The recent Big instructor camp was a huge success. On the first day we covered stick fighting as we’ve been focusing on Empty hands over recent camps. As usual the emphasis was to see the commonality between stick, Knife and empty hands fighting skills. There was plenty of sweat,  a few bumps and loads of laughter. The stick grappling that we focused on for half the time was huge fun and is a very interesting area. We’ll put some photos up on Facebook and on here. Some are blurred as it was all action (in truth we should have video’d it instead ). Over the rest of the time we covered empty hands and Filipino boxing and knife defence. As is usual at the BIG camps we sparred everything so that as an instructor you know it in theory and most importantly in practice. From double stick to boxing its’ important that you can ‘walk the walk’ and not only do the talk and theory part.  All in all a great weekend. Thanks to all the guys who came and made it a wonderful weekend.

If you’d like to take part in one of our future Instructor seminars then keep an eye on the events page. Please note. Due to the Olympics many of the bookings at SPACe  have been cancelled so we are busy negotiating new dates and venues.

I’ve just finished watching the film The Kings Speech, a great film that shows some of the problems and tensions for those with speech impediments. What comes across is that speech problems like many others can be overcome with a bit of determination. As a life long stammerer I can remember as a child hating to go to the fish shop as I had to order Skate for my mother. Lots of S’s in Skate. However, that which does not kill you makes you strong to paraphrase Nietsche and it never stopped me. Likewise it never stopped many others. My friend at college Geoff Gleeson was British Judo coach a true intellectual and a warrior too. It’s a paradox that both of us chose roles where we have to do lots of public speaking. Martial arts was a huge part in both our growth I’m sure and I recommend the training to everyone.

Speech therapy has changed dramatically since the days of King George. Though I’ve not been to a therapist in many years I’d be happy to point anyone afflicted towards the best people. One of the most fun things was taking a group of intense stammerers to a very busy chinese restaurant in China town with the most aggressive and insulting waiters. All of us with the intention of taking our time and keeping eye contact. Huge fun but only in retrospect. I still don’t get to say exactly what comes into my brain, some would say that’s a blessing.

What the film and my own experience shows is that most problems can be overcome and to a certain extent help make you unique. Everybody can be a King to themselves. You’ve got a problem? That’s good!

Were starting a new class aimed at Black belts and senior students who will be going for their black belt grade soon. Seniors whether members or not are all welcome. The class will be in Chingford at the Peter May sports centre from 11.00 until 1.00. Cost is £8 for members and £10 all others. See you there. Hard training and good fun.

Peter May website: http://www.gll.org/centre/peter-may-sports-centre.asp

I’ve been off with a virus and we’ve had a plethora of bank holidays. We hadn’t factored these in when setting dates so I’ve pushed the date of the grading back a week to Thursday 26th May so we get a bit more time to practice. We’ll also be reinstating the  grading syllabus on this site as it got taken down in our last rebuild. If you have any questions regarding your grading eligibility or any technical questions don’t hesitate to email me at the club email above.

Due to some scheduling difficulties we have had to cancel both the Urban Knife day on the 24th of April and also The Big Bash on May the 1st. We will reinstate these as soon as we can agree new dates with SPACe and let you know. The B.I G (Breen instructor group) seminar is still on and looks like it’ll be very popular.

Congratulations to Carl Jackson who won Gold and British title in Veterens welterweight division single stick at the WEKAF British championships. As one of the founders of WEKAF it’s doubly joyful for me to see Carl dominating his category and to see his development as a great competitor and martial artist. Hopefully we’ll get carl to take some of the stick classes and enable him to pass on his hard won knowledge. Maybe we could get the band back together and go and dominate stickfighting as we did so successfully in the past. 

For the advanced student at the Academy it’s going to be a great year. We’ve got the B.I.G. instructor camp on the 19th and 20th at SPACe.  This is a great opportunity for anyone above blue belt to come along and train the arts in depth and learn how to break them down and see different ways to teach and coach them. It’s still the best job in the World whether you do it full time or just occasionally. Teaching is the final step in your education, as the saying goes ‘ see one , do one , teach one’ The insights you get from helping others turns you into a great martial artist.  Plus you’ll be able to test your stuff against some of Europe’s best. Challenge and response as always is the way to grow. On a weekly basis we’ll also be having a Black and brown belt class on a Saturdays in Chingford at the Peter May sports centre from 11.00 until 1.00 pm. This will be both technical to cover the Black belt and second Dan syllabus but also a tough workout. Standards have to be maintained (or improved upon! ) See you there.

