Author: Steve Rowe

Martial artist, philosopher, author, writer,
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Soft Cotton Boxing

Steve Rowe

A soft front and a strong back is my mantra for life, embodied in the yin/yang symbol of our Tai Chi. I teach from this, mentally, emotionally and physically, the old names of our art ‘Soft Cotton Boxing’ and ‘Deceptive Boxing’ are also good descriptions. To be kind, compassionate, empathic, polite and well mannered are essential social skills for the soft front and resolute, determined and powerful are learned skills to back it up. Our Tai Chi embodies the philosophy and skills necessary for a healthy, balanced life. Training needs to be sensuous and enjoyable, connecting and balancing the body … Continue reading Soft Cotton Boxing

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Constant Mindfulness

Steve Rowe

Mindfulness –Is not something you do for 30mins a day. You do it all day in an unbroken line. To be ‘mindful’ of something is to take care of it and we have to be careful and ‘mind’ our mind all of the time. We have to mind our perspective, our resolve, our speech, behaviour, livelihood, effort and concentration all of the time – that’s how we evolve as a human being. The qualities of our mind are awareness, focus, sensitivity and intensity. If we lack in any of these we become lazy or distracted. Mindfulness is the key to … Continue reading Constant Mindfulness

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Dealing With Pain

Steve Rowe

Dealing With Pain.Right from their first day of training we have to teach students the difference between good and bad pain. Good pain strengthens the body, emotions and mind and bad pain affects them negatively, student and coach need to know the difference between them. The understanding has to deepen with illness and injury as rehabilitation is essential and needs to be positive. Today I was fatigued from a seminar on Sunday and had a bad night last night, still recovering from cancer treatment, so training had to be very mindful. I needed to open and manipulate the core and … Continue reading Dealing With Pain

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Have Patience….

Steve Rowe

Social media is full of ‘up and ‘at ‘em’ ‘get off your ass’, ‘take action’ type statements, memes, reels and FB live vids, usually by young, healthy, trying to sell something, would be ’influencers’, but I’d like to add a counterpoint. Patience really is a virtue and timing is everything. Often you have to wait to heal and for the circumstances to be right. Instead of pushing forward (often to failure or to suit others) sit back and look for opportunities instead of rushing past them. Less can be more. Instead of blasting forwards, nudge the opportunity and allow it … Continue reading Have Patience….

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Pain…

Steve Rowe

PainWhen I was young I taught myself to like pain, it made me train harder, made me focus and never give up. When I was hit, I tasted blood and fought harder. I constantly found myself joyously saying “is that all you’ve got?” There was a perverse pleasure in pain. As a matter of principle I would never, ever give up and you would have to kill me to stop me. Now at 72yrs old I’m in constant pain, with an amputation and phantom leg pain, painful arthritis in both shoulders and remaining leg, prostate cancer and radiation treatment inflammation … Continue reading Pain…

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Okimitsu Fuji

Steve Rowe

This is Okimitsu Fuji’s hand written history and the photos he gave me at the time, must have been in the 1980’s. I used to have private lessons with him every Tuesday morning for many years, I’d go to his house and wake him up, we’d go to the Irishman’s club in Dartford where he’d give me a private lesson. We became good friends and he was a good Japanese cook so he would cook for me and my family. My daughter Caroline would call him ‘Uncle Oki’ and I also took Toru Takamizawa and his wife to his house … Continue reading Okimitsu Fuji

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Podcast My 50 Years In Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

Key quotes and takeaways from the show: Never practice struggle! “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” – Aristotle. Balance!… Martial arts (and life) are holistic. Develop your mind, body and emotions. A good coach teaches on all of these levels. A good coach sees the kind of person their student is (type of learner, physical, mental and emotional state, etc.) and gives them what they need in that very moment. The same goes for a class. A good coach forgets about themselves and provides students what they need most at the time. Use meditation to … Continue reading Podcast My 50 Years In Martial Arts

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Truth Seer

Steve Rowe

The road to becoming a truth seer is a solitary one.Unencumbered by indoctrination and what everyone else wants you to see you cut through to the truth.Often they won’t like it, family, ‘friends’, politicians and work peers.They say that there is your truth and their truth, but there is only one truth.That one truth comes with different faces and colours but it’s quality is that it’s eternal.It always works, time and time again.The fundamental truth is that everything is one.The shape changes but not the form.This can be found in stillness, silence and mindfulness. Continue reading Truth Seer

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The Abyss Of Death

Steve Rowe

We never truly understand life until the abyss of death is staring back at us into our very soul. The veil that life throws over our head means that we forget we’re going to die and live as if we’re going to live forever and push it to the very back of our mind, occupying our headspace with trivia and human indoctrinated shit. Only the ancient tribes that lived close to and in harmony with nature saw life and death in the right harmonious balance. Warriors confronting death on a daily basis also had to feel comfortable staring into that … Continue reading The Abyss Of Death