Articles and News

Sensei George Visit

A full article and photos are on the Association site click here

Congratulations!

Our very own Alice 'on the spot' Griffin scooped an award in the IRN Radio awards for her piece about how the floods affected children caught up in the disaster. Well done Alice who is pictured right with her award in the dojo.

Esh Training Comments

Karatekas Those who came to the training tonight I hope you also enjoyed it as much as I did! It was great to go over 'bunkai' attack and defence in such fine details and repetition and this showed me once more how helpful and important to learn karate properly.

I know this a little out of the blue but I would like to thank Sensei Andy for his commitment to his students and his dojo. I know for the fact that you all share this with me.

Further to Sensei Andy's announcement tonight, just a quick reminder to you all that Sensei George is coming to Sheffield to train us on the 19th and 20th April (check out all the training details in Hallam Dojo web site). If you haven't trained with Sensei George yet, well, don't miss the opportunity! He is coming all the way from London for you. Those who have already trained with him, I am sure look forward to meeting him again. London, Sheffield, nationally, internationally or where ever you get the opportunity to train with him, go ahead and do it..I assure you, you will add more to your experience and broaden your knowledge in Goju Ryu.

Please try your best to attend training on the 19th & 20th.

Brotherly hugs, love and peace to you all, Esh

Sensei George on YouTube

YouTube footage of Sensei George teaching in the Kremlin here and here

Congratulations to all from the grading on 15/3/08

Margaret Vs The Volcano

I just had to post this video, this is Mags boarding down Cerro Negro, an active volcano near Leon, Nicaragua. We are having a great time and on Weds we are off to the beach (Little Corn Island) They speak English there, due to Ye Olde English Pirates of olde, odd! I hope that you are all training hard, see you all (too) soon Sensei Click here here

Poem by Esref

Poem for 3rd Dan

Katas are the meaning of inner wisdom
Attributes to the meaning of Goju Ryu
Techniques need perfection with
Attitude, loyalty and love

So, listen and respect your Sensei
Egotism has no place in the heart of learning and teaching
Proud of training and reaching your ultimate capacity
Apply and practice your learning in mind and mean it for yourself and others
Importantly, enjoy achieving to attain the unbelievable….

by Esref Ulas, December 2007

R.I.P The Old Dojo

The bullzozers have started demolition of the old dojo in the name of 'progress' Great times were had in the old dojo, it's hard to believe that we were there 7 years. It seems like yesterday that I was splashing emulsion all over (Richard) I would like to thank everyone that made the old place such a good venue and hope that in time we can feel as fond of the new one.

Sensei Andy

Congrats!!!!! To Hallam Students

All candidates were successful in the recent gradings in London. It was a hard grading, tougher that I have seen for a few years, but all came through with flying colours. Lee had an unexpected sleep in his grading when John knocked him out cold when doing Gekisai Bunkai's! He rose from his slumber to continue his test.

• Esref Ulas 3rd dan
• John Lynock 2nd Dan
• Lee Richardson 2nd Dan
• Barbara Dakin 2nd Kyu
• Vicky Green 2nd Kyu

Back row Sheffield Hallam students and front row junior sudents from Sensei Terry Nobles dojo and Sensei Simon Gollands dojo

Course with Bakkies Laubscher Sensei, 8th Dan

Articles and a podcast interview with Sensei Bakkies are now on the OTGKA articles page click here to go there

Alton Towers Trip 20/10/07

Great trip to Alton Towers, all major rides were dispatched with lots of screaming and laughter!
Claire Dungworth, what a star, she not only made sandwiches for us all but brought a load of home made banana mufins, if you didn't go you really missed a great day.

The photo on the right below shows the aftermath of the trip on the 'Log Flume'

Gilberto's Last Session

Sadly we said our farewells to Gilberto who will be returning to Mexico at the end of September. He was presented with a Sheffield Steel penknife and a partisan gift from some of a Sheffield United keyring. We will all be sad to see Gil leave and look forward to his visits here and us to a holiday home there!

Mobile phone footage of Gil dancing here (dark footage but he's the one in the hat!)

Craig and Josie's pre-wedding fancy dress BBQ (What is this, Craig's page!)

Craig and Josie to Wed

Craig and Josie are getting married soon and would like dojo members to attend to reception (poster in the dojo) Here are some photos of Craig in Blackpool on his 'Stag Do' as the 'Only Gay in the Village' He was left no option but to wear the outfit as all his clothing was taken whilst he was sleeping and the costume left in their place.

Amanpreet

Sunday the 29th of July saw Hallam Dojo student Amanpreet (Armin) marry Hardeep. Sheffield Hallam Dojo wish them prosperity and good luck for their future.

Sheffield Flood

Thanks to everyone for their emails and phone calls checking if we are okay here in Sheffield. Having been on holiday and arriving back late on the day of the floods I still haven't had time to contact all dojo members. We arrived back to our house to find our cellar flooded damaging a freezer and tools, but this is nothing compared to people at the bottom of the village who have lost everything.

One of Hallam's students Craig Adlington was trapped by flood waters at work and was interviewed by Sky News! (I wonder if they had subtitles?)

Congratulations Steph

Congratulations from all at Hallam Dojo to Steph Parker who passed her Nidan test in London last weekend.

Adios y Buen Suerte Maria

Hallam Dojo said a sad farewell to Maria Del Rocio Leon Kempis at her final session on Monday the 4th of June. Maria from Mexico had been in Sheffield for 6 years whilst working on her PHD. Having finished she found a job at a university in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Thankfully there is an IOGKF dojo there so she will be able to continue where she left off. Maria was famous in the dojo for her ever smiling face and after this weekends Dojo BBQ her salsa moves!

As a reminder of Sheffield she was presented with a penknife made by Joseph Rodgers, manufacturers of knifes in Sheffield since 1682. I for one hope to see her on a Gasshuku one day. Group photo at her last session (mobile phone image)

Dojo Summer BBQ

Hallam Dojo held it's annual Summer BBQ on Saturday the 2nd of June. The weather could not have been better, an almost perfect English Summers day.

After the food and a few empty cans and bottles it was time for our mini olympics. We had egg and spoon race, three legged race, hula-hoop contest, mini space hopper race (harder than bunny hops!) and the finale the limbo pole, to the backing of some Trinadadian music.

One of the highlights was seeing Maria and Gillberto (Mexican students of the dojo) dancing to salsa in front of an enthralled audience late in the evening.

Click here to see a gallery of event images | Click here to see a limbo video!

Grading 23/5/07

Congratulations to all the candidates who were successful at tonight's examination. Keep up your good work, your hard work has paid off. This will be Maria's final grading before she returns to Mexico where she will be training at an IOGKF dojo in Guadalajara.

Team Spirit

Article by student, Claire Humberstone click here

Visit the official website of Okinawa. The site has a great section on Martial Arts and has video clips of kata from all the main Okinawan styles. Click this link to be taken straight to the Martial Arts section.

Hallam Dojo 10th Anniversary

Block! Block! Block! Punch! Descend!

Demonstration by Hallam Dojo

Translation of your IOGKF Dan Grade Certificate

Meaning of the IOGKF emblem (Kenkon)

Some personal thoughts on the Grading Syllabus by Brian Tune

Chalk and Cheese by Brian Tune

For more articles visit our Association site at www.otgka.co.uk