I had a phone call this weekend from Geoff Thompson, BCA co-Chief Instructor asking for some assistance.

There is a BCA residential course happening this October with a fantastic array of BCA instructors running modules, including Peter and Geoff themselves.

There are a number of places left, so if any of you guys are available in October my advice would be to get in touch with Dawn at BCA HQ as soon as.

Details below:

BRITISH COMBAT ASSOCIATION

RESIDENTIAL COURSE 2009

Dates: Thursday 29th October to Sunday 1st November

Venue: Lilleshall National Sports Centre, Newport, Shropshire

This is an early flyer to let you know the line-up for the course. Those of you who attended the 2008 course will not need to be 'sold' on how good the whole event was, but if anyone who wasn't there last year needs some convincing then go to the BCA website www.britishcombat.co.uk and look under Testimonials.

Course Format

The format for the weekend will remain the same as last year as it all came together so well.
Thursday - attendees will arrive in the afternoon, book in, settle into their accomodation and then meet the other course members and old friends at the evening meal.

The 'course' will then assemble in the Lecture Theatre for introductions, a brief of the upcoming timings for the weekend and a 'Q & A session. We will also set the scene about what we hope to achieve during the weekend and last year these evening sessions really tied together all the work that had gone into the daily training sessions.

Friday & Saturday - After breakfast each day it's down to the training hall for two main sessions each day with a 'guest' instructor each morning and myself (Peter Consterdine and Geoff Thompson) taking the afternoon slots.

We will break for lunch as well as coffee and tea both days and after the evening meal we will be in the Lecture Theatre for a de-brief of the day, presentations on various subjects and the usual Q & A.

Sunday - the morning training session will be taken by our BCA Coaches, Iain Abernethy, John Skillen, Alan Peasland and `peter Lakin. It's a 'brunch' and then 'end ex' for the course after lunch.

Instructor Lineup

We are very pleased to announce that we have two of the U.K's foremost martial artists for the course being Dave Hazard and Russell Stutely. Both Peter Consterdine and Geoff Thompson will be instructing assiated by a line-up of he top coaches of the BCA.

Dave Hazard

A 7th Dan in Karate with a world wide reputation, Dave is acknowledged as one of the great technicians of the Karate world, but with a fierce fighting reputation.

Born in 1952 he started his Karate career in 1969 training with Senseis Eneoda, Kase, Shirai, Kawasoe and Masatoshi within the K.U.G.B as well as Nakayama.

In 1977, Dave travelled to Japan to train with the top Shotokan Japanese, in particular Sensei Yahara in the infamous JKA 'Instructor's Class'. Few foreigners survive the rigours of this course which is acknowledged as some of the hardest Karate training in the world, attendance being only by invitation. The principle Instructor in this class was Sensei Nakayama, a student of Master Funakoshi, the father of 'modern day Karate'.

In 2003 Dave left the K.U.G.B and founded the 'Academy of Shotokan Karate and in 199 with another well known Karateka, Aidan Trimble he co-authored 'Fundamental Karate'.

One of the best books published over recent years about the martial arts has been Dave's first solo work 'Born Fighter'. This is a 'one sitting' read and a great insight into the mind of a true martial arts combatant.

Dave's combative skills were not only honed in the Karate Dojo but in the tough streets, bars and clubs of the East End of London where he grew up. As Dave says "miss once chance in a fight without rules and you could end up dead"

There are few chances to train with someone of Dave's quality. He is, to quote Geoff Thompson "one of the most charismatic teachers in the world" and was one of the most highly thought of UK Karateka by the Shotokan Japanese.

Russell Stutely

Acknowledged as Europe's Number 1 Pressure Point Expert, Russell has revolutionized the application of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM ) pressure point techniques with the traditional martial arts.

What Russell has done with his art is to open the door for all martial artists, from whatever discipline, to massively enhance their effectiveness through pressure point applications. Boxing, grappling and, in fact, any punching and kicking systems stand to be improved with these remarkable techniques.

I've been on the receiving end of these techniques as have my top students and let me tell you they work. The people who train with me know it when they feel impact and pain! and let me tell you they have felt it when they've trained with Russell.

What Russell can give you is the 'magic bullet' you've always been looking for - it's like having a genuine 'Vulcan Death Grip' These techniques are real 'force multipliers'.

As well as being a regular contributor to the martial arts magazines, Russell has built up a world wide organization the 'Open Circle Training Method' (OCFM) represented from the U.S.A to Australia. With over 40 instructional DVD's to his name there is no one I know who has the ability to teach this sophisticated system as concisely as Russell can.

Pre-emptively or Re-actively Russell's system works in any self defence role or blistered on to your competition skills to give you 'more bangs for your buck'.

Peter Consterdine & Geoff Thompson

Hopefully, we don't need too much of an introduction, however both Geoff and I recognize that people expect our usual high level input to the course and they won't be disappointed. This is an opportunity which we both look forward to for us to get in front of our BCA and non-BCA people on the course and inspire and motivate as well as instruct.

Whilst we are focused on survival in the world of gratuitous violence, Geoff and I are, first and foremost, martial artists, to whom the perfection of technique is as important as having the 'one shot finisher' and this is what we bring to this course.

If you read the testimonials on the BCA website you will get a real feel for the friendliness you can expect and the openness displayed by all the instructors. Everyone is made to feel welcome and this is a course with no people who expect you to be bowing and scraping but where we are simply 'first amongst equals'.

Whether you want to learn to 'hit like a train', or be motivated to actually change your life you will get this from Geoff and myself.

Geoff and I will have presentations on various subjects in the evening Lecture Theatre sessions and are always on hand to answer your questions and help with your techniques.

BCA Coaches

We always ensure that the instructor to student ratio is high and throughout the weekend you will also have some of the U.K.s foremost combat coaches.

You should, hopefully be familiar with our instructor cadre. The support line-up includes;

Iain Abernethy
John Skillen
Alan Peasland
Peter Lakin

In their own right these are some of the most sought after seminar instructors both in the U.K and Internationally. They are some of the BCA's front line people and you will have numerous opportunities to pick their brains and plug into their unique skills.

They have got to where they are today in the field of self protection because of their commitment to the BCA development programme, intensive training and a desire to improve their skill base.

Accommodation

One of the highlights of the 2008 course had to be the venue. If you got to www.lilleshallconnection.co.uk you will get a feel for the quality of the accommodation and overall excellent facilities. As someone who attended last years course said 'he had been on family holidays where the accommodation was not up to the standard of Lilleshall'.

The food, staff and overall country house feel give this rural location a really special atmosphere. Our training hall on the site has a great atmosphere as does the Lecture Theatre and with a very comfortable bar at the end of the day we wont for nothing.

The acscommodation for three nights with three meals a day would, in an equivalent standard of hotel cost the full amount of the course.

Costs

For BCA members to include all accommodation, food and training the cost will be £425.

For no-BCA members to include all accommodation, food and training the cost will be £475.