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Well, as you can tell, the Hoteikan System is full of memorable moments. This next story is about training with Soke Reno in the basement of a bank in 1978.
During this time Sensei Reno was training a group of select Black belts in the art of Judo and Jujitsu.
This bank, which will remain nameless, was in the Bronx. Sensei Reno worked at the bank during the day and after 5pm we would meet him there and train in the basement. Now the basement was not very big and there were steel support beams in the middle of our little workout area. There was a small mat on the floor and we used the support beams to practice Uchi Komis. Sensei Reno would have us doing fits until we were too tired to lift our arms. Then we practiced Shiho nages until we dropped. I remember one day practicing Kata Guruma until I thought I would die. I was the lightest member of the group at about 145lbs. Sensei had me lifting and throwing my heavier partners until I collapsed. We practiced the three throwing directions of Kata Guruma, front, back and side. Just for the record, I still hate that throw! The temperature in the basement during the summer rose to well over 110 degrees. For those who live and experience the summers in N.Y., you can imagine how sweltering it was.
It was truly a grueling time training in the basement, but I attribute my excellent footwork to the countless Uchi Komis and Shiho Nages drilled into us during this summer of Hell.
The Basement