SPRING GASSHUKU JUNE,1-3 2012 WITH FRED QUANT Menkyo Kaiden
Dear jodoka,
Welcome to our report of the annual Amsterdam Spring Gasshuku.
For many of you the set-up of this Gasshuku weekend is well-known by now. On Friday everybody is free to join our regular evening-training in our Shin Shin Buken dojo in Amsterdam. This year the total Friday-group was a little bit smaller than last year, resulting in more than enough space for 2 alternating groups to practice in a 3-hour session. Afterwards the dojo was quickly transformed into a sleeping area for the night.
As the official Gasshuku always starts on Saturday, and we know the group will be at its maximum, we, as in previous years, took our refuge to a larger sports centre in Almere. With a total group of 36 jodoka's this year, the reserved hall was again just barely big enough. If next year's Gasshuku attracts the same amount of attendants or more, we will probably have to look for a bigger training-area.
This year we had again many foreign jodoka's visiting us. There were people from Hungary, the Czech-republic, Germany, Switzerland, England and again our Russian-American friend Slava, who normally tries to come over and practice in Amsterdam and in Haarlem about 2-3-times a year. From the Netherlands, students from the Amsterdam, Haarlem en Groningen dojo's were present. Many thanks to everybody, especially those coming from abroad, for undertaking the effort of traveling long distances to participate in this Gasshuku. It is well appreciated.
Although for the first time not being able to be present, our senior jodoka Rob Stemmerik had, like he does every year, prepared a beautiful new calligraphy for this seminar in advantage.
This year the motto of the Gasshuku was:
Kokoro wo tagayasu
Translated by Pascal Krieger Sensei as: "Ploughing the spirit". Meaning: A man (or of course a woman-FH) must periodically plough his inner ground, that the seeds of Knowledge may spring roots in the loosened soil.
As we all know, being a novice or a senior in Shinto-muso-ryu, knowledge of the ryu does not come spontaneously. Just going through the motions will simply not do the trick. After practicing a lot, fine-tuning more and more details, and also trying to 'feel' the technique's, especially with an opponent, preferably not always the same, we will slowly 'feel the seed developing'. These kind of seminars are a big help in loosening up the soil.
The spring Gasshuku was of course again led by Fred Quant Sensei, as in previous years, assisted by Kees Bruggink Sensei. Together they demonstrated almost all kata-series during this weekend. Especially the higher level kata resulted in sometimes lightning fast performances.
Zanshin (state of awareness), Metsuke (visual concentration), Shisei (posture), Ma-ai (combative distance between opponents), Kiai (unified energy) and Kime (decision, check), to name a few of the Budô concepts, were clear for all to see in these demonstrations. Very impressive.
Saturday the whole group trained from 10.00 till 17.00 hours, with a good lunch in the middle. As a tradition the lunch contained also the delicious Limburg 'vlaaien' (pies).
This year the first day seemed to pass by very quickly. Always a good sign! Like before, the end of the Saturday-training meant for some participating in an exam. This year there were many candidates going up for exams from 5th up to 1st kyu. As always students had to perform under the strain of nerves, at one time even resulting in the birth of a new kata…. We have all been there one time or another and surely be there again soon. Because the kata did not come to a full stop 'in-mid-air' but was ended alternatively, the candidate was allowed to present the kata again, this time correctly. We are proud to say that all jodoka's passed their exams.
After finishing the Saturday training our Gasshuku organizers, as always dear Shanti and Jeffrey, had a new idea worked out for dinner. Every year they try to surprise us with another dinner style. This year we had our dinner in a Community Centre in Almere, where a lovely original Surinam buffet was made by a very nice Surinam family. I can tell you that many of us went for seconds and some even for thirds…….
After this lovely diner everybody went on its way, some back to our Amsterdam dojo, to sleep again on the tatami.
Sunday morning training started again in Almere at 09.00 o'clock. The training was used to finish the last series of kata's for the higher levels and practice the other kata's again for the rest of us.
This year Fred Sensei reserved enough time for everybody to start to learn a new kata. This was welcomed by all. The higher levels trained this last section of the Gasshuku amongst themselves and Fred and Kees were therefore able to practice one-on-one with the students in Omote and Chudan. Like in the summer-Gasshuku students lined up before Fred and Kees and were able to have some quality time with both Sensei.
After formally closing this successful spring-Gasshuku, with Fred thanking everybody for their hard work, people where again able to join the Suriname family for a well deserved lunch.
In the end everybody started their journey back home throughout Holland, Europe and even further.
We enjoyed having you all over and training with you and hope to see you again next year, if not earlier in the international summer Gasshuku in Switzerland.
Frank Hoekzema
On behalf of the whole Shin Shin Buken group.
See the slideshow for an impression of the Gasshuku June 2012
The first group practiced their technique while the other group was observing and vice-versa.
In order to be able to all work together, we trained in a big sports centre in Almere,
a half an hour drive from our dojo, as in previous years. Saturday from 10.00-17.00 hours,
ending with the successful exam for a few students, up to 2nd kyu. On Sunday from 09.00 - 13.00 hours.
During the weekend, as always with much time reserved for kihon, many students were still able
to learn the form of a new kata. This weekend the number of students in Omote and Chudan were
almost equal to those above Ra-nai, which, I think, is good for the continuation of passing on Jodo.
My personal experience in training with jodoka's, other than out of my own school, is that I have both U-HU??
and A-HA!! moments. On my level (1st kyu) I still find that many techniques are much too rigid and 'styled'
almost to the students I normally train with. You just get to know a little how they attack and defend.
So it can happen that techniques I try with others just 'will not work properly'.....U-HU?? After much trying,
searching and sometimes ample explaining by fellow students and/or teachers it can however become A-HA!!
If this happens only once, it is already a successful Gasshuku. I am glad to say I had a few this weekend.
As always the organization of this weekend was in the experienced hands of Jeffrey Schwerzel and
Shanti Tuinstra. This meant that breakfast and enough refreshments were present for those spending
the night in the dojo and good lunches in the sports centre. For Saturday evening they organized an
all-you-can-eat sushi diner in down-town Almere. The discipline I tried to have during training was
soon gone! Within a short while I was stuffed and not able to taste more good food.
