Team Finland for European Taikai 2019 Sweden

Niinkuin blogin lukijakunta hyvin tietää, minun ykköslajini on Shorinji Kempo. Parin vuoden välein SK:ssa kisaillaan isommin eli muistanette ehkä minun ja Kirsin osallistumisen viime vuoden MM-kisoihin San Franciscossa...

/As readers of this blog well know, my primary sport is Shorinji Kempo. Every couple of years, there is a bigger Gasshuku - Camp where we can compete in the form of 'embu' which is a pre-practised pair form show of the techniques. You might remember me and my cousin Kirsi competing in San Francisco World Championships last year.

Nooh, nyt ollaan ns. välivuonna eli tänä vuonna isoja kisoja ei ole. MM-kisailuthan ovat 4v välein, mutta 4v välein on myös Euroopan taikai ja se osuu siis ensi vuodelle. Ruotsalaiset ovat saaneet kunniatehtävän hostata tämän ison leirin ensi vuonna...

/Well, this is a so-called GAP year, so no bigger competition. Next year however it's time for an European Taikai, which the Swedish Federation has gotten the privilege to organize.

Meillä Suomessa ei suinkaan nukuta vaan aloitimme Team Finland embu-valmennusryhmän harjoitukset viime viikolla Hämeenlinnassa. Paikalla oli embupareja Jyväskylästä, Helsingistä, Vantaalta ja tietysti Hämeenlinnasta.

/In Finland however, we are not sleeping. We started Team Finland Embu Group practice last weekend in Hämeenlinna. There was embu pairs from Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Vantaa and of course Hämeenlinna.

Meitä on lupautunut valmentamaan tehokaksikko Timo&Teemu elikkäs Helsingin yliopiston ja Hämeenlinnan Branch Masterit, joilla on molemmilla paljon kansainvälistä kokemusta kilpailemisesta ja tietoa on myös haettu Japanista suoraan asiaan paneutuneilta senseiltä.

/ We are getting excellent guidance from the power duo of Helsinki University and Hämeenlinna Branch Masters Timo and Teemu senseis, who both have international experience on embus and who have even gone to study this art in Japan.

Mulla on hyvä fiilis tästä ryhmästä. Liittykäähän muutkin parit mukaan! Valmennusta on tarjolla eri kaupungeissa ja oppia jaetaan eteenpäin! Go Team Finland!

/ I have a great feeling about this! Join us! This is a good time to start preparing for Sweden 2019... The coaching is available in many cities throughout the year. Let's do this! Go Team Finland! 

What are you up to  - Kenshis in Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Portugal, Italy etc..? Would be great to hear from you! 

Swedish Shorinji Kempo Spring Gasshuku 2017, Day 2

On the second morning of the Swedish Spring Gasshuku, we could already feel the pain of Saturday...

 Except some supermen that never feel any pain, right...?

 Spefically in the 3rd dan and above group, the pain was quite clearly the theme of the day.

 Alex sensei thought us on how to do Juho by going side and back direction.

 Together with Alex sensei from Russia, they make quite a painful team of teachers;)

Before lunch, Kenneth sensei organised us into a beautiful group photo... Yeah, none of that sloppy less symmetrical chaotic picture shit - a professional knows his job well.

And so does our Howa teacher Alex, who, instead of trademarks, decided to talk about how to train our minds on how to act in difficult or surprising situations. This is called Happomoku, being aware of what goes around us at all times.
As expected, this Howa was super interesting and no one was sleeping, even though it was straight after lunch.

 We the Northern Europeans are very lucky to have Alex sensei giving us his teaching.

 After the theory, it was time for more practise.

 This time it was about strangling each other.
You have literarily got three minutes before you pass out, so better do something fast.

So much pleasure in this practice as you can see:) Happy kenshis.

 I learned finally the difference of Kubijime and Kenjime attacks.

 Actually the sessions overall were so interesting that we could not stop training even on the gaps...
We were also thought by Gothenbourg - Visby teaching couple Arneau and Stefan on ashinuki. Famous last words: "This technique does not hurt at all"... Yeah right, you were not doing it with Uncle Timo... As Kirsi discovered...

In the afternoon, we also had 'polish your embu' session, which was super useful for me and Kirsi. We learned to put our sequences into more smaller bits with clear movement - non movement differences, in order to create the feeling of speed. I think our embu will certainly be a lot better after this weekend. Thank you so much for the special attention A&A!

 Åke and Stefan senseis also showed their mekubari, so the intensive connection to the other person's eyes during embu...

