Tuesday 22nd January - Kangeiko Day 2

7am at the dojo and we headed out for the morning run it is really chilly at this time of the morning and out running in only our Gi and trainers brrrrrr! Afterwards straight back into the dojo to train with Nagaki Sensei we done some basic training to start 20 gyakizuki's, 20 kizamizuki gyakizuki, 20 sanbonzuki then repeat other side. Next we done maigeri, mawashegeri, kekomigeri to the count of 40 both left and right side followed by basic techniques up and down the dojo to the count of 5 up and back. We then done Heian Nidan and Heian|Yondan once to the count slow, once to the count fast each and then both full speed one after the other. We moved on to do one attack jodan zuki, chudan zuki, maigeri, mawashegeri both legs both partners with two different partners (mine being Okamoto Sensei and Nagaki Sensei) before finishing the class with 100 sit ups, 100 back extensions and 50 leg lifts.

I headed back to meet Kai Sensei at the dojo at 10.30am as he was taking me to the Tekiyo Budokan as Kagawa Sensei had invited me to attend. I have to be honest and say I was a little nervous as not too sure what to expect. I arrived at Teikyo Budokan around 12 o'clock and Kai Sensei introduced me to some of the students before heading off. It was a surreal situation me in the Teikyo Budokan on the first day of training with the Teikyo team which included both the World Team Kata and Individual Female kata champions. The new venue was huge and a really fantastic dojo indeed was really impressed. I have been informed that this is thee best dojo now in the whole of Japan!

Entrance to Dojo

 

Preparing for training

 

Inside Dojo



 

Kagawa Sensei arrived at around 1pm and we had to change into our Gi's and start to stretch and prepare for training. The TV Cameras were setting up to shoot the training session and do some interviews. Kagawa Sensei shouted me over so he could introduce me to the crew and was very proud to say I was his student and had trained at Kangeiko with him this morning and was now at the Teikyo Budokan for this very special day. I spent a bit of time chatting with them about being in Japan and karate in Scotland before heading back to prepare to train with the team.

Kagawa Sensei and the TV crew were ready so the training began!!!!!!!!!!

We lined up and started with basic training gyakizuki, oizuki, oizuki applying tobi kondi, attacking forwards punching and kicking (own choice of techniques) after blitzing this for 10 minutes we paired up and moved on to working on the tubes in pairs one person holding tube in right hand and attacking forward three punches then turning round and attacking backwards full speed, tube on right foot attacking forward any hand and leg techniques and again turning and going back in the other direction and tube around waste again any hand and leg techniques attacking backwards again. We did many of these drills switching the tube over between each set. Finally we moved on to Kumite drills up and down the dojo firstly on your own as many attacks forward and backwards for I think 6 sets before moving on to work in pairs one person attacking other person moving back to defend then returning back up the dojo. The Teikyo students were fantastic with me encouraging me to push and drive all the time was really great to spend time training with them. The session was called to a close and we lined up and the TV Interviews began.

After the main interview section was complete Kagawa Sensei excused all the team except 5 members who stayed for further demonstrations and interviews.

 

After I was changed Kagawa Sensei shouted me over and asked me if I would like to stay for the remainder of the day and I accepted without any doubt. Whilst the ladies were being interviewed along with Kagawa Sensei I sat with the WKF World Champion Kata Team chatting and watching them practice for the demonstration they would be filmed doing later that day.

 

 

Around 5.15pm the filming was complete and a few of the guys from the television crew came over to chat and asked for my contact details as they would like me to go and get an interview in the studio about my time in Japan studying Karate! If not before I come home in March they will invite me when I am back out in July.

Kagawa Sensei gave me a lift to the station so I could head home for the evening - I was too tired, hungry and late for training tonight so it was dinner and then time to relax. Had difficulty sleeping as was buzzing from todays experience.

I think this had to be one of the best days ever in my karate life so far and words cant really describe how that feels!