The View from Bath

Zenshin Dojo instructor Pete let himself be cornered for a round of questions and answers.

What's your position in the club and your graded level? 

Sole instructor at Bath Club; 3rd Dan.

Tell us more about the Bath based club you run. For  example, can you tell us about the history of the Bath class and what sort of practices visitors to the club might face? 

It was started in June 2009 by myself and Phil. Since Phil moved to take on Warmley on Sundays, it has been just me, though I get help on  occasions Typically, after warm-up, we tend to start with some kihon, which can last from five minutes to 80 minutes, depending on how bad a day I’ve had at work! If there’s anytime left after this (which there is normally, at least an hour) we’ll investigate  anything from kata, kihon (again), kicks, kumite,  moving practice to weapons practices. We recently spent several weeks learning Jo vs Bokken and Jo kata. I try and spend one week each month on each of the ‘Ks’ (kihon, kata and kumite), though that doesn’t always work.

 How long have you been  practicing karate and why did you start in the first place? 

18 years. My earliest interest in things ‘Martial Arts’ was watching the TV series ‘Monkey’; what a classic series! Then, I spent my teenage years watching martial arts films (Jean-Claude, Steven Seagal and Bruce Lee) and wishing I had the impetus to find a club and practice. It was only when my wife Hanna and I moved to Bristol, in 1997, that I  managed to persuade Hanna to ring Rob and the rest, as they say, is history.

What do you find more  satisfying, teaching or  practicing and why? 

Practicing, because I can get a real sweat on – that’s hard to do on a regular basis when  teaching. However, there’s  always something nice at the end of a practice, when at least one of your students has grasped the main point of the practice.

Describe how you yourself  understand our karate  journey. 

I can’t tell you about ‘your’ journey, as each journey, by its very nature, becomes a personal
one. Mine is ongoing….sorry, if that’s not helpful.

How would you  differentiate between Yin and Yang energy?  

Hmm, tricky! I think  everyone is aware of the description of Yin and Yang and the Taijitu  symbol, where there is always a little bit of Yin (white) in Yang (black) and vice versa. For me Yin is an ‘accepting’ energy whilst Yang is ‘giving’. So to try and interpret that with kata, the techniques carried out in a Yin manner would be of a more  receiving and re-directing nature, be it a defensive or attacking movement, whist Yang is attacking and/or entering, irrespective of the type of movement. Specifically, a Shuto-uke as a Yin movement, may use the initial hand to shoulder movement to bring your attacker in and past, or the outward movement may be to grasp/re-direct as you move into the next  movement rather than to strike, whilst a Yang gedan -barai would be done entering your opponent’s space rather than just  re-directing the punch/kick. But remember there is always some Yin in Yang and vice versa.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time at Zenshin and what has been your biggest success (or what are you most proud of)? 

I think it probably lies outside of practice, where over the last few years, Hanna and I have been on several trips to Italy and Japan without Rob, and he’s asked me to be his spokesperson. It may surprise people (or not), but I am not a confident person, at least I wasn’t 18 years ago, and standing up in front of 50  Italians and 7 Japanese or 25 Japanese and a similar  number of Italians and thanking them for their  hospitality, friendship and presenting and receiving gifts on behalf of my sensei is a daunting prospect (as you know Justin, having been part of at least one of those  moments).

To answer your second  question, I guess the biggest success I have had is that same growth in confidence, and not because I’m a 3rd dan… but more because I have become more confident in my ability to deal with life and awkward situations, and I put that down to 18 years of Rob’s teaching and practicing with all the various other 5th dans, international friends, together with all my peers and friends within Zenshin and, Formerly, Keynsham Shotokai.

Have you ever studied any other martial art apart from karate and, if so, how do they compare?

We (me and Hanna) have both practiced Tai Chi and are still practicing Aikido. Tai Chi was very useful as it had some very similar practices like ‘sticky hands’, though the emphasis can be subtly different. Hanna reminded me that Phil and I did try Kendo for a few weeks, which was intriguing, but not quite for me. Qigong with Rob is  always a great practice, very relaxing and tough whilst giving you the chance to  investigate how your own body moves, and whether it is your body that moves you, or you that moves your body.  Finally, Aikido, this to me has an awful lot in common with Egami Sensei’s style of  karate, as practised by the Yutenkai Masters. Anyone who has practiced with the Yutenkai, will have practised quite a lot of the underlying aikido techniques in a karate manner as I’ve learnt them, so the years we’ve spent practicing aikido have been enjoyable and useful. That combined with a surprising similarity with a number of the KU techniques (though the application and flow can be quite different), leads me to think that certainly aikido and our approach to karate are very similar with just subtle changes in emphasis differentiating them.

Do you have a favourite or favoured karate technique and, if so, why do you like it so much? 

As nothing comes immediately to mind, I would say that means ‘No’.

Do you enjoy martial arts movies and if you do, do you have a favourite? 

As you well know, I do enjoy a good chop-socky flick. As for a favourite, this was a difficult one. There are several  contenders, but I guess if you ignore ‘samurai’  movies, then probably Bloodsport, or Hard to Kill. However, if samurai  movies are included, then 13 Assasins, or The Last Samurai would be in the list too.

If you had any one piece of advice to someone starting out on their  karate journey what would it be? 

Take your time and enjoy it. It’s not a race.

What do you think makes a good karate  practitioner? 

An open mind, plus a  willingness to learn and to try different things. Also flexibility (not necessarily physical) and, most of all, patience.

Do you still run semi regular curry nights? 

