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ZEN JUDO SPAIN'S FIRST TRAINING
(TANABE DOJO, MALLORCA)
By Brian Bagot, 6th Dan Zen Judo,
BBagot@aol.com.
"Mallorca's nice in June",
I said as we searched through the holiday brochures.
"So's Ibiza or Minorca," suggested Kate with
a suspicious look. "How about the C'an Pastilla??"
"How about Lanzarote?" I knew she didn't really
wish to go to the Canaries. We settled on C'an Pastilla,
and she agreed (bless her heart) knowing that there was
a new Zen Judo Club starting there. I even e-mailed the
new Sensei and gave him the dates when we'd be there,
but no reply. "I guess they're not interested in
me," I said the day before departure.
When I arrived at Hotel Orleans there was a message waiting
from Sensei Bartolome Canellas (Tolo for short) saying
he would contact me. Oh joy, thank goodness I had packed
my suit on the off-chance.
Mallorca is HOT, even in June, so we basted gently by
the pool the next day, catching up on errant tanning,
bacardis and the sight sun worshippers wobbling in the
background - what a bore!! After lunch a lie down and
sleep was indicated. Sleep? Well y'know what I mean -
read a book, shower, siesta - no such luck. The room
phone springs to life at the most inappropriate moment.
It is Sensei Tolo, he is downstairs! We arrange for him
to call for us on Thursday evening. A session is booked
at his Dojo.
Thursday arrives all too quickly and we are spirited
off in Tolo's white Peugeot 206 to the downtown area
of Palma. The Tanabe Dojo is a delight and an Aikido
session is in progress when we arrive, which is good
because Kate has never before witnessed Aikido. The lads
take good care of her while I change and pretend to be
a Judo Sensei. Tolo has arranged for Sergei, a personable
young man, to translate for me. He is a yellow belt with
the skill of at least a green belt - in fact ALL the
students are wearing belts a grade or so below the level
I would have put them. Or is it me? Anyway he has also
arranged for an Uke to take the pounding I am expected
to put him through while demonstrating our techniques.
He looks pretty fit and lively, which makes me appear
half asleep and hung over!
Joking aside, the session consisted of a trip through
the techniques of the Zen syllabus, explaining the ways
in which we do the business. I try to take the class
carefully through each technique so they are familiar
with what is roughly expected of them. Tolo takes part
and partners every one of his students as we proceed.
He is an extremely good Sensei and I am amazed at the
depth of questions which are quickly thrown at me. After
almost two hours we come to the end of the syllabus.
The students are all hyped up and fighting fit - I am
sweating and feeling like crap!! Time to rei out, take
the photos and say goodbye. Not so, there is a gift for
me - a bottle of special Mallorcan wine, and one for
Kate as well - she is well pleased. A shower and off
to a restaurant for a meal - at half past ten?? Wine
and steaks help us to feel better, a few more photos
and off back to the hotel.
Thank you Tolo and the Tanabe Dojo for your hospitality.
It really was a splendid session and we got through plenty
of work. The students have a good sense of humour (which
is just as well seeing it was me who made the trip) and
we had plenty of laughs during the session. We were made
to feel at home and I could not have wished for a better
reception. We now have a special place in Mallorca which
we must visit if we are on the island. Don't leave them
in isolation. They invited me for a Seminar sometime
later this year or next year, and I said I would attend.
That would be a good time to see what they have learned
from my visit, and how they are developing. I look forward
to returning to Palma soon.
MY FIRST "AH HA" EXPERIENCE
WITH THE MARTIAL ARTS
By Mark Smith, Nikyu U.S. Zen Judo,
Yonkyu Kodokan Judo, Nidan Tae Kwon Do, Yondan Niharate
Karate, Mark.Smith@gefanuc.com
I was twelve years old, skinny, and
picked on a lot at school. My parents felt sympathy for
me, so they enrolled me in a Judo class. I thought Judo
was kicking and punching, so I was very confused for
the first few classes (until someone kindly explained
the difference between Judo and Karate).
The black belt instructor was in the U.S. Army. He was
almost wider than he was tall. He seemed to exude power
and strength, even if he was just sitting there. His
biceps were so large that his gi sleeves constantly strained
not to burst. Although he could be quite gruff, he seemed
to be very gentle and kind at the same time. He seemed
to me (the skinny 12 year old kid) to be a mountain that
smiled.
They started my instruction with many different exercises
related to falling. I graduated to ukemi from a standing
position. Then they had me jump over things (belts, belts
raised off the ground, people, pillows, etc.), usually
rolling to a standing position. I had yet to actually
throw anyone or be thrown, but I was having fun with
the rolling. I practiced in my back yard a lot, much
to the chagrin of my mother (who had to clean the grass
stains). Maybe that was why I received a lot of green
clothing that summer.
