One Year Old! Seminar and Grading with Shihan Brett!

On Saturday, 24th September 2011, Zanshin Karate-Do Kinnegad presented a seminar and grading with Shihan Brett Halliday, 6th Dan, as an occasion to celebrate our first year anniversary. The course was attended by Zanshin members from Kinnegad and Portalington, and some distinguished friends of ours from other dojos, among them Senseis Gerry McCarthy and Liam Gorman from the Irish Shotokan Academy, Sensei Ken Fitzpatrick from the Mullingar Kyokushinkai Karate club, and Guro Donal Connaughton from the Midlands Filipino Martial Arts Club.
Shihan Brett kicked off at 1.00 PM with a seminar for our junior members. He explained the basic blocks, punches and kicks of Shotokan in a clear and authoritative manner, while injecting some humour into the proceedings. This was followed by a grading, which to our great delight everybody passed. Shihan Brett commented most favourably on the attitude and standard of our juniors.

Our junior members, before and after the grading! We're VERY proud of them all!
At about 2.45 PM, the senior class started. Shihan Brett took us through the Heian Nidan kata. He went through the kata several times, stressing good techical form, especially on back stances and "gyaku-hanmi" hip position. He then took us through some bunkai (applications) from the kata, using Senseis Liam Gorman and Proinsias as "ukes" (human punchbags) to the great enjoyment of the student body! He finished the seminar with some Ippon Kumite drills and some light free sparring. A grading followed, in which all senior students from Zanshin Kinnegad, along with Brian Bolton and Jim Zeches from Zanshin Portarlington participated and passed. Again, Shihan Brett commented favourably on the attitude and standards of our members, which made us very proud. Here are the seniors after their grading...

Senseis Liam, Proinsias and Keith would like to thank Shihan Brett for providing such an enjoyable and informative course. We would also like to thank Zanshin assistant instructors Ollie Henchy and Fergus Fenlon for helping out on the day, and Senseis Ken Fitzpatrick, Liam Gorman and Gerry McCarthy, who along with Guro Donal Connaughton sat on the grading panel with Shihan Brett and the three Zanshin instructors (Sense Gerry Walsh was called away at work). Here are the black belts with Shihan Brett...

Left - Right: Keith Walsh, Liam Darcy, Gerry McCarthy, Shihan Brett Halliday, Donal Connaughton, Ken Fitzpatrick, Liam Gorman, Proinsias Ó Fearghail and Peter Maye.
Again, many thanks to Shihan Brett and a big WELL DONE to all our members, junior and senior - you were great today! A big THANK YOU to all the parents who showed their support by attending.