Month: October 2015

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Who Are You Kidding?

Steve Rowe

After 40 years of training nothing anyone says surprises me anymore.  However all through that time I have been constantly amazed at how easily people write failure into their training ideas and schedule without even realising it. I thought it might prove useful to pick up on the most common misconceptions I have heard and seen during those years. Success in the Martial Arts is no different to success in any other sphere of life.  If you practiced swimming, cycling, ballet dancing, gymnastics, guitar, piano, archery or any normal skill based art or sport you would have to go through … Continue reading Who Are You Kidding?

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3 Most Important Points In Martial Arts Training

Steve Rowe

If you had to name the 3 most important things to remember in the Martial Arts that would the biggest difference to your training what would they be? When teaching beginners what are the 3 most fundamental things to stress and continue to stress so the student doesn’t ever forget? Number One:  Stand straight – good postural alignment is essential!  The body must be pulled up to it’s full height, the classics say that the head should feel ‘as if suspended from above’, for every inch the skull moves off the top of the spine it doubles in weight, as the head … Continue reading 3 Most Important Points In Martial Arts Training

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Grading At Shi Kon

Steve Rowe

I am often asked why we grade differently to many others in the Shi Kon Training System.  I have trained in the Martial Arts for over 40 years to very high standard by top International Masters and have graded thousands of people all over the World, hundreds through to Black Belt – and a Shi Kon grade is recognised Internationally to be of a good standard.  I don’t set the bar too high or low, it is exactly right and in keeping with any good club. First of all, the standards are very clear and the same for everyone. There … Continue reading Grading At Shi Kon

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Heaven Or Hell

Steve Rowe

Is this heaven or hell? Are the people around you stupid and ignorant? Are they only out for themselves? Are they all cheats and liars? If so, you are in hell. Are the people around you patient and tolerant? Are they kind and supportive? Do you all work as a team in a positive way? Then you are in heaven. Like attracts like. Birds of a feather stick together. You determine whether you are in heaven or hell. It’s your choice. Continue reading Heaven Or Hell

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The 13 Dynamics Of Tai Chi

Steve Rowe

Often called the ’13 Techniques’ or the ’13 Postures’ this list can really confuse Tai Chi practitioners and therefore they often get sidelined or bypassed, but when understood, they lie at the heart of Tai Chi practice.  To understand that they are ‘fighting’ dynamics that are held in the mind that are trained with the potential to be used instantly, reflexively and spontaneously in response to the opponent’s actions at any time  and although some are linked to certain techniques they are not the techniques, they are fighting strategies of ‘aliveness’ and are therefore dynamic because they are used to … Continue reading The 13 Dynamics Of Tai Chi

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A Door Inside

Steve Rowe

There is a door inside, in the deepest part of your heart. When you exit this world, it closes behind you. But it’s a door that can be used for refuge at anytime. Beyond it is a place of healing. Nourishment for the soul. A place where wisdom resides. A land of language without words. How do we find this door? There is only one way. Complete and utter stillness. Death within life. Thinking without words. When you are still and there is no words; Then the door will be felt. Once inside, you can heal; Understand what you were … Continue reading A Door Inside

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I Only Wanted To Be Kwai Chang Caine…

Steve Rowe

Why I only ever wanted to be Kwai Chang Caine. I was a typical South London council house boy doing Karate until that first Sunday afternoon in 1973 at 3pm when I watched the first episode of Kung Fu that turned my life upside down. Here was a Martial Artist and Buddhist priest that had nothing and yet had everything. How can that be? Listening to the wisdom dispensed from the Buddha I realised that suffering came from ownership, if you owned nothing you had everything. Happiness was simply an internal habit and unhappiness came from wanting to possess, keep … Continue reading I Only Wanted To Be Kwai Chang Caine…

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A Past Life….

Steve Rowe

I paused in the clear night air to savour the moments before death, I was lucky to know the time of the completion of this incarnation so I was properly prepared, the icy fingers of fate clawed inside my abdomen making me draw in the crisp air and centre myself. When my family had been slaughtered and I had been the only one to escape my fate had been sealed, I had trained day and night with Sensei to be able to complete my Karma the right way, tonight there was no win or lose…… only completion. Revenge powered my … Continue reading A Past Life….

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The Path To Success

Steve Rowe

Taken from the notes of Chris Gunn as a reminder as to what was covered on the Seminar on the 19th May 2013.  I post this on the blog because it’s an excellent reminder to any of my students and anyone in the Martial Arts that there is a straight forward linear path to success with no vague concepts if you’re prepared to put in the work required. It was very kind of Chris to allow these notes to be published. Steve had ended up entitling the Seminar ‘The Path To Success’ to help us determine the right path to … Continue reading The Path To Success

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What Is Reiki?

Steve Rowe

I’ve been asked quite a bit about Reiki Healing lately and as its world can be full of money making freaks and quite dangerous people I thought I’d talk briefly about it and how it works and what the dangers can be. Let me begin with the science.  Humans are tribal people and touch, empathy and affection from others is important to us.  When we’re hurt, the first thing we do is to put our hand to the wounded site and maybe rub or massage it.  When a child is hurt, we also do the same and ‘rub it better’, … Continue reading What Is Reiki?