Tag: kung fu

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Emotional Intelligence in Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

In Martial Arts we talk about developing the student ‘holistically’ or developing the ‘whole person’.  What does this mean? Some schools say that the sole purpose of training in the Martial Arts is to learn to fight and the rest is just ‘fluff’ and extraneous, but is a ‘fighter’ a Martial Artist? Most people don’t come to the Martial Arts to learn to ‘fight’, 99% of the phone calls we take are from prospective students who want to be fit and healthy and to be able to defend themselves.  These two purposes are not mutually exclusive and there is a … Continue reading Emotional Intelligence in Martial Arts

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Vicars, Tarts and Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

This guy from the local paper rings me up and wants to take some self defence type pictures for a “Vicars Are To Learn Self Defence” article.  “No problem” I say…. Any (reasonable) publicity is okay… The reporter comes up and like all newspaper (and magazine) journalists and photographers wants the stupidest pictures that you wouldn’t be seen dead doing.  But being a veteran I was ready and irrespective of what he asked for gave him the right ones. “Can you…….  (Steve immediately strikes up one of his poses with uke) Oh… OK…  fine….”  (Click, click) “Then could we have…..  … Continue reading Vicars, Tarts and Martial Arts

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Is Kata A Waste Of Time?

Steve Rowe

Is Kata A Waste Of Time? Is there a point to doing kata? Or is it just a waste of time? Does it have an application? That is magical and sublime? By the time it came from China, To Okinawa and Japan, It had been changed so many times, In each and every land. The true meaning has been lost, And by the time it came to the West, Nobody could remember, As the value became less than less. Then along came competition, Where it just had to look good, Nice shapes, crisp and focused, But empty, loud and awkward. … Continue reading Is Kata A Waste Of Time?

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Ethical Is Successful Business In Martial Arts

Steve Rowe

Martial Arts businesses suffer from some of the worst marketing on this planet.  All the ‘hype’, ‘management consultants’, ‘Leadership Programmes’, ‘upgrades’, door to door sales, mass leafleting and buzz words that have lost their meaning such as ‘self discipline’, ‘confidence’, ‘self defence’, the self made ‘Masters’, countless ‘World Champions’, clubs that throw every Martial Art into the hat with lists that they couldn’t possible supply has left potential and existing students sullied, confused and lost. Schools wanting to develop relationships with outside sports clubs have had their fingers burned by the expansionist, badly run and heavily marketed clubs. Under the … Continue reading Ethical Is Successful Business In Martial Arts

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How To Get A Black Belt

Steve Rowe

“How long will it take me to get a Black Belt?” This has got to be the most common question asked to any Martial Arts instructor by potential students. “How long is a piece a string”  is probably the most common answer…. I try to equate it with other skills in life. How long does it take to get a degree at university?  If you work hard on a daily basis and attend all your classes and work hard it should take three years. If you wanted to learn to play the piano or guitar, 3 years of daily practise … Continue reading How To Get A Black Belt

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The Peng Balloon

Steve Rowe

The Peng Balloon The deep core of the body softens, Until the feet spread evenly to the floor, The arches fill with energy, As they take the weight of the head. The soften down creates the press up, Causing the body to rise, stretch and open, Up and out through the crown of the head, Until everything balances upon itself. As the spine opens upwards, The shoulders and arm joints open downwards, With a soft stretch to the fingertips, Bringing the neural system alive. The ankles, knees and hips unlock and soften, Opening the hips and allowing the tailbone to … Continue reading The Peng Balloon

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When Your Imaginary Opponent Wins

Steve Rowe

“Tonight is kata…”  We had warmed up performing standing basics, followed by moving basic technique up and down the dojo focusing on individual skills and mindset – and from that work, most of has deduced what the rest of the content of the class would be.  Sensei gazed around at the brown and black belt class… “Last week we worked on ‘kushanku’ – a system kata in our style and this week we will work on the other major ‘system’ kata…  can anyone tell me what it is?” The hands shot up.  Sensei had always taken the time to explain … Continue reading When Your Imaginary Opponent Wins

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What Is Chi..

Steve Rowe

The Chinese word chi often spelled qi, or ki in Japanese, gi in Korean and khi in Vietnamese is also close to the yogic notion of prana and is generally vaguely referred to as ‘internal energy’ in a magical kind of way and there are some very strange claims made as to its power. The word chi translates directly as ‘air’, ‘breath’ or ‘gas’, the original calligraphy of 3 lines resembles breath coming from a persons mouth.  The picture representing rice was added with the 3 lines of breath over the top so that it reads as ‘steam coming off … Continue reading What Is Chi..

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Armed Or Unarmed?

Steve Rowe

Armed Or Unarmed? What came first, The chicken or the egg? Weapons training, or unarmed? In martial arts it is a quest. You would think unarmed led to weapons, But it was most likely the other way. Ever since man existed, He threw rocks and used pointy sticks. All fighting was weaponised, Why do anything else? The only time it became unarmed, Was when the weapon was lost. Village sport was wrestling, Children in the garden wrestle, Pups and cubs wrestle, This made sport and play. Why is this important? Because martial skill begins with weapons, Unarmed are adaptions of … Continue reading Armed Or Unarmed?

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The Yo Yo as a Martial Arts Weapon..

Steve Rowe

The Yo Yo was the latest fad with the kids in the Club.  All the kids came in playing with them in the reception area and whilst they were training, rows of parents were left holding them.  In fact there was even an unofficial parents Yo Yo competition in the changing rooms whilst the kids were training! All this could not go by without comment from Sensei…… As training came to an end it was time for Sensei’s little “chat”……. “OK kids, who likes to Yo Yo?” All hands shot up without exception. “Who knows its history?” No hands came … Continue reading The Yo Yo as a Martial Arts Weapon..