Ninjutsu Uncovered

New Year rant!

2012-01-30T11:27:00.000Z

I am normally a happy go lucky person with a positive view on life, happy in the knowledge that what I do makes a difference in people’s lives but at the minute people are p***ing me off!

At the AFC we are in the centre of Newcastle and pay a lot for the Gym but our lease comes under review in 2013 (not long now) but due to the massive redevelopment of parts of the city (any spare bit of grass!) student accommodation has been built or old buildings have been turned into student lets, here lies my problem. We have heard on the grapevine that we might have to leave our building due to redevelopment or in the estate agents subtle (sly) way hugely jump up the rent to make us leave, either way we are up that well known creek without a paddle.

So as a precaution Kerry, my wife (bless her she is always on the end of my estate agent hating rants. Sorry Kerry and I love you xx ) and I have been looking for anything in the Newcastle area suitable to be turned into the new home of the AFC. We have looked for premises throughout the city but as we question the estate agents about the premises both Kerry and I are being told that the owners are not interested in having their premises turned into a Martial Arts gym!

I thought the class system had died out years ago but if you forgive the pun it is “alive and kicking”.

I have worked hard trying to take away the stereotype that the Martial Arts have suffered for too long. I have a good reputation and always try to be fair and offer a good standard of instruction without ripping people off and I teach all walks of life and treat them the same. However I just seem to come up against prejudice in this matter and I, for one, won’t take no for an answer. I have trained for nearly 30 years, ran clubs for 23 years and taught full-time since the age of 23 (I am 42 at the end of the month) yet I am not “good enough” to rent a place off theses so-called upstanding members of the community (I feeling the burn of hatred even now, it makes me feel like Bruce Banner before he turned into the hulk!)

I would like to apologize if you are an Estate agent and are deeply hurt by my words but every estate agent I have worked with has been the same, like as the joke goes -3 estate agents fell into shark infested water and the sharks left them alone out of professional courtesy!

As I am on a roll I would like to thank most people for not coming up to me at Christmas when they are drunk and ask what time the classes are on, as they would not remember but still insist that you give them a full and detailed rundown of the classes we have on offer, price ranges and equipment needed just for them to bump into you to ask again! And as much as I love gym and training I do not like a tech clinic in the middle of a busy bar as to why your second jab does not feel like your first in the combo double jab cross! You can tell me how you are, I am interested in all of your life not just the training portion of it.

This is the time of year where you begin to map out your calendar, filling it with fight shows, gradings and seminars, enough to fill your martial arts learning tank to the brim! But if you say that you would like a course in a certain aspect of your training, I do all the organizing and seek out the coaches from the UK and abroad book the course and try and collect the money to pay for the course. So it would be very kind of you to get out of bed on the chosen day and attend because I don’t know if you know this but it takes a lot of work to find a coach, sort out a course fee, the timings and the venue just for you not to attend because you had no money (due to the fact you were out 6 weeks Friday Saturday and Sunday so did not have the £40 ) but still complained that I did not give you enough notice (most courses are booked 3 months in advance) .

With this in mind we have Sean Bollinger back in Feb for a 10^th Planet Ju Juitsu course on the 18^th Feb from 3-6pm at Kings gym Birtley DH3 2PS and the price is £40 pre-paid (please note you can’t pay on the day) and also this stops me from standing outside hoping people will attend and crossing my fingers!! LOL

If you find this blog offensive in any way, I must be talking about you!

See you next month!

Now go play

John Atkin

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

A whistle stop review of the advanced fighting centre in 2011, what a year!

2011-12-20T18:13:00.000Z

The year started off the same as any other year, apart from the large amounts of snow we endured during the latter end of 2010; everyone is paying back Christmas but have an eye on training hard and finding what they could fit into their budget. The scrap pack fight team came into the year a little on the chubby side (lol) and it took the best part of January and February to get them into fighting shape!

