I recently hosted Hanshi Richard Buchan (pictured) and Sensei John Haight from Toronto, Canada, for a week here in the Highlands. Hanshi, who is a 9th Dan, and Sensei, who is a 4th Dan (both in Kosho Ryu Kempo), are true examples of humble and very proficient Martial Artists and it was an honour hosting these gentlemen for the week!
They had an extensive tour around our scenic Scottish Highlands which included a visit to the Falls of Shin at Lairg in Sutherland and Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. They also visited a good number of SKA schools and gave verbal and technical presentations which the students and instructors thoroughly enjoyed.
On Saturday 27th October, over thirty SKA adults and teens attended a Kempo Seminar at the Dingwall Leisure Centre which was conducted by Hanshi Buchan. At the seminar, Hanshi taught Kosho Ryu Kempo concepts which included detailed analysis of body movement. It's clear that Hanshi has gained in-depth Kosho skills from his time with Hanshi Bruce Juchnik and others, I'm delighted to have awarded Hanshi Buchan with SKA Technical Advisor status as he has much to offer both myself and the SKA!
I would like to publicly thank Hanshi Richard Buchan for commenting at the end of the seminar to my students that he views me as a higher rank than 7th Dan, it was comforting to hear him say that as it tells me that I continue to mature spiritually, mentally and physically in the arts. I was also honoured that Hanshi made me the Scottish Representative for Kosho Ryu International.
I very much look forward to working with Hanshi in the future... we have become very close friends and have agreed to get together to teach our styles of Kempo around the world when we can make it happen. At this moment it looks like we'll be teaching together in Italy in May 2008 for SKA Representative: Shihan Claudio Artusi in Venice, I'm very much looking forward to that event as well as my other international engagements in America, Canada and other parts of Europe. It looks like 2008 will be my busiest year yet teaching Yoshin Kempo on the international stage!
It takes dedication to run a Martial Arts school but to operate seven Kempo schools here in the remote Highlands takes even more dedication, however, I have a GREAT team of Shihan, Renshi, Sensei, Sempai, and assistants to help me... I'm fortunate that having trained them all from beginner students, I can rely on them to look after the schools when I need time-off or if I'm teaching abroad. Every instructor who has visited the Scottish Kempo Academy has commented positively on the attitude and overall technical ability of my students. I'm very proud of that and look forward to our next Highland event featuring Professor James Muro, Shihan Jhonny Bernaschewice, and Shihan Stephen Nicholls, teaching at our annual Gathering in April 2008 which will be held at Scotland's ski capital - Aviemore!
They had an extensive tour around our scenic Scottish Highlands which included a visit to the Falls of Shin at Lairg in Sutherland and Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. They also visited a good number of SKA schools and gave verbal and technical presentations which the students and instructors thoroughly enjoyed.
On Saturday 27th October, over thirty SKA adults and teens attended a Kempo Seminar at the Dingwall Leisure Centre which was conducted by Hanshi Buchan. At the seminar, Hanshi taught Kosho Ryu Kempo concepts which included detailed analysis of body movement. It's clear that Hanshi has gained in-depth Kosho skills from his time with Hanshi Bruce Juchnik and others, I'm delighted to have awarded Hanshi Buchan with SKA Technical Advisor status as he has much to offer both myself and the SKA!
I would like to publicly thank Hanshi Richard Buchan for commenting at the end of the seminar to my students that he views me as a higher rank than 7th Dan, it was comforting to hear him say that as it tells me that I continue to mature spiritually, mentally and physically in the arts. I was also honoured that Hanshi made me the Scottish Representative for Kosho Ryu International.
I very much look forward to working with Hanshi in the future... we have become very close friends and have agreed to get together to teach our styles of Kempo around the world when we can make it happen. At this moment it looks like we'll be teaching together in Italy in May 2008 for SKA Representative: Shihan Claudio Artusi in Venice, I'm very much looking forward to that event as well as my other international engagements in America, Canada and other parts of Europe. It looks like 2008 will be my busiest year yet teaching Yoshin Kempo on the international stage!
It takes dedication to run a Martial Arts school but to operate seven Kempo schools here in the remote Highlands takes even more dedication, however, I have a GREAT team of Shihan, Renshi, Sensei, Sempai, and assistants to help me... I'm fortunate that having trained them all from beginner students, I can rely on them to look after the schools when I need time-off or if I'm teaching abroad. Every instructor who has visited the Scottish Kempo Academy has commented positively on the attitude and overall technical ability of my students. I'm very proud of that and look forward to our next Highland event featuring Professor James Muro, Shihan Jhonny Bernaschewice, and Shihan Stephen Nicholls, teaching at our annual Gathering in April 2008 which will be held at Scotland's ski capital - Aviemore!