Following the success of our This Girl Can session where we were the hosts, we started this month with an outing to be guests at someone else’s class.

We’ve always encouraged cross-training at Satomi Kai, as an important part of every student’s development. Whether visiting other Aikido classes to experience another style or another teacher, or even visiting clubs who practice different arts altogether. This month, our visit was to the Onami Dojo in Bury St Edmunds.

Our first visit to the club was over 20 years ago, and since then their class has moved venue several times, so it was a nostalgic feeling for some, visiting it back at it’s original home in the Abbeycroft Leisure Centre.

We were, as always, made to feel extremely welcome, and everyone had a great time. This class was a fun mix of empty handed techniques and sword-work. All visits are a brilliant opportunity to practice with other people, exchanging different tips and experience, and this time was no different. Getting out as a group is also an excellent team building exercise, helping to bring members together with the feeling of real camaraderie only a road trip can provide. It’s important stuff, and a cornerstone of our longevity as a club.

We’re thankful of everyone’s openness, sharing the arts that they love, when it could be so easy to look at each other as competition. I think it speaks well of the underlying values of martial arts that this sharing is most often the case.

This month, closer to home, we have just received a kind invitation to visit the Scorpion Academy in Stowmarket where they have another special guest instructor invited to teach a seminar. The opportunities just keep coming, and we’d be fools not to take advantage of them.