Workshop
Belgium Seminar and Training Workshop
19/05/10 23:11
Spinal Injuries Ireland continues to develop its Self Defence Program for individuals who have sustained a spinal cord injury.
As part of Spinal Injuries Irelands Kick Start program which is aimed at encouraging individuals to challenge themselves. James O' Donahue from Galway, Mark McNulty from Donegal,FoxDublin and Neil Chickfrom Devon now living in Louth, travelled to Antwerp in Belgium on 17th -20th October to take part in a two day training course in street awareness, self-defence and Jun Fan Gung Fu with Alain De Preter.
Alain De Preter is the co-founder of ASMA vzw, the first violence prevention and self-defence organisation in Belgium. Alain is recognised by the Belgium Ministry of Internal Affairs as a self-defence teacher for security people and as a security advisor, he teaches at-risk personnel for the Government and private organisations.
Alain has been training since 1993 under Sigung Taky Kimura and Sibak Andy Kimura and was awarded rank four in the art of Jun Fan Gung Fu.
The idea of visiting Alain was formulated when Colm Whooley and Declan Breen who train under Sifu Martin O’Neill of Jeet Kune Do Ireland were fortunate enough to meet Alain at a training seminar hosted by Jeet Kune Do Ireland when Alain came over with Sibak Andy Kimura to train with Martin and his students.
The weekend was a huge success thanks to all those involved. The participants were able to spar on a one to one basis with Alain and his fellow students and it is reasonable to say that Alain and his students were impressed with the ability and work rate of the visiting Irish contingents.
Thanks to the support and continued training of Martin O’Neill the techniques that were practised over the weekend worked extremely well under the real pressure of sparring. There was no concession asked or given just because some of those taking part were wheelchair users. By the end of the weekend all those present had a commonality. “They were all Martial Artists”.
All participants thoroughly enjoyed the program and were presented with a certificate in the participation of the workouts in street awareness, self-defence and Jun Fan Gung Fu presented by Sifu Alain De Preter.
Spinal Injuries Ireland would like to thank Alain and his students for giving up their time and all the hard work involved in making the weekend possible from the hiring of a wheelchair accessible toilet to the fitting of a ramp into the training centre and the banquet laid on at the end of the weekend.
For more details you can contact colm at colm@spinalinjuries.ie or colm@wheelchairjkd.com or check out the website www.wheelchairjkd.com
As part of Spinal Injuries Irelands Kick Start program which is aimed at encouraging individuals to challenge themselves. James O' Donahue from Galway, Mark McNulty from Donegal,FoxDublin and Neil Chickfrom Devon now living in Louth, travelled to Antwerp in Belgium on 17th -20th October to take part in a two day training course in street awareness, self-defence and Jun Fan Gung Fu with Alain De Preter.
Alain De Preter is the co-founder of ASMA vzw, the first violence prevention and self-defence organisation in Belgium. Alain is recognised by the Belgium Ministry of Internal Affairs as a self-defence teacher for security people and as a security advisor, he teaches at-risk personnel for the Government and private organisations.
Alain has been training since 1993 under Sigung Taky Kimura and Sibak Andy Kimura and was awarded rank four in the art of Jun Fan Gung Fu.
The idea of visiting Alain was formulated when Colm Whooley and Declan Breen who train under Sifu Martin O’Neill of Jeet Kune Do Ireland were fortunate enough to meet Alain at a training seminar hosted by Jeet Kune Do Ireland when Alain came over with Sibak Andy Kimura to train with Martin and his students.
The weekend was a huge success thanks to all those involved. The participants were able to spar on a one to one basis with Alain and his fellow students and it is reasonable to say that Alain and his students were impressed with the ability and work rate of the visiting Irish contingents.
Thanks to the support and continued training of Martin O’Neill the techniques that were practised over the weekend worked extremely well under the real pressure of sparring. There was no concession asked or given just because some of those taking part were wheelchair users. By the end of the weekend all those present had a commonality. “They were all Martial Artists”.
All participants thoroughly enjoyed the program and were presented with a certificate in the participation of the workouts in street awareness, self-defence and Jun Fan Gung Fu presented by Sifu Alain De Preter.
Spinal Injuries Ireland would like to thank Alain and his students for giving up their time and all the hard work involved in making the weekend possible from the hiring of a wheelchair accessible toilet to the fitting of a ramp into the training centre and the banquet laid on at the end of the weekend.
For more details you can contact colm at colm@spinalinjuries.ie or colm@wheelchairjkd.com or check out the website www.wheelchairjkd.com
Jun Fan Gung Fu Seminar and Workshop with Sifu Andy Kimura
19/05/10 23:11
Martial arts for people with a disability took a major step forward recently when Spinal Injuries Ireland who run a Jeet Kune Do self defense program were privilege to host a seminar in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, with Andy Kimura as the guest instructor.
Andy Kimura Senior instructor in the Jun Jan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle is the son of Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee’s close friend and highest ranked instructor. The Jun Jan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle was founded in 1960 by the late Bruce Lee founder of the Martial Art of Jeet Kune Do.
Spinal Injuries Ireland have been pursuing their goal to create a self defense program that “really works” for wheelchair users since 2003. Spinal Injuries Ireland’s JDK instructors Declan Breen and Colm Whooley met Andy Kimura and Alain De Preter of Antwerp JDK at a seminar in Belfast held by Martin O’Neill of JKD Ireland.
