May Monthly Round Up

Hi everyone, it has been a fairly quiet month, but it is really good to see the improvement you are all making.

but this month i have had the first conversation (albeit brief) with Tom in regard to next years seminar, this time i really hope to arrange to have Tim don also, maybe arranging it to take place over three days if possible, Tracy has just created the Notice board on Whatsapp as a way of keeping all events both training and social related organised and in one easy to read place, all things going on please pass on details to Tracy, this way everything is easy to see just what is going on and when.

As we grow and improve we do not see the gains we make, this can sometimes make us subconsiously look to others to judge ourselves, i would really advise against this, we are all on different journeys and we have all started from different places, this means that we will all have different strengths and different weaknesses. When i lok at one student i see an amazing kirioroshi, the next in line may not be as good with the kirioroshi cut, but thier kamae may be on point, it is why we must all continue to train.

Over this month i have received correspondence from another club asking me something that i found interesting and it gave me a real sense of pride in all that you guys do and have become on your individual shugyo journey, i was asked not to advertise in their area and that they would not in return.... and it would keep things 'respectable' between our clubs.

This was interesting to me on a number of points.

Firstly) as you have all went on and cannot always make class it has become more important to continue our principle goal (that was always known to the club in question) which was to spread the reach of the club, this has now become the Norwich and Caister, we look forward to increasing our reach with the south Lowestoft and Bungay setups going forward in the future also.

The point being that we do not charge a lot and barely cover our costs each month, but my pay for this is in your improvement and your willingness to promulgate this art that we all enjoy so much.

Secondly) I have not advertised for the club since the start of the year, i leave this to you guys, as you know i have so much on it really helps me focus on my legal studies and my work now as a magistrate and as the club grows i want you all to invest in it like i do, it is only that investment that will make the club grow.

Thirdly) I have always attempted to keep very good relations with all of the martial arts clubs i have had dealings with, and through that we have been able to quickly establish a good reputation with the town and the wider area, that is from 30 plus years of working wiith and learning from other martial artists, including senior ranks some of whom who have genuinely reached the very peak of thier craft, including sensei that have created some of the very biggest seminars globally and one who has won olympic gold in Judo (i still remember well being floored by you Jazz like it was yesterday, that was powerful indeed!!), none of whom have ever said a line like 'to keep things respectable' to me it shows a shallow and financial mindset to what we do, if you gutys ever feel i want you just for your money, then you can train for free, its a no brainer, likewise you only train with me because the environment is positive, our training is effective and informed, you feel appreciated and part of something tangible and genuinely a club built on trust, friendship and for the shared journey.

Finally) I have never attempted to work against any other martial arts club, and to think otherwise is to under value any friendship i have had with said club, i have only ever wanted the very best for each and every other club i have ever had dealings with, i will always encourage others to work with us, not because i want to be better than those others, but because i want us all to grow as an art.

Alas, when i called to discuss this as an adult i was stone-walled, i find it sad that another club would do this, as i honestly thought more of them....

There is a lesson for all of us (myself included) from this, rest assured i will invest the same amount of time as i always have if not more in all of you, i will still welcome anyone to advertise in this area and others, and i will never let that devalue my appreciation of those individuals.

Going forward into June, i will hopefully have some dates ready for the seminar with tom and tim, i also hope to arrange a seminar with senseis Philip Smith and Frank Burlingham in the late autumn/early winter of this year, that would consist of Aikido and Iaijutsu (Shinto Munen Ryu)

Have a great June everyone and see you in the lines....