Kata Tenzen, committing to an attack, knife assault

What we did on Tuesday 28 February 2012

Review of Kata Tenzen in relation to previous blog.  Things of note:  Tenzen was created for complete novices.  It contains responses to all the common assaults.  It provides a continuum of response from peaceful to very reactive.  Level 1: Peaceful Response; Level 2: Peaceful receptor with finishing counters; Level 3: The ‘finish in one move’ (one punch kill) principle, but with the full understanding that such a finish may not be possible and so having the mindset to continue the defence through to a finish or opportunity to break-away and escape. 

Identified usefulness for a Level 4: Attackers executes a very natural realistic attack in accord with what the kata expects but continues as if a real situation aiming for a finish.  Start by slowing the process for safety reasons and turn the heat up as ability is gained.  A further stage (and this applies to all kata) is to transcend the bounds placed upon our defensive responses by the kata and do what is totally spontaneous and natural.  The thinking being that as our experience comes initially from the kata, we are programming ourselves to respond in a certain way.  Any ‘natural’ response will, for the most part, be identifiable with an aspect of the kata learned and assimilated to date.  This is what we call ‘worm-holing’, knowing the kata and their lessons intimately and being able to utilise any aspect from any kata, anyhow in the moment spontaneously and without conscious analytical thought.

The old formal training of past years still constitutes a millstone around our necks; it is that, or a reluctance to commit to an attack for whatever reason.  It is all too easy to fall into the trap of feeding the defender with a staged and unrealistic attack, allowing the defender to get away with not having to work hard at his or her defence.  Mistakes like punching wide in anticipation of being ‘blocked’ to the side, stopping the punch short or too great a distance to be realistic are still common mistakes.  These things may be acceptable with beginners initially but long term members should not be doing these things at all.  Of course we are cursed with the health and safety component these days, and the joy of giving someone a good sound smack because they were slow to defend are largely gone.  There is a fine line between the what I regard as the good practice of getting as near to reality as is possible safely on the one hand, and erring far too much the other way on the other.  A lot of the problems come from the ‘traditional’ formal dojo practise of the past.  The facing each other formally, bowing, taking up a long range kamae, executing a formal punch, stopping short at too great a range, leaving the punching arm in place for the defender to ‘block’ when he has finished his sandwich…  I totally accept that we are engendering a certain ethical mindset through our training.  Propriety and decorum have their important places in our art but everything exists on a continuum and if there is decorum there is also its opposite.  A violent assault ain’t decorous.  Let’s get as real as we can, accepting the different levels of competence and rules of common sense and safety.

We also took a look a armed assault again for the umpteenth time in the years that I have been training.  I came to a conclusion a long, long time ago that when faced with an assailant holding a bladed weapon (if you are ever lucky enough to know before the event), get the heck out of there.  There is a saying well worth remembering “Absence of body beats presence of mind” and you had better believe it.  I don’t care how clever you are, how many dan grades you have, how long you have trained, a blade can mean permanent disablement or even death, and you only have to make one mistake.  The importance of not being there cannot be over emphasised.  OK accepted, if I am trapped by an armed assailant I am sure not going to capitulate to the seeming inevitable, there is much that can be done on both psychological and physical levels, but I wouldn’t expect to walk away uninjured.  First and foremost always comes break-away, retreat.  I have surprised more than a few people during my life with the speed and enthusiasm with which I can run over a short distance either away from someone or after them…  i will also make the point that whatever I say, there are situational conditions to take into account, no one can predict what one will do before the event, it is too dependent upon too many things.

Some Reflections Upon Kata Tenzen

Tenzen Level 1

Kata Tenzen is unique (as far as I know).  It is the only kata I have ever encountered that has totally peaceful connotations; nowhere within its fifty four steps is there a closed fist, a strike, punch or kick.  There are no holds, twists, locks or breaks, neither are there any pain compliance techniques.  Every response to violence is totally peaceful, from simple evasions, checking, guiding and redirection strategies through to peaceful trapping and releasing techniques.  The kata teaches a powerful message that not all assaults demand a destructive or debilitating response.  In my work I have seen many assaults and the majority have been relatively low key born of loss of control in the moment, frustration, agitation, anger, a short outburst that can be quickly calmed.  This kind of violence I call ‘reactive’ violence, it is a reaction to some underlying cause, trigger, event or stimulus that engenders high emotion.  In the average person’s world we can simply walk away from this kind of violence or talk.  

