Northampton Branch
Branch Master: Dirk Bruere

Updated 1 February 2002

Note -
I am transferring the position of Branch Master to Lynda Barnes in the near future.
Additionally, the 'Northampton' Branch will retain its name, but will move physically to Sandy in Bedfordshire. The information below will be updated shortly.

Training Times:

Adults Class - Tuesday 18:00 - 20:00

Fees - New membership:

These fees are renewable each year at a slightly lower cost.

Fees - Training:

Training fees for children are £1 per lesson. However, there is no special childrens class. We will accept children from the age of 11+, depending upon size and maturity.

Training fees for adults are £8 per calendar month payable in advance for lessons once a week.

Training fees for adults are £16 per calendar month payable in advance for lessons twice a week.

Prospective new members may participate in one months training sessions at a cost of £4 (refundable upon full membership) plus £2 training fee per session in order to 'try it out'. Any further lessons will require full membership. The latter requires the above fees, correctly filled membership forms and two passport size photographs for the ID card and records in Japan.

Upon becoming a member the training will be geared towards the first grading. A Kenshi is eligible to take this, having reached the required technical standard, a minimum of three months after becoming a member of WSKO (included in the membership) and having attended a minimum of 20 classes. The current fee for those aged 13+ is £15, and the examination is normally conducted in London. For children different rules apply.

Location:

Sandy, Beds

Class Format:

The format of the class is similar to those of Shorinji Kempo worldwide.

In general we begin with warm-up exercises followed by single-form exercises, both static and moving, which lasts about one hour. There is then a break where the Dokun is recited and this is followed by a few minutes of seated meditation called 'Zazen'. The teacher follows this by a talk which can be quite wide ranging: from Shorinji Kempo philosophy to technical analysis to... whatever the teacher deems appropriate. The remainder of the two hour training period is then devoted to pairform work based around the syllabus. This is where practice is with Kenshi (Shorinji Kempo practitioners) of ones own rank.

Shorinji Kempo is a very structured (not to mention bureaucratic) art. All students are encouraged to take gradings when appropriate as the technical training is based around the syllabus. You will not be formally taught new sets of techniques until the requisite grade has been achieved. For adults, there are five Kyu grades leading to the First Dan (first grade of Black belt). These are symbolised by belt colours. New students wear white and are 5th Kyu; this is followed by Yellow, Green, Blue and Brown. There are well defined criteria set out by the world organisation (WSKO) as to who is eligible for grading. The criteria are elapsed time since previous grading, a minimum number of classes taken, and technical competence.

From the 3rd Kyu onwards there is a written examination as part of each grading in which knowledge of Shorinji Kempo philosophy, outlined in the syllabus, is tested.

What is it like...? Frequently Asked Questions

That's the question I get asked most of the time. So, here's a few answers, in no particular order.

Exercise- Shorinji Kempo in Northampton is fairly physically demanding. You are going to sweat. I would compare it to something like aerobics. However, because we work at high intensity in relatively short bursts it is in fact anaerobic exercise.

Whilst much of the time the class moves at a certain speed, the amount of physical effort put into the training is really up to the individual. You will not be 'pushed' by me or any senior student except when it comes to technical detail. Better to do it slowly and correctly rather than fast and wrong. Each student is encouraged to raise their own level of fitness by exercise outside the Dojo and well as in class if they are feeling the strain. (Actually, I feel the strain all of the time, but usually don't let on...)

Self Defense - The training is geared towards 'self defence' in the combat sense. That is, it is a complete martial art rather than a collection of 'neat tricks' (although it does contain a great many 'neat tricks') and is intellectually and physically coherent. What this means is that it is taught in a progressive manner. For example, in general releases are taught before the locks that they lead onto and before the throws.

Competition - Shorinji Kempo is not a competitive art, nor is it to be regarded as a sport. Although we do practice free-fighting it is not as serious competition but as another facet of all-round training. We find that formal competitions weaken the art in that competitions mean training with rules in mind, something sadly lacking in the street. The desire to win is never to be placed above the safety of ones partner (note that I did not say 'opponent').

However, there is one major competitive artform in Shorinji Kempo called 'Embu'. This is essentially a pre-arranged fight sequence mixing kicks, punches, blocks, releases, locks and throws into a fluid full-speed demonstration lasting for approximately one and a half to two minutes.

Embu pairs compete with other pairs. Each pair is in fact demonstrating a level of co-operation, skill and trust that is quite remarkable at the senior levels, especially bearing in mind that a mistake can mean serious injury. In fact, Embu is the only way of safely mixing the hard and soft techniques (eg punches with throws etc) at full speed.

