In 2015, between closing the Caterham Dojo and opening the Sanderstead Dojo (where we currently reside) we trained outdoors on Summer evenings
This involved the regular Mon and Wed night sessions, as we were doing them at the time, now outside on the Grass, from May to Sep
We called it The Longest Summer Camp Ever
This year, 2019, we had a similar, but different format
Along with the Tuesday night Class, we had regular Thu night Grass, some weeks with Grass Thu substituting for the Tu Class
There was no Grass Day summer camp, as we have done in previous years
One of the unique aspects this year was how more specific the focus has been
This has been the most sporadic year yet, with the closure of Shirley Thursday class, and the return to Sanderstead on Tuesdays, as well as changing members
We have also seen our Ten Year Anniversary, since the opening of STMA Caterham Dojo in 2009
While we covered a lot of Ninjutsu in 2018, and I brought a lot of Ninja weapons to class where we covered Concepts as much ass Techniques, this year we specifically focused on the first two Ninja schools :
KOTO RYU KOPPO Jutsu
GYOKKO RYU KOSHI Jutsu
I posted a lot of material on the NINJA Board, and we covered a lot in Class and on the Grass
We also worked a lot of the development of SAVATE in the KB stage, with new sets posted to the KICKBOXING Board, and practiced in Class
So Summer 2019 on the GRASS has been about Modern Goshin NINJUTSU, as well as the KEMPO JUJUTSU, with the same back in Class, along with the KARATE and the new KB developments
If you see it on the Grass, you see it in the Class
GRASS Sessions this Summer
Thu April 23 - technically the Easter Camp session, it set the blueprint for the Grass training over the Summer, following our return to the Sanderstead Tuesday Dojo, where the Thursday class complimented the Tuesday Class
7 sessions a total of 14 hours training
Thu May 23
Thu June 20
Thu July 11
Thu Aug 1
Thu Aug 29
Thu Sep 5
Thu Sep 12
Check the class board for summary on what happened at each session and how they all flowed together, culminating in the final one with the Advanced Sword, Mutodori and Taijutsu
We will continue to develop and use the NINJUTSU techniques in Class, the KOPPO Jutsu and KOSHI Jutsu of the KOTO RYU and GYOKKO Ryu
These will work in the Unarmed Phase with KARATE and KEMPO - the "4Ks"
Though it may be a bit premature to be planning the next Summer Grass as such, we know after 10 years that a 6 month period goes by quick
So, as I have written elsewhere, chances are we will be tapping into the NINJA School SHINDEN FUDO RYU and it's twin systems of DAKEN TAI JUTSU and JU TAI JUTSU on the Grass
Maybe we will do a long Grass Camp again like we did this year - who knows?
Check the Shinden Fudo Ryu thread on the NINJA Board if you want to see what's there