Another kind of violence, that which I call ‘intentional’ violence is different in nature.  In all cases of intentional violence one has to draw a line and say “No, you cannot do that to me, I will not allow you to do that to me, you are violating my fundamental right not to be hurt by you.”   A more extreme form of intentional behaviour that is fortunately comparatively rare, represents a whole different ball game; that which often gets to be called ‘predatory’ violence.  I should mention that there is a pre-emptive stage before this that you should not forget;  don’t be there.

Tenzen Level 2

At first glance Kata Tenzen would seem to have its low key uses albeit limited; however, this is not the whole story regarding Tenzen.  The peaceful nature of Tenzen is wonderful, but it must be used appropriately in accord with a sound assessment of the situation.  If used inappropriately, that is against the relatively rare ‘predatory’ assailant, your response will leave the attacker totally unharmed and he will simply turn and wipe the floor with you.

I have from time to time alluded to the fact there are ‘hidden’ techniques within Tenzen that are not at all ‘peaceful’ but have rarely gone further on the grounds that my idealistic standpoint leads me to protect Tenzen as a peaceful response form alone.  After all we have other old classical kata with martial connotations that serve well to teach us how to make an assailant’s day extremely distressing and with a wish that he had stayed in bed.

However, I cannot deny reality because of an idealistic standpoint.  I probably don’t even need to express my thoughts regarding this matter, for any thinking Shinseidoka will be able to recognise much of what I am about to say for him or herself; and one thing we teach our members is to be possessed of an ability to assess situations, to be analytical and to think independently and logically.  Our members are not good at kou tou-ing to a sensei (don’t I know it) and that makes me very happy.  Being a sheep and having respect are different things altogether. 

I think anyone who has seriously studied Kata Tenzen will have realised the potential for taking things further than the kata suggests.  Every move throughout the kata puts the practitioner in an ideal position to continue the response into a succession of strikes and kicks or a lock, takedown etc.  It is worth checking this out for yourself; work through the kata and for every of the fifty four steps, once the seito (orthodox) move has been completed, add on techniques that you feel would be appropriate from the position you are in, in order to neutralise the attack.  This will hone your visualisation skills too.

Tenzen Level 3

However, there could be a problem with the ‘predatory’ attacker.  The process I have just described is all well and good and would probably work in most situations.  It still lacks one important aspect that is fundamental to Shinseido: Time.  A majority of assaults come from some emotional hiccup and so are easy to recognise before the event.  The ‘predator’ is a different beast and may not show any intent at all before the moment he strikes.  This is a problem with the reality being it will take a trained practitioner ⁷/₁₀ of a second to respond to the assault and maybe a whole lot longer for an untrained person with no conditioned reflex mechanisms in place.  ⁷/₁₀ of a second is a very long time in this kind of situation.  Maybe not even enough time to intercept the attack with any kind of defence.  All those years of ‘blocking’ a pre-arranged long range attack going straight down the pan.  If only there were a way of getting some stopping technique in, in the moment we respond, that may just buy us time to see our defence through successfully; maybe a distracting technique, better maybe a weakening technique, better still the mythical “one punch kill” technique.  I am not about to tell you how to achieve the one punch finish response because I would think myself very lucky if I ever achieved that.  However, the fact is Tenzen has this one move response built into it.  Look again at each successive move and reflect upon how the initial peaceful movement can become both a defensive movement and also a counter offensive movement all at the same time without any significant change to the shape and nature of the movements. 

You are already switched into the right mode of response because your training has programmed you to adopt a situational mind-set.  When I am at home and one of my dysfunctional family members (believe it) decides to jump out on me, wop me or whatever, in a deliberately predatory manner, (remember Clouseau and Kato?) despite the inconvenience I am still in my peaceful mind set.  I love my family members very much and would never wish to harm them, and so my response is peaceful.  If I am at work and someone looses it and becomes violent (I often work with people with learning disabilities or mental health problems), I am in my peaceful mode.  However, if I am in a public situation the peaceful mindset is tempered with the realisation that any stranger could assault me with intent to kill or maim.  That realisation quite simply changes my preparatory mindset.  My response mechanism is primed and ready to deal with an attack situation on a higher level. 