One day my instructor told me it was time to see how
my progress was going. I expected for him to break out
the pillows and belts to roll over, but instead he stood
directly in front of me. I actually tried to move to
the side, thinking he wanted to move to some other part
of the mat, but he gripped my gi (by the lapel and elbow)
and held me firm. I looked up at him, puzzled. He asked
me, "Are you ready?". I replied, "For
what?". He said he wanted to see how well I could
fall. I told him I *WAS* ready to show him that. He patiently
explained that the WAY he intended to find out how well
I could fall was by throwing me. My eyes got real big
... "Really? Well ... OK."
I was a little apprehensive.
The sensation was like nothing I had ever felt. Literally
one instant I was standing there in front of my Sensei
wondering what was going to happen, and the next instant
I was on the floor (fortunately, in a good side fall
position). I jumped up to my feet and yelled, "COOL!
DO IT AGAIN!" with a huge smile on my face. My instructor
obliged me with two or three more throws, but then gently
directed me over to some green and brown belts who were
to teach me my first Judo throws.
That first throw was O-Goshi, and it changed my life.
Looking back, I feel extremely thankful that the instructor
made sure that I spent many weeks learning how to fall
before he tried that first throw. Had I not been ready
to fall safely, that moment could have turned out much
differently. Unfortunately for me, that local Judo school
closed before I ever received a promotion. There were
no other Judo schools available close to where I lived.
A few years later I tried Karate, and liked it too.
Thanks to the Inner Stairway in Charlottesville, Virginia,
I am now back to studying Judo.
Although I do not get the same huge rush of adrenaline
every time I am thrown, I still find both Karate and
Judo to be very fun. That special moment in my life got
me "hooked" on the martial arts. I hope to
continue my involvement in the martial arts for the rest
of my life.
ZEN JUDO GRADINGS
Sensei Diane Beaumont, who is currently
in charge of the Wareham Zen Judo club, is pleased to
announce a grading in Wareham. Congratulations, on behalf
of the Zen Judo family to Rachel Worledge, Rachael Pascoe,
Henry Bond, Henry Guest, Tim Draycot, and Isaac Barnett
on their brown belts, Tom Percy on his blue belt, Karl
Baverstock, Aden Scotney and Mark Dunkerly on their green
belt gradings. May the path continue to be a gentle one,
full of victories.
Sensei Ed Stockwell, from the Innerstairway
Zen Judo club, is pleased to announce that Justin McKinnis-Frazier
was tested and promoted to Gokyu on 6/13/01. Congratulations
to Justin for his first step on the Gentle Path.
Sensei Keo Cavalcanti, from the Wadokan
Zen Judo club, is pleased to announce that Derek Miller,
Devon Miller, Joe Vincelli, and Scott Widener were tested
and promoted to Yonkyu. The first three Judoka were promoted
on 6/6/01. Scott received his orange belt on 6/11/01.
Congratulations to all for their dedication to the art.
ZEN JUDO TRAINING -- KENSHINDORYU
DOJO
The Zen Judo families are invited
to the annual training sponsored by Sensei Jim Dart's
dojo. The course is 15/16th September and he says this
year they've gone international !! (Unfortunately, only
as far as Tenby, Wales !). Once again, Shihan Millard
and Gordon Lawson will be teaching, along with Shihan
Shinohara, 7th Dan Wadoryu Karate, 2nd Dan Kodokan Judo;
Sensei John Cox, 6th Dan Wadoryu, Sensei Tommy Tunner,
3rd Dan Taiho Jutsu, 1st Dan Aikido and myself. The course
costs £40 which includes accommodation and training,
as well as access to all of the camp's sports facilities
(pool, tennis etc.) This year I have reserved up to 120
places and, so far just over 80 have gone. Anyone who
wants further details can reach Sensei Jim by e-mail
on kenshindoryu@aol.com.
Next year, the club is investigating the possibility
of a whole week of training (mornings only), based in
the Costa Brava, Spain (ed. note -- ah, how we suffer
for Judo!).
ZEN JUDO TRAINING -- ASAGEIKO 2001
This year's American Zen Judo Asageiko
International training will take place on August 1-4.
On Wednesday, Aug. 1, we will be expecting everybody
to arrive in Richmond, Virginia. On Thursday, Aug. 2
and Friday, Aug. 3, we will have all-day workouts from
8 am to 5 pm (with the lunch break and two coffee/tea
breaks). We'll take Saturday morning (Aug. 4) off to
do a little tourism in the area (and for some of us to
get over feeling sore...) and will be back on the mat
on Saturday afternoon. The training will be divided into
two-hour sessions that will deal with different aspects
of the art. We do invite Zen Judoka from all over the
world to join us for Asageiko. As usual the training
is open to all branches of the Zen Judo family. |
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