Our best wishes for the entire Zen Judo family. May we continue to practice the art in a spirit of friendship and dedication for many more years. And may our clubs be open to all, as Mac would say, so that the family really is as diverse and yet as close as it was in the beginning.

UPCOMING TRAINING AT THE KENSHINDORYU HONBU DOJO

Jim Dart is inviting all Zen Judoka for the the Kenshindoryu Honbu Dojo Spring Training Weekend in Reading, Berkshire. The training takes place on the 6th and 7th May 2000. All Zen Judo are welcome. Training will include Judo Kihon, Judo Kata, Judo Tuite & Atemiwaza and Groundwork. The club also hopes to provide sessions in Kobudo and Kendo, and, on the Sunday afternoon we are including a 4 hour seminar from Hanshi Allan Tattershall, 8th Dan Jujitsu, UK representative for the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. The cost for training will be £25 inclusive of refreshments, but numbers will be limited, so book early !

OPEN LETTER FROM THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF THE ZEN JUDO FAMILY

Dear Judoka: I would like to wish you all a very Happy Millennium New Year. As you may be aware, there have recently been many Emails floating around with regards to the future of the Zen Judo Family, I would like to share with you my observations. I whole-heartedly support the initiative of Keo's e-mail message sent to most of us. The Zen Judo Family has now become Fragmented. Each club is doing its own thing, and some have been doing other practices along with Zen Judo. Keo has included religious ceremony into his proceedings, Brian has been adding Aikido to his, I have been teaching Applied Judo Technique and I could go on and on. Most of you will be aware, that Jim Dart, Gordon Lawson, Mike Healy, and Myself have organised training courses and seminars to which all members were invited. Not many people have taken up these invitations, which again show that they only want to practice their Judo in their Club (and not be involved any further).

One of Keo's observations is that there is NO ONE who can replace Sensei McCarthy; therefore we should not even try! As much as it pains me to say this, The Zen Judo Family died with Mac. Therefore how do we move forward? There has been a small group of Instructors who are dedicated to carry on and progress with Mac's teachings. This will be the basis for what is to follow, it will be up to individual instructors and clubs to decide if they want to belong to this elite group or to continue on their own. One of my observations is that most Zen Judoka have learnt a syllabus, and have not learnt Judo, Why? I do not know.

From 1st of January 2000 - The British Zen Judo Family Association will come into force, and I welcome all Zen Judo Family clubs to join and unite in following the great mans life work, and taking it forward to new beginnings. The syllabus will remain intact, but annotated Zen Judo Family only, for those that want to practice further, there will be a supplemental syllabus to teach judo skills, such as Kuzushi, Tai Subaki, Application of Technique and Groundwork. In addition, as we are a non-competitive Judo, the syllabus will continue up to 4th Dan. Courses and seminars will be organised for those of you who want to learn judo and take part, details will follow early in 2000. Yearly fees will continue, but those fees will remain with the individual club, one of the biggest problems that has been brought to my attention, is that quite a few instructors are having to pay for room hire or supplement this from their own pocket, by re-investing these fees it will go part way to help them to help themselves to create a successful club, in addition if clubs are short of mats, I have mats available. Grading fees will also remain with the individual clubs. Therefore, the bigger your club, you will have more revenue to help maintain your club and to help pay for courses and seminars. I know, you're all going to groan and moan, Mac never liked committees and associations. Well it is purely in name but with an organised structure, and a way to get all the clubs to participate together. I have taken this initiative, but at the end of the day it is up to you to take that step and to start belonging to this great family.

Bottom line: From 1st January 2000 I will no longer be a member of the Zen Judo Family, instead, there is a new beginning, "The British Zen Judo Family Association." To which you are all invited, and you will also keep your current Zen Judo Family Grade. The syllabus will remain intact, but you will have the option, to learn the supplemental syllabus to start to learn Judo. Will you please take copies of this and pass it to all members of the Zen Judo Family If you have Addresses or details of any of the Zen Judo Family Clubs/Instructors, would you please forward them to be by return Email? Again I must stress, that The Syllabus will remain Intact, and that we will follow our great leader (Sensei Mac McCarthy), and apply all his teachings.

Best Regards Andrew M Millard BEM Contacts for the new oganization: Andrew M Millard BEM 6th Dan The British Zen Judo Association 19 Abbey Road Swineshead Boston PE20 3EN 01205 820890 Andrew.millard@talk21.com (Home) Andrew@procompsolutions.co.uk (Work) Gordon Lawson 3rd Dan The British Zen Judo Association Secretary 3A Valley Road Radcliffe on Trent Nottingham NG12 1BB 0115 9335562 Gordon@glawson.screaming.net

TRAINING AT THE RADCLIFFE ZEN JUDO CLUB A SUCCESS!

The two day training and evening party at Radcliffe Zen Judo Club was a huge success due to the fact that everyone was of the same mind and attitude even though the Arts were different. Here is Sensei Lawson's report: "There were demonstrations and classes in Iaido,Iki-jujitsu,Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi, Thai Kickboxing, and Escrima. The demonstration of English Combat profiled the arts of long staff,short staff, and knife fighting. In terms of Judo the training offered three Kata: Ju no Kata, Kime-no-Kata, Ne Randori Kata, along with Zen Judo high grade throws. There were 42 martial artists on the course, some of whom travelled from as far as Reading ,Leeds, Birmingham and Gloucester. To all these students and Instructors I give my personal thanks. The Instructors were of the highest standards, Andrew Millard and Terry Glover being holders of THE BRITISH EMPIRE MEDALS. Terry also being current and past British stick fighting champion. Congratulations to Joanne Yates of the Kenshin Do Ryu Nippon Bodo Kyokai on attaining her Judo blue belt presented by Andrew Millard 6th Dan Zen Judo. The course was so interesting I took over 80 pictures of the different Arts in progress. Lastly the weekend finished off with me being suited up in armour, removing my glass for the helmet to fit , then being matched with the quickest student in the room. I believe I hit him at least twice to his fifty or so. My thanks to Andrew Millard for this experience." Gordon Lawson 3rd Dan Zen Judo.

THROW OF THE MONTH

Uchi Ashi Gake Step forwards with your left foot, toe to toe with uke's right foot as you slide your right arm under his or her armpit to lift-pull uke towards your left side. Pass your right leg between your partner's legs and around his or her left leg to place your toes on the mat outside uke's left foot. Pull up and around to your right with both hands, pushing your partner back towards your front right-hand corner This technique is based upon the assumption that uke will begin to resist as you begin to break off his or her balance by your initial pull towards you. Your turn and throw to the opposite corner should coincide with uke's resistance in that direction. One common fault is that the student will fail to complete the throw with a good turning movement to their right. Uke must land almost at right angles to you due to the turn in the finish of this throw. (Bagot, Zen Judo: A Way of Life).