When you have some time off at Christmas you should ease into the year carefully so you do not over train or injure yourself just because you or your partner are over keen to get back into full on sparring! Work on techniques and progressive drills, then, when your fitness, timing and technique is better, then you can spar (unlike the unscheduled bouts you may have see or been involved in at the bigg market over the season of ‘good will’).

Our first major event of the year was Sean Bollinger from 10^th planet Riverside (lets go) seminar in the gym. Sean and his assistant, Jeremy, explained the system in perfect detail and the gym was packed with open minded Martial Artists (that makes a change) listening and learning. We topped the day off by taking Sean and Jeremy to the Supremacy fight show as guests and showed them great hospitality (we got them very drunk) while they watched the AFC’s Paul Holmes win via a 10^th Planet move in the 1^st round of his fight.

March saw the AFC surrounded by ninjas! Keith Porter came up for his Birthday Bash (it’s his Birthday and we get Bashed!) showing us the sleek skills that makes him one of the most sort after Ninjitsu coaches in world.

April saw the scrap pack and over 60 supporters travel to Hull via trains, planes and automobiles (I lied about the planes) to see the fight on Alan Orrs 10^th Legion Fight show. We had 1 win and 3 losses but we enjoyed the fights and the night out was to become legendary as we enjoyed a fun filled evening in Hull’s gay scene. The images of ‘hardcore’ fighters with their tops off on mass, complete with Drag Queen will stay with me for the rest of my days. I was so proud of them - we came, we fought, we danced to Abba!!

May saw the Atkin’s family trip to Florida, taking in Disney World and the other theme parks - Cocoa Beach and the Kennedy Space Centre; a trip of a lifetime and also the first time I had been on a 2 week holiday leaving my baby (the gym) in the safe hands of Rob and Dave to cover ninjitsu and Malla to look after the MMA side with my niece Amy cracking the whip to keep them in order!

Not long after we drove headlong into a hectic schedule of black belt training with Keith Porter and participated in numerous fight shows where the hard work the scrap pack put in during the summer started to pay off when some great wins were earned for all of their hard work.

September saw us back in Hull with 2 wins and 1 home town dec (don’t you just hate that) but as Dana White says - don’t leave it to the judges! Lee Campbell won via triangle in the 3^rd round, Mickey Cotcher won by the mother of all ko’s in 24 sec’s and Paul Gibbs lost in a war of a fight. The night out was lead by Paul showing off his huge black eye with great pride!

October ‘s highlights were training with Sean Bollinger again , training with the amazing Master Crezio and Alex Garcia ( see last blog) coming to the gym and teaching the MMA class (priceless). Then in November Keith Porter was back up again only I was sidelined due to illness and had to watch. Gutted!

Two more fight shows, one where Mickey “3^rd Degree” Burns won by rear naked choke in the 2^nd round that as we go to press has put him in line for a title fight in late February. The Last fight show was on the 26^th of November where Mickey Cotcher fought against a 20 stone ebf boxing champion (Mickey is a light weight at 16st 8lbs, LOL) where, after breaking his hand with his first punch, continued to box until the end of the fight, narrowly losing a split decision. What heart to fight on and even press the action I was so proud of him.

December sees us putting up decorations and planning next year; the Calendar is getting full already.

It was quite a year and it seemed to go all too fast, I have my goals set for next year, have you? I would just like to thank you for reading my blogs, I hope they help and entertain you. If you want a part in next year’s crazy ride come to the AFC and join in the fun. Perhaps next Christmas I may be writing about you!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

John Atkin

AFC

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

The highs and lowlifes of a day at the Advanced Fighting Centre...

2011-11-14T07:48:00.000Z

Mal Trotter, Alex Garcia, John Atkin

Friday the 28^th of October: Started in the Atkin household much like any other day, getting Molly and Erin, the little sleepy heads out of bed while my lovely wife and partner worked like a finely tune machine making breakfasts and packed lunches in the Atkin Diner Experience. She then made the beds and got the kids in the car like an expert bodyguard team.

