Kicking a Kiwi
Dave Says:
Warning: The following entry contains graphic descriptions of karate. Those not familiar with the ways of the rising block should turn away now.
We tried running. We tried rock climbing. We almost tried yoga. However, nothing comes close to the feel of a foot cracking against the side of someone’s head so there was nothing left to do but track down some martial arts. As it happens Nelson has several martial arts schools so entrusting the same process that lead us to Quantum in the first place (look in the Yellow pages, go to the first school listed, which is closed, so go to the second) we turned up at Nelson Seido Karate. Just like walking into Quantum five and half years ago, we were greeted with warmth and respect and soon found ourselves taking a class. Before you could throw a round kick, we were back to a twice a week karate schedule discussing forms, one steps, kicks and punches as if we’d never left. However, what at first appears to a simple derivation on what we already knew turned into a completely different beast. As is the way with martial arts - nothing is quite what it seems.
Nelson Seido just celebrated 30 years. 30 years!! That’s amazing. The master (Shuseki Shihan Andy Barber) must know most of Nelson and probably trained people who are now in their forties when they were kids. He’s a 7th Dan and his wife (Kyoshi Jane Barber) is a 4th Dan and the most senior Seido Karate woman outside the US. The family that kicks together stays together. We took a number of classes from both of them to see how different their styles are.
Not wearing a belt is like doing karate naked. It’s a very humbling experience. I think that if we’d been dressed as white belts it would have been easier because everyone’s (including our own) expectations would have been set correctly. Instead, people would break down a round kick for us and then almost fall over when our “first” attempt at the technique took the hair off their ears. We also learnt, for example, although the rising block looked the same, it’s purpose was completely different so we had to breakdown the technique not from a physical level but from an intent and energy perspective. When the purpose of a block is not to block, recycle energy and set yourself up for something better, but purely to block everything changes.
It took us a little while to realize this and although we were always externally courteous and respectful of what we were being taught I think both of us internally would do things the Quantum way. Once we attempted things the Seido way it increased our respect for their dojo and their style. All of that gained from not having a discernible rank… there’s a lesson in there somewhere I think.
Their lessons are not as all over intensive as ours. The warm-ups and class are intermixed and last for just over an hour. The warm-ups are well below what we do although doing push-ups on a hardwood floor on your knuckles has to worth at least double points ‘cos it hurts like fury. There’s a lot more emphasis on upper body strength with many drills involving punches, backfists and elbows. There is very little emphasis on stances which, to us, seemed quite bizarre. We weren’t sure where we are supposed to get our power from and that’s probably why my shoulders and chest hurt the next day. I ended up doing all those drills in a pseudo horse stance. I figured it was better my legs hurt from a twenty minute horse stance that the whole of my upper body!!
We learnt three of their forms although they we all a derivation on a simplified basic form so no problems there except that feet and hands do not land at the same time. It’s feet first followed by the hands. Despite repeated attempts at the forms neither Sarah or I could break the feet and hands rule. Personally I thought it looked neater anyway - nothing worse than messy karate 
Seido Karate appears not believe in the adage “It’s not the speed I move but whether you see me do it.” Everything they do is super fast. Forms are performed properly at breakneck speed and sparing makes my eyes tired just watching the endless rushing around. We were allowed to do non-contact sparring and there were a couple of occasions where I felt like I was watching a cartoon character as I stood safely out of range of some person throwing 300 techniques a second. I don’t think I would have to have done anything to win a fight because sooner or later my opponent would have fallen over from exhaustion anyway.
Where techniques may have differed the energy at the dojo was excellent. The master is great with kids and everytime we went there were at least four new students coming for their introductory lesson. Everyone exhibited great courtesy and respect and the master’s little chats at the end of class were insightful. The say osu (pronounced “Os”) a lot - I mean a lot - it’s “Os this” and “Os that” all the time. It’s a little infectious.
And so… Do we have a few cool drills to try out on Quantum students? You bet! Did we learn more about our own style than Seido? You bet!! Did we miss Quantum and are looking forward to returning? You bet!!!
If you want to check out their school, here’s the website: http://www.seido.co.nz/
Don’t forget to check out our first gallery and our second gallery and our third gallery and our forth gallery and our fifth gallery and our sixth gallery and all our extreme sports mad stuff.