TriTactics

Martial Arts

Methodology

Peter has trained with the Bob Jones Corporation (BJC) for over 25 years in the freestyle martial art, Zen Do Kai (ZDK). In October 2010, Peter was honoured with the promotion to Kyoshi (6th Dan) in this style. Peter has established and run various programs under the ZDK umbrella both in Melbourne and north-eastern Victoria, most recently setting up the Zen Do Kai Malvern club. Peter is an active member of the BJC family and participates in a number of forums designed to better the Zen Do Kai style.

Since its very conception, Zen Do Kai has meant ‘the best of everything in progression’ to us. It has always had the one overriding concept, does the technique really work? With that in mind Zen Do Kai has gone through constant evaluation, endeavoring to search for just that, truth in practicality. In the teachings of my discipline as a fighting system, Zen Do Kai endeavors to be a total purist. As a purist we translate Zen Do Kai to be adaptable to its current environment, which happens to be right in the now, to be a constant winner you have to be able to adapt to change.

Our syllabus not only includes what can be described as Karate techniques and Karate Forms (or Kata), but also the principles and practices of locks & holds, throws, grappling, boxing, kick boxing and Muay Thai Boxing as well as traditional weaponry. Pete is working strongly in the area of using de-escalation principles and understanding ones emotions before, during and after a violent situation. Pete, for that reason is following the Geoff Thompson Principles to the letter, Geoff is a well known teacher in this area. Hence to encompass these entire elements, the term “Martial Arts” sits comfortably along side Zen Do Kai.

When do we take off our belts?

Is it after the bow out, as we get changed, or never?
The longer we train; the less we remove our belts; the desire to wear the belt mentally, emotionally and physically becomes ingrained in us. We have to look ourselves in the mirror each morning and evening and be happy with who we’re looking at. Are we Ok to “pretend” to be something we’re not, from the moment we… step off the floor and back into our “normal” lives?
I think this thought process begs to question, “Are we in the Martial Arts for the Sport concept or the Real Traditional meaning, when life is life and games are games?
I know at times we have the dark side within us questioning our values, but as I’ve always said “Options, Choices and Consequences” – we make Choices from our Options, we must accept them or we’re lying to ourselves.
I’ve been told for as long as I can remember that for every 100 students that walk through the door, 10 stay on for Black Belt and out of that 10, 1 stays on forever. I challenge everyone to swap these last two figures around to now mean, that for every 100 students that walks through the door, 90 go on to Black Belt and 9 stay on forever.
We all must judge ourselves on retention as well as reflection for the more we retain the more we can positively reflect.
Deep down we’re always White Belts and should be…..should be willing to empty our cup and drink from new engaging information, whether it be from yester year or now. As an instructor we must also be humble to learn from our students so as to consolidate what we know and add what we’ve been taught – this is an instructor still being a student.
The journey never ends – the longer you wear a black belt the quicker it turns white, and so the circle
continues…….
I hope you too enjoyed reading these special moments and remember,
we all have stories, but only we can determine the ending.

 Kyoshi Pete

Click here to view Pete Keogh’s Martial Arts Lineage

Key Professionals

Ardes Media

Blitz Martial Arts Magazine

Bob Jones Martial Arts

Okinawa Goju Ryu Kenkyu Kai

Phillips Institute

Zanshin Fitness