Report on Waterfall Training Saturday 8th January 2001
by Catherine Petch

We set off from Bishop’s Stortford at 6.30am, therefore allowing us plenty of time for nervous discussion with regard to Scwd-yr-Eira Falls. Having grown up in Scotland and knowing full well how cold mountain rivers can be, I anticipated wading in and experiencing that paralysing feeling as the water reaches your crown jewels and you just want to about turn! On top of which, having trained at Welsh summer camps and Dojos, and knowing how eager and motivated the Welsh students are, I feared a tough uphill run, escalating into a race, followed by a kamikaze-like launch into a freezing plunge pool.  
Arriving thirty minutes late at The Lamb Hotel, which looked as hard as its owner Paul.
(Please note this dog also did the waterfall training). At this point, on behalf of Bishops Stortford Dojo, I would like to express my thanks to the others who waited patiently for our arrival.
 
We set off with our backpacks along a path which was an entrance to the Brecon Beacons National Park. After a half hour uphill run at a steady pace, which took us through some beautiful scenery, we began a steep descent. A distant roar grew louder and louder until we arrived at the base of the falls. In front of me was a deep pool where a 50-foot wide curtain of water hammered down from a height of approximately two lampposts. There was a ledge of slippery rock which led behind the falls to the opposite bank. Sempai John Watkins gave us a briefing on safety and explained what was to take place. 
Already feeling quite wet due to the thick mist, we stripped off our tops and barefoot, we filed around behind the falls and stood on a ridge opposite where we went through our Kihon. Invigorated by this, we filed back underneath the falls and in pairs stood on a cut-out platform where the ice cold water cascaded down on our heads with such force that we had to stand bent over as we (very breathlessly in my partner’s case) went through thirty punches. We then quickly exited, immediately followed by the next pair, and carefully went back to the start point area where we changed into dry clothes. This proved to be extremely difficult due to being numb with the coldness and I now realise why we were partnered up as directed in the last briefing – otherwise you would have been all day trying to tie your training shoe laces.  
We returned the way we came and at the Lamb Hotel we had a room allocated for our private use where everyone relaxed with food and drink and discussed the day’s events. For my part, I had never done anything like this before and found it to be a unique experience. Without hesitation I would recommend it to all Kyokushin students as an uplifting and challenging way to start a new year of training. Certainly, I intend to make this an annual event.