Yup, five or six times a year we have a curry after practice for all those people who attend Bath on a regular basis.

What would you have  written on your karate headstone? 

‘Do as I say, not as I do’ or, ‘Relax, relax.’

Adults learning alongside young children, can it ever work?

There are clubs that offer “family” karate training, or mixed aged classes, i.e. adults AND children practising together.  Far be it from me to judge anyone's club, and if it works for them, great!  I just don't understand the learning objectives of mixed aged classes. I'm not talking about adults with teenagers and some 12 year olds, may possibly be physically strong and intellectually developed enough to cope. I'm referring to adults learning and practising karate with even younger children.

From time to time we receive enquiries from parents who wish to join our club with their child (often very young child).  When I explain we don’t run such classes they seem surprised, and sometimes even offended.

But am I missing something? Is there any real value in such classes?  I can understand a parent wanting to support a hesitant or reluctant child find their feet. I can even understand parents helping, by holding pads etc, but why does any parent think, they could possibly receive karate tuition appropriate for them in any of those circumstances?

I just don’t get it?

OK, they could stand next to their child and perform kihon, maybe.  They may also get away with learning the odd kata or two, but never to a particularly high  standard.  I just can’t see the logic behind their request?? The only thing that makes sense is if there is a class of adults and a class of kids practising, simultaneously, "side by side," in the same hall. I'm sure that happens and perhaps it works on some level.

It’s probably stating the obvious but, adults and children learn in different ways!  Age appropriate language is of less importance to a group of adults. Attention spans tend to be less in children, (although not always!) And warm up exercises; will the child be doing as much, and to the same level as their dad? 

But all that aside what about the activity itself, karate!  It’s about responding to physical violence, and training methods for adults are much more intense than for children, even teenagers.When receiving these bizarre requests I feel like saying, would you sit in a primary school class and expect to learn anything?

Maybe I’m missing something obvious, maybe I’ve got it all wrong? But karate is a serious physical activity with profound personal benefits, but those deeper meaningful benefits often only manifest themselves after many years of training.  

I totally accept that karate is great for kids, but surely only when they learn and practice within a group of their peers and not their parents.

‘Karate-Do: My Way of Life.’ A 2nd kyu Perspective

Emily 2nd kyu shares her thoughts after reading Funakoshi’s book: ‘Karate-Do: My Way of Life.’

Gichin Funakoshi is known as the ‘father of modern karate’. He was instrumental in spreading karate across Japan and throughout the world and wrote many significant texts.  Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text was the first comprehensive guide to kata, kumite and the history of karate for a modern audience. It is still widely referred to,including by our own club.  Funakoshi’s autobiography Karate-Do: My Way of Life is a surprisingly slim volume given these achievements and written in a highly accessible way. It covers a lot of material for such a compact book, and I’d highly recommend it.  

As I was reading My Way of Life, a number of key points stood out, these made me stop and think. Your interpretations may well be different, but here I have attempted to distil them into my own take-home messages.   1) It was hard for me to imagine Funakoshi as anything other than a karate master, but he actually started life as a ‘sickly baby and a frail child’. He didn’t immediately take to karate after starting it, but soon a virtuous cycle began flowing. Studying karate and practicing regularly made his body and mind stronger. This made him more vigorous in his training, which made him even stronger and so on. 

My take-home message from this: Slow beginnings are insignificant if you persevere. Every journey is different. 

 2) Much of karate’s history is lost to the vagaries of time. Had it not been for Funakoshi we’d have so much less to go on, but many elements of kata, particularly the applications, are retrofitted – added in after as potential explanations. Even the word ‘karate’ itself has ambiguity. In Japanese it could mean ‘empty hand’ or ‘Chinese hand’, referring to karate’s lack of weapons or its origins in Chinese boxing respectively. Funakoshi debated these two interpretations as he planned his texts. He eventually favoured ‘empty hand’, but acknowledges this is primarily ‘conjecture’, and recognises the merits of both. This is a very different attitude to simply saying: ‘We don’t know!’ and I’ve seen it in action at Zenshin too.   Practicing a succession of possible applications of a single kata movement demonstrates anything but ignorance. Instead it evokes flexibility and readiness for a range of real-world situations. To me this seems far more useful than telling yourself there’s only one way to be right! Take home: Ambiguity is necessary for flexibility. Embrace it.  

3) Funakoshi describes a man who claimed he could teach a nukite so strong that ‘a man may penetrate his adversary’s rib cage, take hold of the bones, and tear them out of the body’. If video games had been invented at the time, perhaps Funakoshi would have suggested this chap had played a bit too much Mortal Kombat! As it was, he spoke scornfully of braggarts and charlatans like this a number of times. By contrast, Funakoshi remains incredibly modest about his own work and abilities. Speaking of his entire life’s work bringing karate to the masses, he says: ‘As for my own role, I feel it has been no more than that of an introducer… one who was blessed by both time and chance to appear at the  opportune moment.’

Take-home: Be humble, don’t show off… and don’t go around telling people that you can make them perform impossible feats of mutilation!

4) Even in the early days, Funakoshi was adamant that karate was for everyone – boy, girl, woman and man. His whole family trained at karate, and he was particularly proud of his wife’s abilities. Despite this, he recognises there are certain mind -sets that do not mix well with his concept of karate. He considers people, who signed up to his dojo purely because they’re spoiling for a fight, noting: ‘It is quite impossible for any young person whose objective is so foolish to continue very long at karate’. However, ‘those with a higher ideal… will find that the harder they train, the more fascinating the art becomes’. 

