"Fun Week"

Next week is the annual Karate Fun Week. There are no regular classes during that week until saturday. Monday is picture day. They have class pictures, individual pictures, demo team pictures etc. You can buy different packages like trading cards, a plaque, mouse pad and other specialty choices. Purchasing these packages is not required, but they do encourage going at least for your class picture. It is STRONGLY encouraged. There are also a few seminars that will be held that week as well as a inner school tournament on friday night. The best part of fun week is the annual beach class. I live in RI and we are about 5 minutes away from many beaches. So wednesday at 6, we all go to one of the beaches here, everyone is required to wear their full white gi. First they set us all up for a school picture then we have class. this class is about 2 hours long and by the end, we will all be soaking wet and covered in sand. (you have to wear your swimsuit under your gi) It is so much fun. it looks great too- all of us in white doing kata on the beach. of course, we will probably also have to do commando crawls, rolls, throws, break falls and other things that will get us wet and sandy. OH yeah- and sand angels too. Now, the reason it is STRONGLY recommended that you attend picture day on monday at least for the class picture is because anyone who doesn't show up who doesn't have a good reason (and it better be good) will usually get called up to the front row at beach class. meaning- you will be first to get wet and sandy and to be subjected to any other forms of torture Renshi has in store. (and when i say torture, it is all in fun) Basics on the beach are done as moving basics, taking the classes directly into the ocean. When he has us start kicking drills, that is when the sand starts flying. The more sand you can kick at your fellow students the better. When class is over, its time to rinse. So usually the gi's come off and everyone goes in the water. I love this class. Last year it was cut short because it was high tide. This year it looks as though high tide is a few hours before class so we should be good. here is a snapshot of what we look like.