In karate, Gasshuku (合宿) — plural Gasshukus — means a training camp or intensive group training session.
The word literally breaks down as:
- “Ga” (合) – together, combined
- “Shuku” (宿) – lodging or staying
So, in essence, gasshuku means “training together under one roof” or “group training camp.”
As simple as that sounds, attending my first Black Belt Gasshuku was slightly intimidating in some ways. I was joining a group of people who have been doing this far longer than I have. It almost reminded me of the first day of high school — not knowing what to expect, but wanting to integrate quickly and get on with it. This is quite a strange feeling for someone in my age category, I must add.
However, once I arrived, I quickly realised this was different. We are all just people, each with our own personalities, but within our dojo and Samurai culture, we are quickly accepted as family — not just as friends and training partners. People whom I had seen but never truly connected with became individuals I could now get to know beyond the perceived environments we place ourselves in at home or in the dojo.
Mutual respect, shared history, a sense of purpose, commitment to grow as human beings and collectively in our artform — Kimura Shukokai — and genuine camaraderie, were strong. Everyone pitched in. Everyone trained. Great stories were told over the fire in the evenings. No fluff, no nonsense — just the pure enjoyment of training and learning together in our style of karate, and enjoying each other’s company while doing so.
Whether getting up to train at 04h30 in the morning, starting supper at 21h00 at night, or chatting over a cup of coffee and a rusk at sunrise, sweating up a storm in the ShuShu sauna, playing ball in the sea, this was special — a rare opportunity to connect with good people and with nature. Training in the mountains, in the ocean, on the beach, and watching the sun rise and set each day added something deeper to the experience.
Connecting with the youngest among us (the teenagers) and even some of the golden oldies (I am not far off…) was of great value and great fun. I learnt so much about the people in our dojo and the quality of individuals we have amongst us. We are truly blessed.
This gasshuku was much more than extra training. It was a concentrated period of physical, technical and mental development in our style of karate. We immersed ourselves in the artform, away from daily distractions, strengthening the spirit of dojo camaraderie and Osu no Seishin — the spirit of perseverance and respect.
Sensei Charlie gifted us the teaching of Sanseiru Kata (三十六) — “Thirty-six techniques” and focused us on maintaining the ABC’s (Alignment – Balance – Connectivity). I thoroughly enjoyed learning this kata. I enjoy unpacking these forms at home and adding them to my armoury of movement patterns — movements I can practise anywhere, anytime, and continue refining for life. With a long-term goal of physical function and longevity in mind, this resonates deeply with me. The fact that it forms part of our style and builds strength and power through structured physical sequences is a bonus.
Sensei Bruce and Sensei Charlie place strong emphasis on staying calm under pressure — or phrased differently, remaining calm in the chaos. With this in mind, we undertook some decent pressure testing on the Saturday afternoon obstacle course and again on Sunday morning during Randori (乱取り).
Randori literally means “seizing in chaos” or “free taking”. It tests reflexes, situational awareness, composure, adaptability and flow under less structured, unpredictable conditions, as we spoke about in this post. When having to do this and focus on our ABC’s (Alignment – Balance – Connectivity) combined with increasing levels of fatigue, it becomes particularly challenging. Yet the challenge was accepted — and enjoyed by all.
My Sunday morning one-on-one Randori with Sensei Donald Kapa Mbu was especially meaningful for me. I took a few solid shots, but I stayed in the fight — and more importantly, I continue to improve and grow within the style.
On a lighter note, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing a dormitory with the ‘younger’ contingent at the gasshuku. I can confidently say we were safe from any wandering wildlife during the night — there were enough “trees being felled” to scare them well away.
Here’s to many more gasshukus to come.
Keep forging together. Osu.
Wayne Viljoen | 1st Dan Black Belt