Tag: karate

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Deception And Speed

Steve Rowe

Deception And Speed “Speed can mean deceiving the opponent’s mind as much as working for physical speed” Sifu said quite confusingly…  “One volunteer please…” I was shoved unceremoniously forward from behind by one of my ‘friends’ as a laugh and stumbled into Sifu’s way “Okay, guard up and block my attack please….”  I put both arms up, hands protecting my face and elbows protecting my ribs and took a fighting stance. Sifu turned to face the other students who were still trying to stifle a laugh at the way I’d been ‘volunteered’ by my ‘friend’.  “When you go into ‘fight … Continue reading Deception And Speed

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Want And Need In The Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

Want And Need In The Martial Arts “I’m not going to give you what you want today, I’m going to give you what you need…..”  Sifu was teaching a seminar to a group of martial artists that had never seen him before. This created a response in Mathew, a studious young man from the group.  “I don’t understand the difference Sifu?” Sifu had already anticipated this response… “Most seminar teachers these days teach seminars for a living, therefore they feel obliged to ‘entertain’ the students and come across as a ‘nice person’.  They are very personable, shake everyone’s hand, have … Continue reading Want And Need In The Martial Arts

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Training For Pleasure

Steve Rowe

Training For Pleasure “With all this work we do to improve, do you think there’s a time that we’ll start getting worse?” We welcomed the break in between Tai Chi classes, apart from the physical break, it gave us the chance to discuss anything from the latest kung fu movies to the deepest Buddhist philosophy with Sifu. Teresa had a stressful job in accounting, worked long hours and would come into class looking tired, sigh with effort at the beginning and end of the class but the years would slip away as she appeared get younger and always seemed to … Continue reading Training For Pleasure

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Simple Or Skilfull RBSD

Steve Rowe

Simple Or Skilfull RBSD “RBSD is the way forwards, because they don’t stand for any nonsense….”  Gamal had been on t’internet again and watching the free video clips of various instructors. “Waddya mean ‘don’t stand for any nonsense’” asked Stuart. “Look at this guy” said Gamal opening his laptop and turning the video on, “see how he’s showing how Karate stances and Defensive postures wouldn’t work in a fight and how his ‘natural movement’ is more effective?” “What a weird way of teaching,” said Stuart scratching his head… “Why’s that?” asked Gamal. “Because he’s spending all his time telling and … Continue reading Simple Or Skilfull RBSD

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A Street Fight

Steve Rowe

A Street Fight Spittle accompanied the words as he spat them out towards me.  He was right in my face…. his eyes were wide, his chest raised and arms outstretched  to make himself look bigger…  There was no way he was going to let me pass.. They were classic ‘chavs’ baseball caps, vests, tattoos, bling jewelry and mandatory cans of ‘Special Brew with Staffordshire Bull Terrier in tow, they had obviously been drinking all day along with taking other narcotic substances and had become loud and insulting. I had received the odd ‘glare’ but thought nothing of it but when … Continue reading A Street Fight

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The Green Eyed Monster

Steve Rowe

The Green Eyed Monster It was typical locker room room talk…. There’s always one black belt that just can’t control his arrogance.  Duncan was typical of this kind of person; he’d moved in from out of town and therefore hadn’t grown up in the spirit of the dojo.  He couldn’t keep his counsel and had to pontificate on everything.  He was a typical ‘snake oil vendor’ – in that what he said almost made sense until you realised that it was only a game of ‘one upmanship’ and he was shaping his words to gain acolytes and admirers and in … Continue reading The Green Eyed Monster

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It’s Simple

Steve Rowe

It’s Simple Sometimes those ‘special’ sessions just seem happen spontaneously, more so with the senior classes.. Sweat was running down the walls, everyone moved as one and the communal spirit was that of determination. This felt like a club in the true sense of the word, our mentor was giving the call and we moved in harmony to it.  The senior class had all trained together for a minimum of 5 years and some as many as 30.  We knew each other better than our own families; we had struggled, sweat and bled together in the cause of self improvement … Continue reading It’s Simple

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Dealing With Clumsiness

Steve Rowe

Dealing With Clumsiness Billy was not the sort of guy you’d trust your pet butterfly with….. Clumsy was not the word, he fell over his own feet, a touch was always a hit and I’m sure he thought a kiss was a headbutt.  Nobody liked pairing up with him in class, it always meant hard work and unnecessary bruises. “Soften Billy” Sifu’s words were coaxing, “soften”…. “I’m sorry Sifu, I just can’t” wailed Billy – “I just ain’t built that way.” “You’re only clumsy because you think you are, use Saam Jin (Sanchin) to soften the core” said Sifu quietly. … Continue reading Dealing With Clumsiness

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One Foot In Life And One In Death

Steve Rowe

One Foot In Life And One In Death The scent of spray starch is one of the more pleasant changing room smells as the senior karate grades get their ‘heavy’ karategi’s out of their bags.  Mixed with the scent of White Horse Liniment, Ralgex, Tiger Balm and smelly feet, it makes a heady cocktail warmed by the softer students using the warm air hand dryers to warm up their cold gi’sbefore putting them on…. Once the cold, heavy cotton karategi is on and tied, the changing room obi tying ceremony takes place, the belt is folded in half and the … Continue reading One Foot In Life And One In Death

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Working Together

Steve Rowe

Working Together It was a warm night… With three children’s and an adult beginner class previously, the air was quite humid.  Sensei had worked this class through a good ‘warm up’ and some highly corrected basics before it was time to work on kata… Sensei had divided the class up into small groups with a black belt in charge of each group as this class would be followed by the dan grade session, we had quite a few black belts in already – and the kyu grades could get almost private instruction from them, with Sensei moving between the groups. … Continue reading Working Together