Before joining Zenshin, I had a brief stint with a rather different karate group where emphasis was actively placed on combat. I reckon I know which Funakoshi would have been more approving of!

Take-home: The attitude of seeking to better oneself has a far higher bearing on success in karate than age, build or gender.  

5) Funakoshi writes: ‘Any place can be a dojo’. He cites prudence and humility as virtues of karate and these certainly aren’t limited to the training hall. Via a number of anecdotes we are further reminded that we lose nothing from politeness, civility and acceptance. In one example, he tells us of his daily visits to a Japanese public bath where clients are greeted upon arriving and leaving by an attendant. He used to pass silently by this member of staff, but one day realised he was not practising as he preached in his karate sessions. He started to smile and returned the attendant’s greetings, which subsequently ‘grew warmer and more personal’. Such a small change easily improved the daily lives of both participants. As for the relevance of this to karate, Funakoshi believed: ‘The mind of the true karate-ka should be imbued with such concern before he turns his attention to his body and the refinement of his technique’.

Take-home: Don’t let the karate finish just because you’ve left the dojo. Be excellent…  

An Interview with Karim

Zenshin dojo newsletter editor, Justin, interviews Zenshin dojo stalwart Karim about his karate journey and personal  challenges.

What's your position in the club and your graded level?

First Dan.  

How long have you been  practising karate and why did you start in the first place?

It's a long story. When I reached the age 40 I was suddenly hit by two strange urges - one was to do some exercise, as I hadn't done any since leaving school. The second was to do something for others. 

Incidentally I had long been keen to visit Cuba before Fidel Castro died. So imagine my surprise when I opened a newspaper one morning and saw an advert for a charity cycle ride across Cuba. Feeling that some things are meant to be, I signed up and started training to cycle from Havana to Trinidad to raise funds for the National Deaf Children’s Society. At the same time my five year old son joined the junior karate club, “KEBBA” and shortly afterwards my wife joined Zenshin dojo. Once I’d completed the cycle ride, and still keen to keep up some regular exercise, joining Zenshin seemed a natural step. So in March 2003 I joined the Cotham class.

What do you find more satisfying, teaching or practising and why?

I am happy to help wherever I can, whether it is taking some new starters through some Kihon or covering the odd class when an instructor can't make it. I do enjoy it and get a lot from it. On the other hand I am also very conscious of having a lot to learn and of having to remember what I learnt last week. So I am happy to just turn up and go with it whatever we are doing. 

Describe how you yourself understand our karate journey?

Well it’s certainly a journey and not a race. Also I don't see it as one continuous one way journey necessarily either. More of a grand tour of many places. You can visit Paris for the weekend and get a feel for it or you can spend years there and still not see all of it. At the risk of overdoing the metaphor, the black belts have a role as tour guides to help you get the most from your time there. If you revisit a place after a few months you notice things you didn't see the first time round.

How would you differentiate between Yin and Yang energy?

I think that in some social situations it is much easier to instinctively know when to be yin and when to be yang.  Imagine returning some faulty purchase to a shop in order to get a refund. Initially you might begin by quietly stating the facts and calmly asking for your money back. If you get an apologetic, empathetic, positive response you might find your yin approach has done the job effectively. If you are met with casual indifference and rudeness, you might feel the red mist descending and decide to engage some yang energy to make your point more directly, loudly, dynamically. Depending on the reaction, you may feel that you have made your point and revert to a calmer style. In those sorts of situations, it would be much more natural and instinctive for me as to when to be yin and when to be yang. Also moving from one to the other and recognising elements of one in the other would be clearer. Translating that into a karate situation, I find much more difficult and it is going to take me a lot more practice. I often think of this article I read a while back that you might find interesting:   http://www.travisdharma.com/ yin-yang-balance-in-everydaylife/

What has been your biggest challenge during your time at Zenshin and what has been your biggest success (or what are you most proud of)?

I think the hardest time for me was the transition from blue to brown belt. I had to learn to change my breathing to get through the assessment; and my biggest success? It has to be making it to black belt at Winter School in Largs, Scotland.

Have you ever studied any other martial art apart from karate and, if so, how do they compare?

Yes, I studied Judo for a few years as a teenager. I spent three years being thrown around a dojo but it did give me a lot of opportunity to practice break-falls. In terms of similarities, Judo focussed a lot on using the whole body, fluid movement and using an opponent’s energy against him/her. It was very much about using throws and sweeps to get an opponent on the ground and then using holds and locks to immobilise them. It complements our style of karate very well as we have seen when we have had sessions on break-falls and on ground- work.

Do you have a favourite or favoured karate technique and, if so, why do you like it so much?

I have to admit that I do love techniques that give maximum impact for minimum effort and have a high success rate. So, for example, in the Heian Nidan bunkai, that wrist lock and take down following a lapel grab. I think it is interesting how your thought process affects your chances of success. When Rob demonstrates a technique it almost always works. He approaches it with 100 percent belief that it will work because he has done it successfully so many times before. If my techniques work 30% or 40% of the time then I don't approach it with the same confidence. So I prefer the ones that work more effectively for me, but I need to work on getting my success rate up on the others. 

Do you enjoy martial arts movies and if you do, do you have a favourite?

I do like some of the older classics like The Big Boss and Enter the Dragon, but I'm not so keen on some of the newer stuff involving jumping onto roofs two stories above using badly hidden wires. My favourite modern classic has to be Kung Fu Panda.

What are you most looking forward to over the coming months in and around Zenshin?

