Tag: kung fu

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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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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

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Gossip In The Dojo

Steve Rowe

You could hear the shouting and scuffle from the men’s changing room in the Dojo, sensei walked in and pulled the two protagonists apart, both huffing an puffing like pair of old Billy goats with their chests inflated. “What an earth’s going on here?” asked sensei. “He’s been dissin’ me…” spat Michael, straining at the firm hand holding him back. “No I ain’t” said John with an obvious disdain and a look that you could tell would rip Michael a second backside any moment. “Settle down” said sensei firmly, “now Michael, explain..” “He said that I moved like a girl … Continue reading Gossip In The Dojo

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Grading In The Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

You could tell it was grading day… The toilets stank, the toilet paper had run out within the first 30 minutes of the leisure centre opening.  The horrible smell combined with that of spray starch, ralgex and deep heat as the students strapped up their current strains, sprains and injuries hoping they would ‘hold up’ during their grading test.  Everyone was nervously ‘bustling’ about as the tables were set up in the hall with the various sensei looking totally out of place in their best ‘bib and tucker’ of grey flannel trousers, shirt, tie and blazer with association badge neatly … Continue reading Grading In The Martial Arts

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Right Effort In Training

Steve Rowe

The class began with sanchin qigong.  With our feet under our shoulderline, we rotated out on the balls of the feet, releasing our ankles, knees, hips, lower back and chest, then stretched the crown of the head upwards bowing the spine from the top and pulling the pubococcygeus muscle at the base to complete the ‘bow’ and assist the energy flow, putting the tongue to the top palette to complete the circuit. We held the arms out in a ‘bow’ (or yin) formation at the front of the body, palms inwards, hollowing the chest to work with the bowing and … Continue reading Right Effort In Training

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The Secret Of Internal Power

Steve Rowe

The Secret Of Internal Power The Secret Of Internal Power, Is in the spine and body core, Learn how to manipulate these, And you will have great natural power. There 4 pairs of spine and core skills, Understand them in the neigong, Learn them in the qigong, And then apply them in technique. Soften and connect, Open and close, Stretch and compress, Twist and release. One normally follows the other, But you release after every skill, A release can be fast or slow, When you release you always then soften and connect. There are a multitude of ways to pulse, … Continue reading The Secret Of Internal Power

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There’s One In Every Martial Arts Club

Steve Rowe

“And the devil did grin because his darling sin Is pride that apes humility”.  – Samuel Taylor Coleridge     There’s always one in every group…………… The Dan grade that has been cutting classes and not doing enough practise – comes in to class and immediately starts correcting all the other grades.  The problem is that where they have been to all the recent classes, they actually know the technique better than him……….. But of course they are too polite to tell him that he is wrong and accept his mis – information politely and shake their heads behind his … Continue reading There’s One In Every Martial Arts Club

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Chi – The Users Manual

Steve Rowe

Chi – The Users Manual “Do you think that chi is real?” “I think it is just oriental mumbo-jumbo, there is nothing there that cannot be explained by science or biomechanics.”  This argument had gone on for months.  Eddie believed in the spiritual life within karate and John was a hardened scientist.  They had argued every time they met Eddie believed that she was spiritual energy and John believed that everything could be scientifically explained.” “Can you not see that life force is magical?  Chi is the special energy that makes us alive, it’s what animates our body.” “That is … Continue reading Chi – The Users Manual

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Hands Of A Clock

Steve Rowe

Hands Of A Clock Sometimes life seems hard….. Greg walked into the Dojo changing room, put his bag down and sighed. “You all right Greg? “Yeah….  you know some days life just seems harder….” “Tell me about it.” “I almost didn’t come tonight, I had a hard day at work, the wife had cooked a great meal for the family, the house was warm and it was raining outside.  I didn’t want to come here – but just knew I had to….  The changing rooms are cold and my gi is still damp, I ache from head to toe and … Continue reading Hands Of A Clock