After the formal de-bus at school with waves and kisses all-round, Kerry and I got home, made our own breakfast and sat down to watch the Ultimate Fighter from the previous evening.

Later, Kerry popped to the shops with her Mum and I drove to work, singing along to Rock Star on my CD.

I parked up at Manors Car park (as it is so expensive to park in Newcastle, I park there and walk into the City Centre) and as I walked over the central motorway I got a phone call: a man said he had a lad in his taxi who is ‘into this MMA stuff’ but as I was talking the phone went dead, I tried to ring back but no luck.

As I walked into High Bridge Street I noticed a taxi parked across from the entrance to the gym. As I turned to go through the main door I was greeted by three men. One was wearing a Highvis vest, one was wearing a fleece and there was a third young man with tape under his eye.

I said, “John Atkin.” The man in the fleece, who turned out to be the taxi driver, explained that he had just talked to John Atkin but his phone went dead (bloody phone). I then went on to say that I was John Atkin, but much to my surprise the man with the Highvis piped in, “I’m your bin man” and then went on to explain why they were all outside my gym at 10.30 am on a Friday morning.

The taxi Driver had picked up the young man from Newcastle airport and, while chatting, the young man had asked if the taxi driver knew of any good MMA clubs to train at. The taxi driver, being the ever helpful Geordie that we pride ourselves on, phoned his friend (my bin man for the gym, and avid AFC viewer) who, being of the same ilk as his friend, told him of a place where BJ Penn trained whilst he was in Newcastle - The Advanced Fighting Centre. He said he would meet him there and he did.

The young man in question (having just won his last fight in 34 seconds by way of a knockout a few days before, had just arrived safely in Newcastle via Amsterdam, though his bags unfortunately ended up in Abu Dabai) turned out to be none other than No.2 ranked welterweight fighter, behind George St-Pierre his training partner at the famous Tri-Star gym in Montreal, Alex “The Dominican Nightmare” Garcia.

Alex explain that he was here to work the Corner of his friend, Chris “the Kamikaze” Cariaso but also to see his girlfriend who is studying here at Northumbria University for 6 months. I was amazed that this turn of fate happened but delighted to be able to help Alex. We talked for a while then Alex left to return later that day for a pad training private class expertly taught by Jimmy McLarens. In the mean time l got on with teaching my classes - on a high, I am just like a big kid!

Midway through my class with Garry Henderson, a very talented Ninjitsu black belt, what I can only describe as a Smack head came into the gym at speed (no pun intended) trying to sell me stolen goods that he produced from a bag and threw over my desk, knocking over a picture of my daughters. I went behind the desk to pick up my picture as Smack head told me he wanted me to sell some of his goods!

There are many things that I will let slip by me but coming into my gym to sell stolen goods is a no-no in my book AND KNOCKING OVER A PICTURE OF MY DAUGHTERS IN THE PROCESS IS A LINE NO-ONE SHOULD CROSS! Gary swears I jumped the counter and in best BCA fashion (thanks Geoff) lined this piece of …… up!

When I told him in no uncertain terms to get his swag and get out of my gym, he made certain that I would not be turning my front desk into a Smack heads Argos. He called me an Ar**Hole (13 years working the door this word was one of my trigger words, I hate being called it!) but true to my training of verbal tennis (the exchange of words pre-curser to a fight where the battle can be won or lost), I told him to get out before I smashed his face in - I have a way with words! LOL.

If you give in to these lowlifes and show any kind of weakness they will come back at you, so stay strong in words and deeds. As Smack head made a tactical withdrawal (that sounds rude), with me hot on his tail (still sounds rude or sounds like a posse in a western), his parting comment was that I should not try any of that stuff on him (while doing his best Michael Jackson moon walk), and that he will be burning the place down in the near future. Thank god my estate agent rips me off with insurance that includes anti- terrorism.

Just another day in the life of the Advanced Fighting Centre!

Alex spent his week or so in the gym or working out at Eldon leisure under the watchful eye of two more of my back belts, Anu and ken. As a thank you for all my help during his stay in Newcastle, Alex agreed to teach a class to my MMA club. Much to their delight, those that turned up on a Tuesday night found Alex Garcia there giving helpful hints and tips from his amazing skills. Alex taught some single leg and double leg takedowns, butterfly guard pass to take the back to choke and a great version of a butterfly guard to guillotine. However this was much to the dismay to those that did not attend – well, as they say, if you snooze you lose!

The UFC in Birmingham was a good night for fights with Chris ‘kamikaze’ Cariaso winning the split decision against Vaughan Lee with Alex in his corner!

Alex popped into the gym on his return from Birmingham to thank me for making him welcome and presented me with one of his training tops from HEADRUSH, his sponsor.

I would like to say it was an honor to meet a rising star who has so much talent and drive and I am sure Alex will make big waves in the coming year. Watch out world, Alex “The Dominican Nightmare” Garcia is coming! And as for Smack head - watch out I am coming! (Just kidding)

Until next time

Have fun and play

John Atkin

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/
or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Is MMA wrong for kids?

2011-10-15T09:40:00.000+01:00

This is a hot topic for debate; people are up in arms at the sight of two young boys, free grappling in a cage at a show!

Why is it that the press jumps on the band wagon to stir up trouble again for the people that enjoy doing, watching and teaching MMA? Why don’t they stick to phone tapping and building people up just to cut them down when they fall from grace (I love the press can you not tell).

Watching the two lads grappling you could see the time and effort and great amount of skill in their movements; what does that suggest to you? To me it shows they have trained and learnt the movements, displaying great discipline and dedication, and can show them to other people without hurting each other; how is that a bad thing from the youth of today!

Back in the early 80’s when I started to train I would set up my bag outside, between the house and the shed so that is swung freely but if the bag swung at the same time as my roundhouse came in, if I was not careful, I would kick the edge of the brick shed! I would put my tunes on and do a technique to one full song - you never stop punching when Rocky’s on! This taught me self-discipline and goal setting that has stayed with me to this day. When anyone tells me that my technique is good I tell them I had a miss-spent youth! LOL

In America kids wrestle from a very early age and in Japan Judo is taught in schools. However, over here the kids learn to be a flower and dance around in a very no-contact and very politically correct way! What are we frightened of? Could the kids turn into killing machines with a mean single leg takedown that will result in a gut wrenching arm bar. NO! they will learn how to respect other people and interact with people going through all the ups and downs (no pun intended) of winning and losing rather than the political correct ‘everyone is a winner’ theory that builds children up just to knock them down in later life.

I have taught kids for too many years now in my class. I teach discipline (we have a sin-bin guarded by bob the training dummy). If you are rough in my class - if you hit too hard or talk too much or blatantly ignore me you get 2 minutes in the sin-bin. If you get sin-binned twice in one class you leave my class for that session; if you are sin-binned four times over two weeks you don’t come back to my class. This may seem harsh but I teach my kids not to bully and to defend themselves against bullies so there is no way I will have a bully in my class; either you train with respect for everyone or you leave!

In this day and age (how old am I?) respect can still be taught and maintained through the Martial Arts, including Mixed Martial Arts, as long as it is taught with respect and discipline - fear does not exist in this Dojo. LOL! But you can still let the kids have fun so they will learn better, i.e. when we teach arm bars we give them funny names to help the kids remember them, like backpack arm bar (you are on the back sitting on the floor and you swing your leg over the head and fall to the side to gain an arm bar) the kids learn good technique with good form and in a fun atmosphere with no-one getting hurt; now tell me what is wrong with that?

Until next time

Wax on wax off and have fun and play

John Atkin

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Fit and 40!

2011-09-16T12:55:00.001+01:00

You see this plastered over every glossy magazine and the internet (not those sites!) Everyone is obsessed with being fit and staying in shape or looking good, but what if you have been training in the Martial Arts for the past 20-30 years taking the knocks and bruises, bumps and breaks that usually go with hard Martial arts training?