I just enjoy practising with the most supportive people you could wish for.

If you had any one piece of advice starting out on their karate journey what would it be?

I always liked that Jim Rohn quote. ‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.’

How has karate informed your life outside of the dojo and, conversely, how has your life outside of the dojo informed your experiences in it?

Karate definitely does seem to work its way into everything we do. It started off with simple things like taking the stairs two at a time to feel the burn in my legs; then trying to do a perfect Hachi Dachi while  waiting for a lift; and then stepping side-ways - irimi style - into the lift as someone was leaving it and thinking did I enter or evade them? At first I thought it was just me, but now I think we are all doing it.  I have been told by people at work that I am calmer and more open to listen to the views of others since I started karate. My life outside the dojo does also influence my karate. For example, there are some elements at work that I can do quite naturally, confidently and with a degree of unconscious competence. That is the feeling that I am aiming for in karate. For some it comes naturally and others have to work at it.  Unfortunately I am one of those who has to really work at it, but at least I know what I am aiming for.

What would you have written on your karate headstone?

Sorry I'm late!  

The Jose Mourinho influence

You might ask what’s the link between Jose Mourinho, the legendary manager of Premier League Chelsea and now Manchester United, and karate?  Perhaps more accurately what’s his link to teaching at Zenshin dojo?

The answer is a simple one, Mourinho and other famous coaches did not necessarily personally excel at their chosen sport.  Quoting from Wikipedia, he (Mourinho), “lacked the requisite pace and power to become a professional and chose to focus on becoming a football coach instead.”Throughout my personal martial arts journey I have met many “masters,” many talented and impressive karate ka but, very few who were excellent at coaching others.  

So what’s the difference between an “instructor,” “coach,” and “teacher”?  The Cambridge dictionary defines an instructor as, “a person whose job is to teach people a practical skill.” The definition of a coach as, “someone whose job is to teach people to improve at a sport, skill, or school subject.” And a teacher as, “someone whose job is to teach in a school or college.”

All very similar and for many readers this could just be a case of semantics. But on closer examination the difference between an instructor and a coach seems to revolve around the latter focussing their attention on improving a student, rather than simply taking a novice and introducing them to a new skill. 

The definition of teacher is an interesting one because it suggests teaching children or at least young people.Anyone who has undergone academic training in helping fully mature adults learn will recognise that “teaching” adults is entirely different to “teaching” children.  Sounds obvious doesn’t it? I mean you wouldn’t expect an adult to respond in the same way as a child, if taught within a class of 8 year olds?  Which is why I can never understand the rationale for junior and adults being taught karate in a mixed age, class environment? Anyway, to each their own.I’m not here to judge others, but all this informs the approach to learning and development of students within Zenshin dojo.  First we instruct, then we coach. 

But who coaches the coaches? A question we take very seriously.  With that in mind the second to third dan assessment process is not merely a karate based exercise. It’s not solely about the candidate demonstrating advanced kata, or the application of complex technique. Yes, there is an element of the above, but it is at this level that much emphasis is placed upon the coaching skills of the candidate. Third dan is a senior grade within the club, (fifth dan is the highest level), and there is a belief they should be in a position to act as a role model to others and be effective at developing, “coaching,” others.

One candidate, Phil, is presently moving through this process. As part of his “examination” he has to formulate a lesson, spread over two consecutive weeks. His task is to deliver karate material designed to improve both novices and dan grades alike. The class is of mixed ability, from white to black belt, 18 to 62 years, men and women, in total, normally approximately 20 people.  After each session the candidate, in this case Phil is assessed by those very same students. Their opinion is recorded on structured feedback sheets and form the basis of a debrief session with Phil by a more experienced “coach.”

Although not perfect, Zenshin dojo members see how important their learning, development and improvement  is to the club and, to a degree have a responsibility, and involvement in, its, and consequently their, evolution.

Tara Reflects

Tara reminisces about her own karate journey and explains why she is still so passionate about her  karate practice after all these years.

2016 is an important milestone year for me and I’ve come into it feeling unexpectedly nostalgic. This summer will mark 15 years since walking into St John’s Church hall, Keynsham, for my
first of many Thursday night practices and 10 years since achieving junior black belt at our equally feared and loved annual weekend away at Lancaster  University. So, for all of these reasons I felt it an apt time to write a piece for the newsletter.

I’ve been thinking about how my practice has changed over the years and how I’ve placed emphasis and importance on different aspects of my practice at  different times. As a junior/ kyu grade technique was  often the main focus of my practice. I felt I needed to have good form, posture, hand position etc. within kata and kihon, which was  accelerated by having such a good technical instructor like Kate. Learning sequences and patterns was something I could do fairly quickly but a difficulty in practice came later on towards green/blue belt when I needed to start filling up my practice with energy,  presence and imagination.   Having a good foundation of technical skills and shapes I now shifted my focus to the  development of ‘mind and spirit’. This is where Rob’s teaching and practice approach complimented Kate’s style. I  remember fondly (and not so fondly!) many practices of being taken completely out of my  comfort zone; screamed at, ran at with and without weapons, kicked, punched and grabbed. At the same time, however, I was given a great deal of time, effort and wealth of knowledge and experience.   By the time I was a brown belt I had started to gain a quiet confidence in my ability to ‘hold my own’ and it was so valuable having peers at the same level to support and push each other  forward. I could now look at Rob in the eye when he was  imitating a raging, violent and verbally abusive attacker without crumbling inside or curling up into a ball to cry on the floor. Confidence is such a powerful feeling but there was never time to get too complacent because it wouldn’t be long before the bar was raised and there was another obstacle to overcome. (I’d like to mention at this point that I may be painting Rob out to be some kind of aggressive, child-beating instructor, but clearly that isn’t the case!)

