Training
A number of students set out on Sunday 24th February 2019 to Sensei Mandie Read of Dudley Shukokai Karate‘s dojo to have a training sensei on the mats. The dojo ias fully kitted out with tatami mats and other equipment giving us the perfect opportunity to practise throws, sweeps and competition kata. We covered basic throws, reaps and sweeps with escapes from grabs and other scenarios.
Training
Just a few short videos of the first class at longbridge on Wednesday night with the juniors and seniors working on Keri Waza (kicking techniques). Starting off slowly, then building up speed, this helps students guage distance, use correct technique and control when striking a target. Still a work in progress but a good effort by all.
The second class was an improtu kobudo (weapons) class by request with the seniors working on the bo kata shushi no kon.
On Monday night at Weoley Castle, we had a few surprise visitors with some old friends and former students of Shihan Cummins, Daniel Eccles and Yvonne Skalban dropping in and sensei Richard Amuzu coming by for a bit of bo practice.
Training
As they say a picture speaks a thousand words and this entry in our Dojo Diary series of posts is going to take advantage of that old adage. Here are a few photos and videos from the Weoley Castle dojo on the 7th February 2019 where the session concentrated on kicking and sparring with Sensei Sue Hession.
Grading
Great session tonight at Longbridge Methodist Church, with Shaniah Hopkins earning her 4th kyu due to her exceeding dedication which has saw her more than surpass the requirements for the grade and a merit certificate for attending 32 training sessions in January applying herself dilligently in all
.
The main topic covered in tonight’s training was elbow strikes (Empi Uchi)
upwards strike (Age Empi), downwards strike (Otoshi Empi), Side strike (Yoko Empi), backwards strike (Ushiro Empi), roundhouse strike (Mawashi Empi). These were practised as a kata and with partner work to practice them from both karate attacks and swing punches and grabs. Amazing where did two hours go .
Training
We had a great session on Monday night with Sensei Sue Hession at the Weoley Castle dojo, Ajay Reeves, Shania Hopkins, Archie Tullock, were competion training for an upcoming competition in March. They all did very well and did their parents proud.
Another great session on Thursday night finishing off with weopons training with Jacob McBride and Michael paul having their first attempt at a kata with the sai. Great first attempt by the two students.
Competition
On the day that would have been the late Shihan Cyril Cummins birthday, two BWCSK students entered the Kwon Grand Slam Series 2019 competition both doing very well in their respective categories. A fitting way to celebrate our late Sensei’s birthday.
Shania Hopkins whilst she didn’t medal she came 4th out of thirteen entries in her category her first big kumite competition and the same for kata excellent for a 10 year old
Jacob McBride won Silver in Adults Kata and Kumite brilliant for a 15 year old, he also won Gold in under 17 Kumite and Gold in Pairs Kata with Harley Cottis (from our friend and also Shihan Cummins former student Sensei Steve Garland’s The Fudoshin Dojo),
Training
This week at the Longbridge dojo on Wednesday Sensei Sue took everyone through their paces teaching what was new kata for some whilst also preparing some students for an upcoming competition. Sensei Richard took the opportunity to continue along the same theme and work on a kata the students were already familiar with, Bassai Dai.
It is always important to revisit and constantly practise everything we have learnt as well as learning new things as we progress along our karate journey. To that end on the advanced class we concentrated on the details of the kata trying to iron out any little mistakes that inevitably creep in to our kata and explain some of the common variations that are prevalent plus examine in detail each technique and possible applications for them.
On Saturday we continued with Nijushiho, going through the kata again several times and letting the students explore some of the bunkai with partner work. We then moved onto Bassai Dai a kata that everyone was familiar with but concentrating on partner work with the pairs trying to explore the bunkai themselves in order to get everyone thinking about why they do each part of the kata and how they interpret it. We finished the session with a look at each individual’s grading kata.
Club Notices
The New Year, 2019 has arrived and with the new year comes a fresh start for the club with a new name and new club badge. We will still be teaching and practicing the traditional Shotokan karate that was taught to us by Shihan Cummins but under the new name of Birmingham & Weoley Castle Shotokan Karate (BWCSK).
As many of you may know after the death of Shihan Cyril Cummins 8th dan, his club Birmingham & Halesowen Shotokan Karate Club was reunited with the club that started from it’s lomgest running dojo Weoley Castle Shotokan Karate Club under its new Chief Instructor Sensei Susan Hession. Since then the clubs have run together under a combined badge that maintained elements from both club badges but maintaining both club names.
The club has continued to operate as a single club in all practical terms with BHSKC & WCSKC students continuing to train and grade with each other as indeed they did when Shihan Cummins was alive due to the close links that have always existed between them.
However during that time things have changed. The long standing BHSKC Bartley Green and Halesowen dojos were closed. The latter continued until very recently under another former student of Shihan Cummins Sensei Matt Russell at Birmingham Karate (formally Quinton SKC). New students have joined who never knew the clubs prior to the merger and the details behind the dual identity. Last but not least the current names no longer truly reflect the clubs geography.
As we move into 2019 we are rebranding the club as Birmingham & Weoley Castle Shotokan Karate (abbrieviated to BWCSK), hopefully a bit easier on the tongue and as we no longer have a Halesowen presence more reflective of the clubs geography. With the new name comes a new badge and an updated website.Don’t worry all the old posts you know and love from the old sites still remain on our legacy BHSKC and WCSKC web sites, Going forward the new site will continue under the biminghamshotokan.com address and will be updated with the latest news and information from the club.
Welcome to Birmingham & Weoley Castle Shotokan Karate
Awards & Presentations
We had the final kyu gradings of the year at the Longbridge dojo on Wednesday 19th December 2018. These were conducted by Sensei Sue Hession and attended by Sensei Dorien Cummins with Sensei Richard Amuzu joining whilst recovering from an eye operation and a special appearance by Sensei Austin Birks 5th dan, who came from a chemotherapy session to be there.
We were all very pleased with the high standard shown by all who graded and by those doing a pre-dan grading check in preparation for taking their black belts grading at the next dan gradings.
After the gradings it was time for the End Of Year Awards with this years Student of the Year going to Lincoln Boult. He now has his name added to the club shield which he will keep for the year. Shania Hopkins won the award for Best Ateendance and Supportive Student. Ajay Reeves won the award for Most Helpful and Supportive Student
Last year’s Student of the Year winner, Elijah Farrell-Reid passed on the club shield to Lincoln Boult receiving his own personal shield to keep in its place.
“Magic” Mike Paul was presented with his Assistant Instructors license. Mike has been helping out at the club for a while and is also involved with the clubs web site administration and updates. He has worked diligently since starting to achieve his black belt and his calm and patient nature pays dividends when teaching.
In what was an emotional part of the evening Sensei Dorien Cummins gave two momentos which used to belong to our late instructor and BHSKC founder Shihan Cyril Cummins 8th Dan in the form of trophies won by Shihan Cummins to Sensei Austin Birks and Sensei Richard Amuzu for there long service to the club.
Training
A good second class tonight at the Weoley Castle dojo with the brown and black belts covering a lot of ground. All the Heian kata were revisted. Bassai Dai, Jion, Hangestu, Enpi and Kanku Dai for the 1st Kyus. For the dan grades Meikyo and Chinte were covered and we started / revisited Unsu for the 1st and 2nd dans.
