From Russia With Love 2011

A group from Moscow have arrived at my Dojo for training and sightseeing, this is a great way to combine a holiday with training and the offer goes out to all IOGKF members in the world, you just need to e/mail about your date of arrival.

I can cater for a group up to 15 people; the amenities include Sauna, Showers and Kitchen, sleeping on Tatami with airbeds, all you have to bring is a sleeping bag so think about for the future.

The programme consisted of 2 hours training in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, making time for lots of sighting seeing and recreation.

As for the Muscovite’s the training on Friday evening for 2 hours training started with the traditional warm-up and then impact work to complete the routine for the evening.

Saturday morning started 9 – 11 Black belts only with the basic IOGKF Junbi undo and then attack and defense from Tensho Kata and variations incorporated with Kakie and Nage waza followed by Hojo Undo.

Sunday saw bigger group training at 9 – 11 for Yudansha, endurance training followed by Sanchin and Sanchin Kotai, then to finish advance Kata up to Seisan then 11 – 2pm all grades after a quick warm up it was straight into prearranged sparring for 2 hours then for the last hour impact work from standing then four directional and then from the ground, by this time everyone was feeling quite fatigued.

To finish the day everyone was treated to the traditional BBQ at the Honbu Dojo, I am quite confident that all appetites were replenished, on Monday morning I gave everyone the morning off so they could recharge their batteries, and training started again in the evening, but for the next 4 days it was back to training, morning and evening concentrating on advanced Kata.

But it not all about training, they managed to do the Sights of London and Shopping for the family presents and gifts for themselves, on Friday evening we had the traditional BBQ, and on Sunday evening we had the Goodbye Party with a traditional Russian meal and Strawberries and Cream to finish.

I would like to thank Sensei’s Pavel Klopov and Roman Ayvazov for their support in making this trip a pleasant one.

George Andrews