Pain and Injury - Is Shorinji Kempo dangerous? Well, yes, otherwise it would not be much good as self-defence would it? However, in training the beginner would not normally expect to suffer anything worse than aching muscles and minor bruising to the arms and legs, which is why we allow people to wear protective gear if they feel concerned about this.

Free-fighting rules normally specify strict no-contact to the face, and only semi-contact elsewhere on the body. Hard and soft techniques are not to be mixed. Exceptions are made to this when, for example, chest protectors are used, or when senior grades (Black Belt rank) practice between themselves by prior agreement. Other safety rules vary depending upon class size, whether there is matting down etc Even so, it must be recognised that accidents happen, usually through carelessness or inattention. In this respect it is no different from contact sports. To give you some idea of the frequency of injury severe enough to prevent training, in my experience both soccer and Rugby are more dangerous.

The core of training is training with a partner, practicing the techniques with each other. As one progresses the power and speed increase, but so too does the concentration and skill which goes a long way to offsetting the danger.

It should also be noted that Shorinji Kempo does not teach techniques that are designed to kill or cause permanent injury. It does teach techniques that (at more senior grades) cause extreme pain or unconsciousness through the use of pressure points on the body. Something to look forward to as you 'rise through the ranks'.

How long does it take to get to black belt? - Usually the response one gets from a senior Kenshi is 'as long as it takes', but I favour the more direct approach. There are minimum requirements that make it unlikely you can do it here in less than three years. Also, standards for Shodan (First Dan) vary from nation to nation. You might get to be a very poor Shodan in Japan in one year (where it means that you have completed the basics) or a very good one in Germany after seven years (where it means you are an 'expert'). Things tend to even out around the Third Dan level. To do comparisons not only between nations but between different martial arts based on 'Black Belt' are meaningless. Better to ask how often someone trains and how long they have been practicing seriously.

How long does it take to get good at it? - This is an impossible question. How long does it take to get good at playing the piano? that's a skill level comparable to martial arts. I have heard it said that to 'internalise' a technique, whether it be a punch or complex throw, takes at least 5000 repetitions. That is, the average person needs to have this level of practice in order to perform under real stress - like a serious fight. So maybe you can work it out for yourself.

Is Shorinji Kempo any good in a real fight? - If you are good at Shorinji Kempo then Shorinji Kempo is good in a real fight. Is it the best? That depends on you. A martial art is a bit like a suit of clothes 'off the peg' - you need to get one that fits you. On the other hand, you can 'do-it-yourself', just like you can make your own suit in real life, but you better be a damn good tailor first.

What should I wear to start? - Anything comfortable and loose to start with, especially trousers. Track suit bottoms or shorts with a T shirt are fine. There's no point in spending a lot of money on the kit if you don't like the art after all. Later on you can get the Do Gi (white pyjamas) with the badge and belt etc.

Are there Shorinji Kempo books? - Yes plenty, but they are almost always in Japanese. We have a kind of technical manual called the 'Fukudokuhon', also known as 'The Pink Book' for reasons that will become obvious once you see it. It costs £10 at present and is available to members. There is also a video available showing the various facets of the art.

How much Buddhism is taught? - Not a lot from an intellectual point of view. Shorinji Kempo is an example of 'Arahan no Ken', the way to enlightenment through the body. It is concerned more with doing than talking. We do teach the basics of the Noble Truths and Eightfold Way etc, but any deeper discussions or extensive Zazen or meditative practice are extra curricula activities. See my essay on why I practice.

What are all the Swastikas doing here? - Shhh! Keep the noise down! It's the original symbol of the Shorinji Kempo organisation, an ancient Buddhist symbol signifying the unity of opposites. Unfortunately some Europeans gave it a bad name a few decades back and WSKO, not wishing to offend anyone in the West, changed it to the symbol for Fist - Ken, which is the one I use as a 'button' at the bottom of the page (punch the button - subtle eh?). Actually, the Nazi version faced the other way and was angled on its side, but that's a fine distinction to many people. If you visit Japan you will see it on maps marking temples in the same way crosses mark churches here.

The scroll on the intro page shows a Swastika (Manji in Japanese) as part of the writing. We hang such a scroll in every Dojo when we practise. The characters read 'Manji no Kata', loosely translated as 'The unity of opposites made form'.

The Heidenberg Branch in Bavaria, our twin (when the Branch Master was Dirk Bruere)