Sensei had always said that splits within groups and clubs should be unnecessary, but just like in families, they still tend to happen.

Sensei always had an “open door” policy so that anyone could go to him and discuss their problems and an amicable solution could be found.  Most students used the facility from time to time and had their problems resolved.

But there’s always one.  On the surface Graham was a Club Instructor and a good reliable Karateka, Sensei often praised his capabilities and his teaching abilities for 2^nd Dan standard.  The problem was that Graham was encountering great difficulty in getting to 3^rd Dan level, he was still far too “strength” oriented with all his power in his chest and arms and very little in his “hara” and legs.

He had been brought up in a very “macho” way, (all women should be kept barefoot and pregnant etc.)and therefore could not understand the concepts of “yielding and flowing”, “centering” and how “soft overcomes hard”.

Instead of using the “open door” to Sensei’s office, Graham decided to split away, but instead of doing this openly, he worked to subvert as many others as possible to go with him. Some fell for the “higher position” and easier grading syllabus in the new group and went with him.

I was approached with statements like: “Sensei introduces too many changes, we are returning to the old values, like good old “hard” Karate training” (joint damage, injurious training, mindless repetition, power from the chest and shoulders and other “macho stuff”). I reminded them that the principles don’t change, only the method of coaching improves and was called a “sycophant”.

Then I realised that in fact it was all about money.  The deceit, the subversion was only politics to conceal the true reason, Graham had set up his own “mythical” association where everything was a direct copy of Sensei’s structure with the exception being that all the money fell into his letterbox, even his own “breakaway friends” had been deceived by his scorpionic lust for a few extra bucks.

This interview was conducted in June 2003

Steve Rowe continues his talks with Doorman and Shi Kon Martial Artist Dennis Jones…

Giri:  a debt of gratitude, duty, justice, obligation, a sense of honour

SR  Dennis, we were discussing the concept of “Giri”  within the book  “Hagakure” by Yanamoto Tsunetomo and the following story…..

“Among Takeda Shingen’s retainers there were men of matchless courage, but when Katsuyori was killed in the fight at Tenmokuzan, they all fled.  Tsuchiya Sozo, a warrior who had been in disfavour for many years , came out alone, however, and said, “I wonder where all the men are who spoke so bravely every day?  I shall return the master’s favours to me”  And he fell alone in battle.”

And you were relating it to Giri amongst Doorman, can you explain this to the readers? 

DJ  Well Steve, I’ve worked with many Doormen in my time, some of them were high grade Martial Artists, others Body Builders and so on, and in the “quiet time” on the door most talked a great fight.  To listen to them you would assume that when “push came to shove” on the door, they’d be right there with you backing you up, or in front dealing with the problem.

You could hear the shouting and scuffle from the men’s changing room in the Dojo, sensei walked in and pulled the two protagonists apart, both huffing an puffing like pair of old Billy goats with their chests inflated.

“What an earth’s going on here?” asked sensei.

“He’s been dissin’ me…” spat Michael, straining at the firm hand holding him back.

“No I ain’t” said John with an obvious disdain and a look that you could tell would rip Michael a second backside any moment.

“Settle down” said sensei firmly, “now Michael, explain..”

“He said that I moved like a girl and not worth my grade!”  Michael strained again to have a go.

As sensei turned his head to look, John retorted “as it happens I said no such thing, but looking at you now…..”

The ‘gang’ were sitting in the Dojo rest room watching youtube clips of martial art instruction and scanning the Martial Arts forums for information.

Rob was a 30 year veteran of karate having started training under UK Japanese instructors and subsequently under various English instructors for the past few years in karate and different MMA.

“I’m amazed at some of these older English instructors, they broke away from their Japanese instructors complaining that they were egomaniacs,  and that they were claiming that their training methods were ‘the only way’ and not allowing their students to train anywhere else or being bitterly disappointed when they did.  Here we are after 40 years of ‘progression’ in the Martial Arts since then and guess what?”

Rob was speaking to Jon, one of his lifelong pals, going with him from instructor to instructor over the past 30 years they had sweated together, bled and bruised together and faced all the trials and tribulations of martial arts training as good friends.