September 2021 saw Iaido classes start up again. Iaido Gibraltar holds adult beginner training sessions every Friday evening at the Gibraltar Taekwondo Club at Jumper’s Bastion, 6pm. These classes build upon the techniques learned during the sessions that started over the summer. Summer students learned how to handle a sword and conduct themselves in the Dojo (etiquette, preparation and Rei-ho). Although the lessons follow from the summer beginner’s course, prospective students, or those wishing to try out the class, need not worry. Classes are run as mixed ability learning experiences. Therefore, everyone should be able to access the learning during the sessions.
I am very thankful to the Gibraltar Taekwondo Association Committee for unanimously voting to help Iaido Gibraltar out. Special thanks go to Ernest Garcia, 7th Dan (British Taekwondo) for sponsoring and setting up the Friday training classes. I have been fortunate to count on the friendship of Mr Garcia, and his brother Edward Garcia, 7th Dan (British Taekwondo), for many years. It is wonderful that I will be sharing a tatami space with them for this academic year. I am truly grateful for their help.
This term, we will be focusing on concepts dealing with the control of space, pressure, correct cutting technique, and body movement. We will also continue learning about etiquette and proper sitting technique (for the seiza (kneeling) forms we practice).
The curriculum we follow can be viewed on this website: Classes/Curriculum (https://iaidogibraltar.org/curriculum/).
New students wishing to try out the classes can contact me via this website or the Facebook page. Alternately, you could pop by to observe a class on Friday evening.
C J Cortés – Iaido Gibraltar – KNBK Kenkyukai