Hojo Undo Course Winchester and the Isle of Wight July 2004

What a wonderful turn out, over 100 people came to do battle with Okinawan traditional supplementary training or Hojo Undo.
The training was over three hours and many of the people had never seen or used any of the equipment before so it was quite an eye opener for them. I was very impressed with some of the female participants and children who took part, their efforts definitely won my admiration.
The training began with a hard and rewarding warm up in groups of three, each exercise was done in repetitions of 50, this lasted for one and a half hours, and then it was time for the supplementary training aids.
Kongo ken, tetsu sashi, nigiri game, chi-ishi and ude tanren, When you think people spend hundreds of pounds on training apparatus and gym memberships and there are simple things like these that could be utilised. Instructions and dimensions for the manufacture of many of these traditional aids can be found on the articles page of the OTGKA website at www.otgka.co.uk/suplementary.htm

I notice that currently there is a lot of interest about supplementary training however, you have to do it then talk about it. If you don't then your knowledge and research will be limited. During my teaching of karate and hojo undo, no pressure is put on any one individual to show how good they are, everyone is equal and training is the first priority.

If you are interested there is a 4-day course over the August bank holiday in Winchester, again information can be found at www.otgka.co.uk/winchester.htm

Everyone will be welcome but please leave the politics at home.
My thanks to Sensei Simon Budden and Sensei Mark Elliott for making this course a success.

Okinawa here we come, I will keep you posted on my return.

Sensei George Andrews

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