Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts teaches the art and discipline of karate and Tai Chi three days a week. Sensei Roy Gowan poses outside the dojo. (Chadd Cawson/Connector)
While at Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts you won't necessarily learn how to wax on, wax off or how to paint the fence, but you will indeed learn the traditional karate styles of Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te, which all originated in Okinawa, the hometown of fictional Sensei sensation Mr. Miyagi from the film The Karate Kid.
"That's where the three styles come from because every little town has its own separate style," said Sensei Roy Gerow. "Shuri-te came from the little town of Shuri and that style was developed around the people there who were taller, where as Naha-te originated in Okinawa's capital city Naja where the katas were designed for people who were more short and stocky like myself."
Karate katas are pre-arranged, choreographed patterns of movement practiced to train in self-defence techniques without a partner and consist of a sequence of blocks, kicks, strikes, and turns against imaginary opponents. They are used to improve physical conditioning, muscle memory, focus, and the timing and rhythm of movements; it wasn't until Gerow was 41 that he developed this knowledge.
Originally from Surrey, Gerow moved to the island 30 years ago following his daughter's lead after she was accepted to the University of Victoria. She was in a summer camp through army cadets so he went ahead of her and found a house in Victoria to rent, where his daughter still lives today. Gerow said before taking to island life he gave his time since the age of 13 to the shake and shingle business his dad owned on the Fraser River.
"I figured I had spent too many years in the mill, that was good enough for this cowboy," said Gerow.
Giddy up, it was time for a new adventure for Gerow. Upon first moving to the capital city in his late thirties, he got around by bike and at that time met a lot of different people in search of something new to do. He also worked the grind at a foundry for several years and admits to taking on countless odd jobs after that.
"You have to survive the best way you can," said Gerow. "You have to do everything."
This might have been the same thought process Douglas Mortley had when he decided one fateful day to hitchhike west from Hamilton, Ont. where he was born and raised. Mortley, who had dabbled in martial arts as a kid, met someone who quickly led him back to it. Inspiration, plus dedication, plus time led to Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts coming out kicking in 1993 at its current location, which at one time was all farmland that belonged to the Garnett family.
More than just wanting to survive Gerow began to thrive at a local gym but aside from muscle, he found boredom also building. Blair, who owned the gym and had trained under Mortley turned Gerow on to the opportunity and the rest is history. They had already been doing Tai Chi, and they were just starting up karate when the idea to join really hit home with Gerow. Mortley would run classes six times a week, and he would be at all six.
"It was the best thing I ever did in my life," said Gerow. "I needed something different, you need change in your life, and I was fortunate to meet the owner of the gym, Blair, who turned me on to it. I was having a great time doing it, I enjoyed it, so why not do it? Throughout my whole life I've had my fair share of setbacks. The first was a quintuple bypass surgery, and then three years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and I beat that. I've always had these setbacks, but I still come back. Now my whole life revolves around doing martial arts."
Gerow first began training with Sensei Mortley who has been teaching for 40 years out of his initial school based out of Victoria. This school still remained open when Mortley decided to venture further north up the island to open a second school in the old part of Duncan before relocating to Mill Bay. Gerow still trains under Sensei Morltey who now resides in Crofton, and recently attended a seminar with him that typically covers some elements of Tai Chi and basic self defence.
"He is just six years older than me and just celebrated his 76th birthday," said Gerow. "We just had a recent seminar at his place."
Gerow made the move to Mill Bay in 2000 so that he could be closer to the dojo.
Upon entering the sparring area, you walk under a picture frame which holds the photos of past senseis; Sensei Kim who died at 86, Sensei Mortley, and Sensei Pat Horgan. Horgan, like his uncle and former B.C. premier John Horgan, as well as his grandfather, was diagnosed with cancer. After beating brain cancer down once, he was diagnosed with it a second time and succumbed to it last year. This was when Gerow stepped up to take over, and has now been a sensei for just over a year. Gerow remembers these words of wisdom from Sensei Kim: "If your anger goes forward withdraw your hands and your fists. If your fists go forward withdraw your anger."
While Gerow never expected to be a teacher; he is happy to be one and has been leading classes since achieving his green belt, which he earned in Mill Bay. He says when it comes to teaching karate at Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts they go beyond the black belt.
"I'm a third degree black belt now," said Gerow. "It goes up to fifth degree, and once you get high enough you still get graded but your sensei also gets pushed up. In our organization you actually need a fourth degree black belt to teach. The only reason that I'm able to do it is because I'm under sensei's tutelage. A teacher is something I never thought I would be, but I really enjoy it. My favourite part is the moment I see the look on a kid's face when he gets it all right. I enjoy what I'm doing and I definitely try to teach all the kids I see, the difference between right and wrong. I just hope it sinks in."
