Bristol Shorinji Kempo Dojo

Did you know we are on MoveGB? Book a class now!

If what you are doing is not what you are doing, then why are you doing it?

What do you call a pig that knows martial arts? Pork chop! #MartialArtsJokes

Interesting look at the differences between eastern and western attitudes to martial arts.

Never let fear decide your future.
Besides, we're not scary... come along and prove it for yourself tonight, 7-9pm at Fitness for Less!

At Shorinji Kempo we are big on working with partners.
We call it "kumite shutai", or "pairwork is fundamental". It is, in my opinion, the second most important thing when learning a martial art (the first is *actually turning up regularly and paying attention*, without which nothing else really works).
After all, you can learn to do the perfect block or the perfect punch on your own, but as soon as your opponent starts moving then range and speed and targets and all sorts of... other things become vital.
The same goes for the softer side of Shorinji Kempo - the eludes and throws. It's very difficult to practice joint reversals without a joint to practice on!
In partnerships, the students often have different strengths. By working together and explaining things to each other you can both improve faster.
However, it's not all about technical mastery. Pairwork teaches empathy too, because you get to find out what it feels like to have a technique done on you. Shared experiences are a great way to build friendships!
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A little bit of pre-training “chatting”...

It's Tuesday, and that means this chart is even more appropriate than normal. Should you be practicing right now?

Something to read on the weekend? "The Secret Science of Modern Martial Arts". #BookReview #MartialArts

Check out this video of two Shorinji Kempo kenshi (students) performing an embu in 2015. #ThrowbackThursday #MartialArts

Have you signed up to Summer Camp yet? If not, why not?

In Shorinji Kempo, one of our aims is to work together to create an ideal world.
But what is an "ideal world"?
Everyone has their own ideas, and what is true for one person might not be true for others. What do we do when those ideals conflict? Maybe my ideal world is one in which a particular politician doesn't exist... I doubt that would be ideal for them!
... I think that an ideal world is one in which those sorts of conflicts can be sorted out in a mature and dignified way, so that all people can have as much control over their own destiny as possible while still respecting others.
But your ideas (and ideals) may vary.
What do you think? What are the components of an ideal world, and how should we go about creating them?
#philosophy #martialarts #idealworld
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It's #ThrowbackThursday and here's a little something from 2014. Forgive the slight raggedness, we hadn't been practicing very long!

Don’t forget to come to training tonight! It’s going to be a fun one. I know this because they all are.
7-9pm at Fitness for Less.

Today I'm enjoying the sunshine and trying to make progress on some of my goals for the year. What are you doing with this glorious summer weather?

Replace “Kung Fu” with “Shorinji Kempo” and this blog post is still true. I suspect that it is true for any martial art. Of course, the only real way to know if it is right for you is to try it out. Get in touch today to ask us anything!

Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. - Henri Bergson

Sometimes, you have to do something completely ridiculous in order to understand the principles of what you are doing. Here we learn about balance and stability, and why they are important in sparring.

Your first session is free, so there's nothing to lose!
TUESDAY 7:00 – 9:00pm FRIDAY 6:30 - 8:30pm £6 adults/£4 concessions
... Fitness4Less 15-29 Union Street City Centre Bristol BS1 2DF
For more information, please visit our website.
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