Students from all clubs and associations are welcome to attend any of the courses listed. Please contact Sue Hession for details by phone or text on 07976905472
BLACKPOOL TRAINING WEEKEND
1st November 2013 - 3rd November 2013
Due to popular demand and positive feedback, Sensei Cummins has kindly agreed to host another weekend training course in Blackpool. Just like last time, we will stay in the Hornby House Hotel, which we will have completely to ourselves. The Hornby House Hotel has recently undergone extensive refurbishment with each room being en-suite, all modern facilities and a guest bar. Delicious, home-cooked three course dinners will be served on Friday and Saturday night. On Saturday and Sunday morning, you will get a traditional full English breakfast - just what you need before three hours intense training!
You will get chance to see the Blackpool Illuminations; one of the 100 things that you have to do before you die is see the incredible illuminations, mile after mile of electrical magic, fun for all young and old! The weekend will be an amazing opportunity to socialise with fellow karateka from all over the country, getting together and making new friends.
Those who remember Sensei’s famous courses at Fleetwood will now be able to enjoy the same experience, this time with the benefit of a comfortable hotel located right in the heart of Blackpool!
The course will consist of two days of training sessions of three hours each, taken by Sensei Cyril Cummins 8th Dan and Sensei Austin Birks 4th Dan. Training will take place in the newly built Palatine Leisure Centre which features an excellent, spacious dojo with mirrored walls all around and mats on the floor throughout.
Sensei Cummins was recently awarded his 8th Dan in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Shotokan Karate. Next year he will celebrate his 50th year of training. One of the pioneers of karate and one of the original members of the legendary KUGB, he has devoted himself to teaching traditional Shotokan as taught to him by his Sensei, the late great Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda, 9th Dan. Sensei Cummins never missed a single summer course and graded up to 6th Dan with Sensei Enoeda.
Of late, Sensei Cummins has truly studied kata bunkai to an unprecedented level, and you will find your knowledge expanded to a new stage!
This course is open to everyone!
Arrive at the hotel Friday 1st November, training Saturday 2nd November & Sunday 3rd November. Information about prices to follow.
Summertime Karate Party
23rd June 2013
It's party time again! After the grading on June 23rd, we would like to invite you all to get together and celebrate in the Hill Tavern in Clent from 7pm onwards.
There will be a buffet and a disco and hopefully plenty of sunshine! If you would like to come, tickets can be bought from Austin Birks, Susan Hession or Yvonne Skalban (adults £12, children £7). Looking forward to seeing you there!
The Hill Tavern, 31 Adam's Hill, Clent, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 9PS
Thank You for your messages
On behalf of the members of BHSKC and Sensei Cummins we would like to thank all those who have sent messages of congratulation to Sensei Cummins from all over the world and from people and clubs across the spectrum of martial arts. Sensei Cummins really appreciates them and is truly humbled by the number of messages that he has received.
If you would like to train with Sensei Cummins then we would love to see you at one of the many classes he teaches every week or on one of the many courses Sensei Cummins holds. If you would like a course or grading examination at your dojo, please contact Sensei Cummins by phone on 0121 4233288 or email cyrilcummins@hotmail.co.uk.
Sensei Cyril Cummins awarded
the rank of 8th Dan
Birmingham & Halesowen Shotokan Karate Clubs are pleased to announce that Sensei Cyril Cummins has been awarded the rank of 8th Dan (hachidan) by NAKMAS.
Sensei Cummins has been studying Shotokan karate for nearly fifty years and in that time has built up a vast wealth of experience and knowledge which he has used to train thousands of students during this time producing a number of champions and students who have gone on to be instructors in their own right. Today at the age of 75 years old he still teaches at BHSKC and is imparting his knowledge to the next generation of karateka. Sensei Cummins has shown amazing dedication to Shotokan Karate over the years and exemplifies what it means to be a true master of Shotokan Karate.
On behalf of everyone at BHSKC we would like to congratulate Sensei Cummins on achieving 8th Dan.
Sensei Cyril Cummins 8th Dan
** FINAL UPDATE **
Spring Championship 2013
Sunday 14th April 2013
Bartley Green Leisure Centre
The Spring Championship 2013 was a roaring success with competitors from many different styles, clubs and associations. We thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you all did to. Thanks to all those who attended for creating a great atmosphere. Congratulations to all those who competed and to those who won medals. It was great to see so many different clubs and styles. I'd also like to thank Sensei Cummins and all the officials and helpers for their efforts today.
A large selection of photos taken on the day can be found on our Flickr album here. A selection of video footage from the occasion is now also been available and can be found on our YouTube Channel here or our Facebook page.