 Connecting even when one is in the ground. It is vitally important to keep the eye contact at all times.

 At the end of the day, we trained so long that it was 1700, before we knew it and since the clocks were late in the hall, the volley ball players threw us out of the hall... It was a big anticlimax, as we didn't really get to say goodbye to all the people we wanted to and therefore the gasshuku hangover was even worse on Sunday night... Can you see that this is a bunch of people with veeery low bloodsugar levels...?

 But okay, we survived and our Finnish German SK family went for a lovely breakfast and lunch still on Monday morning before taking planes and boats home. Once again, a very action packed weekend with my favourite martial art - Thank you guys for company and see you in California!

Swedish Shorinji Kempo Spring Gasshuku 2017, Day 1

Winning paired embu of the Swedish Open 2017: by Jonatan & Arneau from Gothenburg Branch - Congratulations!

 

 This weekend, we went to Sweden for the annual Spring Gasshuku... 

 This blog will be only in English due to time shortage. Sorry Finnish readers!

Pictures from here on (c) Sven Hebbe

 In the Gasshuku, the Swedish Open embukai 2017 was also organised.

 There was traditional paired kumi embus, as well as so-called "Tandoku embu", which is a solo form.

 Pairs training for the San Francisco World Championships had an excellent chance to try out their embus now, in a competition situation.

 Arneau from Gothenburg has over the years had many partners, this time he has paired up with Jonatan.

 Kirsi and I have not participated into an embu competition for 7 years together... But we are back now.

 There was no other female couples... So we were in the 'all ranks' series.

 We were happy with our performance (& fifth place) - specially as Alex sensei was giving us a lot of help on how we can improve. 

 In the last set, there was some part that got forgotten, but still - it is good to go to the uncomfort zone and compete. Before the embu in the morning, you feel like puking your gutts out. Shit scared. But after it is done, you feel amazing. Like a winner for just being able to do the 1,5minute routine in front of all those people. I am sure we have improved a lot since 2003, which was the first year we competed... It is afterall, a competition to improve oneself.

 Kyu kenshi pair from Stockholm Södra, Olle and Odilon, were also coached by Alex sensei. They did extremely well, specifically competing in series where all other pairs wer 3rd Dan and above...

 We got 222 points... Should start to mark these down, so can compare to one's own points....

 The surprise embu came from Helsinki...

 Since there was so little pairs in the embukai, Seppo and Keijo decided to do Seppo's kumiembu for 5th dan grading as a bonus with 30minute time to practise...

 So basically Seppo threw Keijo around a lot.

 Oh, and since they were not sure if there's enough content, they had decided to do extra Tsubame gaeshi at the end if the bell has not rang;)

 Overall enjoyable.

 All competitors after the performances.

 Judges:)

Pictures from end by (c) Sven Hebbe

 After the competition, of course the prices were given. Kyu hokei golden price went to Leif sensei's daughter from Bromma.

 Arneau and Jonatan rightly got the first price in the paired embus.

 And for the audience to enjoy, we saw the winning embus again.

 Anders won the Dan Tandoku embu series.

 All the pictures during the competition were taken with my camera by Sven Hebbe (c) thanks for the help. Now, these ones are taken by me.

 I have photographed so many Arneau's embus over the years that I think I should compare his embus over the ages...

 Beautiful dance

 I think he and Jonatan will have a great career together, they pair up well. Of course Jonatan still has less training hours behind, so he will have to catch up. Can't wait to see you guys perform in San Francisco!

 Another kenshi with a great future ahead is Dani;)

 On Saturday afternoon, when the sessions were over, we started the actual Gasshuku.

 ...by introducing the senseis.

 In the afternoon, Alex sensei thought us some basics.

 The practise was 'Hands on', so gloves on!

 Åke sensei's randori session was really interesting.

 Things that I learned:
- When you start going faster - stop the thinking, just move with your feelings
- Elbow slightly more in front, fist further up
- You can do everything with ushiro chidoriashi, mae chidoriashi (Arai sensei)
- Move just enough with ushiro chidoriashi and then when the other Person pulls back, move to the mae chidoriashi and go in.
- Practise punching to the head (mekubari), actually in, full contact, to stop the fear and eyes closing

 At the end of the day, it was time for some leg seiho.

 "Let's touch each other" -time!

 After 4 hours of training, yes this was so needed.

 After training, time for dinner.

 We went to an Asian buffet called 'Pong'...

 Good night with good friends!

 I was very happy, but tired at the end of the day... In Sweden, the sun always shines and the Shorinji Kempo teaching is on the highest level. Thank you for all the senseis!