College Record 2013

Karate
For many years Wolfsonians have enjoyed at least
one Martial Arts club, and when the Bujinkan club
suddenly came to an end at the beginning of the
academic year 2012/13, they did not have to wait
for long for a new club to form. One would think
the holistic and cosmopolitan approach of Wadoryu
style Karate was made with the College in mind.
Its beautiful and direct movements flow like water,
switching between soft agility and hard force in an
instant. Like the College itself, Wado-ryu Karate
bridges the gap between arts and science, between
beauty and efficiency, between body and mind.
As a small team of students and Fellows, we have faced the challenge of improving
our skills even in areas where we consider ourselves to be untalented, under the
guidance of a black-belt instructor. The friendly and helpful atmosphere has given
us the opportunity to succeed in areas beyond our studies and research, while
simultaneously providing us with the energy and balance of mind needed to achieve
our academic goals. The newly refurbished Games Room has proved to be an ideal
dojo (training area), the martial-arts mats giving us the security to practise locks,
throws and falling, from the simplest to the more advanced. Every Sunday we train
outdoors in the University Parks or in the College grounds, where the environment
forces us to adapt and adjust techniques previously learnt and practised in the
training hall. Meditation before and after each session gives us time to reflect on
what we want to achieve as well as on what we have achieved already. We have
been able to improve step by step, and form close friendships along the way. As a
Wolfson club run entirely on a voluntary basis for the benefit of Wolfsonians, we
look proudly to the future and all that it is waiting to teach us.
Rachel J A Hopkins
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