Sometimes you have to make decisions at short notice that only turn out to be really good afterwards. That was the case on Saturday. On Friday, the weather forecast showed an 80 percent chance of rain for the next day. Not good conditions for an outdoor seminar. Especially as we had just been through that in Noer. Thanks to good contacts, I was able to book our hall within a day.
So we started our summer seminar indoors, regardless of the weather. To start with, there were a few certificates for those who had made the leap to the next level. This time this included Tim, who was the first child to reach the first level. His mother Antje and Christian, who had even supported Arvid's test, also advanced to the first level. Basti reached level 2. This was also recognition for the organization of Arvid's exam.
Then we started the first part. As always, we split into groups to repeat and continue learning basic movements and sequences. We have already reached a good level with the advanced students. The individual movements are essentially known so that we can concentrate on the form. The beginners also made good progress. After a good hour, we moved on to the next topic.
In preparation for the third part, we dealt with self-defense. We repeated and consolidated principles that can be applied to various attacks. We only made a secondary distinction between attacks with or without weapons. The main focus was on the direction of attack and the choice of block. The most important thing is for everyone to find out what suits them best and can also be called upon in emergency situations. We ran out of time here, as we were constantly being asked new questions. In the end, however, everyone had worked out a few sequences and movement patterns for themselves. We needed them straight away.
During the break, we set up a course in two lanes through the entire hall. We alternated between an obstacle and an attack. So everyone was involved, sometimes as an attacker, sometimes as a defender. After a short briefing from Arvid, we got started. Two always ran in parallel. First a roll on a mat, then the first opponent with grappling techniques. Once he was defeated, a box section had to be overcome. An attacker with a stick was already waiting behind it. Next, standing targets had to be hit. The next step was over a balancing beam. At the end, the next attacker was ready with punches. As soon as they had finished, they had to cross a balance beam. Behind it lurked an attacker with a knife. After disarming him, we had to hit our famous coasters. The final event was a jump from the stands onto a large mat. Everyone had to complete three rounds in a row. Arvid and Basti got five. The pictures clearly show how much fun everyone had. The jumping mat became a special attraction.
Once again, four hours had flown by. I think this course was an excellent substitute for the lack of sunshine and an outdoor seminar. Especially as the equipment for such a course would not have been available on the meadow. So it was a good decision or we made the best of the decision. The next seminar will take place in October and will definitely be indoors. Until then, we will make the most of the summer. There was also a suggestion to meet up during the vacations. Let's see if we can manage that. It would certainly make sense to train at high-profile locations in order to generate interest. I'm curious to see if the plan works out.