National Australian Jodo Championships

[Newbie]

Got mentioned on another unrelated thread so I thought I might as well start one here.

So.... WOOTAGE!! Next Nationals coming up :D Only, what, five months away? And in QLD, sunning and swimming when not training. Talk about difference from one year to the next though after last year's snow on the mountain in Tas! Maybe Nagayama will be more comfortable this year ;)

So, who's going?

I find it a little strange though that grading forms have to be in with your seminar registration. I know it makes the admin much easier but that means they're going in two months before grading. There have been gradings sempai hasn't signed me off on within a week or two of grading.

But still... there's a bird sanctuary near the venue.. wonder if it's walking distance?

[Marcus_P]

You can always hand in the grading form and make the decision not to grade in the seminar... And isn't usually your late grading approval due to your injuries? ;)

I'm _planning_ on going... Whether I actually get to go or not is a different story! =P

[Marcus_P]

And what thread did it get mentioned on?

[Newbie]

Err... Wollongong Trip thread. But by the time your form goes in you've paid. Sempai just said if he's not satisfied by Nov 27th then pay the extra $25 and put my reg in for the next bracket.

I'm hoping they're mistakes on the timetable where they have two slots for jodo and six for iaido... it's colour coded so I'm assuming it's a misprint, like where they have three lots of jodo kyu grade comps - two of those being individual comps! Heh-heh.

Still, lot a work to do. What's a couple misprints that are easily interpreted.

[David Kolb]

Unfortunately, the venue requires us to provide a definite idea of numbers at an early stage hence the registration cut off dates. Having said that, I'm not really sure why anyone attending the Seminar/Championship would not be in a position of having some idea as to whether they would be eligible for a grading by the end of November. After all I wouldn't imagine there being many opportunities between then and the event.

For anyone that may have missed the other thread, the website can be found at
http://iaidojodo2008.googlepages.com/home

Just to clarify, there are equal training opportunities for iaido and jodo on the draft schedule. The mistake in the Friday competition schedule has been rectified. There are 2 slots for jodo and 6 for iaido simply due to the greater number of competition events for iaido.

Looking forward to seeing you all in January.

Regards

Dave

[Newbie]

I'm not really sure why anyone attending the Seminar/Championship would not be in a position of having some idea as to whether they would be eligible for a grading by the end of November.

Constant injury. Blargh. Hey, news today - appointment for my knee at the hospital not till 2009. I'm now looking into private insurance. No iaido or kendo till 2009?! Gah. It'll kill me.

There are 2 slots for jodo and 6 for iaido simply due to the greater number of competition events for iaido.

Errr... oh! I nearly cried! Heh, no, I wasn't referring to the comp. I was referring to the training sessions. You've got iaido down for full days but in the jodo colour.

[Marcus_P]

Newb, remember even if you're slightly below par for the grading before the week, after a week of training you should be right.

I went to Iai training for the first time in two months last night. GOD, am I SORE. I should call the Jodo Sensei sometime soon too...

[Ralutin]

I should call the Jodo Sensei sometime soon too...

Phil Relnick?

[Marcus_P]

Yeah, I emailed him yesterday and he told me to call him.

[Newbie]

I went to Iai training for the first time in two months last night. GOD, am I SORE. I should call the Jodo Sensei sometime soon too...

Sometime soon. You know if that'd been me I woulda been straight on the phone.

Just with the lower kyu grades, two months means an awful lot. After all, I had my first grading in jodo two months after I held a jo staff. Not like the high kyus and dan grades where it's fairly obvious well beforehand. I suppose we are a little unique here with so few practitioners and so little contact time. But we do our best :) I'm hoping this year we can get more than one person representing the state. I really don't wanna be standing there by myself again. Three of the boys are students so I might see if work will sponser our "team", just wear t-shirts to and from the airports saying "proudly sponsered by". It may make the difference between the boys being able to go or not.

I'm really impressed at the package deal though. I mean, it's a lot of money but it works out your paying something like $150 for a whole week of accommodation and food! That kicks arse.

Hey, David, is the bird sanctuary up there within walking distance and is there beach?

[Aden]

Hi Newbie

Marcus has a problem there in Washington state.... too much quality instruction available up there. Not like Adelaide or Wollongong where there is not much choice in anything budo related and we dream of Menkyo Kaiden level instruction :).

2009 for a knee op, thats tough, as long as the NSW public health waiting list.

But remember, if you are the only one from your state at least you get to put head of delegation and state team member on you budo resume :).

Aden

[Marcus_P]

LOL, don't get me wrong, I'm aware of the level of instruction available to me being up here in Washington state. But my gear only arrived like a week ago, and I didn't want to call before I was ready to start training. Which was this week.

Also, I'm still not 100% used to this other side of the road driving (I actually drove down the left hand side of the road on Saturday night, much to my embarrassment), and making my way around yet, so I wanted to be a little more familiar with the place, and a little bit more settled before I called him.

Hell, I just moved hemispheres, give me a break! =P

[Aden]

The side of the road thing can be a killer (literally) - I came back from a 1 month driving tour around the USA and Canada some time ago and the first day back in Australia, on a country highway, pulled out on the right hand side of the road from a petrol station and was within centimetres of being crushed by a vehicle coming the other way.....

Aden

[Newbie]

2009 for a knee op, thats tough, as long as the NSW public health waiting list.

No, no. That's until someone looks at my knee. And now apparently I have wasting in that leg in the calf and thigh muscles around the knee so lots of careful strengthening exercises and swimming and walking in water.

But remember, if you are the only one from your state at least you get to put head of delegation and state team member on you budo resume .

What do you think I've been doing for the last six months?!

[David Kolb]

The venue is right on the beach. The Bird Sanctuary is a few ks down the road but I'm sure we can get you there.

