Special Training

Perhaps the most important part of Shotokan Karate is Special Training. Twice a year, typically in January and June, karateka head off to a training camp where we push ourselves to our limits. The goal is push past one's mental barriers - to push harder than you thought possible. In the words of Ron Thom, President of SKA, "The essence of Special Training is reaching a true understanding of yourself and making a sincere effort to improve yourself."

For the last several years, Special Training for the Pacific Northwest SKA and Canada West CSS dojos has been at Camp Elphinstone on the Sunshine Coast - just northwest of Vancouver, Canada. This camp is an YMCA camp in a beautiful spot in the woods overlooking the water. There are cabins, with beds and showers, and a mess hall. The mess hall and another building serve as the training halls, and during the summer we often practice on the soccer field. The remote nature of the camp is perfect. There is nothing to do but eat, sleep, and train. The food is excellent and the camaraderie is even better.

The practices themselves are organized by the senior black belts. The main feature of these practices is that the `intensity knob' is turned to way up. You punch faster, scream louder, and push harder than you would normally do - and you keep it up. And when you are so tired that you want to drop - you keep going. That is the goal of Special Training.

Special Training Checklist

• Make sure your SKA dues are paid; you must be a member of SKA to attend special training
• Send your registration form and money well in time
• Clip nails

• Taikyoku shodan
• Heian shodan and nidan (review all the other Heians)
• Tekki shodan

Documents:

• Registration form and money (and parent's signature for under 18 yr olds) if you haven't sent them
• Passport, even for U.S. citizens
• Travel visa and related papers, if you need to
• Some cash for food etc. on the trip

Apparel:

• 2+ gis; they won't have much chance to dry between practices
• Lots of changes of underwear (see above)
• Sweats or lounging about clothes
• Rain jacket and/or umbrella
• Footwear that can put up with a lot of mud and slush
• Bathroom slippers for indoor walking

Bed Bath & Beyond:

• Bed sheet
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Pillow
• 1 or 2 towels
• Toiletries, including soap, shampoo, bandages, tylenol, etc.
• Deodorant
• Nail clippers
• Ear plugs (there may be lots of snoring)
• Clotheslines
• Several clothes hangers
• Trash bag (something to put all your dirty gi's in on your way back)

Gear:

• Handpads and mouth guards
• Flashlight, especially for winter training
• Sun block, especially for summer training
• Sports tape
• Prickly heat powder or some such lubricating powder (possibly reduce chafing)

Replenishments:

• Refillable water bottle (and/or gatorade)
• Gatorade/Powerade powder mix
• Powerbar or other small food items to munch on, if you like (dried fruit, bananas, trail mix, etc)
• Cough drops (purported to help with sore throat from all the kiai)

To do:

• Heed this list and start to prepare at least a couple days in advance
• Keep Hydrated - drink water/gatorate before and after each training
• At least drink twice as much water if you drink gatorade
• Bananas help restore salt balance and energy
• Take a t-shirt to each training to change into right after training
• Keep Warm between trainings and while sleeping, massage your body - this will help you feel better overall

Miscellaneous:

• Reading stuff; you might be able to get in a few hours of reading/work over the weekend
• Questions (that you may want to ask other seniors)
• Notebook and pen (to write down the answers to your questions, log of what you did/who you met, what you found impressionable)
• Strong spirit and determination