Instructor Profile:
Master Adam Goward
6th Degree
Black Belt
Tel: 01825 732224
Master Goward
(click here)It was in 1982 that I finally gave in to my friend and work mate Rick, who had been telling me how great TSD was, so I went along to the Fitzwymark School in Rayleigh for my first lesson. I was 20 years old and had always been fascinated by martial arts for their physical benefits and obviously their practical benefits in being able to defend yourself, and the discipline that goes with it.
I was first impressed by David Carradine in the TV series "Kung Fu" in the 1970s. I liked the stories of the lone traveller who fought against the bad guys and stood up for the weak or disadvantaged; a Buddhist who would reflect on the relevance of his training when he was growing up, and hear the wise words of his teacher.
So why did I wait until I was 20? Well, I thought that I was fit, flexible and co-ordinated and that I could do martial arts any time. Ok, I`ll be honest, I was too lazy. Thanks to Rick nagging me, I got the shock of my life when on my first lesson I saw older people more flexible than me, younger people more co-ordinated than me, and it seemed that they all had more stamina than me. This is not right, I thought, I am in the prime of my youth, but more than being impressed by what I couldn`t do compared to the other students, I was impressed by Grandmaster Loke, who`s sharp technique and passionate teaching drew me in.
After the warm-up exercises and basics I thought, hey, there's more to this martial arts malarkey than I first thought. It was at this point that I was pulled out and taken to one side. Oh god, I must be bad, am I going to be asked to leave? 'Yeah good try son, here`s yer coat 'n don`t bother us again' is what was going through my head. Luckily for me it was Grandmaster Loke's way of helping me by telling his senior black belt to take me to the side and go through the basics with me. That black belt was Master Clive Butterworth, seah seah Clive!
Another thing that got me addicted straight away was the strict discipline which I knew was good for me, despite the pain and torture. I think Grandmaster Loke instinctively knew I was keen because he would often dish out extra pain and torture especially for me which, strange as it may seem, only enhanced my fascination for TSD training. He either likes me or hates me, I thought, and to be honest I didn`t know which, but I trusted him. I knew he had my best interests at heart, as he does for all of his students. I started training twice a week in Rayleigh and increased my attendance as I went through the Ji grades to seven classes a week.
I made some great friends and I can look back at those days with fond memories. I took my 1st Duan black belt grading in 1985 and was honoured when asked if I could take a class at Eastwood, which I felt at the time really helped me progress. It's one thing being able to do a low block or side kick but another to teach and enthuse others. I taught at Eastwood for over five years and also started the Chelmsford class at the then new Riverside Centre, opposite the farmers' market. During this time I also competed nationally and internationally, shared a room in Belgium with Bill Edwards, who would give a spirited team talk before any event. He would say , "Right are you ready, we'll show 'em just what Essex is capable of." True, he was talking about the drinking afterwards but I used to love his camaraderie and comical way of showing leadership: we all miss him.
I found this photo which made me laugh; it was from 1988 when I took my 2nd Duan grading. When it came to the breaking I approached the group of black belts who were ready with the tiles and we were awaiting instructions from Grandmaster Loke as to what he wanted me to do. When he said, 'front kick' two of the chaps got the tiles ready and I thought to myself, phew, that's alright! Then Grandmaster Loke stopped us saying, 'No no, both legs,' so I said to the chaps, 'Ok, I'll do my right leg first,' still feeling mightily relieved about the whole situation, but again Grandmaster Loke cut in and said, 'Both legs, at the same time.' I can't really tell you what I thought at that point but, as you can see, I had a go but couldn`t quite manage it. (This is Richard Moss territory.)
Master Adam Goward scissor kick - dual breaking of tilesI also represented the UK in Korea in 1989 and was lucky enough to come home with two trophies: 2nd in the free sparing and 1st in the forms. During the final of the free sparing I was caught with a beautiful jump back kick by the Belgian instructor, El-Hassan, I managed to tense up my stomach just in time and remember flying backwards and landing hard on my knees, thinking, 'jolly good technique, that'; it amused me that those who witnessed it were concerned that the kick had injured my groin or stomach, so I was a bit embarrassed when I jumped up and I just had to rub my painful knees.