Back to Kata Tenzen and its built in simultaneous defensive and counter active movements.  Take each successive step and this time examine how the associated hand movements can represent a simultaneous defence and counter strike.  For examples (and remembering that steps 1-3 are preparatory in nature) take steps four and five the evasive steps with guiding hands.  It is easy to see how the leading hand can be directed to the face of the assailant rather than to redirect his upper arm.  The lead hand takes on the job of looking after the upper arm.  Step six, the stranglehold release over and under becomes two single knuckle thrusts to the eyes (for example) followed by a left hand control and right lead hand thrust to the face.  Work through the kata move by move and examine if it is possible to interpret the move as a simultaneous defence and counter.

Conclusion

In the case of both level 2 and level 3 responses the counters should be pursued until the situation has been neutralised.  Don't get into the training habit of just doing one of something and expecting it to do the job.  Get into the continuation mindset of not stopping until the threat has been eliminated.  This is the reason for practising our buttataku waza (destruction method).  Simply stick this onto the end of any single counter and you have the mindset required to finish the job.  Ultimately you will be able to follow through with your own instinctively triggered counters.

Note:  Buttataku literally means: to beat vigorously; to rain strikes upon someone; to tan someone's hide; to mercilessly pummel; to beat the daylights out of.

Continuum: poles, median point & tornado hands.

What we did:  Sunday 26 February 2012

Group 1:  Making ice cream and birthday cake, selling and serving same.  Developing confidence and communication skills with strangers.  Practising ninjutsu and the art of concealment behind sensei.  Challenging others perceptions.  Clearing up kitchen after ice cream and cake making (this is what comes of having a three and a half year old granddaughter who occasionally visits the dojo)

Group 2:  Note: One of our long term members has cerebral palsy and is undergoing a difficult period.  He is moving towards mobilising himself again so that he can get back into the art proper and begin to take part in class activities.  This involves specific strengthening and mobility exercises.  Walking; lying down; rolling into prone position, rolling into supine position, leg raising, knee bending, cycling, elevating self onto elbow, getting up; supported half squats.  Mindset, positive, negative, achieving a can do mindset.  Target setting and maintenance.  Walking to lobby. 

Group 3:  Review of Kata Shinzen, Tenshu, Tenzen and Channan.  The Continuum Principle and the Median Point.  Recognising that "a continuum is such a thing that every finite segment of it contains infinity within itself.  When the finite contains the infinite, that is continuum."  Finding the poles of a linear continuum and creating a discrete model for an infinitely variable process.  

Oh, The grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half-way up,
They were neither up nor down.

But where were they?  In a void, some nether region, a twilight zone of being neither one thing nor the other?  What is being neither here or there?  What exactly does halfway mean, does halfway have any substance at all?  Can halfway even exist and if it can exist how relevant is it?  Is not halfway a non-existent point between one quality and another?  Being either here or there is dependent upon being the distance of bazillionth part of one atomic particle one side or the other of the median point.  

Turning non-duality into duality.  Another look at hand techniques in relation to the lissajous curve and tornado hands.  Thrusting over and under; palm and backhand techniques; high and low;  inwards and outwards; Identifying the median point as part of the process of creating a discrete model.  Direction (of technique – in, out, up, down, forwards, backwards, rising, descending etc.), development (how it gets there in relation to the cover hand, over, under, past, straight, curved, multi-directional as in both forwards and outwards simultaneously or a spiral for example), and tool (the part of the hand or arm that makes contact or gains control.  Haiwan (back hand side of arm/hand), naiwan (palm side of arm/hand), gaiwan (radial side of arm/hand), shuwan (ulnar side of arm/hand) and all variations and hand tools (haito, shuto, koken, seiryuto, teisho etc).  (Kick) preparation (raising the knee), execution (the kick) and recovery (the return to the knee and step down).  Creation of full working model to be practised at speed as a cardiovascular trigger response exercise.

