On July 14 I travelled from my house in Vancouver, B.C. to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to participate in Sensei Nathan Douglas’ ‘Final Bo Stay 2022′ weekend of Final Bo coaching.
I joined two different GMAU college students from out of city there, Quinn McCutcheon and Sean Robinson, who each dwell in North Carolina. Quinn has a brown chevron in Final Bo, and Sean has a 2nd black chevron in Final Bo and a black belt in GMAU Shotokan. Sean can be a GMAU scholar chief. They’re each very good guys and glorious martial artists. And since they dwell shut to one another they usually spar collectively.
On the primary night, Sensei Nathan and his spouse, Sarah, made us really feel very welcome at their beautiful house for refreshments on the patio.
Day 1 – Bo Sparring and Kobudo Ideas
After we arrived on the Bojutsu Moose Jaw dojo on the morning of Day 1 (July 15), Sensei Nathan and several other of his native bojutsu college students had been there to greet us. Everybody was actually pleasant and welcoming. Sensei Nathan ran us by a enjoyable ‘contact my shoulder if you happen to can’ train to get us warmed up, after which threw us within the deep finish with bo-sparring ideas and observe.
As a inexperienced chevron in Final Bo, I’m new to bo sparring. So, leaping into fight on Day 1 was somewhat daunting. However we had been nicely protected, together with padded bos, helmets, and chest protectors. My sparring companions, together with Sensei Nathan and his son, Jake, took it straightforward on me. I bought pummelled however they let me rating a success or two on them.
Within the afternoon, we ran by some Kobudo (conventional Okinawan) sparring ideas — bo vs. bo and sai vs. bo — which I discovered fascinating.
That night, we loved a scrumptious barbeque in Sensei Nathan’s yard, the place he and Sean spontaneously confirmed us some eiku (Okinawan paddle) strategies and katas on the garden.
Day 2 – Bo Katas within the Park and Bunkai Functions
On Day 2 (July 16), 14 of us spent the morning doing katas within the shade (the climate was extremely popular) at a neighborhood park. We broke into smaller teams, and I used to be privileged to be taught Bo Kata 3 by Sean. (I’ve nicknamed him “Mr. Kata” on account of his present information and experience of 38 martial-arts katas.) After which Sensei Nathan ran us all by a standard Okinawan bo kata known as ‘Shushi no Kon Sho.’ I really like Japanese martial arts, so I actually loved studying that kata!
That afternoon we ran by some very cool bunkai functions (kata analyses) and made up our personal movie-like combat sequences. Quinn and I created and demonstrated an amusing, 70s-style combat scene. Sean and his coaching companion (one other Sean, of Bojutsu Moose Jaw) handled us to a shocking bo vs. tonfa sequence.
That night, we dined at certainly one of Sensei Nathan’s favourite resturants, Hopkins Eating Parlour, that’s in an previous mansion that dates again to 1905. We had been additionally given a personal tour of the home and had been advised about its ghosts.
Day 3 – Sensible Bo Self-Protection
On Day 3 (July 17), ‘Final Bo Stay 2022′ ended with a morning class targeted on sensible bo self-defense strategies. That was tremendous cool, however sadly I needed to reduce out after an hour to seize a bathe again on the lodge and head to the airport. As I left, Sensei Nathan had arrange a few BOBs (Physique Opponent Luggage) for the individuals to line up and observe their bo strikes on.
Lasting Impressions
Total, I had a unbelievable time at ‘Final Bo Stay 2022’; I’m nonetheless on a martial-arts ‘excessive’ from it!
Sensei Nathan is a extremely expert, enthusiastic, and inspiring teacher. I benefited vastly from his steerage. And assembly, coaching, and socializing with different bojutsu college students in individual was unbelievable. Total, It set me up splendidly — mentally and bodily — for diving deep into my Final Bo blue-chevron coaching.
As for Sean Robinson, he mentioned, “It was an incredible and great alternative to coach with folks I had solely met on-line. I really had a wonderful time with everybody each on and off the mats.”
Quinn McCutchen commented, “Sensei Nathan is a superb instructor. He actually put collectively a enjoyable, informative, and well-rounded curriculum. It was nice to have the chance practice along with his college students. They’re a really good and accepting group of people that made us ‘onliners’ really feel welcome! I bought lots out of the expertise and would undoubtedly return if there’s one other one.”
And to sum all of it up Sensei Nathan mentioned, “I had an absolute blast coaching with everybody. My largest take away was that the social meet-ups had been simply as enjoyable because the coaching. The random ‘let’s deliver out the eiku’ on the barbeque was simply excellent.”
Large due to Sensei Nathan for organzing the weekend, his superb instruction, enthusiasm and supportive phrases throughout coaching, and his professional barbequing; his spouse, Sarah, for her type hospitaility and to-die-for brownies; Sean for his scholar management, affected person Bo Kata 3 instruction, and the customized GMAU mugs he kindly made and introduced for us; Quinn for all of the enjoyable he and I had coaching and making up sequences collectively; and to all of the Bojutsu Moose Jaw college students for making us guests really feel so very welcome and supported.
‘Final Bo Stay 2022’ was a complete blast! For those who missed it, I strongly encourage you to enroll within the subsequent one when it comes round so you’ll be able to have enjoyable, practice laborious, make new martial-arts mates, and construct up your Final Bo abilities!
The Final Bo Program
