Dojo news

Dear excellent kendoka,

Welcome to the new kendo season!

RSJ-dojo Amstelveen starts Tuesday, September 5th, and Saturday, September 9th.

Verify all kendo activities and the training days/hours the agenda on our Internet site: http://www.renshinjuku.nl/?Taal=E

Progress and appointments:

The Yudansha of our dojo must be reinforced! By giving much/more attention to kendoka with bogu it must be possible to raise the kendo-quality of our kendoka considerably. This I will realize by, among other things, focusing the trainings on traditional training forms. To achieve this a number of requirements must be met. Among others a committment to regular kendo training is necessary, in training forms as well as participation. Of members it is now expected that you train at least three weeks per month!! If you cannot satisfy this requirement, you must discuss this matter with me. The initiative for consultation lies with you!

There must be more respect towards teachers. Latecomers are not allowed to join training, unless dispensated by sensei. Members who didn’t pay contribution to the dojo cannot train!

We will keep attendance.

Renshinjuku is a kendo dojo where kendoka are offered the ability to train and to develop themselves. I want to do this with active members, not with sponsors; i.e.: members who only pay contribution, but do not train. If that leads to a small number of devoted attendants then so be it.

We will also give more attention to training forms for Yudansha.

For this I already have a program ready.

Think for yourself what your personal aim in kendo is this coming season and give note of it during training. For myself I have planned to teach more intensively, among other things by training more and to interfere less with the organization of our club. Therefore a number of tasks of the organization is delegated to members.

Inform yourself of our activities through the agenda on our website and decide in which you want to take part.

Anyway, I am completely ready for the coming season; my shinai have been sharpened and oiled; my hakama & keigogi washed and ironed and my bogu polished. I’m now ready to meet you at the other part of my shinai. GAMBATE!!!

 

With kind regards,

 

Bert Heeren sensei

Kendo 6 Dan Renshi

Dear members,

As the dojo has begun the summer break as of July 22nd I will inform you on certain things to look forward to:

• Kendo summer seminar: During the first weekend of August the 4th through 6th the summer seminar will be held at the Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam. This is a highly recommended event for all levels of kendo practitioners. The sensei attending are Vitalis-sensei, Kanda-sensei, Iijima-sensei, and Nabeyama-sensei, as well as several students from the University of Tsukuba where Nabeyama-sensei is the head coach. Please make sure to attend!
• Training at Museido: This dojo in Amsterdam is one that does not have a summer break, so many practitioners from across the country choose to attend training here during the summer. If you are in bogu, this will be a great way to experience a different kind of kendo compared to what we do at Renshinjuku.
• Start of the new season: Finally on Tuesday the 5th of September and Saturday the 9th of September training of the new season will commence.
• Buffet party: This tradition to festively open the new year will be held a week later on the 16th of September. For this party you should bring a main course dish for approximately the same number of people as you wish to bring to the party. After the training we will set up a table where all dishes are placed and then we can enjoy each other’s self-prepared food together. Drinks will be taken care of, please make sure to contribute a few coins for this.

Finally, as the weather can occasionally be quite hot, please take care of yourself well. If you practice make sure to hydrate yourself adequately, and to warm up properly. The weather might be hot, but your muscles still require preparation for training!

And if you will go on vacation, please enjoy them thoroughly!