The full results are now online on our news page congratulations again to the winners, well done. You can find the results here
Special Weapons Course
Featuring the Bo, Sai & Nunchaku
Friday 19th April 2013
Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Centre
Sensei Cyril Cummin's continued his kobudo (weapons training) sessions with a course featuring the Bo, Sai and Nunchaku. What follows is a brief summary of that course.
The course started with the bo, as this has featured in a number of courses I felt that I was now coming to grips with the use of the bo and when we revisited the bo kata shushi no kon I now felt reasonably comfortable doing it. This was reflected with the rest of the class who had all participated in some of the previous sessions and it felt more like revision and polishing the techniques rather than trying to remember what came next for the most part.
After the Bo we moved onto the Sai, Sensei Cummins explained the history of the weapon before demonstrating its use. We all then attempted to perform basic techniques with the sai. Personally I found the sai extremely difficult to handle especially when swivelling them and as a result found even performing kihon kata with the sai a challenge. This seemed to be reflected with most of the class and Sensei Cummins with he help of Sensei Susan Hession slowed down and helped everyone understand how to swivel and manipulate the sai.
After the sai came the nunchaku, again Sensei Cummins explained the history of the weapon and demonstrated a number of ways in which they could be used. Then we all had a go. I found the nunchaku easier to handle than the sai and fear of hitting myself in the face with the wooden nunchaku I was using soon evaporated. Whilst I wont claim to have replicated that famous scene from Enter the Dragon, I was able to swing the nunchaku around myself and swap hands and arms with relative ease.
Finally we partnered up and participated in some basic sparring defending attacks from a bo with the sai and counter attacking. This was interesting and felt far more difficult than using the tonfa in a similar situation to me.
Alas time was up and another very informative kobudo session concluded. I look forward to the next one as everyone else who attended also indicated and hope to practice more with the weapons covered so far.
A selection of photos from the course can be found on our Flickr album here.
Richard Amuzu, 3rd Dan BHSKC.
Blackpool Weekend Karate Course
Friday 3rd May till Sunday 5th May 2013
On the 4th and 5th of May 2013, Sensei Cyril Cummins held an advanced training course in the Palatine Leisure Centre in Blackpool. Both of the 3-hour training sessions were extremely intense and physically challenging. The course covered kihon, kata and bunkai, as well as kumite in great detail.
The basic techniques were geared towards the individual grades, so that each person was given a challenge and pushed to the limit. Kata and bunkai were studied in depth; Sensei Cummins' extraordinary knowledge and ability to find numerous interpretations for every single kata made this an invaluable experience for any karateka.
The kumite sessions allowed everybody to try new techniques and to enhance their overall ability. Not only did this course focus on practical issues, but Sensei Cummins also provided background knowledge on a large number of theoretical and historical aspects of Shotokan karate. Sensei Cummins will soon be celebrating 50 years of training.
Few people have done what he has done and during this training weekend, he generously gave participants a unique insight into his training journey. The ethos of the course was to push oneself to the limit, which is what we did. This course was a priceless experience for everybody who took part. Make sure you don't miss the next one!
A selection of photos from the course can be found on our Flickr album here.
Choose a Kata Friday
Sensei Cummins will be giving students the chance to choose a kata which will then be featured during a special lesson the the last Friday of the month that will cover this kata in depth along with the bunkai.
Choices so far :-
| Date |
Chosen By |
Kata |
| 01/03/13 |
Christie Price | Nijushiho |
| 29/03/13 | Matt Russell |
Jitte |
| 26/04/13 | Sue Hession |
Tekki Sandan |
| 31/05/13 | Richard Amuzu |
Meikyo |
| 28/06/13 | Holly Wells |
Kanku Dai |
The March to June slots are now booked, if you want to book for July get in quick and contact Sue Hession, mobile 07976905472.
Sensei Cyril Cummins 8th Dan
A Wealth of Knowledge
and Experience
Few clubs have a sensei with such experience and knowledge teaching classes every week who has regularly trained with and been taught by some of the great Shotokan masters of the JKA including the late Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda 9th Dan
Some of Sensei Cummins instructors during a course at Crystal Palace from left to right:
Sensei S. Kato, Sensei S. Miyazaki, Sensei K. Eneoda , Sensei H. Shirai, Sensei S. Asano, Sensei Y. Sumi
Please see our media page for more photos and videos spanning some of the over four decades of Sensei Cummins of karate.
Sensei Cummins - is considered a legend in Shotokan Karate who has an immense knowledge of the art over decades of training
Birmingham and Halesowen Shotokan Karate Clubs are a member of
NAKMAS - National Governing Body
