THIS MONTH IN COMBAT
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MATTHEW AHMET - One foot at a time! |
 I have had over the years the good fortune to meet and interview many of the greats of the martial arts world, but I have to say that there have been few who have left such an impression on me as a young man that I recently had the pleasure to meet. Matthew Ahmet is a quite remarkable young man. Two years ago, aged 17, he decided to leave the UK to live the life of a Shaolin monk in China.
Two years on, now aged 19, he is the only non-Chinese to perform with the touring monks and has recently been promoted to coach at the Shaolin Temple. However, regardless of how much of an achievement all of that is, it is his work with disassociated youngsters in several inner-city London schools that really sets him apart.
This young man is an enigma to the senses when you first meet him; dressed, at ease, in his Shaolin robes, his movements are tranquil, fluid and full of grace. There is a calm gentleness about Matthew that belies his obvious physical strength. Yet in his eyes you see the mix of steely determination, compassion and wisdom at odds with his youth. Then he begins to speak and after you have recovered from the fact that he has retained his London accent and uses the shortcuts of modern day speech, you become amazed at the passion with which he talks about, not only his life at the Shaolin Temple, but also his aims for the future.
Matthew (Miao Wu) decided, at the age of 17, that despite his parent's reservations he wanted to remove himself from the way of life that he was being drawn into and search out something more. What I asked, would lead this young man to leave the comforts of his stable, family life with it's 21st century conveniences to lead the existence of a Shaolin Monk, in the often bleak Henan province of China?..
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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USUI REIKI - Universal Energy! |
 Reiki - pronounced Ray Kee - is Universal Energy that is used to bring the body to a state of symbiosis, where bye it can begin to heal itself. The energy can be transferred through the hands of a practitioner or by the individual to themselves, once they have been attuned. The energy balances the mind, body and spirit bringing harmony within, with physical and mental relaxation. It will also bring about rejuvenation if that is what is required; as an intelligent energy Reiki provides what is needed, which is not always what is wanted! The treatments are non-invasive, with no need to remove clothing and can be given any time, any place, any where. As Reiki should always be given to the highest good and does not require a belief system, it will cause no harm or offence.
The symbols or kanji, that are Reiki were first used many years ago by Tibetan monks who meditated upon them as part of their spiritual journey. Mikao Usui, as a Buddhist monk, used the kanji and realised that they had healing vibrations. He worked with the energy in Kyoto helping those who needed help. Reiki was introduced into the West in 1939 by Hawayo Takata and from there it has grown to be available anywhere in the world...
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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JOEY ANSAH - A British Action Star is Bourne! |
 The Bourne Ultimatum was the blockbuster action thriller of 2007. Loved by film fans and well-received by critics the movie was a perfect blend of action and story, superbly acted and featuring a fight scene between Matt Damon as Jason Bourne and Joey Ansah as a hitman that became an instant classic. British actor/martial artist Joey Ansah may not have been well-known Stateside prior to ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ but that changed dramatically after the fight scene won numerous awards at various ceremonies. For Joey this recognition was reward for the effort he has put in ever since he was a youngster watching martial arts movies with his dad, everything from Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Van Damme and Loren Avedon to more obscure and rare fare. His cousin who used to train with Ray Park in Wushu and Joey and his brother also trained with Ray when he was seven - “So I guess you could say I started off with some Wushu, but I was young and did it sporadically with my cousin when he would come over, but never took it very far”...
During that time Joey’s aunt lived and taught English in Japan and she would send him books on Ninjutsu and he became fascinated with the art, becoming heavily involved later in Life. When Joey was nine his family moved from London to Accra in Ghana, where he lived and schooled for the next 5 years, taking up ITF Taekwondo in the process, gaining his junior blackbelt. “We trained hard and old school style in Ghana, training bare foot outside on a stone floor in bare feet, sparring with no padding etc. I had real good kicks back then and was very flexible.” The family returned to England when Joey was fourteen and after a few months high diving he started training in Bujinkan Ninjutsu. “I was very excited, as you can imagine, to find a real ninjutsu school after years of fantasizing about being a Ninja. The club was all adults, mostly armed forces personnel, Marines mainly and was very hardcore, the kind of training that you don’t find anymore!.."
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 This short article is about the Mixed Martial Art (‘MMA’) phenomenon, and where it is going.
