On April 18 and 19, the 1st Mountain Training was held, a remarkable experience organized by SENSHI Gym Francisco Filho at Pico do Lopo, in the city of Extrema, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The camp brought together 38 participants in a program that combined training, shared experience, personal challenge, and connection with the values of Kyokushin Karate in the midst of nature.
The purpose of the event was to provide practitioners with a different kind of experience, combining physical challenge, mental discipline, and the strengthening of the martial spirit in a mountain environment, outside the traditional dojo setting. The natural landscape of Pico do Lopo helped make the gathering even more meaningful, offering participants a unique challenge and a memorable experience.
On the first day, participants completed a mountain training session, opening the camp with an activity focused on perseverance, collective effort, and the strengthening of determination. After returning to the inn, dinner was served, followed by a lecture by Shihan Francisco Filho, adding further depth to the event by bringing together practice and reflection within the martial path.
On the second day, the program began early, at 4:30 a.m., with another training session in the mountains. The activity included a trail hike, technical training in the mountain environment, and meditation, expanding the purpose of the camp by integrating physical effort, concentration, inner stillness, and connection with the essence of training.
The 1st Mountain Training represented much more than a sports gathering. The event reinforced core Kyokushin values such as discipline, perseverance, courage, and self-improvement, while also strengthening the bonds among participants through an intense and memorable experience.
Organized by SENSHI Gym Francisco Filho, the camp leaves an important mark on the KWU SENSHI activity calendar, showing how different training formats can enrich practitioners’ development and deepen their journey within Kyokushin Karate.
