The 25th Annual Winter Training was held from Sunday the 28th of January to Saturday the 3rd of February at Ryu Headquarters Dojo. Students braved the cold to attend 6 am training for 7 consecutive days. Well done to all the students who attended all the days of training or only missed one day!
Each day featured a different instructor and focused on a different set of techniques. This year technique sets were organised according to the form of attack. So for example, one day students practised only front strike techniques or only one-handed grasp techniques. This allows students to isolate important principles that can be applied in every technique.
Ando Sensei made a short speech after training on the last day and he commented especially on the atmosphere throughout this year’s training; that he could really feel the heat and the passion of the students for Aikido and for their training.
After class on each day students warmed up with hot, sweet amazake or with fragrant jasmine tea and had the chance to chat and catch up with students from other classes that they hadn’t seen since last year’s summer training. Summer training this year will start on the 28th of July so make sure to add it to your schedule!
