T
his year’s annual camp in Cyprus had ‘Seize The Sparrow By Its Tail,’ Grounding, Structure and
Training Methods at its core. Our friends came from as far afield as Australia, The Netherlands, Cyprus and the United Kingdom. Apart from the training, this was also a gathering of dear friends akin to family - so we got to spend a bit of time hanging out and exploring the island, which included late night trips for ice cream and cookies! It is important that students understand the fundamentals of their art. It is simply not enough to repeat or mimic the movements of your instructor, we must study our art in depth - pull it apart and not be afraid to make mistakes! Far too often, at the risk of looking foolish, we are too afraid to make mistakes and thus, too afraid to explore and question, and learn. Making mistakes is a part of the journey, it is not the destination! Sometimes, just taking a small portion of your form and studying it in depth can yield far more then continually learning forms, rushing to advance - which is surely the path to failure! Hadjios Valley resort in Mazotos has become a second home. Its familiar surroundings and warm welcome always makes us feel as if we are one of the family - honorary locals! This was our third year here and I must say that Bambos and his family at the Mazotos Tavern simply outdid last year! The food and hospitality was incredible and the range of local cuisine on offer was mind boggling to say the least! If you ever happen to be in the Larnaca area, I suggest you take a taxi or make the short drive to Mazotos - it’s only twenty minutes away - and experience the culinary delights of the Tavern located in the centre of the village. You won’t regret it! This is my only input this year and I am going to let my brother from another mother Colin Power take over from here.
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My Big Cyprus Adventure What do you do when you get an invite from a mate for a little martial arts training at a resort in beautiful Cyprus, well you get the appropriate permission from your trusty social director/side kick/partner and start packing your bags. This is my “Big Cyprus Adventure” which was added to our “Big Greek Adventure”… Flying into Larnaca airport, Cyprus after midnight went off without a hitch so we step into a taxi with what must have been a retired formula one driver to take us to our accommodation at Hadjios Valley resort Mazotos. Arriving shaken but not stirred we were ready for an adventure and I swear that the bare breasted Greek statue outside our window winked at me as I drifted off to sleep. So why would you travel halfway around the world (Australia - Cyprus) for a little bit of training? The answer is complex and simple at the same time…Mateship and Martial arts. I have a long relationship with Martial arts and long ago was taught how to gauge the quality of the Man/Woman along with the quality of the instructor. As you get older you start to choose wisely who you spend your time with. I don’t want to go
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