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.