On Saturday 4th May 2024, we hosted a Karate and Bo seminar in Bristol with Sensei Dorian Fretwell 8th Dan.
Dorian Sensei was a former SKIF-GB instructor and international competitor and is now Chief Instructor of the Shotokan Kenkyujo (SKK).
Held at St Bedes Catholic College in Lawrence Weston, Bristol the seminar took place on a warm spring morning - it always tends to be a nice day when we train.
With Sensei Griffiths from Newport taking the warm-up, the first class had begun. This first class was to concentrate on Shotokan Karate.
With Sensei Griffiths from Newport taking the warm-up, the first class had begun. This first class was to concentrate on Shotokan Karate.
We started with some basics (kihon), slowly building up the combination and arm and leg techniques. This was later applied as a drill working with a partner.
Sensei Dorian Fretwell
After a short break, everyone took a Bo (6 foot staff) or a Jo (4 foot staff) and lined up for the second class of the afternoon. This class was an introductory class to Bo, although Sensei said we skipped weeks of training and covered some high level work.
Initially we practiced handling of the Bo - how to move the Bo around the body but concentrating on an exercise to control it. with subtle hand movements. It wasn't long before handling a 6-foot Bo told on the forearm muscles.
Sensei Brian Salmon
Brian Salmon Sensei, also of the Shotokan Kenkyujo, had travelled up from Gosport to train with us.
Having him just in front of us really helped with those initial Bo movements and the hand placement, with someone there to copy and of course he was keeping an eye on those around him.
Having picked up the general handling of the Bo Sensei Dorian now drilled us on a sequence of stepping forward striking and backward blocking movements, after each one adding something new to the sequence.
Before long the sequence was complete and was effectively a short Bo kata or drill, which was then practised with a partner.
At the end of the class a quick presentation was made to Sensei Dorian thanking him for travelling to Bristol to teach us in a karate class.
We look forward to inviting Sensei back to Bristol at some point to continue our journey in Bo, but perhaps in the meantime we'll visit Sensei on one of their monthly training sessions near London.
After training we all gathered in the Bristol city centre for an evening social at Zaza Bazaar followed by a few drinks at the Llandoger Trow.