Over forty brown and black belts students attended the USKFI's brown and black belt kata course over the bank holiday weekend. The course, conducted by the USKFI's Chief Instructor Sensei Michael Sherlock and Technical Advisor Sensei David Royle, was divided into two classes of brown belts and dan grades.

To begin, Sensei Sherlock took the entire class through the brown belt kata Bassai Dai, before splitting the class. The brown belts were taken though kata Jion by Sensei Royle, who split the kata into its component parts in order for novices to the kata to learn the movements while those who knew the kata could perfect their techniques. Sensei used bunkai as well as demonstrating techniques to the students in order for them to fully understand each movement.

Sensei Sherlock took the dan grades through a variety of katas. To begin, dan students worked on kata Nijushio. While some of the new black belts learned the kata for the first time, seniors worked on improving movements and corrected any errors that had crept in. Next, they worked on Jiin, a 4th dan kata, followed by kata Meikio. Sensei went over the movements for the junior black belts while correcting individual techniques of the higher grades. The class then performed kata Sochin. To end the kata section, Sensei Sherlock took students out by grade to perform katas relevant to their next gradings, which students who have gradings coming up in the near future found particularly useful.

To end the class, both Senseis took the class through light jiu ippon kumite and jiu kumite techniques.

Everyone worked very hard on the class providing a great atmosphere. Those grading under Sensei Sherry next weekend, in particular, found the class and direction given from both senseis particularly helpful.

More photos can be seen in the Gallery.