L to R Master Adam Goward with Michael Gevaux
in Anchorage, Alaska 1989
Another event whilst in Seoul was an international demonstration in a top hotel in front of hundreds of guests of Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Before the demonstrations began there was a gift giving ceremony to the Moo Duk Kwan founder, from all the many nations that were there, which was a lovely idea apart from the fact that the UK were not told about this. So as each nation sent their representative to the rostrum up on the stage, with their gift in hand and carefully rehearsed speech, it dawned upon us that we had nothing to give. I`m not sure exactly how we decided to do what we did, but Master Sue Merrell was elected to do the honours for the UK [well done Master Merrell] and she took to the stage. I would like to say that it was a triumphant turn of fortunes for the UK, and Sue put on a performance worthy of a leading Hollywood actress at the Oscars. But as much as I would like to say that, in truth it looked exactly like we`d forgotten about the gift and speech, and didn`t even bother to pop into the petrol garage on the way for a token bunch of flowers or chamois leather. Top marks to you Master Merrell, it is a memory that will be with me forever, and no doubt a nightmare that will be with you forever.
L to R: Master Susan Merrell and
Master Adam Goward, drop kickDuring the demonstrations that were being televised for Korean TV, Master Merrell and I demonstrated a form together. For many years it was a great pleasure and help to train next to her, and when we did our forms it was like we were in tune with each other, so often did we train together that our synchronised forms were a regular part of demonstrations. Also a big thanks to Prem and Pauline for bringing those two large delicate trophies back to the UK for me, as I was off to China to witness the student uprising, of which I swear I had nothing to do with!
Illustrations from Martial Arts PublicationSo after nearly six years of teaching in my home county I was ready with the help and blessing of Grandmaster Loke to start in a new region. Master Merrell was doing well in Kent and I had the chance to teach in Sussex. I was a 2nd degree black belt when I first had aspirations to move towards teaching TSD professionally, and then, like now you only need one thing to be successful and that`s Passion. It was January 1991 and for those that remember we were in the middle of a recession and I couldn`t sell my property in Essex until 1994, so I had to commute two or three times a week until then, often sleeping on the floor of some of my students' flats. These were all small hurdles to overcome; if Grandmaster Loke can travel halfway round the world and no doubt endure greater hardships than mine for the belief in his teaching, so could I.
Once I moved I was able to teach every day and student numbers grew. For those early days I should like to thank the help and dedication of committed club members, George Ward with his boys, Kristian and Gavin and Andy Laver who joined us from Master Merrell`s Kent club. To date I have qualified well over 100 black belts and four Master grades: Master George Ward who's loyalty and support contributed to the good foundations in building up region two, Master Jason Woodhams who has always been there through thick and thin, Master Tina Matania whose dedication is a huge help in region two, but also for our federation with lots of work running our website. The fourth is Master Nick Evagorou who has for many years been running his very successful Croydon class, with many Duan grades of his own. He was the only UK competitor chosen to represent Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he won a bronze medal. All of my Master grades are ambassadors of Tang Sou Dao, and I am proud of them all.
A few years after starting region two, Grandmaster Loke in consultation with his senior instructors decided for the betterment and progression of our martial art to move away from the UK federation, all of which is well-documented in our development history elsewhere on our website. This had an almost immediate affect and was beneficial in boosting my student numbers, as the more dynamic and progressive style was much more attractive. So far technically had we come after five years of independence, that to do justice to Grandmaster Loke`s school in 1997 Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao was born.
I am proud to have hosted our national championships four times since the year 2000 at Haywards Heath, and look forward to many more memorable championship days held in Sussex. Both my children train when they can, and it is a joy to see them develop and learn as it is all my students. This has over the years caused Oliver to ask questions of Tang Sou Dao, which I have written about elsewhere on our website. I always welcome my students to ask questions, this shows me that they are keen to learn, and it keeps us instructors on our toes too!
Tang Sou!
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