Club d'arts martiaux
In July 2012, after seven years of activity at CERN, the CERN Martial Arts held its first international Bujutsu seminar, gathering more than 30 participants from France, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Japan.
The seminar was led by Master Shimazu Kenji, world-renowned martial arts expert based in Tokyo and headmaster of the Yagyu Shingan Ryu school, present in Europe specifically for the occasion.
During seven days, participants got to discover the practice of Odachi (Large/Long Sword) and review the wide array of Bujutsu techniques and traditions of an ancestral martial art that finds its roots in the art and lives of Japanese samurais.
Covering such varied subjects as self-defense techniques (Jujitsu), swordsmanship (Kenjutsu), through to stamina recovery techniques and etiquette, it encompasses all aspects of a way of life that still finds echoes in today's modern Japanese society.
This year, three shodan grades (the lowest rank of black belts) have been awarded to students of the CERN Martial Arts club for their continued efforts, with certainly more awards for our most dedicated students in the coming years.
The CERN Martial Arts club wishes to thank particularly the CERN Clubs Committee and its president Rachel Bray for their support in organizing this event.
The CERN Martial Arts club, led by Sylvain De Boissieu (certified bodyguard and resident club instructor with 15 years of martial arts teaching experience) has been in activity at CERN since 2005. Training sessions for 2012-2013 are held on Tuesday evenings in Building 216. For more information on our programme, consult http://cern.ch/club-bujutsu. Other club sections such as the Kashima No Tachi Kenjutsu section are also organising lunchtime training sessions (c.f. http://cern.ch/ktk).
