Tag: martial arts

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Milk Of Amnesia

Steve Rowe

Tonight we are going to drink the elixir of Nirvana…… Milk of amnesia! Sensei always had a way with words. Sometimes he totally bastardised the English language and yet always found a way of using it to help us gain an insight toward a deeper philosophical point. His humour was also unique. Someone had to get the ball rolling. “Sensei, are talking about a drink to bring about a blissful state?” “No.” “But does not Nirvana mean enlightenment, or a state of bliss?” “Nirvana means to put the fires out.” “So we are to drink an elixir to put the … Continue reading Milk Of Amnesia

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Steve Arneil – Kyokushinkai Legend

Steve Rowe

This interview was conducted in the year 2000… I have known of Steve Arniel since the 1960’s and personally for some years.  I have attended the Kyokushinkai tournaments since the beginning, many of them as a V.I.P guest and had the honour of awarding Steve the “man of the year” award for “Traditional Karate” magazine at one of those tournaments. Steve is one of the most senior, if not the most senior Karateka in Great Britain.  He holds the prestigious grade of 8th Dan and the respected title of Hanshi.  He has held the respect and loyalty of those close … Continue reading Steve Arneil – Kyokushinkai Legend

Articles, Interviews & People6 Comments

Wado Ryu Training in the ’60’s

Steve Rowe

Just found this on my computer.  It’s a great insight into the early days of Karate in London.  I asked my older brother years ago what it was like training with the first Wado Ryu Japanese Instructors that came to the UK in the 1960’s, this is what he sent me… “My interest in the martial arts was quite practical, at school I used to get involved in a fight about once a month, mainly due to my stubborn refusal to fit into the strict pecking order that operated there. Those more aggressive and athletic would “put me in my … Continue reading Wado Ryu Training in the ’60’s

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10 Essential Points Of Martial Arts Leadership

Steve Rowe

‘Leadership’ is a much-maligned word in the Martial Arts these days; it tends to be over used, often by the wrong people in the wrong way. If you run a Club it’s essential that you fully understand the responsibility that you are undertaking. You primarily have a responsibility to yourself as the Leader of a Club and will be the pivotal figure that everyone is going to look up to. The Emotional Intelligence of the Leader will dictate how the rest of the Club will behave. If the Leader is disingenuous, a bully or financially greedy it will reflect negatively … Continue reading 10 Essential Points Of Martial Arts Leadership

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Peace Is Earned

Steve Rowe

Peace is earned.  The only harmony we have in this universe is amidst chaos, it is a natural state.  We are all built to fight each other for reproduction and food and in the human this has become so warped that it has become a highly evolved and barely noticeable part of our media, games and politics. The only way as a human that we can find peace is amidst this chaos. Our body is ‘balanced’ by continuous wars of huge armies of bacteria and microbes fighting each other for us to aspire to a good balanced healthy condition. The … Continue reading Peace Is Earned

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Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory…

Steve Rowe

There are people you can lock in a dark room on their own and they will come out a Master, Some people obtain mastery despite their Instructor, Some make it because of their Instructor, Some will never make it with the best instructors in the World as long as they have a hole in their bum. You can nag and push students, Get them to make notes, Give them notes, mnemonics and lists, Home training programmes and intensive private lessons. Some want to learn, some are lazy, Some have unfocussed minds, Many are arrogant, But most will never make those … Continue reading Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory…