FWC Reading Camp, 5th November 2011
A student's account!
Jill
How is it, I speculate, that a 6 foot + instructor (of the extra-large variety) tumbles with the grace of a falling leaf whilst I (half his size) land with a crump fit to rattle crockery in John Lewis (1.5 miles away) leading the good citizens of Reading to worry about mini-earthquakes. So started Karim’s camp, with forty students rolling, forwards, backwards, sideways, any which way they could. In spite of a broken jaw, a slipped disc and an inappropriately attached arm, the whole day was ably supported by Dr McCoy* (think Star Trek) who showed us how to align our pelvises to achieve correct stance. As lunch time approached students were sent out fork-foraging (a result of the "shopping instructor" becoming completely discombobulated by the sight of cinnamon swirl cake). However, nobody really minded as the food was delicious and plentiful. Many students thought a nice lie-down should have come next, however this was not an option. We moved on to sparring with some poor soul trying to move in correct stance whilst everyone else ran towards them as fast as they could throwing punches. Patterns then followed with instructor Carlo acting as "drill sergeant". By then exhaustion was setting in and we were lucky enough to be able to sit as cards and pressies were handed over to Karim whose birthday had been the previous day (no precise number was specified, but I think I heard someone mention 86 or it may have been 49). Well, whatever, an excellent day was had by all. As students came from Cambridge, Bristol and all points in-between an additional benefit of the day is that people realize that Reading FWC does actually exist and is not merely a figment of the fevered imagination of a few weird students who occasionally appear at gradings and in other classes. I am sure I speak for everyone in thanking Michael for the organisation and to Karim for his teaching and hope for another Reading camp before too long.
* Note that Dr McCoy is in fact a skeleton, rather than a badly damaged student!