Luton Higashi

Ogwen Bank, Wales - 5-9th May 2008

Luton Lunatics from the left: Steph "The Claw” Meale, Enrico “Smack Boy” Puddu, Jenny ”Chipmunk” Bailey, John “the Bosh” Hurley, Karen ”Womble” Tomkins, Adrian ”Hmm Hmm” Walker, Jeff ”Trojan” Archer, Alan “Mad Doc” Wiles

Every year Higashi Karate Kai meet for a week of intense training by a river in North Wales called “Ogwen Bank”. Here in a remote part of the country five days of basics, kumite, kata, bunkai and advanced versions of all of the above awaits karate students under 8th dan Peter Spanton.

The legendary Ogwen Bank Course not only acts as a chance for karate-ka to share techniques but also serves as a chance to progress to a higher grade as Sensei Spanton assesses you throughout the week.

Above - John fighting Pau l"The Wooky" Smith

Here is an account of the 2008 course from the eyes of some of the Luton Lunatics that attended the course.

Day 1: 7am. Wakeup call hit a couple of us hard, the 'virgins' of the group however were up, ready and waiting outside the Hurley caravan at 7.10! How keen! Little did they know what was in store! The morning session prepares for an hour of kumite, the Japanese word for fighting. This hour of training involves free sparing on what is known in Ogwen as the battlefield (or should we say the grassy bank with lots of mud and geese poo, but it wouldn't be Ogwen without it!) At this point in the course no gi's or belts are on so no one can tell what grade you are. This basically meant that in the first session 4th dans had the opportunity to kick lower grades in the temple. Luckily this first session is also used as a warm up for the week and no one is attacking at anywhere near full force.

Above - Mad Doc stoving it in

There are two afternoon sessions, the first of which is built up of basics. Punching and kicking up and down the car park-shaped dojo. Synchronised kata also heavily features in these sessions as Sensei Spanton gives the commands to break each kata down into single movements followed by combinations of movements for the same kata. The afternoon sessions are when you know you have to be on the ball. Sensei Spanton has eyes everywhere, one technique wrong and he knows! Always block or else! And one question - why is that when Sensei Spanton is near you everything goes to jelly? No matter how well you think you know something you really don't when he's looking! For us lower grades its makes us feel so much better seeing even the senior dan grades getting things wrong! Press ups!

Above - John hailing a cab

Each day contains about 5 hours of training.

Day 2: Kumite this morning consisted of three way sparing fighting off two enemies at the same time. Both John Hurley and Jeff Archer hunt down their own students in a successful attempt to “condition” our bodies (and faces) sharpen our reactions and basically give us a bit of a battering.

Above - Lunatics Jenny, Steph and Enrico not wearing pyjamas

On day 2 it began to get extremely hot, a rarity for Ogwen we are told. The river starts to look very appealing! The afternoon sessions are separated further apart because of the intense heat as a necessary precaution to avoid sunstroke.

Bunkai is introduced as we are spilt into graded groups and learn application for each Kata via other students trying to hit you as you go through it.

Above - John driving the bus

Day 3: Reflex and technique training take place on the battlefield as we are moved onto a rockier part of the field because of lambing season, apparently!

Day 3 is a hard day and for a lot of students, sleep depravation starts to kick in (especially if you have been out drinking to the small hours). Doc joins the Lunatics for the rest of the week and also starts to kick in.

Above - Adrian and Karen

Day 4: Sparing returns to normal and the black belts decide to see how much damage they can cause to each other…. Nice! But the lower grades had other issues or should we stay Steph, she got her nail ripped off so Karen was in charge of taking her back to the caravan and doing some first aid. I have to say I think they were glad to get off the battlefield because that morning certainly was the battle of the black belts!

Above - Steph and Adrian with John in the centre

The afternoon sessions continue with lots of hard training and insightful techniques. Well, hard training for most of us - after Steph's nail emergency that had happened during the morning session it was rather difficult keeping a straight face in lines. Karen was next to Steph and all she could see on her front punches was this claw sticking out because she could not clench her fist properly due to nail issues!

Day 5: Starts with no stretching but instead rapid fighting with everybody attacking anything that moves. Much fun, much pain, and a lot of adrenaline found in everyone. And then of course what comes at the end of the final morning session? The Ogwen River calls the Virgins! Adrian and Steph - welcome to Ogwen! The later dojo lessons are a lot calmer and easier up until the final push. The final push is an old Ogwen tradition whereby the entire class does repetitive basics up and down the dojo, with the loudest kiai's and the strongest punches of the week karate-ka's vanquish all of their enemies.

Above - Steph taking her morning bath

A team kata competition is held between all of the attending clubs. Stephanie and Karen were chosen to represent Luton and were given Pinan Shodan with application. The girls were perfectly in sync with each other and though we did not win, everyone at Luton was very proud of the fantastic performance and effort that Karen and Steph put in. Well done.

Above - Steph and Karen performing team kata

Above - what may look like an Irish banjo-playing alcoholic is actually 5th Dan Francie Mahon. But he is Irish and isn't scared of a Guinness.

When the final day is done (if you haven't just been kicked in the face) a wave of euphoria washes over all of the karate-ka at Ogwen Bank. This year a big BBQ was organised for everyone to gather together and eat and drink until the last day was no more. Entertainment at the BBQ came in the form of some of the guys from Sligo Higashi club with a banjo, tin whistle and Bodhrán. The guys played some fantastic music and sang away for a good part of the evening. One of the highlights of the week for all of us was to hear the full version of the Higashi song played to us live on the banjo. A song about the spirit of Higashi Karate, the pain of training the benefits of dedication and the fall of our enemies.

Above - Adrian showing off his poor blocking skills

Peter Spanton also gave back our licenses during the BBQ to reveal our assessments and any promotions we may have achieved throughout the week. Everyone who was eligible to grade gained a promotion. The Luton Club was also extremely honored to discover that Steph had won 'Student of the Week' award. She was presented with a trophy amongst proud, clapping karate-ka. This is the 3rd year in a row that Luton has received the award.

Above - Steph winning Student of the Week!

Above - There's something about the Luton Ladies. Kayleigh, Karen and Steph win Student of the Year three years in a row!

Injuries during the week:

Jenny – on day three Jen is hit in the mouth by Sensei Spanton via Docs uraken.

Stephanie – on day four one of Steph's fake nails comes off… and takes the real nail with it!

John Hurley – on day four John is hit in the face and blood is drawn (though this is not really counted as an injury amongst 4th dans)

Adrian – on day five (1 min after all sessions have finished) Adrian receives a side kick to the mouth a lot of blood comes out.

When the Lunatics were not training we found time to have a beer or two. Here are some of the classic quotes from Ogwen 2008:

Jeff – The wheel's still spinning but the hamsters long since dead isn't it Steph?

Adrian – this isn't Gladiators mother-f*#ker

Enrico – What is that you're taking Adrian ? Viagra? Are you planning to do some stick-fighting?

Successful promotions:

Doc – 1st Class 4th Kyu

Jenny – 1st Class 5th Kyu

Adrian – 6th Kyu

Stephanie -7th Kyu & Ogwen Student of the week

Report by Karen Tomkins & Adrian walker