Gerow say he typically teaches students ages six and up but one of his former female students Katie started at the age of five. The first expectation of all new young students is to write an essay on the meaning of compassion, honour, loyalty, patience, and gratitude.
No matter the age, Gerow says, students will reap the benefits of this traditional martial art such as: increase in assertiveness, self-esteem and self-confidence; emotional control and stress relief; ability to work cooperatively in a group; ability to lead others; initiative and independent learning, and understanding of other races, cultures, and ideas. Aside from the huge difference it makes in one's mental attitude, physical improvements include increased anaerobic efficiency; increased aerobic fitness; increased strength and flexibility; increased endurance; the firming and toning of the body; achieving mind-body unity and harmony as well as enhanced abilities in all other activities.
While Gerow jokes that the martial art will have one discovering achy muscles they never knew existed, this does not dictate his dojo training; in fact when it comes to his outlook on life and teaching he has a few Miyagi-isms of his own up his gi sleeve.
"How are you going to hit the peak if you don't go up the ladder?" said Gerow. "If you only go up a few rungs and then go back down to start again you will never accomplish anything.
"I always tell my students that I may be hard on you now but I want you give and get 110 per cent." said Gerow. "You want to accomplish something you have to put your nose to the grindstone and do it."
Long before Gerow became a teacher, he was a student at the school of hard knocks and wants to give young people the ability to stand on their own. It is all guts but perhaps not the glory some are looking for as Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts teaches for self-defence; not to compete in tournaments.
"We train for the day that hopefully you will never have to use it. If we ever have a big war with the U.S., we will have a skill set that will be high in demand," said Gerow. "It's about learning to protect yourself, and make it second nature, it helps to turn out better people."
Gerow, who starts off all his new students with basic exercise says at one time they used to see 30 people on the floor per class but more recently class numbers have decreased as people change, some get tired, while others decide to focus on tournaments. What Gerow teaches goes far beyond points, as he instills a positive attitude in all of his students which includes a sense of honour, compassion, loyalty, humility, patience, and gratitude.
It's not just karate that students of all ages will get a kick out of, as Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts also teaches Kobudo -- the art of traditional weapon-based martial arts where students will hone their skills on weapons including the tambo, hand bow, long and short sticks as well as the jo ideal for working the muscles, as well as Tai Chi.
Tai Chi is a martial art that originated in China that combines slow graceful movements, deep breathing, and meditation and is practiced not only for self-defence, but also provides an array of health benefits such as improved balance, flexibility, strength, and stress reduction. Tai Chi not only helps one to keep their body better centred, it has also been proven to be a better form of both physical and mental training for older adults. Modern forms of Tai Chi have been used as low-impact aerobic exercises suitable for all fitness levels, from beginners to those who may be recovering from surgery.
"Tai Chi is used for self defence and was originally called 'Supreme Ultimate Fist," said Gerow. "If you ever go to China you will see how much of the elder generation practice, it helps to keep up their flexibility and momentum. Too many older people decide that once they retire they are going to sit down and do nothing and then end up dead in a few years."
Tai Chi is taught by Dave Gowan, who has also been teaching at the dojo for just over a year. Gerow says his hours can change drastically as he travels a lot for training and has spent a lot of time in South East Asia and more recently Dubai.
" A lot of the Tai Chi is taught through a more natural stance," said Gerow. "It's all about keeping yourself balanced."
Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Family Karate Class geared for kids is offered from 5 to 6 p.m., all three days while their Adult Karate Class is offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m., on Monday and Wednesday, and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Balance your week with Tai Chi on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m.
The student becomes the master -- just as Gerow's sensei gave him the opportunity to lead classes he does the same for his own students such as Shelby, who first began training at the age of 11. Now 18, and the holder of a second degree brown belt, Shelby will drop by the dojo to run a class under Gerow's watchful eye when time permits.
"I train my students hard and tell them to look for little details in the katas," said Gerow. "I like to see them do their kata and training and hope they will be better than I am and that they will choose to continue on with that training for the rest of their lives."
Before making that kind of commitment prospective students of all ages can try three of any classes for free. Those who decide to commit to a full year membership will be issued a free uniform and white belt.
Gerow, who is now 70, says he'll continue to pursue this path for as long as he can as he lives close to the dojo, and loves what he does.
"I'm not going to stop now," said Gerow. "You look for a job that you enjoy going to do, simple as that."
Mill Bay Traditional Martial Arts is located at 2746 Barry Rd. For more details on classes and membership prices visit https://sites.google.com/view/millbaytma.
"Leave everything outside, come here, have fun and enjoy it," said Gerow. "This will ground them down and if they keep at it, it's a great way to get rid of tension if you are doing stressful work. I hope students of all ages take away knowledge, and understanding. My goal is to improve their whole life, and make them better people all around."