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.
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.
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.
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.’
