Tag: steve rowe

ArticlesLeave a comment

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..

PoemsLeave a comment

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?

ArticlesLeave a comment

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..

PoemsLeave a comment

You Can’t Stop Growing Old…

Steve Rowe

You Can’t Stop Growing Old… It begins when you’re shaving your Dad in the mirror, When your first steps in the morning are like the ‘dawn of man’ poster, When your designer stubble makes you look homeless, And your back goes out more than you do. Your karate belt gets shorter, To kick someone in the head, You have to kick them in groin first. When you look around the club, Everyone is younger than you. You’re now officially ‘the old boy’. Age can be a gift or a curse, You can either wear it with dignity, Or act disgracefully. … Continue reading You Can’t Stop Growing Old…

Articles1 Comment

Beginner’s Mind

Steve Rowe

“It is easier to write on a clean sheet of paper than one that someone has already scribbled all over” It’s a bit like singing in the choir with one chorister horribly out of tune, as the class glided nimbly across the Dojo floor into Neko Ashi Hanmi with an almost imperceptible ripple of power through each body manifesting itself like a whip into a powerful Shuto Uke, there was one klutz among us spoiling the harmony…… Thud!  As his foot stomped down on the floor in an unnaturally elongated stance, you could light a fag in between the timing … Continue reading Beginner’s Mind

PoemsLeave a comment

Who Do You Train For?

Steve Rowe

Who do you train for? Is it yourself? Or your self? Do you train to please your Instructor? Are you good because he says you are? Do you ‘try’ to do your martial arts well? If you’re ‘trying’ to do something, You’re not really doing it, You’re admitting failure before you begin. If you separate yourself from doing your art, You’re doing the opposite to what you should. If you’re training to please a separate ‘self’ you’ll fail, If it’s to please any other person, you will always be vulnerable. If you stop ‘trying’, If you stop trying to please … Continue reading Who Do You Train For?

ArticlesLeave a comment

Power For Punching

Steve Rowe

“Junzuki Hidari Gamae…….  Ich!”  The atmosphere changed to that of total awareness as the class took up left step and punch in forward stance posture with an audible snap of their Karategi. “Kette Junzuki……  Ich!”  Front kick followed by Junzuki punch again. “Yameee!  What was that?”  Delivered in Sensei’s immaculate take off of Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon….. “A finger pointing to the moon Sensei!”  Exclaimed one wag sensing that there was a bit of humour in the air. “More like a retentive hop with a finger in Uranus and mind in neutral…” mused Sensei. “Let’s look at the … Continue reading Power For Punching

ArticlesLeave a comment

Training With Age

Steve Rowe

Leo was obviously trying too hard. He was no spring chicken, in his late forties he was trying to compete with the youngsters.  He had old, long term damage to his knees and ankles, he had a bit of “middle age spread” and here he was trying to leap around as if he hadn’t started shaving…… “Leo, take it easy,” said Sensei.  But this just seemed to aggravate him more. Well, it had to happen, his face got redder, his knees more wobbly, his movements more frantic and then one of the young bucks swept both his legs and unmercifully … Continue reading Training With Age

ArticlesLeave a comment

The Structure Of Kata

Steve Rowe

It’s nice to get away on courses with Sensei……. He had been invited to teach on a course that includes many students and Instructors from different styles of Karate so it was interesting to see what their interpretations of the same movements that we practised were and also how they reacted to Sensei’s teachings.  It was also fascinating to watch Sensei’s diplomatic way of dealing with the differences…… Everyone was keen to share knowledge and were all patient with each other to get to the bottom of each interpretation.  Often with a lack of good instruction many of the attending … Continue reading The Structure Of Kata

PoemsLeave a comment

Looking Back Down Our Eyes..

Steve Rowe

Looking Back Down Our Eyes.. We can’t look back down our own eyes, To see who’s looking out, Or listen down our ears, To find who’s listening. We can’t smell who’s smelling, Or taste who’s tasting. We can’t bite our own teeth, Or even beat our own heart. We can’t hold our breath until we die, Or stop our heart from beating, Our internal organs work by themselves, Until it’s time to die. We think we have control, And we may have a little, Not as much as we’d like, Or do we have any? Who or what is our … Continue reading Looking Back Down Our Eyes..