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First Week-Long National Training Camp

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FIRST WEEK-LONG NATIONAL TRAINING CAMP HUGE SUCCESS – 1986


Kyokushin Australia held its first ever week-long National Training Camp in January of this year at the NSW State Sports and Recreation Centre at Narrabeen Lakes, Sydney.
The camp (for those unlucky ones that missed out) was a booming success.
Those who attended were fortunate enough to have some first rate instruction by Sihan Goda 6th Dan and Sensei Sato 4th Dan. They were especially flown in from Japan just to instruct at our National Camp. The experience and knowledge that was passed on at the camp was invaluable.
The schedule for the camp was quite full, starting off with early morning runs (5.45 am) that became longer and longer as the days flew past, followed by a basic training session before breakfast.
From 10 am black and brown belts were instructed in advanced Kata by Shihan Goda, then from 11 am to 12 pm all other grades at the camp joined in for an hour before lunch. This training session was generally on Kata, to improve Kata form and knowledge. After the lunch break the black and brown belts were the first to start again from 2.30 pm with advanced instruction by Shihan Goda till 3 pm when the other grades joined in for a general training session, finishing around 4.30 pm to 5 pm, and off to dinner at 6 pm.
The camp turned out to be not all just sweat and pain, but also quite educational with a few interesting lectures that filled most evenings. The first was given by George Papallo who is a chiropractor and runs several sports clinics in Sydney. George spoke on treating karate and sport related injuries. The next night was a coaching lecture by Graeme Emond. Graeme, who is a physical education teacher from Geelong, had everybody up participating in his lecture on sport sociology and his special Kyokushin fitness profile.
One night everybody was glued to the television set watching a very exciting video film of some of the past World Championships and All Japan Tournaments.
The last of the lectures was given by Bob Curzon-Siggers. Bob, who has his own dojo in East Bentleigh, Victoria, works as an ambulance paramedic, and hence Bob was able to give us a very knowledgeable lecture on what to do with some of the injuries that might occur in the course of training. Thanks must go out to those who lectured, for the time and effort they put into the lectures. They were greatly appreciated by all who attended the camp.
Another highlight of the camp was the beach training sessions. Who said karate was always too serious? We had two marvellous days of training, firstly on the sandy shores of South Narrabeen, where the instructors had a full time job just trying to keep everyone’s eyes looking forward, especially when the onlooking sun bathers were trying to tan all their bodies. The second day was at Collaroy, a little further down the beach where the waves and backwash was just a little calmer.
Another highlight, which was mainly for the senior grades, was the Bo-Jitsu instruction, for which we must thank Shihan Goda. We were also privileged to get some of Sensei Sato’s special tournament fighting instructions. It proved to be very fast, hard and interesting.
Saturday was a big day for the camp, for we had the first ever Australian-held 50 Man Kumite that was entered by four brave men, namely Sensei Gary Viccars from Victoria. Luke Grgurevic from Victoria, Tony Bowden from Queensland and Jim Phillips from NSW. Also in conjunction with the 50 Man Kumite, and not to be outshone by the 50 Man Kumite, was the black and brown belt grading which was overseen by Shihan Goda, Shihan Taylor and Shihan Boulton. At the end of the grading, the visiting Japanese instructors commented that it was of a very high standard and one of the hardest gradings they have ever had the privilege to see.
Saturday evening saw everyone in a more relaxed situation at the Savonara barbeque. With some very interesting acts and songs. especially the witty for should I say “bareing” act presented by Coffs Harbour.
Everyone obviously enjoyed the party and apart from a few stiff muscles from the grading, they were all up for their final early morning run and early morning training session on Sunday.
Following lunch, all grades got together for the final training session which was held “in” the swimming pool at the camp.
All in all everyone who attended the camp seemed to leave it feeling they had learnt something and had also enjoyed themselves at the first ever week-long National Training Camp.

FIRST AUSTRALIAN 50 MAN KUMITE

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50 MAN KUMITE – THE ULTIMATE TEST – 1986

When I first heard that there was going to be a 50 man kumite test in Australia I gave little thought to entering it. Although I had long wanted to do something like that I felt that at 39 I was far too old to try.However, the more I thought about it the stronger the desire to do it became so I began to examine my motives. I thought that this would be a good way to get several points across to karate students everywhere. The first being that at 39 I could still mix it well with the ‘youngies’, secondly that age is no barrier in itself and if the desire is strong enough nothing is impossible. Thirdly, that if I could do it then a lot of other students who didn’t think they could might also try. So three months before the date I began training. I began by working on my fitness level and stamina. Three weeks later I included weight training as well as technique and breath control. My weight dropped dramatically and I found myself getting weaker instead of stronger. It was then that I spoke to my longtime friend and training partner Les Pickersgill (sandan) and he pointed out that I was trying to lose weight and become strong at the same time. This is not always possible and my aim should be to carry some weight and be stronger for the 50 fights. We then began a different type of training designed by Les to give me more punching power, increase reflexes and sharpen defences. After a few weeks I could see the result and the pain, blood, sweat and tears became easier to bear because I knew I was going to make it. I also discovered three different types of inner drive. The first is the strong desire to actually do it that makes you start training and keep going. The second is the “spirit” that makes you train harder and constantly push yourself and the third is the extra special one that makes you keep going when you come to hate training and you don’t want to do anything. In the last two weeks of training I experienced this last aspect greatly but at last the day to leave was here and I still don’t know whether I was excited or nervous when I left but we arrived at the camp and had a pleasant five days of hell before the test. The camp training was really hard especially with the test at the back of my mind all the time but finally the day was here. When we lined up I can remember thinking that this is what I had pushed myself so hard for and nothing was going to stop me getting through. After five fights I began to think that maybe I wouldn’t make it as I was starting to puff but around the 10th fight I found my wind and got my balance. The next 10 fights are just a blur and then I thought tragedy struck as I slipped and fell on the side on my knee and as the pain coursed through me I thought that I would have to pull out. However, whilst lying on my back with the first aid attendant applying an ice pack I began to feel angry. Angry especially with myself for even thinking of retiring and the applause as I got to my feet spurred me on even more. In the next few fights I realised that if I was to last I had to stop thinking about the number of fights left and just worry about surviving. So I became absorbed in each fight to the extent that I often did not hear the call of `game’ or anything-else for that matter. When the Shodan candidates sat down I knew there was only 10 fights to go and with my wife screaming at me that I was there I tried as hard as I could. Towards the end I think I got a little sloppy but the last fight came out well and suddenly it was all over. So many emotions flicked through me when I knew that I had done it. Pain and pleasure, pride and humility, satisfaction, contentment, love but I think most of all – pride – that I was a member of that strongest karate. That day was certainly the hardest of my life, all the fights were of a high standard and you could not afford to try and cruise through any. Many of the fighters tried as hard as they could to stop you. From a personal point of view I was well pleased to come out of it with no serious injury and getting hit with only a few thigh kicks that hurt and not getting swept at all (sometimes my two weakest points) proved that the training that Les and I had done was well worth it. My sincere thanks to Les for guiding me along the right way, I know I would not have made it without his help and advice, and a special thanks to my wife Geni for putting up with me through all the training. I know it was difficult and I was not easy to live with. Now that I have done it I can say that the nickname ‘the ultimate test’ is very apt and anyone contemplating trying it should be prepared for the hardest day of your life but also the most satisfying.
Gary Viccars