Achieving my junior black belt was a memory that hasn’t faded over time. However, I held an instinctual feeling that I hadn’t come to the end of something, or gained something that made me special and untouchable, but that I was just at the beginning of my  understanding of the  martial arts. It was almost like the preceding five years had been the starter of a meal and now I was moving onto the main course. Amid the feelings of joy and celebration there was an undertone of  seriousness and uncertainty as to whether I would  actually be good enough to progress any further.

The transition from junior to adult practice took a little time to get used to. It  wasn’t just the adjustment to the style of teaching but the realisation that there needed to be a  responsibility for my own practice and learning. I now needed to think about my practice, the reasons for practicing a certain way,  understanding differences in others, discovering the  practice methods or concepts I found value in and start to shape the future of my  practice. I’ve always  maintained that reflection, both in practice and  afterwards (at home or in the pub!), is such a key  component to progression. I have tried to develop an  analytical eye when watching demonstrations and when watching the effects of  technique or movement on my partner. Verbal feedback can be valuable but both  visual and kinaesthetic  information are far more  beneficial if you know what  effect you are trying to create.   Over the last few years of my practice I have been exploring the importance of body  movement. The idea of body movement will mean different things for  everyone as I think it is such a broad concept. I have practiced with many  different high grades who teach body movement but all move differently. My focus has been on what types of body movement are most  effective and how to refine this and make it more  efficient. This exploration, at times, has taken me out of the structure of ‘karate’ and  allowed me to look at the martial arts as a whole. There are many connections to be found between different styles of a martial art as well as martial arts in general. I have used ‘body movement’ for stability, flexibility, evading, entering, creating angles, being hard and heavy, being soft and light and lots of other places in-between when I have created an effect in my partner. I am really interested to refine these movements to a point where I am using the least amount of effort, strength and speed but  maximising the effect - not because I’m lazy (!), just  because I think we can move smarter, not harder.

Another recent development to my practice has been  taking on a teaching role at my new ladies-only class in Newcastle. I have done very small amounts of teaching in the past so to go from that to teaching a weekly session has been a huge step forward. I am not naturally confident in my abilities so I often think: ‘I’m not good enough to teach’, but I have to remember my 15 years’ worth of experience and try to replicate some of the qualities my teachers have. We have gained a few new faces, who are all enthusiastic, and I am already experiencing the pleasures of
being a teacher when  somebody manages to do their first gedan barai or mae geri unassisted! I have always been told the  benefits of teaching and look forward to seeing how this influences my practice and also develops me  personally.

For me, karate and martial arts have been an integral part of my life since I was a child and are embedded so deep that it makes up part of my identity. I cannot separate myself as a normal, everyday person and as a martial artist; they are one and the same. The skills and attitudes I have learned and practiced extend beyond the dojo and I believe I am a better person for this. I think it is becoming rare for people to want to invest so many years of their lives in the study of martial arts as we are now a society that expects information in an instant and not being prepared to wait for it. However, I have been lucky to meet so many  excellent and truly gifted  martial artists who have
 committed to the longevity of the journey. These people have been prepared to guide people and share their  experiences for which I am very grateful. I still feel like a beginner at times and  actually, I hope to still feel that way for many years to come. I’m not one to naturally give advice but – if pressed – I would say: keep seeking to understand, keep committing to a better you and, most of all, keep practicing.

Iain Abernethy made an impression on Emily

On the 20th February 2016, 6th Dan black belt and karate instructor Iain Abernethy returned to Bristol to lead a seminar for Zenshin Dojo and other clubs.  Zenshin green belt, Emily, reports on her experiences and what she learned.   It may have been a chilly February morning outside, but the atmosphere inside the Grange School gym, in Warmley, was full of warm smiles, friendly greetings and eager anticipation of the upcoming session.  

We were about to begin the  second of Iain Abernethy’s seminars hosted by Zenshin Dojo – a trend I’m personally hoping will become an annual staple. With a similar format, but different content to last year, Iain taught real-world applications (bunkai) of Heian katas, interspersed with fascinating historical insights and practical self-defence tips.

One of the things I really appreciate about Iain’s teaching is how he keeps karate ‘real’. He frequently refers back to the realistic (but hopefully unlikely) situation of being threatened by an aggressor. To this end, he offered the following three word mantra for any self-defence activity: 

 Him. Down. Now. 

Allowing for gender alternatives, of course, this was one of many examples of Iain giving a clear and memorable perspective on a multifaceted issue. According to Iain, karate kata and bunkai weren’t designed to be a Mortal Kombat style chain combo where only the final move gets to ‘Finish Him’!  Instead, in a self-defence situation you should perform each and every move with the intention of finishing the fight. If that fails and your adversary is rude enough to remain upright, the next move is your contingency. Intend for that one to finish the fight. Once again: Him, down, now. This is important to remember because it’s very easy to simply relax into the routine of a familiar sequence, especially when practised repeatedly. Treat every move in every practice like it really matters, because one day it truly might!

Iain communicated other messages that have stuck with me, helping shift my perspective. He explains kata is not about fighting off eight villains arranged perfectly at points of the compass relative to you, just waiting for their time to attack. Instead, you can think about kata as instructions for how you ought to be oriented, relative to your opponent. The ideal situation, just like a gangster or cowboy standoff (and who doesn’t have those every once in a while?) is to have your opponent in your line of sight, but to be well away from theirs. 

