Tag: karate

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Hand Healing In The Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

Hand Healing In The Martial Arts The kwoon was unusually quiet.  When I entered Sifu was standing with his hands on Jane’s head, she was seated with her eyes closed.  Everyone else was getting on with the business of training, warming up or in a conversation of hushed whispers.  The aura of the healing that was taking place gave the usually lively character of the room the feeling of a church. Its strange how Sifu was just standing and Jane sitting, to a casual observer nothing was happening and yet the energy transfer that was taking place was obvious enough … Continue reading Hand Healing In The Martial Arts

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No Competition – No Fight

Steve Rowe

No Competition – No Fight “He’s too big Sensei.  Every time we collide I get knocked back.” “Then don’t collide.” “How else can you fight, there’s got to be an interaction of force and there’s no doubt that his is bigger! “Then don’t fight.” “How else am I supposed to learn Karate…….” “You aren’t listening to what I’m saying.” “It doesn’t matter how hard I train, how much road work I do, How many techniques, this guy trains just as hard and he’s bigger, so size works to his advantage……………” “You’re just size obsessed…………  It’s not what you’ve got, it’s … Continue reading No Competition – No Fight

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How To Do Kata

Steve Rowe

How To Do Kata What was it that made him so special? A middle aged man going through some Kata, he wasn’t that fast, he wasn’t that sharp, nothing like you would see in the Martial Art movies, absolutely nothing like you would see Kata performed at competitions…… and yet his was so much more……..  Whenever I watched Sensei practising I knew that I was witnessing something very special, something far deeper than just Karate…….  It was almost as if the perfect Kata was doing him……  It always struck me as “other worldly”…………… That was it!  He was putting nothing … Continue reading How To Do Kata

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Freestyle (Ji Yu) Kata

Steve Rowe

“Ji Yu Kata is a natural evolution of formal kata training.”  Sensei was beginning the lesson… “In some ways it is like formal kata but in other ways very, very different.  Tonight I’m going to show you why….”  It looks like it’s going to be an interesting lesson. “If your formal kata training doesn’t lead to ji yu it will definitely  be lacking.” ‘Ji Yu’ means ‘free style’ and most people these days when they hear the words ‘free style’ kata think of music, flashing lights, glittery gi’s, box splits, flips and cartwheels, but we knew that Sensei wouldn’t be … Continue reading Freestyle (Ji Yu) Kata

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Stand, Walk And Run Skills

Steve Rowe

Stand, Walk And Run Skills “Tonight, I’m going to teach you how to stand, walk and then run,” sifu waited for the statement to sink in. “Well excuse me sifu, I’ve only been practising that for the last 24 years,” said Jamie with an air of mock sarcasm. “And you’re not very good at it, are you….” Sifu answered with a statement more than a question.  “This is the problem, standing, walking and running are everyday uses of the human body, when we can do this skilfully, we are practicing our martial arts all of the time – and importantly, … Continue reading Stand, Walk And Run Skills

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Magpie Mind And Tai Chi

Steve Rowe

Magpie Mind And Tai Chi “You are all suffering from ‘magpie mind’….” Sifu looked around at the gathered class to see what effect his statement had. And of course it worked…. “Magpie mind? Wassat when it’s at home then Sifu?” asked Amanda. “It’s a mind that’s attracted to ‘shiny objects’” said Sifu. “You mean that we’re not concentrating on the form and our mind is wandering too much” queried Jane? “That can be a part of it,” replied Sifu, “but it’s more than that. Even when you are concentrating on the form, your mind is attracted to the ‘shiny objects’ … Continue reading Magpie Mind And Tai Chi

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The Internet And Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

The Internet And Martial Arts The ‘gang’ were sitting in the Dojo rest room watching youtube clips of martial art instruction and scanning the Martial Arts forums for information. Rob was a 30 year veteran of karate having started training under UK Japanese instructors and subsequently under various English instructors for the past few years in karate and different MMA. “I’m amazed at some of these older English instructors, they broke away from their Japanese instructors complaining that they were egomaniacs,  and that they were claiming that their training methods were ‘the only way’ and not allowing their students to … Continue reading The Internet And Martial Arts

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Sink, Swallow, Float And Spit

Steve Rowe

Sink, Swallow, Float And Spit I love sanchin, a ‘core’ kata to many karate systems, it adds the qigong aspect, harmonising mind, breath and body.  It consists of three sections gradually increasing the level of difficulty in physical co-ordination and breathing technique.  In the first section you move one side at a time opening and closing one side of the body with a whole breath followed by a half breath (to prevent dizziness), in the second section you move opening and closing both sides of the body at the same time flexing the spine  whilst taking deep breaths utilising the … Continue reading Sink, Swallow, Float And Spit

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Kata – Wearing The Skin Of Your Ancestors

Steve Rowe

Kata – Wearing The Skin Of Your Ancestors “Tonight I want to teach you how to study kata.” “You just do it don’t you Sensei?” “Just do it, is a big term Roger…” “It’s an advert Sensei.” “I know that Ged, thank you.  I’m more concerned with developing the right mindset in which to study.” “That’s bunkai isn’t it?” “Bunkai means to ‘break down and explore’.” “You’ve often explained that Sensei, and then gone on to explain the ‘trinity’ of kata, if I remember it right it’s medical, skill and then application is that right?” “Yes it is, well done.” … Continue reading Kata – Wearing The Skin Of Your Ancestors

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Training Children Need Parents Support

Steve Rowe

Ring ring…. “Warriors Heart Martial Arts School.” “Hi Sensei, this is Sam Jones’s Dad, I’m calling because Sam seems to be losing interest, he was very happy to get his first grade but his peers seem to have gone up and he’s left behind, I don’t want him to give up but he seems to have lost the ‘buzz’ that he had before…” “Have you seen the feedback forms that I’ve given to Sam?” “I know he’s had some – but to be honest I haven’t read them.” “Okay, the reason that he’s feeling like that is because he doesn’t … Continue reading Training Children Need Parents Support