Summer camps – huge support all over!

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This is the most attractive period regarding to summer-camps across Europe. Some have all ready held their camp, some right now – and of course it is also camps to comme. The support of the summer-camps has been huge! What is it that triggers so many to participate? We have picked up some feed back, and as always one could say, it`s not one main factor, but several that makes it so attractive…

Almost every country have a summer-camp in one ore another scale. And on a regular basis a guest instructor or two as well. Some countries with huge amount of participants (big branches)  have several camps, but often it is one official camp out from the organisation. Often these camps also have the one possibility to try the exam for higher grades.

Video from the official Summer-camp Facebook site, visit for more!

Besides that you always will meet other people, learn something new or different, maybe go for an exam – the summer-camps have of course a special atmosphere. Training outside under the sun are not what the most of us do. But this is what every camp can manage to offer, there must be more – or otherwise would the number of participants drop. A new term/name appeared a little while ago, “selfie-camp” We can not describe it, because we do not use that word. But one can easily understand when some camps have “more” focus on promoting and taking pictures than actually train. -of course we are exaggerating now, but this is some thoughts pointed out. And for the sake, it must not be confused with the normal promotion and taking pictures for the memories. On the other side you have pure quality, and that need little or no promotion – it will sell it self.

Today, 15. July, starts the Lithuanian summer-camp. The adult shift to be correct. This camp gather 900-1000 participants, and it is spread out on three shift for practical reasons. The camp are not one of the camps that attracts many countries from around Europe, and that tells us how massive support Lithuania and what resources they have.

It is natural to move towards the Eastern European countries, because Kyokushin Karate are very popular and have many practitioners. But there are of course great summer camps in the rest of the Europe as well. The gust instructors plays a central role in the summer camps. And if we start with the support from Japan – we can only thank… With Midori Kenji Shihan in the lead, Japan have many instructors around in Europe – or in the world for that matter. This value can one might not understand fully out. If you train Budo Karate full contact, it matters a great deal to have a direct connection to the homeland of what you train. It is safe to say that the distance to Japan are getting shorter and shorter, the connection are a constant naturally strengthen. This is what many promote, but only some cane manage to get on a significant level.

Just from the top of our head (we do not have the complete list) , Bulgaria, Romania, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Poland (several times) Spain, Belgium, France – have instructors from Japan this year, or through the year. And of course outside Europe the same picture. But Europe do also have some really hard-working elite instructors…

Click ⇑ to see pictures and updates from camps and seminars

The top instructors are wanted all over, and besides working full time in their own country the also share and educate other countries. In this case it is “dangerous” to mention some, because we know that we would forget some others.. But we have to mention some..

Out from the European base we mention the Lithuanian camp, that this year had instructors on the Danish summer-camp, but some that really stands out by our opinion would be Koen Spitals Shihan, Belgium. Not only being the organizer of several camps, but do also instruct an participate in every way he can. Being “all in” no matter what role he is into, spreading positive Shinkyokushin  Straight from the grate camp in Bulgaria to being the head-name of the Romanian camp. And speaking of Romania..! ⇓ Picture from www.gsp.ro visit for more.

With Harris Wallmen Sensei in the lead, the “Romanian Masterclass” including Anca Wallmen Shihan and Marius Ilas Sensei. From one camp to another, organizing leading and teaching in their distinctive and efficient manner. It must be mention that this in matter of fact not “only” happens in the summer-camp setting – it`s more or less trough the whole year. Just finished their own summer-camp, and all ready booked for several more camps. Harris Sensei will soon be the gust instructor in Hungary, (1st-4th august) at Victory Gym, organized by the very competent József Stefanovics Shihan.

It is also clear that there is nothing more than new techniques and training that these instructors can offer, that is why they are still getting bigger and bigger support. “feel it to believe it”

We started by mentioning the great support in the summer-camps, and as we still have on more “visit” to do. One of the greatest profiles we have, from a and a very significant Shinkyokushin nation – Valeri Dimitrov Sensei, Bulgaria. This year as before, the Bulgarian Shinkyokushin Federation organized a solid summer-camp with great support from many nations, and with a sky high level from the instructor side, as well as from the competitor side. Dimitrov Sensei has already attended on several camps as an instructor, and there are still more to come! (Picture from the official Summer-camp Facebook site, visit for more great photos and videos!) An unbelievable great team gathered from many of the European countries.

Some reminder to come: