Martial Arts Articles Submited By Ronnie Colwell

As a recognised 9th Dan in the arts of Karate-do and JyuJutsu, Ronnie has spent a lifetime pursuing knowledge on fighting systems throughout the world. Ronnie's CV is impressive including British military service, professional bodyguard, martial arts instructor to European and Middle Eastern royalty and special forces instruction.
(Biography)

From Combat Magazine
The following interview appeared in the July 2004 edition of Combat.
Q. Your last public interview was way back in 1984 in Combat Magazine. Why no interviews until now?
RC. For the last 20 years I have been discovering answers to give. After several bitter episodes in 1984 I had more questions of my own than answers. So I have spent the last 20 years seeking and researching the answers myself. To this end I have travelled to many countries, studying, observing, asking questions, taking instruction and creating my own archives. (Read Interview)

By Ronnie Colwell
The origins of Jyu-Jutsu are lost in the mist of time, but certainly stretch over two thousand years ago, the book of ancient matters makes many references to Jyu-Jutsu as being practiced and used by the Bugi ( fighting men ) Indeed it was an integral part of Bu-Jutsu training that a Bushi would spend his life studying. Over the century’s Jyu-Jutsu as been referred to by many different names, and even today this is not unknown.
Jyu-Jutsu was developed, and tried and tested on the battlefield, stratagem and technique that failed where soon dismissed, there was no room for the esoteric, this practice was for practical use against other men who had also spent there entire lives in preparation for the day of death. (Read History)

By Ronnie Colwell
As the study of martial systems in the west matures and develops we encounter the phenomenon of the Historian. Historians, throughout history have been guilty of putting an interpretation on the facts that
a) suits the generation reading the history and b) the prejudices of the historian writing this history. To view it harshly the bad historians are a mixture of old spin doctor and propagandists, and thus tended to give, at best, a jaundiced view of the history of their time, not forgetting the established and vested interest of those who paid them.
Now I do admire historians who give a broad view and a researched account leaving room for the reader to make their own opinion and interpretation of the facts. However when dealing with the martial systems we seem to encounter amnesia. (Read History)

By Ronnie Colwell for Martial Arts Illustrated
Whilst having breakfast with a dear chum of ours he produced a piece of paper and with a wicked smile invited us to take a look. It was a genealogy of his instructors. “WOW!” I said. “This is really fantastic,” and it was... There he was at the end of a genealogy, stretching back almost to Moses. I mentioned this to him and as ever we all laughed our little socks off until it was his turn to pay for breakfast.

Now genealogies are a wonderful thing as long as they don’t become more important than what you are now. The old samurai maxim comes to mind: Don’t live in Yesterday or Tomorrow, Live in the now, and try to remember that those who think that they can walk on water find out too late, that they have only been walking on a wet floor.

It was, to my memory, roughly about the 1980s that what we now know as martial arts academies started to become en vogue. Although in the USA and parts of Europe they have been operating for years, there are those who with every opportunity condemn the emergence of the martial academies an . . .

By Ronnie Colwell
This is not an attempt to give either a history of Buddhism or Zen-Buddhisms  arrival and its impact on Japan. It is only meant to be a very brief outline on  the term Dojo and from where it derived. So bearing that in mind, I ask  any readers to have mercy upon my attempt at such an over intricate subject.  However to give some understanding of the term Dojo and its implications to  Japanese Martial-Study, a little knowledge of the arrival of Buddhism and  Zen-Buddhism to Japan is necessary. (Read Article)

By Ronnie Colwell
As with many, I have watched the proliferation of Smokies …. I mean Soke, and my thoughts drift back to my first encounter with a Soke. It was many years ago but still crystal clear in my mind, as is right and proper, as ones first Soke viewing should be an experience not easily forgotten,. (Read Article)

By Ronnie Colwell
Since Bruce Lee exposed the wider world to the humble nunchaku, a whole industry has developed around this much misrepresented weapon. Unfortunately this industry, through ignorance or design, mostly re-iterates the same old baloney. A quick internet search produces all manner of sites which should really classify themselves has baton twirling groups and enter majority competitions.
(Read Article)

By Arthur Tansley
Martial  arts training in Japan is a lot different than it is in western countries.  Sensei (instructors) usually demonstrate a technique several times with a  student, then everyone pairs off and practices the movements. Assistant  instructors may move around correcting mistakes. But do not expect any  explanations. Questions are not encouraged. (Read Article)

By Trevor Streets
It is an unfortunate aspect in the modern approach to martial systems that we seem to be obsessed with titles and ranks. Just a flick through any martial arts magazine will reveal a gamut of Soke, Shihan, & Hanshi. This was taken as granted in American publications but is sadly equally as true in the UK ones now. And I’m not just talking western budoka, there are as many Japanese/Okinawan nationals on the same bandwagon. But how has this come about? (Read Article)

By John Piper
Iaido is a mid 20th century term developed to replace the more commonly used batto jutsu – drawn sword technique - the act of drawing the sword combined with an attacking technique. The term became more popular and widely used I believe as a means of making the study of the sword more acceptable to the Occupation Forces in post war Japan and also to reassure Japanese educationalists.
(Read Article)

One of the major images in the general public’s perception of Karate is that of Karate practitioners performing feats of breaking wood, tiles etc. In fact there seems no end to the materials that seem to be attacked, even large blocks of ice that would be more at home among the ice flows of the Bearing Sea. (Read Article)

There is a lot of controversy around at the moment with regard to certain groups who have instigated what amounts to a pyramid selling system within their organisation. This sees the phenomena of a club instructor cold calling on people’s doorsteps, trying to entice beginners into the dojo. These club instructors are in the most, brown belts or below and not “qualified” black belts. Within their club they teach the rudiments of Karate whilst receiving instruction themselves at separate classes.
(Read Article)