Luton Higash Karate Kai

Ogwen Bank, Wales - 1st-5th May 2006

Luton Lunatics - James, Andrew, Enrico, John, Jeff, Alex and Kayleigh

Once upon a time in a place far far away (well far enough from Luton anyway) known to a select few as Ogwen Bank. A place of much pain and suffering and only those who believe themselves tough enough to survive attend to test themselves to the absolute limit .

Karate Ka from all over the galaxy (well country, as it doesn't quite sound as good as the galaxy), come to be trained in Karate in an association known as Higashi trained under the watchful eye of the Sensei Spanton. (Karate equivalent to Yoda)

This year the Luton lunatics numbered 7 (lucky number 7, yeah right!), within this motley group you have veterans of Ogwen Bank Alex" Sharkey" Buxton and John "the Bosh" Hurley with their padawons (students) Andrew "the Raging" Bull, Enrico "Smack Boy" and Puddu, Jeff "Trojan" Archer along with 2 Ogwen virgins James" the vomiting cavalier" Mason and Kayeleigh "the claw" Farrow.

Above - John dojng the two things he does best - showing off and breaking wind!

Day one, Monday morning, the Luton Lunatics in good spirits woke up at the unearthly hour of 6.30am (especially on a Bank Holiday when all good children should be in bed) prepared for the onslaught that Sensei Spanton had planned. So 7.25am and off we trudged to the battlefield were we met the rest of the HKK hardcore. Once on the field we commence with stretching and some erm gentle exercise (yeah right) to prepare our bodies for the onslaught ahead. With exercise out of the way Sensei Spanton bellowed "partner up" and we made ready for the first fight of the week after a couple of partner changes the mornings' session was at an end and a group of muddy, sweaty and ever so slightly battered Lunatics made their way back to the caravans for some breakfast and a rest. The sound of an alarm clock signalled that it was 10am and time to make our way to the main dojo where we commenced with some good ol' fashioned basics and Kata practice going through Pinan Shodan and Yondan in the main. The 2nd session at a close we made our way back to the caravans for some lunch and more rest.

Above - Kayleigh blocking a kick and Enrico taunting a fluesesent Irish 3rd Dan

3rd and final session of the day started with some long combinations designed to generate plenty of press ups. Then onto Kata which Sensei Spanton announced that the main topic of the course this year was to give everyone a full knowledge of the bunkai to Kusanku. The first day at a close we made our way back to the caravans for a rest and a evening meal

Above - Kayleigh showing us how Kushanku shuld be done. Jeff, in the middle background, stares into the middle-distance

Day two, Tuesday. The van awoke with a groan as the alarms went off at various times signalling that the second days training had arrived. With certain reluctance our bodies jerked into life and we made ready for the second days exercise and Kumite. The Kumite started early with Sensei Spanton saying attack the nearest person to you, I was fortunate to have Stuart from Swindon launch himself at me and was introducing his head to the mud when I was set upon by another Swindonian Tall Paul Cullumpa and they both then proceeded to batter me (I was almost introduced to the Swindon Finger!). Yame was called and we partnered up for some proper sparring. For the most part the sparring was gentle tip tap stuff with the odd hard punch or kick thrown in every so often, well for most of us anyway unfortunately Tall Paul Cullumpa had chosen his victim of the day; none other than young James Mason the shouts of " I love it " and "Give me more and hit me harder" drowning out the shrieks of young James who then proceeded to feed the fish (hence the nick name the vomiting cavalier). The session at an end we meandered back to the caravans for a spot of breakfast and a kip. The next session consisted of lots of basics and Sensei Spanton's killer combinations designed to get the most out of his students (most press ups that is!!), then it was on to Kata working through different Pinans on each day in the second session and a bit of Bunkai. The 3rd Session of the day was Kushanku Bunkai in the main with a few basics sprinkled in for good measure this session was finished off with warp factor 10 speed Pinans (20 Seconds!! to finish!!). The day at a close some of the Lunatics went back to the Swindon caravan and had a few pints of anaesthetic to aid our aching bodies.

Above - John taking more injuries with bunkai from Swindon than in the morning fighting

Day 3 was an interesting one on the battlefield as Paul was not content with ruining one of the Lunatics, he was going 2 for 2, and selected Jeff for his next target. Jeff who had no choice but to accept what fate had in store for him, however he proceeded to catch Paul with a punch to the chin. Paul's words of "Nice punch; don't do that again" went unheeded by the then concussed Jeff, who punched him on the nose and then found out that the old adage of better to give than receive as Paul gave Jeff a Cullumpa special seeing too! Barry (also from Swindon) must now receive his honourable mention as Jeff, having just received his second kick to the head from Paul, answered Barry's question of "How many is that?" with "Only 2" was distracted enough to get his right ear getting moved through his skull to appear on his left side as Paul shouted "That's 3". With muscles now starting to ache and various limbs refusing to function as they were originally designed to we limped back to the caravan too feel sorry for ourselves and with 2 more sessions of basics and Kata to follow. Each containing some highly lengthy, yet deviously simple combinations dreamed up by Sensei Spanton , before the Black belts continued with the Bunkai for Ku Sanku, the Brown belts with Lo Hi Di, the Purple belts with Ku SanKu and green belts with Pinan Go Dan.

