Tag: karate

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Tai Chi And Shu Ha Ri

Steve Rowe

Tai Chi = Supreme UltimateShu Ha Ri = Follow, break and transcend the rules Both are philosophies that predate martial arts and are regularly applied to them. The problem is that they are usually only understood transliterally and not in the way the originators meant. Tai Chi explains the structure and balance of the universe and is expressed in the tai chi (yin/yang) symbol and is also a state of enlightenment, when internalised, its analogous to the transcendence of ‘ri’ in ‘shu ha ri’. Any traditional martial art will be layered with meditation, exercises and techniques for the student to … Continue reading Tai Chi And Shu Ha Ri

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Don’t You Get It?

Steve Rowe

As teachers we often feel inadequate. Even after a lifetime of studying our art and how to teach it we find it hard to understand why so many can never penetrate the soul of what we teach. But we can only do our best. We can’t do any more. We write, we film, we blog, we post, we find a myriad of ways to explain simple ideas and concepts that to us are glaringly obvious but elude the cluttered minds of others that are either distracted or apathetic. We get students to look through windows from all angles at the … Continue reading Don’t You Get It?

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What’s Missing In Martial Arts?

Steve Rowe

With the advent of social media and mobile phones with quality cameras everyone and their dog can publicly post their martial arts, this is both a good and bad thing. From an observational point of view I often find myself thinking that many people look like they are moving reluctantly and with their ‘handbrake stuck on’ and what they are doing wouldn’t work – and asking myself why. These are my thoughts: Too much negative gym work and vanity training is isolating muscles instead of connecting them and is stiffening their body negating mobility and power. They never seem to … Continue reading What’s Missing In Martial Arts?

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Discipline

Steve Rowe

From my recent (not very controversial) it gives rise to this thought. We have to understand the difference between good and pad pain. We have to learn to discipline our needs and weaknesses without damaging ourselves. Discipline to make us physically, emotionally and mentally stronger is the reason we train. To permanently damage ourselves in any way is stupid. Those extra punches, kicks, push ups, minutes in stances etc push us safely beyond our limits, to go an hour without a drink will hardly damage us. I’m currently fasting for 18 hours a day, I feel hungry, it hurts, but … Continue reading Discipline

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Deeper Teaching

Steve Rowe

As a teacher you might wonder why what you’re teaching seems to go in one ear and straight out the other with students. You might keep repeating the same thing again and again, wondering why it’s not sinking in. Then occasionally a student might say “you’ve been telling me this for years, but I’ve only just realised what you’ve been trying to say.” You might be presenting it badly, and that’s certainly worth examining, but also a student can’t understand anything until they’re ready. How can we tell when a student is ‘ready’ to understand that deeper teaching? Firstly you … Continue reading Deeper Teaching

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Karate Rules Of The 70’s

Steve Rowe

Karate Rules In The 70’s‘Hydration’ didn’t exist.3 hour full contact sparring sessions with no mitts or pads and ‘hydration’ was a few pints of light and bitter in the local pub afterwards.Teeth knocked loose were spat out and sparring continued.Students knocked out were propped against a wall until they came round.Vomiting meant pulling the jacket forward and using the inside as a sick bag.If you forgot your belt you were whipped by the other students using their belts.If your suit was creased it would be ‘ironed’ by the othe other students using kicks and punches while you were still in … Continue reading Karate Rules Of The 70’s

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What Is Fa Jin?

Steve Rowe

Fa Jin (發勁) in Tai Chi refers to an energy discharge and the more you study, the more you find. It’s cultivated in layers from meditation to standing exercises, to martial qigong exercises, to tai chi form, push hands, springing hands and weaponry. There is no short cut as it’s a combination of every skill we learn in the art. The problem with social media is that it’s dumbed right down into ‘body whipping’ or people hopping around like demented frogs when in fact it’s much, much more and has an incredible amount of depth. My teachers referred to it … Continue reading What Is Fa Jin?

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The Truth Seers

Steve Rowe

This can be hard for a lot of people to understand. Some people didn’t want to be born. They’ve never wanted to be here. They’ve never liked life, they’ve never liked people. They’re not ‘damaged’ they’re not unhappy, the idea of happy, unhappy and persuing happiness is ridiculous to them. Life to them is like a prison sentence, stuck in a meat vehicle, they keep their head down, try to fit in and get by, they don’t want to cause harm and as long as they are left alone, they won’t bother anyone. They don’t understand the need to accumulate … Continue reading The Truth Seers

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Potential And The Switch….

Steve Rowe

Potential…..When practising martial arts and for life in general, we must always have the potential for hard or soft. This is the deeper meaning of having a ‘soft front and strong back’. To have potential is a state of mindfulness, to have a mind that is aware, focused, sensitive and intense. Aware of what is going on with our own mind, emotions and body and of the situation that we’re in with everything and everyone around us. Focused on what is important inside that awareness. Sensitive to our situation and of that of others and ourselves. Intensity is the guardian … Continue reading Potential And The Switch….

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Venom & Intent

Steve Rowe

Anyone that has worked or had to function in a violent environment will definitely know this and I would have thought that almost everyone would, but sometimes I wonder. Intent and venom rule above all everything else, followed by rock solid basics that produce power. I look at so many videos showing fancy shit and think that I’d walk straight through them as would any of my Kohai from back in the day. They take the p*ss out of ‘old style’ karateka practising relentless basics and using the makiwara but they have no idea of how we trained and tested … Continue reading Venom & Intent