Judo was the martial art craze of the Fifties - mysterious and deadly at first, it was quickly exposed as an advanced form of wrestling that used well understood principles of leverage. Then it was karate’s turn as the mysterious and deadly fighting art craze of the Sixties and early Seventies. This lasted until it was overtaken by the Bruce Lee-generated kung fu phenomenon. ‘One-inch punches’, ‘Shaolin’ and ‘death touches’ kept the pot boiling for another decade until, once again, most of the mystery was laid bare for all to see.
Realism and effective fighting became the prime direction of martial arts during the Nineties. Thai boxing was a real system, true, but perhaps it was too similar to boxing to generate much interest. A more active line of evolution began with the development of the freestyle approach, beginning way back with the late Ed Parker’s oddly named ‘Kempo Karate’ and later, with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu...
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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STEVEN TIMPERLEY - A Force to be reckoned with! |
 Many exceptional martial artists and martial arts instructors encapsulate the true embodiment of what a martial artist should be and Sgt. Steven Timperley of the British Armed Forces is one of these. Although he is not yet a well known or a mainstream name on the martial arts circuit I do however believe he is one of the UK’s best kept secrets. His enthusiastic, professional and pragmatic approach to instructing is re-enforced and balanced by a sense of purpose and enjoyment during his lessons. Engaging, articulate and 100% committed to those he instructs, I firmly believe Steven’s ability for conveying self-protection and the value of martial arts training to the masses will soon be in great demand.
If trouble ever comes knocking at your door and all hell breaks loose it’s this man the Army’s No.1 Self-Protection Instructor you will certainly wish you had on your side. I have met many people who make great claims of overcoming adverse situations on the streets but most have rarely if ever had to put their lives on the line in defence of themselves or others - this man has had to on numerous occasions and especially during recent operational deployments. In the military today he is considered by many to be a One Man Army, particularly by those he has taught and especially by those he works closely with...
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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MARTIAL ARTS PIONEERS - Enoeda Keinosuke |
 The following profile on Sensei Enoeda is a brief account of how he first became associated with the KUGB, and his feelings for the country that was his home for almost 30 years.
Sensei Enoeda was born in Kyushu, an island in the South of Japan, on July 4th 1935. A strong and natural athlete, he initially took up baseball, kendo, and judo, as did many of his contemporaries - these being the popular sports in Japan at that time. He proved particularly adept at Judo, and by the age of 16 he had reached 2nd Dan. However, as is often the way, fate guided him to a demonstration by two top Karate exponents from the famous Takashoku University. The two Karateka, Sensei Irea and Okazaki, so impressed him, that there and then, he decided to channel his energy into Karate.
He enrolled at Takashoku University, joined the Karate section, and within two years was the proud holder of Shodan. Another two years found him Club Captain.
One of his teachers was the great Master and founder of modern Shotokan Karate, Funakoshi Gichin, whose instruction and advice is still a source of inspiration to him to this day.
He graduated with a degree in economics before joining the JKA instructor’s class, which he attended for three years, during which time his main instructor was Sensei Nakayama. He also trained with many of the top Sensei of other schools and styles of Karate. It was this quality of instruction, combined with a fiercesome determination, which moulded Sensei Enoeda into one of Japan’s finest ever competitors and instructors...
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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 Many readers will now have accessed the Home Office website and read the draft of the legislation concerning ‘Samurai Swords’, in fact this has now been finalised and the legislation comes into force on April 6th 2008. However, reading is not the same as understanding, so I have liased with the Home Office, who have been extremely helpful, in order that salient points are clarified and I can help the martial arts world better understand their position in respect of this statute.
My Explanation of the new legislation:
It is my understanding that the above definition includes any sword fitting the description, not just Japanese swords. The definition does not specify what the sword should be made of, so depending on the interpretation of the word ‘blade’ it could even include a wooden, carbon fibre, or plastic sword, provided it has a ‘blade’ (the flat cutting edge of a knife or other tool or weapon).
Just being in possession of a sword described above is not an offence under this statute (but depending on circumstances it may be an offence under some other enactment). It is an offence under this statute, to have such a sword in your possession and are a person who manufactures, sells, hires, exposes or has in their possession for the purpose of sale or hire, or lends or gives to any person any weapon specified in this legislation, which includes importation...
Read more in Combat magazine available from WH Smith, Borders and all good newsagents and don't forget to look out for the Digital Edition
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