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Switzerland April
2006
A month
earlier than last year, a rabble of students (total of
thirty) from the Eltha m and Barking & Dagenham Dojo embarked
on a journey to Switzerland over the first May Bank Holiday
weekend, for what has now become an annual event; the
Swiss Karate Training and Aerobics Fitness Weekend
as organised by Sensei Phil
Francis (5th Dan).
Leaving
grimy old Blighty, the student group were whisked over to
Basel Airport, Switzerland, in the early hours of
Friday 28th April 2006. Though overcast and
slightly cold, spirits were unhampered as everyone boarded
the luxury coach for the hour long journey to the stunning
and beautiful Lago Lodge, Biel; our home away
from home for the weekend. The coach journey was mildly
amusing as we endured, back to back, over and over again,
Now Hits of the Eighties Vol. 14 which was the Swiss
Driver’s perception of us English folk’s music taste. Also
Dave, club secretary, PA and all round nice
guy, brought with him the Christmas 2005 Ishinryu Karate
Word Quiz for all of us to participate in. Naturally
competition was fierce to identify all fifty of the
household kitchen items to claim the absolutely nothing
prize.
 Arriving
at Lago Lodge earlier than expected left the Lodge staff a
little overwhelmed and unprepared, so an impromptu journey
into Biel town centre for food, refreshments, shopping and a
little sightseeing gave the Lodge time to prepare our rooms.
Training
commenced in earnest at six o’clock that Friday evening with
Kam Francis’ Circuits Aerobics Class in Biel’s
huge indoor sports gymnasium. A mix of low impact, high
intensity workout got the blood flowing for the motley
collection of tired and lost souls. The second session of
the evening began at seven o’clock with Sensei Phil
Francis’ Fighting Technique Class. Expertly taught
and masterfully conducted, sempai and non karate students
were equally impressed with fighting techniques and
combinations that showed why Sensei Francis was such an awe
inspiring champion in days gone by. Needlessly to say,
everyone was pooped by the end of the session, but the best
was yet to come…
Saturday
morning classes began at the ungodly hour of nine o’clock,
beginning with Karate Kehion Class .Teaching,
again this year, on the course was Swiss Champion
Sensei Bellinda Sigillo (4th Dan Shotokan),
who brought not only her incredible knowledge and talent,
but also her many sempai (students) and together the early
morning lesson became a graceful demonstration of basic
karate with both skill and agility.
Kick-Boxing
class commenced at eleven o’clock with Sensei Phil Francis
(now rated GOLD under the World Kick-Boxing
Association). A heavy duty workout that incorporated
workout on focus pads, drills for punches, kicks and many
body conditioning exercises.
Midday,
and back by popular demand, was the Asian Sensation and all
round Bollywood Babe Kam Francis with the
Bhangra Aerobics Class. Almost a regular feature
of the course, this class was packed to the brim with both
karate and non-karate participants alike. A funky mix of
Punjabi dance music fused with both high and low impact
Bhangra dance moves, this class both entertained and
energised at the same time and was a welcome departure to
the martial arts class previously.
After a
break for lunch and soaking injured, tired limbs, classes
resumed at three o’clock, with Sensei Bellinda’s Kata
Classes. For 2nd Kyu and below low grade
Ishinryu Kata tuition was conducted, but for 1st
Kyu and above nothing less than Pinan Kata’s conducted first
in left stance, then right and then in total reversal were
the order of the day. Needlessly to say this stumped the
best of student, but little did it prepare them for
Gojushiho-Dai Kata; a Shotokan Kata that really taxed
the mental and physical ability of all senior students.
Sunday
morning classes began again at nine o’clock with another
Kick-Boxing Class by Sensei Francis. Heavy
emphasis on speed and coordinated attacks striking on focus
pads and mitts tested many a students reflex, stamina and
power. A class not really for the fainthearted and
definitely a lesson in not to underestimate the skills of a
Kick-boxer.
Ten
o’clock saw the return of Sensei Bellinda who conducted the
final Karate Class of the
weekend. Practical application of karate in street fighting
conditions taught all students that size is not an issue
when dealing with confrontational conditions. Sensei
Bellinda demonstrated various breaks, hand locks, throws and
strikes that would subdue any opponent of any size. The
class was finished off with a few light hearted games of
relay racing, tug of war and Sensei Francis favourite,
“One last hundred gyaku-zuki’s!” A quick presentation
followed by the final bow rounded off an excellent weekend
of martial arts training.
After a
brief lunch, an expedition to the top of Biel’s mountains
via the Europe’s only funicular was conducted. Tired and
very weary, the student group clamoured to the top to behold
the magnificent view of Biel and also to stand in awe at the
training facilities for Swiss National’s at the top of the
mountain. The Swiss do nothing by halves, as demonstrated by
the copious facilities for all sports in the heady heights
of the Swiss peaks.
 After
dinner, Sunday night’s entertainment began with Danny
Rice-Wilson and his amazing Psychic Ability
(hopefully he won’t give up his day job), followed by
Dave’s General Knowledge Quiz (does that man know
some interesting facts, or what?) and no evening, or
weekend, would be complete without Indian music and mayhem.
Back by popular demand, and with the permission of the
Lodge, the Ishinryu posse commandeered the dining facilities
for the Bhangra Music and Dance Party,
inviting the locals and lodge staff to join in the all night
knees up.
Monday
morning, after saying farewell to Belinda Sensei and her
students, everyone boarded the coach and embarked on a
journey to the picturesque town of Interlaken.
Set in the mountainous regions of Switzerland, Interlaken is
a stunning place with white capped mountains overlooking a
serene, tranquil lake. One of the few places where you can
watch Para gliders landing safely on the town green as horse
and cart ferry tourists around the comely resort.
Boarding
the coach again at about four o’clock we finally journeyed
back to Basel Airport via a picture postcard route and for
entertainment sake our resident Dave did another Quiz (which
will probably be a permanent fixture of the course) just to
make the journey more entertaining. Departing Basel in the
early evening, the group arrived back in Blighty
approximately eleven o’clock, tired, but happy.
Agreed by
all this was another great and fun course, a testament to
Sensei Phil Francis and his wife, Kam Francis,
organisational skills. Many thanks to them both and here’s
looking forward to the 2007 course.
Check out
the
gallery
for stills of weekend.
IF YOU
DO ONLY ONE COURSE IN A YEAR, MAKE SURE IT’S THE PARKVIEW
FITNESS SWISS COURSE!!!
TO
AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT, BOOK EARLY FOR NEXT YEAR!!
COURSE DATES: 25th May to 28th May
2007
For
details of next year’s course, contact Parkview Fitness on
02084915219 or email
parkvfit@aol.com.
NB:
Look out for Danny Rice-Wilson write up in Traditional
Karate in the coming months. |