Quite a few people I know are following Tim Ferris’s book ‘ The four hour body’. In this ferris shows simple ways to get a better body and also includes a diet which I know a number of people are following with great results (three new holes on the belt and nine pounds of weight loss in another case without chopping your arm off) Ferris advocates cold baths as a way of boosting the metabolism yet most people find this very hard. Being a veteran cold bather I was asked how to do it.

Cold bathing is really good for you though at times it doesn’t feel like it. It boosts circulation and cleanses organs and is a deeply spiritual practice. When I first started Silat they said ‘we fast and do cold baths to achieve spiritual insight’. I thought well I’ve been doing cold baths for years and have just come off a seven day water fast so I must be half way there! Despite these lofty claims it just defines your day and puts you in charge. No more lofty claims than that. I started for pain relief when I had my bad hips but it works whatever your situation or how lowly your spiritual attainment.

Here’s the method I use: Fill the bath so it’s above hip depth (deeper is ok but why wast water) First step walk in the water until you feel the pain in your ankles peaking. This is just your peripheral circulation closing down and shunting blood to the interior. Once that’s ok kneel down – you’ll find this easier the muscles are bigger and the cold doesn’t have the same effect as on bony ankles. Next step. Sit down in the bath. This is one of the big ones. You’ll freeze up and not want to get cold water on your warm upper body. The secret is to get all four quarters into the water. So put your hands in and feel how much easier that is on your body. Move a little then start to rub water up your arms and onto your shoulder. The next big step is to lie down. BEFORE you do this scoop some water onto your heart area so that the body has some warning  of what is to come. Lie down and breath the first couple of seconds can be alarming but pretty soon you’ll feel warmer. Don’t let this last too long as you’re warming the water up around your body. Move your arms and legs a little and flip your back up and down to ensure that it’s cold water around you. Timing. How do you know how long to stay in the water? The answer initially is don’t stay too long as you can get low blood pressure or get very cold and that could last all day. Here’s my next step:  Sit up and wash your upper body then lie down to rinse. (You’re not doing the bath to get clean per se but you might as well do it whilst you’re there. ) Then repeat on your lower half kneeling or standing in the bath then again lie down to rinse. Then I lie about another minute until I’m feeling comfortable then I know it’s time to get out. Be careful when getting up fast as in rare cases your blood pressure can be lower. What do you do next. Two options: one towel off hard to bring circulation back to the skin or have a warm shower, not a hot one. Make sure you have a warm drink nearby ( I take up a boiling cup of tea before my bath and by the time I’m out it’s great to drink)  Next put warm clothes on and if you have one put a hat on for a few minutes. You’ll feel great and tingling all over. In many ways you feel ten years younger-aches and pains are relieved and you’re in charge of your day. Not the day in control of you.

If you’re just starting do cold showers for a week or so to get used to it. Like all things you have to be sensible. If it makes you feel a bit unwell you’ve probably stayed in too long. Try it for a week (take the weekend off ) You’ll love it. More spiritual maybe, more stoical definitely.

I’ve had a great time this last weekend teaching in Belfast on an anti racism focused seminar. I got to teach the kids something I haven’t done in years and really enjoyed it. They were an incredible bunch, sharp and quick learners full of fighting spirit. Excellent teaching by my friend Robert Cullinan as they all looked sharp and disciplined. One five year old in particular took me down with a tackle then proceeded to do it repeatedly. Full of fighting spirit he’d need the discipline that comes from training. When I gently fended him off with a jab he gave me one of the best round kicks to the thigh I’ve ever seen. Great stuff and real fun. The adults were easy meat by comparison most being MMA and Jiu Jitsu guys with a mix of thai boxing and wing chun added in. Lovely people all. We had great fun and I managed to chat to the local mayor regarding the positive effects of martial arts training. Mind you this was after I had advocated to the kids to ‘ break that arm properly’ .