 An aspect we revisited from the 2015 seminar was the importance of tactile awareness. To take someone down, you need to get close – properly close, not a polite six feet away. Keep an eye, or more importantly a hand, on them at all times during your defence. If you’ve got hold of my arm, you instinctively know, to a pretty amazing degree of accuracy, where the rest of my body is (including the squishy bits that’ll hurt most!), and also where I’m trying to go if I attempt to pull away or initiate an attack. So don’t let it go unless there’s a clear benefit or follow-up!

Between learning practical moves, Iain imbued us with historical insights that helped to satisfy my increasing desire to find out ‘why is that done this way?’ Of course, there is much lost to the vagaries of history, and Iain never claims otherwise. However, he still enlightened us with his deep knowledge, ability to extrapolate from historical contexts, and from what simply makes common sense.

While I got a lot out of actively putting his principles into practice during the seminar, I believe I could listen to him just talk about karate for hours. Thankfully I have recently discovered his extensive set of podcasts running back to 2006, so I intend to start putting this to the test! This is to say nothing of the hundreds of articles available for free on his website. 

The messages may have been serious, perhaps even life-saving, but the session was relaxed, friendly and accessible. From chatting with various people after the session, it’s clear Iain has something for the whole spectrum of grades and interests. And, as ever, it was lovely meeting and training with people from other clubs, both within Zenshin Dojo and externally. 

Thanks again to Iain for coming to Bristol, and also to Rob for organising the day. I’m already   looking forward to next time.

Karate Self Defence or Defence from Self?

I opened the Summer school weekend sharing my thoughts on the power of karate as a self-defence activity. Those of you who were there will remember that, in the main, I was referring to ‘defence from self’, the human weaknesses, lethargy, lack of self-confidence, lack of motivation, complacency, inflated ego etc. Disappointment, or rather overcoming disappointment, was another key area where  enormous advances can be made in personal development through the regular practice of karate.  

As I said, losing football managers tend to say: ‘you learn more from your defeats than from your victories’ or as Rudyard Kipling wrote: ‘If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same…. you'll be a man, my son!’  We have a wonderful group of people practising at this club but, because we are a people orientated activity, when you don’t feel like practising, for whatever reason; practice. We need you. You need you. Keep moving forward on your path however slow your perception of progress. 

Alternative Karate: Newly graded Dave - the Viking

Alternative Karate: Newly graded Dave - the Viking: Newly graded Dave the Viking, r eflects on his recent trials and tribulations to attain the lofty heights of black belt. So a few weeks...

Newly graded Dave - the Viking

Newly graded Dave the Viking, reflects on his recent trials and tribulations to attain the lofty heights of black belt.

So a few weeks have passed since another excellent Zenshin Summer School. The dust has had time to settle and I’ve had time to start getting used to the fall-out from the end of the year-long black belt assessment process. It was an amazing, emotional roller coaster of a weekend and, as ever, it was spent in the company of some truly exceptional human beings. However, this is a story that started over thirty years ago with a teenage lad entering a dojo for the first time, with a head filled with ambition and fuelled by a diet of the best martial arts films the 80’s had to offer. That was my first taste of karate (Shotokan) and, although it only lasted about four years it stayed with me for much longer. A couple of other martial arts came and went over the years and I had probably unconsciously written off any idea of really dedicating myself to any form of regular training in a martial art. Surely by the time 40 came around I was too old?

Move the story on to about six and a half years ago and I was sat watching my children taking part in a KEBBA (Junior club), session thinking nostalgic thoughts of my own martial arts experiences. Could I do this again? Encouraged by my wife to give it a go I stepped into the Zenshin Dojo just before Christmas 2009. With a mixture of nervousness and trepidation I did a couple of sessions before the Christmas break before resuming in the New Year for what was to really be the start of a very different journey to what I thought it would be. This wasn’t karate like I remembered it to be; where was all the shouting and bravado, the training for physical dominance and speed? These people did it differently and that was more important than I realised in the early days of training with Zenshin.

Move the clock on again to Summer school 2015 and the start of the black belt assessment process. I had been a brown belt for a year (on reflection, barely enough time) and was stood in the gym at Hartpury about to undertake the first assessment stage with my two training partners Helen and Sarah. At this point I have to say that they were hugely important to me in the whole of the process and I have nothing but respect and admiration for all of them.

Stage One was the familiar mix of kihon, static kihon and kumite in various forms. It was as expected, reassuringly punishing, but with the great sense of elation and achievement afterwards. Stage Two happened at the Winter Dojo and was all about the drills. Tegumi drills, three Waza drills and then ground work. Fast, frantic and physical, but again hugely rewarding. Lots of attackers at varying levels of intensity. It was over before I knew it, but thank goodness for all the training in the preceding weeks. All the work I’d put in on the week nights practising and re-practising each drill to the point of distraction all paid off when it counted. Yes, I was pumped up with adrenalin and enthusiasm, but what made the difference on the day was all the work put in getting it into my muscle memory. Hours well spent.

