Author: Steve Rowe

Martial artist, philosopher, author, writer,
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Dave Rubens – Aikido and Security

Steve Rowe

This interview was conducted and published in 2008 David Rubens is a rare breed of martial artist.  A London boy destined for trouble, he broadened his horizons by travelling the world, he lived in a kibbutz, joined the Israeli Army and became one of their elite parachute regiment.  He then went to Japan, trained at the renowned Yoshinkan Honbu becoming an uchi deshi  (live in student) under the famous Aikido Master Gozo Shioda, undergoing the hard Tokyo Riot Police Squad training programme.  He returned home to found the famous MeidokanDojo in London. Tempered by his training, he turned to the … Continue reading Dave Rubens – Aikido and Security

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Julian Dale – Eagle Claw

Steve Rowe

This interview was conducted in 2008 –  Eagle Claw Kung Fu is one of those styles that you could easily build a martial arts movie about.  It has the lineage and history that any martial artist will enjoy reading.  The words Kung Fu mean ‘time and effort’ and Julian Dale has certainly put in the time and effort required to attain a level of mastery in the art.  He has sought out the top instructors in the Eagle Claw lineage and travelled to get the required instruction from them. His story along with that of Eagle Claw makes fascinating reading… … Continue reading Julian Dale – Eagle Claw

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Stick A Needle In Your Eye…

Steve Rowe

Stick a needle in your eye – that’s suffering. Unrequited love – that’s suffering. Watching loved one’s in pain – that’s suffering. Poverty illness and hunger – that’s suffering. Growing old and ugly – that’s suffering, Not getting what you want – that’s suffering. Getting what you want, that’s suffering… Hang on – how can that be suffering? Because the moment you get it, you try to keep it, That new car as the mileage goes up isn’t new anymore, Every scratch, bit of dirt and use wears it away. You don’t have it – you suffer; You have it … Continue reading Stick A Needle In Your Eye…

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Death In Battle..

Steve Rowe

The  pennants fluttered in the breeze……… the red  sun  rose from  behind the snow capped mountains throwing fearsome  shadows among  the  warriors….. Icy fear gripped  my  intestines,  the heaviness   of  death  chilled  everything,  the  horses   reared nervously,  snorting  out plumes of condensation  into  the  cold air….. Today tempered blades would be severing many a spirit from incarnation and sending them back into the void…..The  generals sat motionless astride their mounts like  icons  of power,  their  eyes  narrowing  behind  ferocious   war   masks, maintaining a continuous growl of ‘Ki’ from their Tandens filling the  space  between  us and the enemy with  our  … Continue reading Death In Battle..

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Kata Doesn’t Work In A Fight

Steve Rowe

“If you want to learn how to fight, don’t study kata.  The only way to learn how to fight is to engage in the ‘real’ thing.”   This opinion is often expressed by those who hold Karate in low regard.  Their opinion is often formed from movies, online videos, or some out of context training. The statement is as naïve as thinking that a boxer goes into a ring to fight with his skipping rope. You could say that a martial artist is not a ‘fighter’ as ‘fight’ intimates a struggle between two people, a martial artist is a ‘peacekeeper’.  … Continue reading Kata Doesn’t Work In A Fight

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Women In The Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

The Martial Arts are primarily feminine. Many would think this a strange statement until they start to look a bit deeper. By nature men are linked to the sun (yang) and women to the moon (yin).  Women have a 28 day biorhythmic cycle and their emotions change to reflect where they are on it, their range of emotions tends to be on a far wider spectrum than men.  Some say that this would make them unsuitable for martial arts, but if they can use this range of emotions in a positive way they have the ability to become better martial … Continue reading Women In The Martial Arts

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The Training Bank

Steve Rowe

Be a saver not a spender. Every training session good or bad, Is a penny in the Training Bank. Day after day, Weeks after week, Year after year, The pennies accumulate; Until you have great martial arts wealth. Every seminar, course and lesson adds to the value. Every note you take, Every time you pay attention, Everything you contribute to your teacher and classmates, A penny drops in. Every meditation, Every time you stand straight, Every time you breathe deep, Every time you focus your mind, Another penny drops in. Bit by bit your power comes from within, And you’re … Continue reading The Training Bank

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Arousal In The Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

  Whenever I mention the world ‘arousal’ in our training we inevitably get lots of smirks and sniggers because it’s a term that most ‘normal’ people only associate with sexual activity, but understanding arousal is very important to the Martial Arts practitioner.  The terms that Instructors tend to use are too blunt, they talk about ‘adrenaline dump’, ‘anger’ ‘aggression’ and ‘freezing’ when it’s far more complex than that. Arousal can be trained at many different levels and can make a considerable difference to performance under stress and the learning environment.  Wikipedia explains arousal as: “Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being awake or … Continue reading Arousal In The Martial Arts

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Do The Dead Speak?

Steve Rowe

The dead are a part of us. They live in our DNA. The words they uttered are remembered, They are written down, Recorded and filmed. DNA is changed by its environment. Every action, thought and deed is recorded in it, It’s passed down through generations, From the beginning of time. We are a walking record of our forefathers, And everything we have read, saw and heard in this life. When we meditate, we gain mental clarity and sharpness, What we need arises from this bank of information. Innate wisdom resides in all of us, If only we can still the … Continue reading Do The Dead Speak?

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Are Fighters Born Or Made?

Steve Rowe

Fighters are born and made better. Many people are born fighters even if they and their families and friends don’t realise it, many martial artists think that they are made, but a good coach finds those instincts and brings it out in them.  Some people will just never have that instinct in the first place and will spend their life as a victim and/or too weak and lazy to fight. Just look into a persons eyes, watch how they move, not what they are doing, but how they move, you can tell a lot about someone from just these two … Continue reading Are Fighters Born Or Made?