It was while attending this seminar that the seed of an idea was planted. Would it be possible to get Andy and Tacky Kimura to agree to hold a seminar for Spinal Injuries Ireland? The first step in this journey was last October when six members of Spinal
Injuries Ireland JDK self defense program travelled to Antwerp in Belgium to train with Alain De Preter of the Antwerp School of
Martial Arts .
It is fair to say that Alain De Preter and his colleague’s were very impressed with the technical ability and passion of the group. At the end of the weekend Alain agreed to ask Taky and Andy Kimura when he was next in Seattle if they would consider putting a seminar for Spinal Injuries Ireland together.
Thankfully after Alain De Preter outlined how committed and passionate Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK self defense group were about developing a real and practical self defense program, Taky and Andy agree to travel from Seattle to the National Rehabilitation
Hospital in Dublin, where Spinal Injuries Ireland run their JDK self defense program for both inpatients and individuals from around the country. Unfortunately a couple of weeks before Tacky and Andy were due to travel to Dublin, to quote Taky “I had a small heart attack” Thankfully Taky has made a good recovery but under the advice of his doctors he was unable to travel.
While Spinal Injuries Ireland’s JDK group where very disappointed that Taky could not travel, they were of course relived that Taky had made a good recovery. They were delighted that Andy agreed to still travel to Dublin. SII where also pleased to hear that Alain said he would travel from Belgium to assist Andy. As the date of the seminar drew close the group was anxious that they would be able to demonstrate to Andy what they where capable off.
So they spent a weekend before the seminar training with a Redman suit so that they could perfect and hone their skills. They were also anxious that Andy would see beyond their wheelchairs and disability and recognize them as fellow martial artist in JDK.
They needn’t have worried within minutes of arriving and meeting the group it was clear that Andy like his father Tacky is a very special Sifu, who is without doubt going to continue the promotion and development of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do.
Jun Fan Gung Fu Seminar and Workshop with Sifu Andy Kimura
19/05/10 23:11
To start the day Andy had a special surprise for the group. Taky had filmed and recorded a personal message for the group. You could hear a pin drop as the group watched and listened to Taky apologies for being unable to attend the seminar because of “a small heart attack”.
It was a very special moment, here was one of the greatest martial artists and highest ranked instructor in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do and closet friend of Bruce Lee acknowledging Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program. After the message from Taky the group got down to training. Andy regaled the group with stories about Bruce Lee and his father Tacky as he moved a round the group working on individual basis with the participants while also sparring with Alain to demonstrating a particular move, before looking to see if it would work for us.
From previous experience with instructor who insisted on showing us techniques that would never work as wheelchair users. We knew what it was to have instructors “say it will work if you work on it, when we could see clearly that it would never work” Andy was so different, he listened and worked with us he even suggested that himself and Alain got into a wheelchair while acknowledge that our balance is very different as wheelchair users. Alain drew the short straw. As wheelchair users we have seen able-bodied individuals hop into a wheelchair not allowing that they can tip right over if not careful, so we decided that Alain was expendable “only joking Alain”
To put the day in context some of the participants traveled a round trip of 400 miles to attend.
All too quickly the seminar was over, Andy just kept on going, anxious to impart as much of his skills that he had learned from his father Taky.
I think it is fair to say that while the training with Andy was so special for the group more important was the fact that Andy took the time to travel over from Seattle in the USA to acknowledge the Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program.
The ultimate goal of Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program is to continue to improve its program for people with a disability but ultimately to create a JDK program that can be learn by any individuals with a disability anywhere in the world. Taky and Andy Kimura support has taken us one step closer to our goal. Maybe in the future the Bruce Lee foundation will consider approving our program.
To quote Bruce Lee: “If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
It was a very special moment, here was one of the greatest martial artists and highest ranked instructor in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do and closet friend of Bruce Lee acknowledging Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program. After the message from Taky the group got down to training. Andy regaled the group with stories about Bruce Lee and his father Tacky as he moved a round the group working on individual basis with the participants while also sparring with Alain to demonstrating a particular move, before looking to see if it would work for us.
From previous experience with instructor who insisted on showing us techniques that would never work as wheelchair users. We knew what it was to have instructors “say it will work if you work on it, when we could see clearly that it would never work” Andy was so different, he listened and worked with us he even suggested that himself and Alain got into a wheelchair while acknowledge that our balance is very different as wheelchair users. Alain drew the short straw. As wheelchair users we have seen able-bodied individuals hop into a wheelchair not allowing that they can tip right over if not careful, so we decided that Alain was expendable “only joking Alain”
To put the day in context some of the participants traveled a round trip of 400 miles to attend.
All too quickly the seminar was over, Andy just kept on going, anxious to impart as much of his skills that he had learned from his father Taky.
I think it is fair to say that while the training with Andy was so special for the group more important was the fact that Andy took the time to travel over from Seattle in the USA to acknowledge the Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program.
The ultimate goal of Spinal Injuries Ireland JDK program is to continue to improve its program for people with a disability but ultimately to create a JDK program that can be learn by any individuals with a disability anywhere in the world. Taky and Andy Kimura support has taken us one step closer to our goal. Maybe in the future the Bruce Lee foundation will consider approving our program.
To quote Bruce Lee: “If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”