Stage Three, Summer School 2016 and the return to Hartpury. Over six months had passed since Stage Two. Sounds like a long time doesn’t it? I can tell you that stood in front of everyone waiting for the off I’d have given a lot for another six months right then! Stage Three was all about bunkai and the application of kata and the techniques. Heain Shodan and Teki Shodan katas broken down into the form of applications for certain types of attack. Lots of attackers all lined up and waiting to go. Zenshin Dojoers about to give their best, plus the random addition of Wokingham club members who got involved with great enthusiasm. The only word for that whole experience was CHAOS. It was utterly chaotic and amazing all at the same time and was one of the best experiences I have had with this club. Yes it was relentless, daunting, physically demanding, emotional, painful craziness, but it was also hugely affirming. Why? Because at that moment I realised that I could cope with this. I could get through it because I was prepared. I was mentally and physically prepared because of the excellent training I had received over the preceding years. Because of the time I had been given to learn and adjust and get comfortable with each grade I had received. All the club nights and the practice with a huge variety of club members paid off at that moment. All the nights I wasn’t up for it but went anyway paid off. It wasn’t so much about when I got it right but more about when it went wrong. When it went wrong it didn’t matter because something came out anyway. I felt every bit of it for the next few days, but I wouldn’t change the experience for anything.

Thirty years ago a young man dreamt of being a martial arts superstar and owning a black belt. It wasn’t to be back then, but it probably worked out better in the long run. I’m glad it happened now, and with Zenshin Dojo. I say this because the greatest thing this club has given me is self belief and confidence in my ability to learn, adapt and cope under pressure regardless of how crazy things get. I love the physical and mental challenges that this club has given me and will continue to keep giving. The way marker of black belt is not the end by any stretch. It feels more like the end of Stage One. However, in some ways I shall miss being a kyu grade and the freedom and a degree of anonymity that affords. I now have to keep up the very high standards that Zenshin Dojo requires of their black belts and do my best to set an example.

Finally, the last thing I would like to say is the greatest thank you to each and every person that has helped me along the way. Every instructor, every kyu grade, and anyone else that has given their time (however little) to help me get to this grade. Although it is in many ways a very personal journey it necessarily requires the time of others and for that I am truly grateful. It may have been my grading this time, but it was a team effort getting me there.

Zenshin Dojoers, you rock!

Why Alternative Karate?

After 35 years of regular training it’s become clear that the overwhelming majority of karate clubs main focus is ....... Karate!  No surprises there then and, in the words of Monty Python, it is definitely “stating the bleeding obvious.”

However Zenshin dojo breaks that particular mould, it’s not actually a karate club focussing on karate, it's more of a community of people providing opportunities for them to grow.  

Consequently this blog is about their lives, their thoughts, their feelings and experiences. If you’re looking for opinions on the best kata, most effective technique, or any "self defence" tips, this blog is not for you.

Zenshin dojo is a community of ordinary everyday people, including men involved in sport all their lives who suddenly wake up one day and worry, “am I too old?”  And Mums who, in a quiet moment, believe their days of doing something for themselves are gone, and others regardless of gender who have never experienced the thrill of achievement, or pushed themselves beyond their limit. You could call these people the “silent majority,” quietly going about their business, working hard and forever learning. They'll never be a “champion” but wouldn't want to be.

Karate is such a powerful tool for personal growth and development. We’re not just talking physical here.  The challenges it offers, if managed carefully, can provide “the silent majority” with an opportunity to excel in a way they would not understand when they first entered the dojo.

What style do you practice at Zenshin dojo? A common question.

“Karate,” is the only possible answer.  It appears that style based karate can lead to "style over substance" practices, and the belief “we’re right, “this is the way to do it.”  Every style seems to consider itself to be the best, after all you probably wouldn’t be interested in joining a club whose advertising proudly announces “join our club, we are the second best style of karate in UK!”

In recent years there has been a noticeable shift in attitudes with the rise of impressive karate ka like Iain Abernethy, and Patrick McCarthy, their seminars are always popular and well attended. Their approach cuts across style boundaries and without doubt appeals to large numbers of practitioners of whatever grade, experience, or “style.”

Karate depends upon people for its survival, limiting its appeal ignores the endless good that can be achieved by delivering  a, "beyond technique" philosophy, within a wider and more diverse community.

 Zenshin dojo uses karate as a tool, a tool for personal growth in all its many facets.

Concentrating on people, as an alternative to karate.

Liz - Personal reflections on her journey so far

I was 18 when I started karate in May 2001, I went to a lesson because my sister had been to a couple and it sounded really cool! Almost 16 years later I am still here and loving it more than ever.

I won’t lie, at first it was just about learning all these new moves and funky looking Kata’s and generally just feeling cool because I was learning karate. I initially progressed pretty quickly, I had done various sports whilst growing up so coordination and making shapes came easily, the grades from white to orange seem a bit of a blur. However this is where it all slowed down for me and I began to realise it wasn’t just about the physical, and I found the non physical side much harder to grasp and implement, but I got there!  I also struggled with being assertive, I was a very shy person, I got bullied throughout primary school and really struggled to stand my ground when growing up, so being assertive has been a lifelong progression, and I would quite happily say that karate played a huge part in helping me become less shy and more confident. Something I don’t think I have ever properly expressed my gratitude for, so a Big thank you to Zenshin!

I think blue belt was the hardest for me. At the time everything felt so hard, and I really wasn’t progressing, but loving the club for more reasons than just learning to make shapes really well, I kept on going, and at the time I just climbed on out of that hole I had gotten in. In hindsight I now realise it was because I had gone to university and had a lot of new things happening in my life, which meant for a while I didn’t have enough energy left to give karate, but eventually life settled  down and I was back to moving along my karate path. So don’t fret if you take a detour occasionally, you can always find your way back.