[Newbie]

*shivvers with joy* Oh man. This is like a fairy tale for a budoka - get up before breakfast, chi kung and physio/knee exercises on the beach, quick swim, breakfast and then six hours of training! (or three hours of training and three hours of note taking) and a quick swim to wash the grime and indigo away. Oh my god, I think I'm in heaven.

Sorry if I'm getting a little pathetically excited :D

[Newbie]

I know a few people have been up there before for Nationals, both iai/jo and kendo? There's a rock climbing wall - do we get to use it?

:)

Be nice to try a different wall for a change - there's only one indoor rock climbing gym here.

[satsumaruma]

I thought you had knee problems?

Climbing with knee problems?

[Newbie]

Ooops, I don't climb (I'm terrified of heights. I do however enjoy belaying so I belay for Kristian and our friends (and his daughter) and it doesn't seem to stress the knee too much.

[Newbie]

Just got my time off booked from work today :D Now just gotta sort out rego and flights...

[Budo Angel]

just gotta sort out rego and flights...
Wow, just couldn't imagine people here (Britain) FLYING to a National Jodo championship...you guys are really dedicated ! Gambatte

[Newbie]

Err... Queensland. It's like on the other side of the country. I mean, it's a two and a half hour flight. Sorry - Keep forgetting. Your country I think is about the size of the state I live in ;)

[Budo Angel]

two and a half hour flight
Precisely, as I say, many here, wouldn't entertain that time duration be that flying or the "village donkey" travel - to a JODO event - is the point. (ps. I once lived in QLD, so understand the distances)

Now a beer event, yes, Brits would crawl 2 & half hours to that competition...*giggle* Best wishes as ever !

[satsumaruma]

Actually, a great many people here think 20 minutes by car is a long way to go to a dojo.

This is true; a chap rang me up about 3 weeks ago and said he had seen the website and was interested in doing Iai and Jodo. After a nice chat about each art (and he did ask some pertinent questions) he asked the locations of both dojos. When I gave him directions (and please note they are only 20 miles from each other - 30 minutes by car) he asked if we had a dojo near him. I asked how near he wanted it and he said... in his village.:ponder: I then asked him (still trying to be helpful) if he didn't drive and would have difficulty with transport arrangements. Oh no. he did drive, finished work in plenty of time to eat his dinner, let it settle, pack his equipment and drive to either dojo - he just thought 20 minutes was too much "just to do a martial art"......click...............dddrrrrrrrrrrrr

:eek::eek:

[Newbie]

Dear god. When I go up to Flinders dojo, it takes me about an hour and a half. Even the dojo right near me is ten minute walk to the train stop, ten minutes on the train and another five/ten minute walk to the dojo. And to me that's just around the corner!

[Budo Angel]

a great many people here think 20 minutes by car is a long way to go to a dojo
Dudes, when I was in Japan (that's old chestnut) I heard TWO students found it 'hard' coming down from their 5-6th floor apartment block, to the dojo on the SAME corner as their block !!! :confused2 They could've dropped their hakama & gi/equipment from their window and picked it up off the street (few seconds later) to walk in through the dojo door...:eek:

ten minute walk to the train stop, ten minutes on the train and another five/ten minute walk to the dojo
Oh, so no need for a warm up then :ko:

[Newbie]

That aint nuthin. My training partner runs from the train station to the dojo carrying not only his jo and iai stuff but his bogu as well!

But as you'd know, if we didn't catch flights to seminars, we'd never attend any except the ones in our own state! That and it's not like the nationals are a weekend - a full week of training *happy sigh*

[MrChow]

I wish I trained in Iaido and Jodo, a week at the Gold Coast sounds great!

[Newbie]

Sunday's 1-3 at Thebarton buddy... c'mon... you know you want to... Chris, Adrian and Kristian do kendo, iaido and jodo, I did before I screwed my knee. Just one day a week extra..... And yes. The Gold Coast. Kinda makes it all worth it, eh?

[Aden]

And to revive a sleeping thread, the AKR has formally released the zekken / jodo kata changes for the 2008 nationals at http://www.kendoaustralia.asn.au/.

And the dan grade written questions were circulated to the states last month.

So make sure you have a zekken for January and bring your (preferably typed) written responses with you.

Aden

[Newbie]

I don't mind you reviving an old thread - nationals are only six or so weeks off.

The bugger of it is, I'm gonna need a zekken for these nationals for SA then one for WA straight after. Apparently I'm still considered SAKA until AKR fees are due.

Anyway, my flight doesn't get in to the Gold Coast until eight in the evening. What time are people getting in? I'd much prefer not to try and find my own way there... I get nervous travelling alone.

[Newbie]

Oh, and any updates on which sensei might be coming?

[Marcus_P]

I'm not coming this year unfortunately. Can't afford it. =(

[Newbie]

You're not a sensei just yet, Markus :P I promised to shave one of your eyebrows off this Nats. How am I supposed to do this when you're on the other side of the world?!

[Fred27]

You're not a sensei just yet, Markus :P I promised to shave one of your eyebrows off this Nats. How am I supposed to do this when you're on the other side of the world?!

ooo! Find one of those online delivery services. Like a shave-o-gram! :D

[Marcus_P]

You're not a sensei just yet, Markus :P I promised to shave one of your eyebrows off this Nats. How am I supposed to do this when you're on the other side of the world?!

I wasn't implying I was a sensei. I was just saying that I'm not coming this year, unlike I told you previously. Assume makes an ass out of u and of me! ;)

Also, you caught me. The real reason I'm not going is not because I can't afford it, it's because I like my eyebrows.

[Newbie]

Ha. You told me months ago you weren't coming, anyway.

So who is going?