Regular and reversed hands, thrusting and striking

What we did on Friday 24 February 2012

Pre-training discussion between Tony and Roger tying up loose ends from the previous session.  I subsequently thought the high back hand in / low palm out is already revealed, in principle at least and by virtue of the muscle memory involved, in our overarm sword hand technique; and the low palm in / high backhand out technique is a crane hand technique already covered in our basic training.  Because of this the regular hand technique need only be practised or shown as a high palm in low back hand out technique and the reversed hand technique need only be practised or shown as a low backhand in high palm out technique.  This is as it has been for many years and so the discussion served only to clarify why we do things this way and was useful if for this reason alone.  The discussion did clarify and emphasise already known things such as understanding what ‘natural’ movement is, the precise mechanical working of the skeletal and muscular components of the arm, why we have a ‘preference’ for double bone receptors, why we prefer soft receptors to destructive ones etc.

The following training session proper acted as a good spring clean for our current understanding of thrusting and striking techniques and hopefully provided plenty of food for thought.  A lot of evolution has occurred over the last couple of decades and it was good to recognise some of these things.  Sevenoaks Shinseido thrusts and strikes are extremely difficult to define because there are many subtleties that cannot be well expressed without face to face analysis.  Hopefully those who attended will have made notes and will remember what was said because it is not often we have the opportunity to go so far into a subject.  In essence my ever growing love for open hand techniques instead of closed fist techniques has culminated in an almost exclusively open handed system.  However, Shinseido would not be what it is without its continuum principle, so no matter how little used the closed fist may become, it is still a part of the whole and there to be used when circumstance demands it; this because of angles, distancing, available targets among many other things.

I think it was proved to all present just how powerful a loose, relaxed, focussed open hand technique can be.  After describing my mindset regarding kime and how I perceive my focal point in impulse thrusting to be related to the taper of my forearm to a focal point, I subsequently measured this and found the focal point to be 12 inches beyond the face of my closed fist.  Don’t take this literally in terms of what I actually think and do when thrusting for I don't have a clear idea, it is dependent upon a dozen different factors.   For me, it is not to try to drive a thrust through a target to a particular point; I am not trying to drive through the solar plexus to the spine, for example, in real mechanical terms because that would lead to what I perceive as a dull, ‘dead’ thud.  I have no doubts as to the effectiveness of such a technique; it is just not my way of doing things.  My way is to hit the target with what might be regarded as ‘minimal’ penetration of the hand before it recoils (actually loops) away into the next technique, but my mind, my focus extends beyond that point.  This is the impulse nature of my thrust, it is not intended to generate ‘maximum force’ (for the most part), simply sufficient to do the job.  It is a matter of how you perceive the moment of contact, the mindset you have, the visualisation you generate.  Descriptors such as “grabbing a butterfly” (relating to the developing hand formation during the last millisecond of a thrust), “punching a red button” (that detonates an explosion), “a bolt from a crossbow”, “a laser beam”, “flicking a tea towel” and the “crack of a bullwhip” all touch upon an aspect of this type of thrust.   The other noticeable thing is that I do not actually clench my fist tight at the point of impact for that would arrest the natural continuity and flow of movement into the next technique.  My modus operandi is to use a hand that can make use of the regular knuckles but also transmute instantaneously into a back wrist, palm, ox jaw, dragon head or other destructive ‘tool’ dependent upon my intuitive needs in the moment.  An important aspect of this is to have correct alignment of the bones of the hand, wrist and forearm along with a fleeting firmness of the musculature.  It is important to recognise that when I execute a thrust, in the moment I utilise the entirety of my body in terms of the alignment of the skeletal structure right up from the feet through to the hand.  I think of the individual bones of the ankle, legs, spine, shoulder, arm and hand as being sticks arranged in a line end to end.  I can push one end of the line of sticks and they will all shunt forwards in line, but if there is a kink in the line of sticks, the line will just collapse into disarray. We also explored the nature of the trajectory of my punches.  They are not ‘straight’, (straight is specific, any deviation from straight is probably ‘curved’ hence circular), mine are rather spiral in nature, particularly the low ones.  The middling to higher ones have a kind of rising and dropping quality as if driving over a hump backed bridge leading me to feel as if I were going to execute some kind of knuckle rap, but it isn’t and the force generated is unquestionably forwards and through the target.  The fist does not rotate fully into a palm down position but assumes a ‘natural’ 45 degree position.  Age old principles still hold good; the arm is never fully extended or straightened and the elbows always want to be down and in close proximity to the torso.  In Shinseido we carry out our hand techniques from a defensive kamae position in front of the torso.  There is no pull back (hikite) as a preparation for the thrust which is of a jab (kizami tsuki) or cross/reverse (gyaku tsuki) nature; this either over or under the passive cover hand dependent upon the nature of the attack coming in.  Over if I am covering or bridging downwards with the cover hand or under if I am covering or bridging upwards with the cover hand.

