Tag: kung fu

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MMA Or Karate?

Steve Rowe

MMA Or Karate? John was bristling….  He’d been watching all the latest ‘no holds barred’ tournaments, shaved his head and left the obligatory UFC lines of hair, shaved his goatee into the ‘Chuck Liddell’ style droop moustache and had the ‘buy your cola here’ in Chinese tattooed on his arms and Maori designs on his shoulders He’d also hit the weights – but in the wrong way, he’d been bench pressing and ‘pushing’ big time, this had lifted his rib cage and separated the internal connection between upper and lower body, the shoulder development had also broken the arm to … Continue reading MMA Or Karate?

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How To Hammer And Screw Your Opponent

Steve Rowe

How To Hammer And Screw Your Opponent “Sensei ni rei!”  Everyone bowed with sensei. “Otagani rei!”  Everyone bowed again. “Kiritsu!”  We all stood up. “Sonoba zuki!” We prepared to deliver a basic punch from a natural standing position. Sensei looked thoughtful for a moment and then said “Yamee”..  we all stood down. “This evening, ladies and gentleman, I will teach you how to hammer and screw your opponent.”  Sensei had that mischievous look in his eye and knew the effect that his play on words would have.  Everyone suddenly looked far more interested… “I’ve been ‘hammered’ a few times” said … Continue reading How To Hammer And Screw Your Opponent

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Injury Prevention

Steve Rowe

“Find a space and work on your grading kata.” Working independently was a good way of making us work harder and on what we needed most.  It also gave sensei a good method of getting around to each of us and giving individual feedback and advice on what techniques we needed concentrate. “Oh Jeeez!”   Crash!  Rosie hit the floor like a sack of spuds.  We all looked around wondering what had happened as we were working on our own it was the last thing we expected. “My knee’s just gone.” Rosie was lying on the floor clutching her knee.  Sensei … Continue reading Injury Prevention

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Why Karateka Can’t Make A Stance

Steve Rowe

“Junzuki hidari gamae…..  ich!” The smell of freshly starched karategi’s filled the Dojo, mixed with the incense from the joss sticks that Sensei had burned that morning at the Kamiza (shrine) during his shinto ritual, it made a heady odour that added to the flavour of our Sunday morning training. Sunlight flashed on the highly polished wooden floor, sensei’s Japanese pronunciation powered from his seiki tanden as he counted and gave commands and drove his ki to add to the mixture and invigorate the students. “Mawatte…(turn)…  ich!”  Everyone turned and kiai’d together.  There is something inherently tribal about moving and … Continue reading Why Karateka Can’t Make A Stance

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Powerful Grading Speech

Steve Rowe

I looked down the line of students ahead of me waiting to go out and perform their grading, theirkarategi trousers were quivering as a result of shaky legs… Out on the floor I could hear the call of the Sensei, “ich, ni, san, shi, go, rokku, shichi, hatch, kyu, ju!” “EEEEYYYYAAAH!” the responding kiai came from the students already out there strutting their stuff under the watchful eye of Sensei and other club instructors officiating.  I could just glimpse Sensei’s impassive face occasionally between some of the students nervously awaiting their turn to grade. Why do we put ourselves under … Continue reading Powerful Grading Speech

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Defence Against The Self

Steve Rowe

We had a ‘free’ training night in the sense that sensei let everyone work on whatever they wanted to and he came around helping people individually.  It was an excellent way of learning as it enabled us to practice and get help with what we thought we needed to work on. Bernie was not a young man, he was what sensei would call an ‘earth’ person, obsessed with the practicality of everything and unable to see the health, skill and art aspects to what we did – and it showed on his face as he watched the younger Aaron working … Continue reading Defence Against The Self

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Principles And Dynamics

Steve Rowe

Principles And Dynamics What is the difference between principles and dynamics? Both underlay technique, Principles are present all the time, But dynamics change and combine. The feet must always be in the right place, At the right time and press the right way, The body must always be aligned, And the mind always alert, focused, sensitive and intense. The breathing must always be deep and natural, The internal line always connected, The spine and core always being manipulated, And the ideas of wedging and spiraling always in place. These principles are what make a technique work, Combined they give immense … Continue reading Principles And Dynamics

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Sanchin To Tensho

Steve Rowe

“Tensho!”  We all prepared for the ‘5 animals’ kata. “Snake, crane wing, tiger, leopard, standing dragon, laying dragon, remember to sink from the chest, find the feet, float from the waist, use the ‘asking’ hand, come on now, stay connected….  Manipulate, swallow the energy, now…. Release it, spit it out! Breathe from the stomach… now the back, soften the midline, use your eyes, tongue to the top palette…. C’mon guys…. Don’t make it hard work! Who remembers what the trinity of kata is?”  The hands shot up.  “Marcia? “Firstly medical, secondly, skill and thirdly, boxing Sensei!” “Well done!”  Sensei gazed … Continue reading Sanchin To Tensho

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The Speed Of Chi

Steve Rowe

“Padwork!”  We paired off and collected a set of hook and jab pads. “Warm up with half speed techniques, using only straight jab, cross and hook punches, low front and round kicks.”  The pad holder held the pad full on for the straight jabs, angled for the cross punches, side on for the hooks, full on low for the front kick and angled and down for the low round kicks.  The pad position let the hitter know which strike was required. “Okay, now change distance and angle…”  This meant that the hitter had to constantly adjust distance and angle to … Continue reading The Speed Of Chi