Author: Steve Rowe

Martial artist, philosopher, author, writer,
PoemsLeave a comment

It’s Yesterday No More

Steve Rowe

It’s Yesterday No More What you think you were yesterday, You weren’t. What you think you are today, You’re not. Memories are false, They’re what you want to make them. If you’re troubled, You think they’re bad. If you’re happy, You think they were good, But everyone there will see them different, Just like witnesses at a crime scene. What you were and what you are now is not true, It’s just your opinion, What you did or didn’t do, Is being judged by someone who is biased. Biased by culture, plagued by guilt, Sometimes hurt that is hidden, Festering … Continue reading It’s Yesterday No More

ArticlesLeave a comment

Injury Prevention

Steve Rowe

“Find a space and work on your grading kata.” Working independently was a good way of making us work harder and on what we needed most.  It also gave sensei a good method of getting around to each of us and giving individual feedback and advice on what techniques we needed concentrate. “Oh Jeeez!”   Crash!  Rosie hit the floor like a sack of spuds.  We all looked around wondering what had happened as we were working on our own it was the last thing we expected. “My knee’s just gone.” Rosie was lying on the floor clutching her knee.  Sensei … Continue reading Injury Prevention

ArticlesLeave a comment

Why Karateka Can’t Make A Stance

Steve Rowe

“Junzuki hidari gamae…..  ich!” The smell of freshly starched karategi’s filled the Dojo, mixed with the incense from the joss sticks that Sensei had burned that morning at the Kamiza (shrine) during his shinto ritual, it made a heady odour that added to the flavour of our Sunday morning training. Sunlight flashed on the highly polished wooden floor, sensei’s Japanese pronunciation powered from his seiki tanden as he counted and gave commands and drove his ki to add to the mixture and invigorate the students. “Mawatte…(turn)…  ich!”  Everyone turned and kiai’d together.  There is something inherently tribal about moving and … Continue reading Why Karateka Can’t Make A Stance

Articles1 Comment

Powerful Grading Speech

Steve Rowe

I looked down the line of students ahead of me waiting to go out and perform their grading, theirkarategi trousers were quivering as a result of shaky legs… Out on the floor I could hear the call of the Sensei, “ich, ni, san, shi, go, rokku, shichi, hatch, kyu, ju!” “EEEEYYYYAAAH!” the responding kiai came from the students already out there strutting their stuff under the watchful eye of Sensei and other club instructors officiating.  I could just glimpse Sensei’s impassive face occasionally between some of the students nervously awaiting their turn to grade. Why do we put ourselves under … Continue reading Powerful Grading Speech

Articles1 Comment

Defence Against The Self

Steve Rowe

We had a ‘free’ training night in the sense that sensei let everyone work on whatever they wanted to and he came around helping people individually.  It was an excellent way of learning as it enabled us to practice and get help with what we thought we needed to work on. Bernie was not a young man, he was what sensei would call an ‘earth’ person, obsessed with the practicality of everything and unable to see the health, skill and art aspects to what we did – and it showed on his face as he watched the younger Aaron working … Continue reading Defence Against The Self

PoemsLeave a comment

Seeing With Clarity

Steve Rowe

Seeing With Clarity That precious moment when you ‘wake up’ from meditation, When all behind the mask is revealed, When you see things with total clarity, And the circus that’s always been there. Can you imagine if we invented roads now? Tarmac strips between pedestrians without barriers, Jagged pieces of metal travelling at 70 mph, With people dodging between. Women with painted faces, Teetering along on pointy shoe stilts, Making themselves look like circus clowns, Matching the image of the ringmasters media. Men wearing a gaily coloured hangman’s noose around their neck, With a ‘manscaped’ face, and their wife’s tight … Continue reading Seeing With Clarity

PoemsLeave a comment

What Happened?

Steve Rowe

What Happened? When I was a child and teenager in the 50’s and 60’s, The public owned it’s own services, Trains, buses, electric, gas, water and mail, And the profit helped pay for community services. Prescriptions and university education were free, Legal and union representation gave job security, Council housing and rent control meant everyone was housed, Equality was becoming a reality. With free education, social mobility truly happened, We had 2 Prime ministers from grammar school education, Anyone from anywhere could become anything, At last society was moving forwards and there was hope. Computers and machinery were designed to … Continue reading What Happened?

PoemsLeave a comment

Principles And Dynamics

Steve Rowe

Principles And Dynamics What is the difference between principles and dynamics? Both underlay technique, Principles are present all the time, But dynamics change and combine. The feet must always be in the right place, At the right time and press the right way, The body must always be aligned, And the mind always alert, focused, sensitive and intense. The breathing must always be deep and natural, The internal line always connected, The spine and core always being manipulated, And the ideas of wedging and spiraling always in place. These principles are what make a technique work, Combined they give immense … Continue reading Principles And Dynamics

ArticlesLeave a comment

Sanchin To Tensho

Steve Rowe

“Tensho!”  We all prepared for the ‘5 animals’ kata. “Snake, crane wing, tiger, leopard, standing dragon, laying dragon, remember to sink from the chest, find the feet, float from the waist, use the ‘asking’ hand, come on now, stay connected….  Manipulate, swallow the energy, now…. Release it, spit it out! Breathe from the stomach… now the back, soften the midline, use your eyes, tongue to the top palette…. C’mon guys…. Don’t make it hard work! Who remembers what the trinity of kata is?”  The hands shot up.  “Marcia? “Firstly medical, secondly, skill and thirdly, boxing Sensei!” “Well done!”  Sensei gazed … Continue reading Sanchin To Tensho