Incidentally, the maybe ‘unorthodox’ manner of spiralling my punches allows me to intercept incoming attacks at the same time as I drive the counter thrust through with the same hand/arm what I call kaeshi waza (reversal, return, return gift, return favour) as in to counter an attack with an attack or tit for tat.  I am mindful that everything I say has an exception and is not locked in concrete.  This is a ‘problem’ with what I do, there is no such thing as a fixed point which makes it incredibly difficult to describe a process without being somewhat misunderstood, but that’s always been the problem with words and with me.  I have often wished that people could see into the depths of my mind, then quickly retract that wish J

During the training we explored the dynamics of thrusting, inward, outward, oblique descending, rising and descending strikes, forearms and elbows along with their comparative power values using the body, pads and breaking board.  I am not a breaking board man and in my world having an ability to break a board or put a man down are two significantly different things, however that is not to say there is no merit in board breaking once in a blue moon; and for the record the average blue moon is every two and a half years.  I should also mention my take upon the makiwara (straw post) here – it is a tool for checking out thrusts and strikes and doesn’t need to constitute a regular practise, again it’s a once in a blue moon game.

We finished our session working a little open hand exercise comprising jab, cross, hook, uppercut, ovearm hook, shovel thrust, elbow, knee and testicle slap grab 'n' jerk.  This exercise can also be performed with closed fists for the most part or a mix of both open and closed hands. 

All in all and by way of a change, a session devoted to destroying the enemy with no peaceful connotations at all.

Creating Google sites

A Difficult Week


It has been a difficult week for me learning the art of Google sites. Some problems didn't seem to have an answer, but fortunately a search with Google pulled up some answers, but even then it was a headache to say the least. My brain seems to react against having a great deal thrust into it these days. Overall however, I am very pleased with the ease of creating a site and it will only become easier as I practise. The portal is being very useful to me in saving time trying to remember where all our links are.  The new Shinseido website is up but only has the home page at the moment.

Regular bridging (sei uke) and Reversed bridging (gyaku uke)

What we did: Tuesday 21 February 2012


Basic warm up; Ancient Art Exercises; Kata Shinzen; Kata Tenshu; Kata Channan; Kata Tenzen; Body conditioning; Basic set of Tornado hands, addition of vertical rolling contrary motion and horizontal circling contrary motion;


Analysis of fundamental receptive movements and those which are a ‘development’ of the ‘fundamental’ moves; in respect of the two root arm movements, regular hand technique (sei te) high in (jodan uchi te), and low out (gedan soto te) on the one hand, and reversed hand technique (gyaku te) low in (gedan uchi te) and high out (jodan soto te) on the other, there was difference of opinion in respect of mechanical evolution of movements and the terms applied to describe these actions. A large part of the problem was semantic in nature and one regarding terminology or classification used. It should be noted that any classification of these techniques will be arbitrary to a greater or lesser degree. A classification could be made upon what feels ‘natural’ and what feels less natural in terms of physiological positioning. Alternatively one could look at the mechanical processes going on with the arm during the execution of one of these techniques.

The ulnar and radius lie side by side when the palm of the hand is supinated (turned upwards), and when the palm is pronated (turned downwards) the ulnar crosses over the radius. If we continue the movement top its full extent with the palm turned outwards, the ulnar and radius are fully crossed.


Strictly, it would be wrong to describe one position as ‘natural’ and the other ‘unnatural’ as it would be to describe the positions as ‘regular’ and ‘irregular’, ‘normal’ and ‘reversed’ or ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’. It can feel just as natural to position the arm with the bones crossed as it does with them uncrossed, unless the rotation is taken to its fullest extent.


Thus the relationship can be made of inwards sword hand and outwards ridge hand where the ulnar and radius are lying side by side on the one hand, and inwards ridge hand and outwards sword hand with inwards ridge hand on the other. The process of pronation leads to an extreme crossed bones position in the case of an outwards palm (high or low) or an inward backhand (high or low).