When you are younger you pride yourself on the state of your legs from shin kicks, dropping your pants at every opportunity to show people your jet black inner thigh war wound and swelling with pride (no pun intended) at the shiner you received from sparring. But this and the many more badges of honour you accumulate over the years take their toll on your body.

I am in my 40’s now but in my head I am between 4 and 24. Depending on the situation, I can be childish or just plain stupid when it comes to looking after my body!

A few years ago I badly injured my back and have had problems with it ever since. As I have stated sometimes my head writes cheques my body can’t pay and I keep pushing myself, ignoring the warning signs that my body is giving off and carrying on regardless until my body stops working.

I am currently sporting a bad back but it is on the mend though I am having a hard time cutting back on my work load. Randy Couture (UFC legend, aged 47 when he hung up is gloves) stated that for every hard session you do, you have to do a softer more holistic session - from hostile to holistic you might say! Just as older fighters sometimes do not want to hang up their gloves older Martial Artists feel the same.

Meaning me!

I was first called old when I was training with the Machados in LA - I was 34! I was grappling with a young lad who was a Native American and would have made a great Brave on the war path because he was of a fiery nature. We were grappling for a long time with no submissions and when we finished he said, “You are pretty good for an old guy.” I was so gob smacked that it tapped me out better than a rear naked choke!

When did I get old? One minute I was training like a madman and fighting and doing everything 110%, then, as the years passed suddenly I was old!

As age becomes a factor, things that healed in “no time” suddenly take longer to heal, you begin to stiffen up and you make involuntary noises when you do things (like bending down to pick something up). The problem I have is not joining in with the classes, sparring or rolling with my students (I teach and train 45+ hours per week).

I feel like I am a spare p***k at a wedding when I do not do the MMA circuit or grapple all the time. I think ego plays a large part of it; having to admit to yourself that you have an addictive problem with training is just the same as an alcoholic admitting to his drink problem or a smoker admitting that they can’t give up smoking but want to.

In classes how do you perform technique well if you are sore? You still try to perform to the best of your ability but this is a bitter pill to swallow. I am slowly coming around to the fact that I am not superhuman (apart from the Saturday night costume! Lol) I would class myself as a work in progress.

Here are the steps I am reluctantly trying to stick to:

1 Don’t do things because you think you have to (like core conditioning with every private class)

2 Just because someone wants to spar you don’t have to (it is not a western showdown at noon)

3 Don’t be hard on yourself as if you are letting people down (they are in for 1 hours training - you have been there for 9 hours already)

4 Drink loads of water (it is not “hard to not drink” it is stupid, you are not a camel)

5 Rest when you are sore and don’t train through the pain. (I never noticed my foot fall off -I am soooo hard!)

I have left these blank so I can fill them in as I learn more, as they say: knowledge is power!

Keep training but keep it in check, until next time, keep working on your arm bar and 6 pack!

John Atkin

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail

John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Training to be you!

2011-08-14T19:14:00.000+01:00

When you are younger you are more willing to try new things , one week it is skateboarding the next it is football and the list goes on but it’s a brave kid that does not follow the crowd into the next ‘new thing’.

Since I was young (yes I was) I have always followed my own path, in training and in life. I was proud of the lime green socks I wore for high school or that I was friends with everyone not just the popular kids.

I recently went to my years 25^th Re-Union; there was great cross section of people there but it still ended up like being the next day at school; the cool kids talked to the cool kids and the fringe elements talked to the fringe elements. In my eyes nothing much had changed apart from the vast majority seemed that they were in their lives but not living them. The shock on some of their faces when I told them I run a Martial Arts Gym and shocker of all shockers still trained! (I think they watch too many movies of the Sensei shouting commands and strutting around like the king from the king and I) and that teaching Martial Arts was not a proper job, but I think that it sounds funny that people go to an office and move one pile of papers from one side of the desk to the other (a bit like doing math’s home work, then history homework when you are 12!).

This made me think of all the people I admire, people like Geoff Thompson that swam against the stream and fought hard (in many ways) shrugging of all people that said he could not and you can’t to become a writer, playwright and leading light in motivational speaking.

Lady Gaga has inspired me recently listening to how she grew up in New York singing in the car until her dad told her to learn to sing! She was and is still not afraid to be herself in everything she does, like Geoff, if she puts her mind to it she cannot only see it feel it and touch it, she lives it. I stand in awe of these people for going on their own path and struggle on until their goals become reality.

Coming into a martial Art at any age is similar to this struggle. You have the people that turn up but won’t come without their friend and if their friend stops, they will; you have the people that feel intimidated and shy and I always tell them the hardest part of training is walking in the front door.

Everyone that trains in the Martial Arts has the right to be proud of themselves for standing up to the people that make funny noises when you pass by, or move into a ‘fighting stance’ at every occasion. You all at one time or another have said “f**k you” as in the song by Cee lo green and went to training. Well done!

I have said my piece on which Martial Art is best (see old blogs). All are good for the people that enjoy doing that art whatever that maybe. But when you do the art you love it is not wrong to put your individual style to the movements. I can’t move like my Ninjitsu Teacher, Keith Porter, because I am not built the same or think the same as Keith but I can move like me because I am me. Keith inspires me to train better by watching his movement.

When I watch Eddie Bravo roll or Marcelo Garcia, I am amazed by their movements but it also highlights how individual they are. To the untrained eye they are grappling but if you look closely they are grappling as themselves, only they move like they do; their own signature. You can only be you.

On a lighter note I am currently sporting a fine array of coloured toenails painted expertly by my eldest daughter, Molly. In her words my toes are easier to practice on because they are bigger so for the last 2 weeks I have been teaching like this much to the delight of some classes and the horror of others but I do not mind, I am comfortable with myself and Molly says they look great ; that is enough reward just seeing her artwork on my toes and thinking of her!!

Until next time swim against the tide move how you move and be happy being you!

John Atkin

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit: http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Unsung Heroes

2011-08-11T17:36:00.000+01:00

Everyone was to be a Black belt and everyone wants to be at the head of the class, but what about the people at the front of the class; what got them there and what do they take on when they get there..?

I remember training when I was much younger (no laughing) as a white belt thinking any grade above me was the best place to be not thinking as you go through the grades you have more to learn not less. But at that time break falls and strikes was about my max to worry about, don’t land on your head and relax hand until impact!!

I was teaching at the tender age of 18 due to the lack of instructors in Ninjutsu. We started training groups where we would be taught by the senior kyu grade in that area due to black belts being few and far between. This made me grow up and take on responsibilities way beyond my age for the sake of the training to continue in my area.

I love the art of Ninjutsu, I would train anywhere to help me learn the Art, many a time I would take the overnight crippler bus to London (was called the Rapide but when you got off you felt crippled due to the lack of leg room) train on a course and then get back on the next one back giving the feeling of jetlag without leaving the country, just to learn something new.

As you progress in the Arts people start to associate you with your chosen art, for example I am Ninja john to some people, these people don't seem to mind that it may be seen as offensive. Then a strange thing happens, somewhere between a kata and a kick you become a role model, agony aunt, referee, logistic organiser, chief cook and bottle washer; everything rolled into one.

Over my time as a martial arts instructor I have seen relationships form to love marriage and divorce, kids used as pawns in tit for tat games from ex-partners (this breaks my heart) couples that split up and want you as their friend only (don’t talk to him!!) wife beating/ husband beating, fraud, babies born and deaths. When you become this role model you have to listen like a priest and try not to judge, I am not saying it is easy, I have many a sleepless night thinking of what people have told me in confidence, hoping you have given the right advice to help the situation, your back belt does not prepare you for the tide wave of social responsibility.

