Jersey Tai Chi Foundation Founder & Principal: Raymond Reid Mobile: +44 (0)7797 714 740 email: ray@jtcf.org.uk |
Jersey Tai Chi Foundation
Senior Instructor Steve Renouf |
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Jersey Tai Chi Foundation |
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Sensei Viv Nash (1931 - 2009)
Sensei Viv Nash was born in 1931, at Radstock near Bristol, Somerset and had practiced Martial Arts for 46 years, until he pased away in May 2009. His father was an ex-boxer so from a very early age he encouraged the young Viv Nash to box. He boxed as a school-boy, teenager and adult. Joining the A.B.A. he fought in many competitions winning most of them. Later he boxed in fair-ground booths for £3 for three rounds; in those days he very much liked to fight, believing that boxing certainly helped the physical side of his Karate.
The next major step in his life was the British Army where he did 2 years National Service. He was still boxing and soon became Battalion Champion at Middleweight. While in the army, he was involved in a fire accident which effectively finished his boxing career.
After the army, he returned to his trade as a plumber, travelling to work on sites all over the country - which is how he eventually came to live and settle in Plymouth, Devon. It was there that he met a man called Dick Finnett, who was a Black Belt in Judo and taught a crude type of Karate. In those days, the late fifties, there was no organised Karate in Plymouth, so they practiced a real rough-house type of Karate - a bit of Karate, Judo and Boxing all mixed together! That was the start of his journey along the path of Karate-Do.
In the very early sixties, Dick Finnett had, at Sensei Harada's invitation, arranged a Karate course at Plymouth. Going along to this course, Viv Nash really had his eyes opened to what Karate was all about. At this time Mr. Kanazawa started running courses at Plymouth, so one week Viv would practise with Sensei Harada, the next week with Sensei Kanazawa, so he was practising both Shoto-Kai and Shoto-Kan. He found both Sensei's were very good, but he came under the influence of Mr. Harada because his Chi was very good, he could project his mind very strongly, so Viv practised Shoto-Kai style and eventually became Club Instructor at Plymouth. Viv spent 18 years with the Shoto-Kai, going up through the grades and eventually being graded 4th Dan by Sensei Harada and was Chief Club Instructor at Plymouth as well as Western Area Representative (including Jersey) for the Shoto-Kai.
It was in 1980 that, with great reluctance, Viv left the Shoto-Kai and in January 1981, the Shoto- Ryu Karate Association was formed and he was asked to become the Chief Instructor and Sensei. Feeling that this was the right step forward, he accepted and became a full time Sensei practising 7 days a week.
The main difference between Shoto-Ryu and other styles of Karate practice is that the style is very supple, the techniques are flowing, circular, dynamic movements. The stop is not used, the breathing is not stopped and the punches are not jerked. Practitioners try to develop and project their minds and Ki energy; all techniques are flexible continuous movements; distance, speed, timing, and full use of the hips are very important. Kata, breathing and harmony play a big part in the practice. It was because of this similarity to Tai Chi that Viv Nash first got involved in this Chinese Martial Art.
He was graded 5th Dan in 1982 by an English Karate committee and up until he passed away, he held the rank of 8th Dan but grades did not worry him. All he would say was:
"Don't Judge or assess me by my grade or what someone says I am, but come and practise with me, or watch my practice; that's my testimonial, not the grade I wear. Grades are not unimportant, but the message that the teacher or instructor is trying to get over to his students is more important". |
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