. tuition, hall hire, equipment costs).
  • Course dinner.

The prices listed above do NOT include the following:

  • Travel
  • Accommodation
  • Other subsistence
   
Schedule: PROVISIONAL ONLY

Saturday 09:00 Exercises of looseness in alternation:
- "Explosive" attacks
- Study of the dodge
10:30 Break
11:00 Gentle take downs with "The Spiral" Ju midare: dodges on free attacks
12:30 Lunch & afternoon 'siesta'.
14:30 Study of the first kata with a partner:
- Ju midare + Spiral
- irimi nage: the technique par excellence which combines an Aikido movement and the techniques of anticipation seen in Shotokai.
17:00 Break
19:00 Course dinner - everyone has a meal together in a restaurant.
 
Sunday 09:00 Warm-up such as recommended by Master Murakami:
- Kihon: the attacks of the foot
- Projection: "The Wheel"
- 2° kata with partner
10:30 Break
11:00 Keiko:
- Dodge on simultaneous attacks of two partners
- Double projection
13:00 End of course

 
   
How to apply : SERF Application form and fees must be completed, signed and e-mailed to the LKDSA administrator, by the deadline. Alternatively, you can either hand in the forms at the club or post the forms to:

The Administrator
LKDSA
PO Box 55688
London
W9 4AQ