Supination and pronation are perhaps two acceptable descriptors that will allow for an understanding and accurate description of the hand techniques involved.


The conclusion therefore must be that it actually doesn’t matter what hand positions are used to effect the regular hand technique or the reversed hand technique. Both palm and backhand alternatives should be explored however.


In conclusion I would say that it is relatively easy to see how the bones of the forearm work in conjunction with each other and when we are contacting with one or two bones and crossing or uncrossing the bones.


A way of reconciling the differing opinions revealed on this brief study is to reflect upon what I have said above for it is of no matter in the continuum scheme of things for it is dependent upon whether there is a need to protect the inner aspect of the arm, for some hand control or for some subsequent counter. We have traditionally done a) High palm in to low palm out and b) low back hand in to high palm out. In actuality the second finishes with a back hand out that turns into a palm control and so is not a ‘pure’ technique, rather a combination sequence albeit done in such a slick manner as to make this reasoning questionable. On reflection I now propose practising: a) high palm in to low back hand out. b) low palm in to high (hooking) back hand out. c) high back hand in to low palm out. d) low back hand in to high palm out as a standard. The sword hand and ridge hand variants may be rehearsed by longer term members, for without control they can be hurtful.

A mixed bag including tornado hands

What we did: Sunday 19 February 2012


Qigong; Seven Stars Point to Moon; Eight Pieces of Brocade; Consolidation into Ancient Art Exercises; Shiatsu Do-in (self-shiatsu); Principles of warm up and warm down; Exercise, flexibility, stamina, strength; meditation; therapeutics; deportment; posture; relaxation; fluidity; toe to heel walking; Discussion of bo (staff) selection and care. Body conditioning methods; Kata Tenshu – testing; Touch, the handshake and hugging; Perceptions in the dojo; Physical metaphors for psychological processes; The psychology of teaching; Teacher student relationship; Tornado bridging, in, out, regular and reversed, forward and backward rolling, horizontal circling; high out palm / backhand, low in palm / backhand, high in palm / backhand, low out palm / backhand. Slingshot effect from tornado hands in projecting counter strikes; generation of counter strike ‘power’; Analysis of tornado hands, recognition and acknowledgement of both palm and backhanded applications validating reversed backhanded version of tornado hands. 

Extension from four to eight receptive modes high / low, in / out, in - palm or backhand variants. Discussion of initial defence response trigger responses, mindset, psychology, level of force, speed of response, physiological reactions etc. Subsequent identification of contrary motion forms of tornado hands used for trapping and breaking, closing down or opening up. Short range thrusting using extension of fingers and hand collapse to generate impulse power. Methods of achieving dominance, standing ground, forcing through, taking control. Yielding, slipping, absorbing, use of ‘passive’ cover hand.

Shinseidokai

https://sites.google.com/site/shinseidokai/home

Shinseido Shorin Ryu Karate is a UK based self-preservation life skill system derived directly from Okinawan Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu Karate and the methods taught by principal of the system Roger Sheldon on his professional management of violence courses.


Roger Sheldon who has run the Sevenoaks Kent training hall since 1976 is assisted by long time student and now senior instructor Tony Asquith who started training in 1987. Senior instructor, Mike Flanagan runs the Headingley branch in Leeds UK.

Stylistically Sevenoaks Shinseido is similar to soft internal white crane, Xing Yi, Ba Gua or 'fast Taiji'. Relaxation, looseness, manoeuvrability, speed, impulse countering, open hands and functionality are realised within a concept called tornado hands, a way of moving the hands and arms through an ongoing series of fast circular looping actions designed to intercept and counter attacks made to the practitioner.


Relatively low importance is placed upon the use of fists and kicks.


There are four kata to practitioner level: Shinzen, Tenzen, Tenshu and Channan. Thereafter the principal forms are Naihanchi, Paisai, Chinto, Seisan, Useishi, Kusanku and Hakutsuru.


Riverhead Village Hall, Amherst Hill, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2EL UK Tuesday and Friday evenings 7.30-9.30pm and on Sunday mornings 10.00am to midday. Bi-monthly seminars are open to anyone, go to our venue and times page for dates.  Tea and coffee provided, bring a packed lunch.