One of the most fun things you can do with a martial art is take part in international events. Bristol Shorinji Kempo, through the British Shorinji Kempo Federation, is part of the International Kempo Association. And that means we have friends in lots of other countries!
Recently, we attended the IKA seminar in Sicily.
The weekend of training was organised by Dojo Messina, and was attended by members from all over Italy, Switzerland, the UK, and more.
During the event we learnt lots. I love international seminars because each teacher has a slightly different perspective on how and why things work. If I’ve been struggling to understand a technique, looking at it from a new angle often works wonders.
It wasn’t all hard work though. There was plenty of opportunity to make new friends, get reacquainted with old ones, and hang out by the pool.
The social highlight was the Gran Gala – beautiful Italian food and amazing company, filling the evening with joy.
As I continue to sort through my (many many) photos from the trip, I’ll be sharing them on social media. If you want to see more, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Instagram!