Visit from the Rapid Arnis folks
This week I went back to work after a fortnight break. The holiday was, ostensibly to do a lot of training. My friend Clint had recently become affilitated with the Rapid Arnis International group, and was bringing the Head Instructors Pat and Lucy O'Malley across from the UK for a seminar. The O'Malley's credentials are impressive and impecable, and you can read all about them here. I had also had interraction with them both in forums. They came across as extremely nice folks. I thought they'd be great to have a beer with. Turns out I was right.
After collecting them from the airport, albiet delayed and without some of their luggage, we settled them in to the accomodation Clint had organised for them, and after a beer or so, we did some informal training, details of which I'll eventually post in my training blog. Important safety hint: Never ask Pat about locking after beers have been consumed, you won't like the results!
Although I was driving, and only having a single beer, I hung out till quite late, and crept in the door a wee way after midnight. This didn't impress the Girlie, as I hadn't kept Her appraised of my movememnts, and She is occasionally prone to worry. I also didn't tell Her about the speeding ticket (my first!) I got trying to get home before midnight. At least not 'till the next day...
The next day a few of us had time to train with the visitors at Clint's gym, while He was working in the tattoo studio in front. Covered a lot of interesting stuff, including long stick/staff, which I foolishly didn't get on video... After this they retired back to the apartment, with Me in tow, and had dinner. After the meal, Pat asked what time Clint's regular Thursday class (that they were teaching at...). I said 7'ish, at which point we all hauled arse to the gym, being twenty to eight and all.
We all trained till 'round 10:30, and then beers and food appeared. I had left my car in Orewa at the apartment. Which I realised was a mistake when we left the gym to go back at 12:07. After hastily taking my leave, being very careful with my speed around where I was caught the previous night, and having to find somewhere that took the company gas card to fill the tank up, I got home around twenty to two. The Girlie was a mite perterbed...
(In my defence: the first time I realised it was late was when we left the gym at 12:07. As She had to work the next day, I figured She didn't want to be woken up with a call explaining how late I was, and how I was going to be even later. See, I'm very considerate! It didn't help that, as I was using my best ninja moves to sneak stealthily into the house, the dog went out of her brain and wanted me to throw the ball for her...)
On Friday we got some more training in, this time at the back of the apartment. In the sun, with beer. Few things could be better (Not having to drive 70 KM back home would be one...) The beach would have been perfect, but there was an alcohol ban. Clint was able to train, and probably got a lot of His new syllabus established. They'd already been at it for some time by the time I arrived. I was late as I had to put up some shelves for pennance :) Again after training more beers arrived, and frivolity ensued. But I left early to stay in the good books. Or at least the less bad books...
Saturday was the first official day of the seminar. Although Clint had been very organised and contacted pretty much everyone He and I could think of that may be interested, the turnout was, as many concert promoter find in Auckland, not too good. A high turnout from His group, and about half of our Bakbakan group along with a couple of strangers. This was a good number for the seminar in terms of quality of training, but I hope Clint didn't take to big a hit for the costs. We covered a whole bunch of stuff, that I'll detail in the training blog.
One thing was sure - we had enough sticks. A couple of days previously, I had made a mercy dash out to Te Atatu to a cane importer and grabbed enough rattan to make up a couple of dozen pairs of sticks for Clint to sell any folks who showed up ill-equipped. Damian had also secured some sticks, and other bits (including a training kris I have to pay him for...) from down in Invercargill.
All in all, a great days training, and we all retired to the apartment for beers and dvds. I had even made arrangements to crash on the couch. The hangover wasn't too severe.
Sunday's training was held in Clint's gym, as the extra folks hadn't signed up for the 2nd day. We covered even more stuff, some of it pretty intricate and a bit advanced for some. But We got it all on tape, and it'll help as folks progress through the grades. At the seminar's end big Ermehn had a wee padded stick spar with Pat. Ermehn is scary guy and hits really hard. Pat loved it. If I can sample the tape somehow, I'll try and post it on youtube... Afterwards more hanging out.
On Monday Pat, Lucy and the kids moved out to Clint and Mel's place for their last night. Clint's place is a bit remote. You know you're out of the way when the street you live on runs off a road called "Lonely Track". A wee bit more training, and yet more beers and hanging out. Great stuff.
On the Tuesday, we had to take them out to the airport and send them to Manilla (where I understand Lucy has already won a couple of medals in sparring and forms...) I was sorry to see them go, but glad to know they'll be back.
All in all great folks. I learnt a lot, had a whole bunch of laughs (got a lot of video) and had a whale of a time. Can't wait for them to come back.
Despite all the video I shot, I only took few pics. In these photos Pat and Lucy come across as freindly, talented and dynamic folks...
Ok. To be fair, I took this pic on Saturday night. There had been much beer, a lot of "Little Britain" and some Monty Python. Also their kids are a handful. Especially Olisi, who I think will be a damn scary fighter in the future.
