Iaido Dojo are also restarting their activities around the world. This week we spoke with Roshukai Kensaki Dojo, from Glasgow, to learn about how they were practicing during lockdown and their return to the Dojo.

During the months of lockdown, the Dojo held weekly training session via zoom as well as online social calls to make sure everyone was doing well and keep their spirits up. Robert Boyd, the Dojo Leader, took what they usually did in the Dojo and adapted it to home learning to suit most room sizes for students to keep practicing by themselves. “This was a great success and even led to many of our wider Tokyo Adachi Roshukai group members joining us for online Keiko.”

Robert says it has been great to get back to the Dojo and see everyone again. At the moment, with the current ever-changing guidelines all over the UK, they have in place as many safety measures as possible for their members. There’s a dedicated Covid-19 officer at the Dojo to make sure social distancing, mask wearing, and the no contact/equipment sharing rules are being adhered too. “We also have a track and trace system in place, as well as temperature taking before entering the Dojo”.

For now, the Dojo has no issues with numbers, providing that if they go over 6 students they must train in bubbles of 6 max and not mix and match the group member. Mask wearing is mandatory at all times as well as the use of Tabi to limit any skin contact with surfaces. “The masks we are utilising in the dojo are fine and the members have taken to wearing them without any issues.”

Their main goal in training now is to slowly get everyone back to pre Covid-19 fitness levels as during lockdown most members have not had the chance to use the correct muscles that would normally be used in the Dojo. The class curriculum now is focused on bringing their fitness and skill levels back up to the Dojo’s normal standards.

If they were to move into lockdown again the members of the Dojo have built up a lot of useful techniques and practice routines to do at home to keep their training moving forward.  They also already have all the tools needed to start online Keiko again, as well as weekly catch up sessions checking in on each other. That way they can make sure everyone is ok, not only with the training part, but also how they’re doing in life. “I will add that our Dojo has shown a truly inspiring amount of spirit and an indomitable will to keep progressing as a Dojo and as individuals.  For that I am truly proud of each and every one of them.”

It’s great to see the community helping each other during those challenging times, it shows how we can all form friendship bonds for life through Budo. If you want to try Iaido surrounded by a friendly group, send a message to Roshukai Kensaki. The group is based in Glagow and also has Dojo branches throughout the UK.