SFR Seminar - the high-light of the week
Just got back from SFR seminar about 2-3 hours ago, broken in body, and more humble, seeing how much I don't know. It was indeed a great, two days long seminar given by Dean.
During these two days we went through very quicky the Shoden, Chuden, and Okuden levels of Jutaijutsu, and some Iaijutsu, just to have a feeling of what SFR is like and what we can expect this year.
I've seen again how important some thing are: firstly on physical level - the importance of foot- and hipwork, the importance of properly taking the balance of the opponent, and the importance of nagare.
Second, on mental level - and Dean talked a lot about this: taking the fight seriously, which does not mean to kill the opponent during training but still "to train as you fight, and then on the street you must fight as you trained". Also he explained how important it is to have nothing on our mind during a technique, just to trust the body and let it do whatever it has an opportunity for. The body will do just the right thing, we just have to let the movement flow (nagare) and we should not pre-plan how we would react - we won't have time to do that in a fight anyway. It was a very intensive seminar at least that's how I experienced from my side, but as I looked around I saw exhausted people everywhere. Probably it was the common look, as in the second half of today's session Dean told us to be warriors not only when the conditions are good, when everything is fine, but also when things are against you and when it is hard to endure both in body and mind, because you are sick or tired, et cetera. It helped a lot when coughing and fever caught me during training. (feeling much better now by the way, thanks for the good wishes ;) )
Dean by the way came with his senior student, Davor, he is also very good. Although I always felt that he was kind of a bit reserved, but this time I think something opened up, or maybe it was me more open towards him - but he helped me a lot too, when I encountered problems with some techniques. He had very good insights and he knew how exactly to explain to me what I did wrong - on a way that I was able to understand and to correct the mistake afterwards. I think it is also a criteria of a good instructor, this ability to communicate things towards the students on their level - on a way that they can understand.
Having the privilege of being the interpreter during the seminar kept me pretty busy, which I kind of like during seminars. I also noticed that although my attention was kind of shared between interpreting and watching the technique itself when Dean did the demo - still it was easier for me to do the technique, after translating. Porbably as I did not concentrate on the vision only - I was kind of relaxed from this point of view, and could better catch the point of the technique.
Having known Dean back since a few years ago from now, we always talk a bit when he visits Budapest and if time allows - it was the same this weekend, too. He asked about the situation in Hungary, which is luckilly quite okay at the moment, I asked for advice regarding my trip to Japan in August, and he was very kind to help me with some essential information about how to plan financially, with food, etc. One sentence of his made me very happy and kind of proud: he told me to tell if they ask in Japan that I was his student (through Attila). I felt really happy that he openly undertakes me as being his student, and I will try my best to earn it.
I think Attila was very proud too, as he and two other guys were awarded Yondan, for their diligent work and efforts they continuously bring for better understanding BBT and for caring so much about their students. I was very, very happy for them, and aspecially for Attila (I am not biased at all, am I? :-) hehe ) He really deserved it. I am happy to be his student.
So this seminar was hard and quintessential, but in the same time a very exhausting one. We went at it hard. Although I am full of bruises and hardly can stand on my feet and they are stiff and hurt - I am still satisfied with everything :-) It was a great one, thank you Dean and Attila!
During these two days we went through very quicky the Shoden, Chuden, and Okuden levels of Jutaijutsu, and some Iaijutsu, just to have a feeling of what SFR is like and what we can expect this year.
I've seen again how important some thing are: firstly on physical level - the importance of foot- and hipwork, the importance of properly taking the balance of the opponent, and the importance of nagare.
Second, on mental level - and Dean talked a lot about this: taking the fight seriously, which does not mean to kill the opponent during training but still "to train as you fight, and then on the street you must fight as you trained". Also he explained how important it is to have nothing on our mind during a technique, just to trust the body and let it do whatever it has an opportunity for. The body will do just the right thing, we just have to let the movement flow (nagare) and we should not pre-plan how we would react - we won't have time to do that in a fight anyway. It was a very intensive seminar at least that's how I experienced from my side, but as I looked around I saw exhausted people everywhere. Probably it was the common look, as in the second half of today's session Dean told us to be warriors not only when the conditions are good, when everything is fine, but also when things are against you and when it is hard to endure both in body and mind, because you are sick or tired, et cetera. It helped a lot when coughing and fever caught me during training. (feeling much better now by the way, thanks for the good wishes ;) )
Dean by the way came with his senior student, Davor, he is also very good. Although I always felt that he was kind of a bit reserved, but this time I think something opened up, or maybe it was me more open towards him - but he helped me a lot too, when I encountered problems with some techniques. He had very good insights and he knew how exactly to explain to me what I did wrong - on a way that I was able to understand and to correct the mistake afterwards. I think it is also a criteria of a good instructor, this ability to communicate things towards the students on their level - on a way that they can understand.
Having the privilege of being the interpreter during the seminar kept me pretty busy, which I kind of like during seminars. I also noticed that although my attention was kind of shared between interpreting and watching the technique itself when Dean did the demo - still it was easier for me to do the technique, after translating. Porbably as I did not concentrate on the vision only - I was kind of relaxed from this point of view, and could better catch the point of the technique.
Having known Dean back since a few years ago from now, we always talk a bit when he visits Budapest and if time allows - it was the same this weekend, too. He asked about the situation in Hungary, which is luckilly quite okay at the moment, I asked for advice regarding my trip to Japan in August, and he was very kind to help me with some essential information about how to plan financially, with food, etc. One sentence of his made me very happy and kind of proud: he told me to tell if they ask in Japan that I was his student (through Attila). I felt really happy that he openly undertakes me as being his student, and I will try my best to earn it.
I think Attila was very proud too, as he and two other guys were awarded Yondan, for their diligent work and efforts they continuously bring for better understanding BBT and for caring so much about their students. I was very, very happy for them, and aspecially for Attila (I am not biased at all, am I? :-) hehe ) He really deserved it. I am happy to be his student.
So this seminar was hard and quintessential, but in the same time a very exhausting one. We went at it hard. Although I am full of bruises and hardly can stand on my feet and they are stiff and hurt - I am still satisfied with everything :-) It was a great one, thank you Dean and Attila!
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