Tag: karate

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8 Essential Bodycore Skills

Steve Rowe

I teach 8 bodycore skills that relate to all martial arts. They are: SoftenConnectOpenCloseStretchCompressTwistRelease We spend a lifetime studying these and are forever finding more depth. Softening without collapsing leads to connection throughout the body. Open and close are passive and a form of releasing, if you try to stretch or compress without going through these stages you will be stiff and awkward. Stretching without stiffening gives you the range to utilise stretching to encourage the flow of energy and compressing without collapsing does the same. Twisting is a form of both of these but deserves a separate study. Release … Continue reading 8 Essential Bodycore Skills

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Chinese Whispers

Steve Rowe

Chinese Whispers In WW1 there’s a story that in the trenches commands were ‘passed down the line’ and by the time “send reinforcements we’re going to advance” had gone down a long line of men it had become “send two and sixpence were going to a dance!” We never know how much knowledge passed down orally has become corrupted. I come across it regularly because I’m old and have studied the classics for over 50 years and often know the uncorrupted versions. But even then, were the original and revered ‘masters’ that good? The stories and legends of both Tai … Continue reading Chinese Whispers

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There Is No First Attack In Karate

Steve Rowe

‘There is no first attack in karate’ is repeatedly brought up on on social media and I think is often misunderstood. The ‘kara’ in karate means empty, like in karaoke (empty orchestra). Its use here is as in the zen ‘empty of intention.’ A skilled karateka is a powerful peacekeeper, with that essential ‘soft front and strong back’. They don’t start violence, like any law enforcement officer, but handle it when it arises. In discussion so many people naively still think that karate (traditionally a stand up grappling art) is ‘block and punch’ in self defence, it’s far from that. … Continue reading There Is No First Attack In Karate

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Walking Through The Mirror

Steve Rowe

When You Walk Through The Mirror… We are programmed to think, to make lists, to take instructions and apply them. We are taught in feet, then inches, then hundredths of an inch and carefully examine every minutia of or technique. We ask questions, challenge the teachings and practice until we internalise and become them. Then something strange happens. Alongside those teachings a good teacher will also be teaching meditation, deliberately bringing us to this point. Our body does the form or kata and the meditation teaches us to continue paying attention so thought stops and the form becomes an act … Continue reading Walking Through The Mirror

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It’s Not What You Do

Steve Rowe

It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it. We have to look beyond technique. The principles, ideas and intent that are the foundation, and pervade any movement we do, tell how much we really know. The aura, the animation, the eyes, and spirit of the practitioner tell us what we need to know. The ease of the movement, the contrast and power on/off switch, when the power is ‘resting’, when it is ‘storing’, and when it it ‘discharging’ are evident to experienced eyes. For this we need personal alchemy, internal study, and this is why a … Continue reading It’s Not What You Do

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Float Is A Concept

Steve Rowe

‘Float’ is an important part of ‘sink, swallow float and spit’ in the martial arts. The concept goes far deeper than most people realise. Sink and swallow to create ‘float’ is a pump. The 4 pumps of chi (ki) in the body are the arches of the feet, the lower back, in between the shoulder blades and the occipital point. The chest is sunk to open the lower back, then the hips, knees and ankles press down into the arches of the feet and release to create float. This is in the qigong exercises in Tai Chi and Sanchin kata … Continue reading Float Is A Concept

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Our Inner Animal

Steve Rowe

Our inner animal. If untrained, when it escapes, it controls us in the wrong way at the wrong time. Just like a puppy it needs to mix socially and be trained, educated and alchemised, the best way to do this is with quality martial arts training from a good teacher. In a good club we let it out to play with the other students for wrestling and play fighting. Club camaraderie is an excellent environment for this to happen. This is how all animals learn to hunt and fight. Any other method (aggressive and fear-mongering clubs and teachers) creates a … Continue reading Our Inner Animal

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A Better Way In 2026

Steve Rowe

Let me offer a more permanent solution to all the things you’re about to do and fail at. Don’t diet to look good. Eat to care for your body, the animals and the environment. Don’t punish your body at the gym out of vanity or to please others. Train in a method that heals your body and nourishes your emotions, mind and spirit changing you for the better permanently. Don’t see your club or work as a ‘business’ to make money. See it as value and support for your community enriching your local environment and genuinely helping colleagues and students … Continue reading A Better Way In 2026

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Tai Chi With Closed Eyes?

Steve Rowe

Should you practice Tai Chi with your eyes closed? Yes and no. The eyes direct your intent and the intent directs the chi. By looking at the yang (husband) hand you are cultivating the chi to that point for striking and pushing etc. By looking to the yin (wife) hand you are cultivating it for yielding, pulling or shaking etc. By looking at the opponent you are cultivating the technical combative use. By closing them you are cultivating the internal use for sensitivity and allowing the chi to use its own intelligence and give you insight to its use for … Continue reading Tai Chi With Closed Eyes?

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Kime and Fajin

Steve Rowe

Kime and FajinWords are always inadequate and can only point the way to a much deeper meaning. If you say ‘kick’ to a non martial artist, they’d think of kicking a football or a tin can, a martial artist would think of something far deeper and a senior martial artist even deeper still. Translating from one language to another confuses it even more. I often see heated discussion between people looking at the same thing through different windows that can’t see it’s the same. The literal translation of Japanese or Chinese words is insufficient for the martial arts. The word … Continue reading Kime and Fajin