nor are they an excuse

“Gasshuku are not camps, they're not seminars either; nor are they an excuse to behave like bunch of adolescent children on a school excursion. For karateka, gasshuku are an opportunity to immerse yourself in your training; to train more often than your normal routine will allow, and to discover if you have what it takes … “ - Michael Clarke Sensei, Shinseidokan Dojo

Comment: Stretching yourself, i.e., your mind, your body and thus your spirit. No where else will you accomplish such feats except in actual combat - then you will see exactly what and who you are.