Brown belt was a fabulous time in my karate life, we worked hard i.e. sweated a lot, but it felt great, and although it took me 3 years of being a brown belt to gain my black I never felt like I was too slow, it was all exactly the right pace for me. So I think what I would like to say to any kyu grades who may be reading this is, we all progress differently, I practice every week and take it very seriously (yes even when I am giggling). Even so Deb and Phil who started the same time as me got there black belts 3 years earlier. That was their paths, not mine.

April 2008 I got my black belt, this was my 3rd attempt at this grading and eventually I did feel ready, the club had helped me work on the areas I needed to improve, and Rob led an amazing kumite lesson on the weekend course which really got me in the mood for my grading. That’s not to say that I wasn’t a little worried at what it meant, did I need to be some kind of super Ninja who could save the world, fortunately not, although a special power would have been a nice perk! I came to realise that it was a sign post along my path (yes a pretty impressive sign post), it showed me that I had achieved a certain level of practise, which opened up a whole lot of routes for me to explore. This is the really fun thing about progressing in karate, the more you learn the more you play and experiment, and in turn you learn even more!

I am now a 2^nd Dan and it just gets better and better. Gaining my 2^nd Dan was a brilliant experience. I was pushed to limits and beyond, and was capable of things I didn’t realise I was. The biggest thing I took away from the experience was to know what inner strength I do have, and hopefully I will be able to draw on this whenever I need to.

I am so glad that I stumbled across this amazing club and martial art that has given me more than just the thighs of a pack horse!    

Karate in Italy. Matt shares his experience

We were very excited to receive the invitation from our friends at the Zenshin Group to join them and our Japanese and Italian friends for the 32nd SeidoKan meeting in Pisa in May this year. We have had the privilege of practicing with Rob Jones and the guys and girls from Zenshindojo on a few occasions in Bristol over the last year or two but the idea of renewing friendships and learning new things all in the backdrop of the Mediterranean sunshine was too much to resist.

We arrived ahead of the main group to have a day or two to acclimatise and were welcomed to Pisa by a thunderstorm and downpour - so far so good! The hospitality and friendship swept that away from day one though as we were welcomed and transported to the hotel by the very lovely Alberto. The sun arrived the next morning and, having established where to stay and, importantly, where to secure a great meal and a supply of Birra Morretti, we were good to go.

The welcome from Enzo Cellini and his group made us feel like we had been friends for years and we were quickly into a programme of practice that, whilst having several differences to 'our' styles, showed us how similar the core principles of Karatedo can be when approached with an open and exploring mind. Introducing us to the Japanese Masters and their team brought another dimension to practice. Their quiet unassuming manner belied an awesome sense of energy, strength and experience that was hard to take in initially but was totally inspiring to be in the presence of.

Daily practice followed some core themes based around the teachings and practice of Egami Sensei focussing on principles like 'Less is More' and 'Soft is not Weak' ; apparent contradictions that have to be experienced to be fully grasped (still work in progress!) Learning to engage your whole body, focus on maintaining your central core, 'strong hands' and embracing your whole surroundings into your practice were some key areas of focus.

Early morning and end of day 30 minute periods of Mokuso (kneeling meditation on the sand) were sublime times when you could allow your mind and body to let go of its busyness and re-energise with the natural surroundings.

Our biggest 'take away' (apart from pizza), was that no matter where you are on your journey in Karatedo, you can always learn more, add depth of understanding and share your own experience with others regardless of age, nationality or level. The only requirement for success is the willingness and humility to learn, share and enjoy the experience and that in 'climbing the mountain' the journey is as important as reaching the summit.

We would recommend this awesome experience to everyone and are very much looking forward to returning next year to build on the fun, learning and friendships of 2106. (assuming we're invited back that is!!)

Huge thanks to Rob J, Rob K, Lucy and Lotte at Zenshindojo and all our new friends near an far for a truly enjoyable time.

Karate and Olympians?

No one can doubt the upsurge in sports interest generated by the 2016 Rio Olympics. And it’s easy to be seduced by the celebrity and accolades bestowed upon successful medal winners. However not everyone can become a sports megastar and, more importantly, not everyone wants to be one.

Despite karate being accepted as one of the new Olympic disciplines, karate is unique in the sense that not all karate clubs would classify themselves as a sport. For many groups the philosophy is quite different. It’s all about the individual rising to challenges and enjoying positive experiences, a place where the only competition is a personal one. As a consequence anyone can potentially enjoy the physical challenges, intellectual stimulation and personal development which come from regular practice of this often misunderstood martial art.

Downend based mum of three Bev, and friends Laura and Gemma, are typical of the growing number of people who have discovered the hidden benefits of karate practice. Bev recalls, “we talked about different options including netball, running, gym... but we wanted something different and the idea of karate came up.  My middle daughter goes to karate and loves it. I hadn't previously thought about martial arts being for me, but we decided to be open-minded and go for a trial session.  Best decision ever!  The people were welcoming, the teaching inspiring and I immediately knew I would relish the challenge of learning a new skill.”

The perception of karate as an aggressive Asian fighting system historically, in the main, attracted young men, but times are changing. Today, the exhilaration of achievement can be experienced by anyone motivated enough to leave their armchair behind, and enjoy the company of other like minded gentle folk in pursuit of regular exercise in a relaxed non judgemental environment. 

This enjoyable alternative to tradition exercise is best summed up by Bev, “I love being a Mum and I enjoy my job, but karate gives me something different - it adds another dimension to my life - I couldn't imagine being without it now!”

Bev, Gemma and Laura belong to the Zenshin dojo karate club with venues in Staple Hill, Warmley, Keynsham and Bath.