How many times have you taken orders for gis, belts or hoodies and the supplier have let you down? Little Jonny comes in to find no gi!!!! The little sad face wear a tracksuit while everyone else is wearing a gi, the look of disapproval from their parents and the long drawn-out explanation about stock levels and six weeks waiting, falling on deaf ears.

Gradings are always the high and lows of the martial world, resulting in a witch trial type of court of who should have passed and who was better than them and did they deserve to get that belt with you being the middleman bringing out your inner politician, trying to find ways of building up spirits that have been downtrodden, keeping the ego in check for those that passed well and mopping up the middle ground that passed but need work in areas of weakness!

Teaching technique has become harder now, as there is so much information out here to judge you on; one lad trains then shows me the technique on YouTube to see if I do the same as the instructor on the web. If you are injured or unwell but make it to training but are unable to hold the pads due to your broken hand , the 'what can I do instead' look from the overly keen puncher that you are letting down due to your injury.

Going on holiday has to be my favorite “"what will I do when you are not here" or when you painstakingly get cover for your classes with lesson plans and no-one comes because you are not there!

Like sparring if they hit you hard or knock you out or submit you they will dine out on that for weeks and months but if you knock them out you are a bully (even when they are going 100pc to kill you!) and they will be leaving and you will be hearing from their ambulance chasers!!

Who would be a Martial Arts Instructor…? Me I would not miss it for the world

Until next time spare a thought for your coach!!

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit: http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

The problem with being a Ninja...

2011-08-11T17:35:00.001+01:00

Over the years I have been called many names (no not those names) about being involved with Martial Arts and Ninjutsu most times I have taken a lighthearted view of this but sometimes it can really P*** you off!

There have been many a time that people have passed on regards to "Ninja John", thinking that it does not bother me, NEWS FLASH IT DOES! If I took something that you love to do and be part of for most of your life and threw it back in your face with an off the cuff remark how would you feel? Yes that's right not happy would be an understatement.

In recent months Ninjutsu has been getting it fair share of bad press, but now the bad press is coming from Ninjutsu people themselves claiming this and that and bring my art that I hold so dear down to the level of a comic book hero or freak show!!!

Ninjutsu to me has always been a form of self-protection within an historical budo art, meaning I would like my art to work when I need it and not at the local re-enactment society meeting Tuesday and Saturdays (depending on the weather). Ninjutsu is a practical art for today's enemy, a true protection art (when you apply it properly) that should save your life when you are your family or friends are under threat!

YouTube has a lot to answer for, letting people with wild ideas thinking they are The Lord High Ninja in their role playing game and believing their own hype and what is worse teaching other people to believe in their hype also!

I have trained and taught for many years and constantly come across the same view of Ninjutsu, "Are you going to teach me the death touch?" - The only death touch I know is touch my food and I will kill you!!!

"Don't believe the hype," as NWA would say come and see the Art of Ninjutsu and decide for yourself if it is a made up art or can it be used today like it has always been use to protect yourself with!

Bye for now I am just popping out to kill someone with my shuriken after I have taken out the guards of the castle and ran through the forest without being seen!

Lots of love

Deadly Ninja Warrior

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Has the Martial gone from Mixed Martial Art?

2011-08-11T17:30:00.002+01:00

Watching the MMA scene develop over the last few years I have seen an ugly side of the martial arts that has come from the MMA world!

That sounds like a bad statement to make as I love the world of martial arts and the world of MMA but please hear me out!!

I have talked about the rise of the MMA scene and the rise of the MMA fighter...the by-product of this is the cage fighter! The cage fighter is a strange beast usually spotted in Tesco’s with big carpet carrying stance with cage fighter or a Tapout top strutting like a peacock in the lager aisle telling everyone in earshot how he is training to destroy someone in his next interclub fight.

