This time Martial Arts Day was held in the “Weisse Halle” (white gym) in Detmold. There spectators could enjoy the sight of motion and dynamics: “a single harmonious wave of movement” was how one of the participants put it: “350 people are using sticks and their fists to train Martial Arts and still it was a harmonious, well organized family-day” that impressed all participants from age 5 to 82.
The Martial Arts Day of the Martial Arts Association – International started with traditional Japanese drumming by Hoshidaiko group from Osnabrueck. This emphasized the mental and spiritual nature of Asian Martial Arts.
Deputy mayor Schuete greeted the attendees. Many of them came from all over Europe and some of them had travelled up to 1.000 kilometers to teach or to learn Martial Arts from 25 instructors. 350 participants and 150 spectators were there to learn and to see 20 Martial Arts styles.
25 masters, some of them national team coaches and grandmasters of Martial Arts, provided an insight into their styles. In this way the Martial Arts Day became a day of watching, getting to know, and discovery. The big gym was partitioned off into five training areas, where instructors took it in turns to teach 60 minute long courses in their arts. There were seminars for all kinds of tastes: Krav Maga, Jiu-Jutsu, Kempo, Wing Chun, Thai-Kick-Boxing, and F.I.S.T. were only some of the many interesting learning opportunities on offer. Jump techniques, falling techniques, pressure points and even Shaolin Kung Fu were explored, and young and old, beginners and masters alike had the chance to get to know different Martial Arts better and to learn something entirely new.
One of the highlights was surely the Art of Shaolin monk Shi Yan Rui who fascinated participants with his Shaolin Kung Fu. It was a pleasure to watch the movements because what is truly remarkable about the presented Martial Arts is their mental and spiritual component, that enhances inner strength, teaches self-confidence and affords equanimity.
“‘With each other and not against each other’ is the slogan of every Martial Arts Day and it was realized again in the fullest sense – it was a big harmonious cooperation”, says Bernd Hoehle, founder of the Martial Arts Day and chairman of the Martial Arts Association in Germany.
Some of our instructors and guests of honor were: Shaolin monk Shi Yan Rui, Grandmaster Heinz Scheidereiter, Grandmaster Joergen Rasmussen from Sweden, Grandmaster Wislav Bigos from Poland, Grandmaster Reinhard Jellighaus, Guro Peter Kontschak, Grandmaster Heinrich Drosten, Zbigniew Jez from Poland, Grandmaster Reiner Cerajewski, Grandmaster Peter Lange, Kyoshi Erwin Pfeiffer, Grandmaster Eduard Jegodka, Guro Thorsten Isringhausen, Master Peer Kaufmann, Master Dirk Golstein, Grandmaster Sascha Gothe, Master Joerg Aderhold, Master Marcela Li, Master Karsten Foerster, Grandmaster Marc Richards, national team coach Juergen Koehler, MasteroeTorsten König, Grandmaster Golebiowski Wlodzimierz from Poland, Master Kai Pietsch, Master Markus Linke, Grandmaster Hamadi Silini, Grandmaster Kuehnapfel and Master Kerim Duygu.
Grandmaster Robert Chwalek, head of Taekyon Diestelbruch e.V., host of the Martial Arts Day in Detmold was very pleased: “The gym looked like an anthill, everyone taught or learned, and everybody respected everyone else and took care that nobody got injured. Despite all the sportspersons training in a very cramped space, everything went like clockwork. Taekyon Diestelbruch e.V. is proud to have brought this unique major sporting event to Detmold.
The revenue from this event will be used to help a hospital in Nepal.
Information about the next Martial Arts Day can be found at https://www.maa-i.com.
