I’d like to learn a Martial Art, but can’t at the moment because………..

“I’m too unfit”……….”I’m too old”………..”I don’t have time”…………..”I’ll never be able to kick at head height level” “I Can’t……” “It’s too hard………” or the ones that should be used much more often, but are actually used the least “I’m too lazy” “I like being an armchair warrior.” 

Next time you think you’d like to start learning a Martial Art but you find a reason not too, then remember watching the video of this young man performing Karate or Kyle Maynard with his wrestling in the video at the foot of the page.

For those of you that already practice, maybe these two guys will give you food for thought about your own training and how you go about it.

I have a dream….

That one day Martial Arts will not be thought of as ‘separate’ Martial Arts, that the politics of structures like Karate, Ju Jitsu,  Kung Fu, Taekwondo and Aikido are consigned to history – that Martial Arts will retain it’s diversity without the politics and have just one Governing Body dealing only with club structure, safety and the various types of competition….  

That there will be no politics of styles, no Wado, no Shotokan, no Hun Gar, no GKR, no Tomiki, no ITF that everyone will be working to be the best they can and eventually transcending the ‘style’ of their teachers with their own personal development and style will be where they came from and not a prison for the future…  

That there will be no restriction on who can train with whom….  

That there will be no bad politics, because there is no separation of the arts, no separate styles, that we will all belong to the one brotherhood of self development through Martial Arts training…  

That people will understand that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are simply subjective depending on where you are on the spectrum from Buddhist Priest to Cage Fighter…  

That people will choose where they want to train and that clubs and Instructors will survive by the grace and choice of the students….  

Appreciation that many people want to start in a less than intensive community style class or club and move forward to a higher standard when they feel ready but the pathways to progression are clearly laid out…  

That Martial Arts truly are for everyone; from athlete to special needs, from the very young to the very old, whether they are visually impaired, limbless, in a wheelchair, lack mobility, are chair bound, whatever gender, race or religion they be….  

That the required standards surrounding a Martial Arts club will be on safety and structure, qualifying and training coaches and volunteers, safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, with a high level of health and safety and giving equity to all types of students with fair pricing, so that Martial Arts can be appreciated for what they are and fit into the community structure…  

That instructors and coaches are prepared to share and learn throughout their career to become the best at what they do, some instructors can specialise in children, some in competition, some in older people, some in special needs, some in fitness and health, but all will feel appreciation for each other…  

That the ethos handed down to us from the past is the ‘tradition’ we talk about with an unbroken line of wisdom from the ancients validated by science, our good health and vigour, mental awareness and concentration, good manners and physical testing….  

Amen

Steve Rowe

Chairman of Martial Arts Standards Agency

At our Judo club in Basingstoke, we encourage members to seek new challenges to develop their skills. This is exactly what one of our members, Gavin Downey, did when he entered the British Judo Association’s British Open Judo Champions in Scotland on 27th August.

 Gavin is no stranger to success at Judo and despite the competition being harder with competitors travelling from other European Countries to take part, Gavin won a Bronze Medal. During the day he showed good performance in both groundwork and stand up work.

As an additional piece of good news Gavin was also promoted to 3rd Kyu at the event. It must be his month for success as he also during August passed his next Karate grading.

We wish Gavin well and look forward to him developing his skills and knowledge further.