Many years ago the same thing happened with boxing, boxers started to believe their own hype and an arrogant attitude started to develop. I am not saying all boxers had this but because they could finish a fight with one well placed punch some thought they were better than everyone else (just ask James "tapped out" Toney) I for one love the way James Toney fought in the boxing ring he was a master of the art of boxing, but his confidence developed into arrogance or as the dictionary says "a exaggerated assumption of importance".

Randy Couture helped re-educate Mr Toney in a lesson in life "pride comes before a fall" or in this case a single leg shoot and head and arm choke before Mr Toney had to tap before he truly became James "lights out" Toney.

This has now started to appear on the MMA scene; at a recent event a packed show had to witness a fighter that had been forced to tap-out in an ill-tempered match, rant and rave, and kick the cage. He would not shake the winner's hand. The ref and his corner men could not stem his temper as his dummy was thrown out of the pram and full-on hissy fit carried on backstage like a diva that did not get the right mineral water during the show!

Mixed Martial Arts is just that, a Martial Art were you train in your art with respect and honour whether you win lose or draw. The AFC fight team was given the highest compliment at the same fight show as someone emailed me to say that our fighters conducted themselves in a respectful way weather they had won or lost and I should be proud of their conduct in and out of the cage. To me that was the best thing I could hear as I am training martial artists to fight not cage fighters that fight and have no respect for the martial arts.

George St Pierre has just defended his title from Jake Shields and watching the build up to the fight George said the difference with fighting Jake Shields is that Jake is not a fighter that trains for a fight then has down time, Jake is a Martial Artist that trains everyday in the Arts, so George knew that he had to train every day to beat him. Some cage fighters walk around thinking they are the best in the world while Martial Artists try to get better every day, ultimately never reaching their goals as there is always something you can improve on!!

Thanks for reading my rant this month, have fun with your training and keep a look out for the "Cage fighters"!! lol

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit: http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com

Smooth Talking

2011-08-11T17:29:00.002+01:00

5K run, 1000 throws, 1000 sword cuts or a sponsored sparring marathon. When you think of Martial Arts for charity that’s what you think of but not...WAXING.

We wanted to find something "fun" to do to raise money for a very special school that helps so many children in a very positive way.

Rob Rebair who has been a very close friend for a long time and one of the A.F.C. longest training black belts (4^th Dan) works at the school as a teaching assistant and brought are attention to the needs of the school. My lovely wife Kerry and niece Amy that front our admin at the gym, Kerry is the real boss (I'm the manual labour) and Amy is the gyms resident princess she has the lads wrapped around her little finger, Amy came up with the plan to make grown men cry (and they did). They harassed and press ganged people to partake and even took money off people so they didn't have to do it.

The waxing took place in front of about 30 gym and family members; girls took great delight in watching their boyfriends suffer at the hands of Amy, pouring hot wax on armpits and then screaming! Long suffering wife’s laughed seeing their husbands with legs smoother than a babies bottom and we all laughed when one shouted ‘cream me’ at the top of his voice (we also put the footage on Face book). Some people needed more soothing cream then others, but everyone said the results were great (I am sure some of the leg waxing has been kept up!!)

The day ran very smoothly (ha ha) and everyone said they had a great time (liar's) and in the end we raised £715.50!!

The story does not end there as a result of ours and the teachers, parents and many more sponsored events the school spent all summer installing a new boiler system, new kitchen and a new safe playground for all to enjoy!

My wife and I were invited to the schools open day to see the results and all I can say that the school is the friendliest, warm (no pun) and positive school I have ever had the pleasure to go to. We sat in amazement as the head master Chris Rollings started to sing "I want to build a mountain" in true Vegas style and then the children gave out handmade cards to those involved in helping their school out in so many ways! After cutting the ribbons for the new things a guided tour of the school and its facilities left Kerry and me speechless (and if you know Kerry that is very rare)

The day had a profound effect on both of us and we have vowed to work to try and help Hadrian school, Benwell over the coming months and years.

To find out more about The Advanced Fighting Centre visit:http://www.advancedfighting.co.uk/ or e-mail John Atkin at johnatkin24@btinternet.com