Actually, I was too busy training, yapping, video taping, maybe drinking, to take any pics. The only reason I got this is 'cause I was in a very similar weary state!
But don't they look cute!
After collecting them from the airport, albiet delayed and without some of their luggage, we settled them in to the accomodation Clint had organised for them, and after a beer or so, we did some informal training, details of which I'll eventually post in my training blog. Important safety hint: Never ask Pat about locking after beers have been consumed, you won't like the results!
Although I was driving, and only having a single beer, I hung out till quite late, and crept in the door a wee way after midnight. This didn't impress the Girlie, as I hadn't kept Her appraised of my movememnts, and She is occasionally prone to worry. I also didn't tell Her about the speeding ticket (my first!) I got trying to get home before midnight. At least not 'till the next day...
The next day a few of us had time to train with the visitors at Clint's gym, while He was working in the tattoo studio in front. Covered a lot of interesting stuff, including long stick/staff, which I foolishly didn't get on video... After this they retired back to the apartment, with Me in tow, and had dinner. After the meal, Pat asked what time Clint's regular Thursday class (that they were teaching at...). I said 7'ish, at which point we all hauled arse to the gym, being twenty to eight and all.
We all trained till 'round 10:30, and then beers and food appeared. I had left my car in Orewa at the apartment. Which I realised was a mistake when we left the gym to go back at 12:07. After hastily taking my leave, being very careful with my speed around where I was caught the previous night, and having to find somewhere that took the company gas card to fill the tank up, I got home around twenty to two. The Girlie was a mite perterbed...
(In my defence: the first time I realised it was late was when we left the gym at 12:07. As She had to work the next day, I figured She didn't want to be woken up with a call explaining how late I was, and how I was going to be even later. See, I'm very considerate! It didn't help that, as I was using my best ninja moves to sneak stealthily into the house, the dog went out of her brain and wanted me to throw the ball for her...)
On Friday we got some more training in, this time at the back of the apartment. In the sun, with beer. Few things could be better (Not having to drive 70 KM back home would be one...) The beach would have been perfect, but there was an alcohol ban. Clint was able to train, and probably got a lot of His new syllabus established. They'd already been at it for some time by the time I arrived. I was late as I had to put up some shelves for pennance :) Again after training more beers arrived, and frivolity ensued. But I left early to stay in the good books. Or at least the less bad books...
Saturday was the first official day of the seminar. Although Clint had been very organised and contacted pretty much everyone He and I could think of that may be interested, the turnout was, as many concert promoter find in Auckland, not too good. A high turnout from His group, and about half of our Bakbakan group along with a couple of strangers. This was a good number for the seminar in terms of quality of training, but I hope Clint didn't take to big a hit for the costs. We covered a whole bunch of stuff, that I'll detail in the training blog.
One thing was sure - we had enough sticks. A couple of days previously, I had made a mercy dash out to Te Atatu to a cane importer and grabbed enough rattan to make up a couple of dozen pairs of sticks for Clint to sell any folks who showed up ill-equipped. Damian had also secured some sticks, and other bits (including a training kris I have to pay him for...) from down in Invercargill.
All in all, a great days training, and we all retired to the apartment for beers and dvds. I had even made arrangements to crash on the couch. The hangover wasn't too severe.
Sunday's training was held in Clint's gym, as the extra folks hadn't signed up for the 2nd day. We covered even more stuff, some of it pretty intricate and a bit advanced for some. But We got it all on tape, and it'll help as folks progress through the grades. At the seminar's end big Ermehn had a wee padded stick spar with Pat. Ermehn is scary guy and hits really hard. Pat loved it. If I can sample the tape somehow, I'll try and post it on youtube... Afterwards more hanging out.
On Monday Pat, Lucy and the kids moved out to Clint and Mel's place for their last night. Clint's place is a bit remote. You know you're out of the way when the street you live on runs off a road called "Lonely Track". A wee bit more training, and yet more beers and hanging out. Great stuff.
On the Tuesday, we had to take them out to the airport and send them to Manilla (where I understand Lucy has already won a couple of medals in sparring and forms...) I was sorry to see them go, but glad to know they'll be back.
All in all great folks. I learnt a lot, had a whole bunch of laughs (got a lot of video) and had a whale of a time. Can't wait for them to come back.
Despite all the video I shot, I only took few pics. In these photos Pat and Lucy come across as freindly, talented and dynamic folks...
Ok. To be fair, I took this pic on Saturday night. There had been much beer, a lot of "Little Britain" and some Monty Python. Also their kids are a handful. Especially Olisi, who I think will be a damn scary fighter in the future.
Actually, I was too busy training, yapping, video taping, maybe drinking, to take any pics. The only reason I got this is 'cause I was in a very similar weary state!
But don't they look cute!
posted by Mike A at 8:33 PM
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