Summer camp success for ICU Shorinji Kempo

A lot of hard work, multiple bruises, a devilish pub quiz and one broken nose... Imperial’s Shorinji Kempo club organised this year’s highly-successful BSKF (British Shorinji Kempo Federation) summer camp in Chiswick. The two-day event in early September was attended by more than seventy Kempo practitioners (kenshi) and some top Kempo Senseis from Britain and Japan. Participants enjoyed some quality Kempo instruction in sparring (randoori), soft techniques (juho), hard techniques (goho), healing massage (seiho), set moves (kata) and philosophy (howa) As well as kenshi from Britain and Ireland, we were joined by a contingent of Czechs from Prague dojo, which was set up by Imperial alumnus Tomas Bystron who gained his black belt (1st dan) at Imperial Saturday’s training included teaching on how to do a perfect ninja forward role (mae ukemi) amongst other techniques. There was some bloodshed as one instructor suffered a broken nose that was quickly tweaked back into place by Sensei Mizuno (8th dan), the BSKF’s chief instructor. Sensei Mizuno’s later philosophy session talked about the healing powers of seiho (kempo’s healing massage techniques) and kenshi were invited to perform some leg seiho. Only on one leg, though, as a test to see by comparing leg aches and pains if seiho really works! Reports differ... Saturday night was (of course) spent in the pub. Sensei Sean from Imperial had devised a fiendish martial arts pub quiz, including a picture round (Can YOU recognise a picture of Chow Yun Fat at fifty paces?) and some very obscure trivia. The winning team received a bottle of Sake for their efforts. Sunday’s training involved punching practise using pads for full-force blows, randoori practise and kata practise. That afternoon, kenshi were treated to some demonstrations including three-against-one fighting and a skilled pairform demonstration (embu) using bo staff (shakujo). Kenshi departed on Sunday evening feeling tired and bruised, but having learnt some great Kempo. Imperial kenshi left safe in the knowledge of a job well done. Done so well, in fact, that Imperial dojo has been asked to organise next year’s BSKF 40th anniversary celebrations, too! The success of the summer camp for us at Imperial completes a great year for ICU Shorinji Kempo. The club’s baking raised over £400 for charity, and we attracted more new members than ever before. Eight new kenshi gained their yellow belts and three of our instructors, including Imperial alumnus Aled, gained their 2nd dan in Shorinji Kempo. Former captain Maks gained his black belt (1st dan) alongside fellow ‘flying moustache’ and treasurer Aditya. You may remember this dynamic duo from the BSKF national demonstration (Tai Kai) last November, where their pairform demonstration (embu) won first place. Imperial Shorinji Kempo is also now (based on the number of paid-up BSKF members) the biggest BSKF dojo. All in all a fantastic year, let’s hope for more of the same. Shorinji Kempo trains on Saturdays 1-3pm in the Union Gym and Thursdays 6-8pm in Activity Space 1