COURAGEOUS HEART DOJO

Courageous Heart Dojo has male and female students ranging from 18 to late 50’s, from all walks of life.

Instructors Gillian Booth and Frances Haynes each have over 25 years experience in martial arts and travel regularly to Japan for further study and training. Both also have extensive professional experience in group management, and personal development and training.

We are also fortuntate to have a number of senior students who have lived and trained in Japan and/or travel there regularly for training.

TRAINING
Bujinkan budo taijutsu is taught in a relatively informal manner. The emphasis is on developing the capacity for effectiveness, natural movement and adaptability, rather than on form for its own sake.

At its highest level, budo taijutsu is a path to personal development and self-awareness through physical training.

Training is challenging but fun. We train in an atmosphere of mutual respect and classes are geared towards individual need and capacity.

A TYPICAL CLASS will begin with a warm-up, kihon or basics, then proceed to explore taijutsu (unarmed defence) and/or some weapon work. Weapons include sticks of various lengths, rope and chain weapons, sword, knife and gun, yari (spear), naginata. Training is indoors and outdoors, in urban and natural settings.
 
Beginners work in with more experienced practitioners but have separate class time as necessary. While we have many younger adults training with us, mature age beginners are welcome, and training can be tailored to all shapes, sizes and capacities. MORE...

KIHON OR BASICS focus on the following:

• Effective postures or attitudes (kamae) for attack or defence.
• How to absorb attacks and move safely in any direction (ukemi)
• Energy efficient footwork and body movement  (taijustu)
• Striking with any body part to any target (dakentaijutsu)
• Grappling, takedowns (Jutaijutsu)