In the evening we had the normal pub quiz with Sensei Spanton presiding over this, again for the second year running the Luton Lunatics remain victorious coming first again. The day over we dwindled back to the caravans to get some shut eye to ponder whether the rumours that this would be the last Ogwen run by Sensei Spanton.

Above - Alex doing ni-se-shi. Pedants may note that his left hand has been drawn to his right shoulder. Michael, to the right, has drawn his left hand to his left hip. Both of these versions are acceptable as long as the same move is repeated on both sides. And so ends today's lesson.

Below Kayleigh, Enrico and James punching and blocking

Day 4. We now discovered new muscles that we never knew existed, unfortunately discovering them mean't was to have pain from them. Some you win some you lose. Up and at 'em for 7.30 to the battlefield (yeah right). On the battlefield; some how Sensei Spanton had heard that the warm ups were too easy in the morning and decided to squash this rumour along with a few of us. We started with abdominal exercises till it really hurt and then had to do some more. Our legs raised at 6inches from the floor (some of the lads were bragging as to what there view of six inches were!!) it was at this point Sensei Spanton proceeded to do his impression of Jesus, however instead of walking on water took a walk across our already burning abdominals and finished with a few punches to the stomach for good measure. Then came the dips and partner press ups. Exercises at an end Sensei growled partner up, John sparred with Stu from Swindon and had a good tear up no injuries incurred by either parties, but a good exchange of techniques. The Session at a close.

Above - Andrew "Raging" Bull giving it some on the battelf field

The next two sessions consisted of basics and some partner work plus the next stages of the Bunkai on Kushanku, in which Sensei Spanton demonstrated where all the additional punches went and how these were blocked. It was at this point most of the bruising to the body came from as all the higher grades took this as a green light to batter each other, fortunately for John he was partnered with 2 of the Swindon lads (Stuart & Barry) who like to take it easy on each other (I think not!! anyone who was in the middle was turned into pate) and 2 of the Windsor lads (Gary & Nozer).

Below - Andrew doing his pinan godan

Above - Course black belts. John and Alex both have arrows sticking out of their heads

It was then off to the Chinese restaurant in Bangor Town with the Swindon Lads to unwind with a nice meal washed down with some beers before returning back to camp to be ready for another mornings training.

Above - Kayleigh and James taking their morning dips

Day 5. Meant it was finally the last day and the Luton Lunatics were on there way to the battlefield with a couple of nervous Ogwen Virgins who were all too aware that it was dip time for them. As usual we did our exercises to warm up and get our bodies motivated for the Kumite ahead. Exercise out of the way we were told to partner up but were only allowed to use striking techniques - no punches or kicks - John was partnered with the Battleship Bazza from Swindon and hit him with a palm strike to which Bazza said "I forgot about those" we then changed partners and moved onto normal Kumite (and was advised to keep it light, Yeah right, tell that to Russell from Maldon's nose!!). John was partnered with the legend that is Brian from Cardiff HKK who uses his exceptionally long reach to hit you from the other side of the field, undeterred John managed to hit him with several decent combinations which caused Brian to utter a string of expletives before trying to punch and kick him. Alex was partnered with Clair from Staffs who was making ready for her Dan grade later in the afternoon and a good exchange of techniques was had by both parties. One final change and John partnered with the Nozer who had remain somewhat shy of the battlefield all week and with the underground intelligence that Nozer hadn't been baptised in the river before that had been provided (thanks Gary I will keep it to myself!!) by sources unknown and the Shark Alex partnered with Sean from Swindon who had been avoiding the shark all week.finally the showdown was on!!. The command to start was given and the rest as they say is history (Nozzer and Sean had been softened up considerably before being gently placed in the river. closely followed by the 2 Luton Lunatics (James and Kayeleigh). The session was at a close and we wandered back to the caravans (some of us squelched back!).

Above - John showing his angry side

Above - the class kicking in unision. All except Enrico and Jeff. Are they kicking so fast that they're finishing before everyine else, or are they slacking? Let's hope it's the former!

The last two sessions flew by and before we knew it we were in the club house congratulating our friends on their promotions. The final awards were given and to her surprise Kayeleigh Farrow from the Luton Lunatics received student of the course for all her effort during the week (Well Done Kayeleigh) It was then time to say goodbye to our HKK friends and make our way back to civi lisa tion and normal life, another Ogwen over.

The final comment is that this was a great course and Luton HKK (as I am sure would the rest of HKK) would like to extend its thanks to Sensei Spanton for another great Ogwen and we all hope that there are more to come.

Luton HKK

Above - the last blast. Alex front middle, James front, second from the right.

Above - Kayleigh wins Student of the Week