Seni - 2001
NEC Birmingham
28th & 29th April

Check OuT these great pictures and Mpeg videos from just some of the action events of Seni - the Mpegs are without sound & compressed for quick download for more pictures and full high quality Mpegs with sound go to our Seni 2001 pictures page here.

Seni 2001 crowds

Saturday morning and the queues for the show already a long way back. Once again the doors opened to 1000’s of visitors coming to experience the "fighting spirit" Martial Art Show.

martialartclubs.com launched last year to a massive response - hundreds joined the web site and registered their clubs on the UK's biggest martial Art web site. Following the huge success of Seni 2000 we returned to continue building the membership on this site and to launch another great web site www.martialartshop.co.uk - the UK's discount on line Martial Art suppliers.

"Launched at Seni last year, this club directory is the best UK site for discovering what martial art suits best and where to find the clubs, definitely one to register your club site with. If you’re a club instructor, make sure you visit their stand at Seni."
PSM Promotions - Seni News

In 2000 we promised to help Martial Artists wherever we could - in helping students make an informed choice and find new clubs, helping Instructors advertise their clubs FREE to these potential members and to provide a magazine type site to advertise events and display editorials on clubs and Martial Art related subjects.


Martin Blakeway showing new grappling glove

We will continue this promise and bring you more with the coming year.
Also with us this year was 10th Dan Grandmaster Soke Dossett from Spirit Combat (one of our featured Martial Art clubs along with members of the Midlands Club-Chongshin Do)


10th Dan Grandmaster Soke Dossett at the show

As with last years event there were many Martial Art suppliers there offering great deals on all types of Martial Art equipment. As well as the stands there to promote and endorse their respective Associations and organisations.

One of the many Associations at the Seni

Demonstrations
Even bigger & better than last years event there were demonstrations throughout the day in the Ring, Tatami and Lei Tai areas. The layout this year slightly different with one of the most popular areas - the Tatami mat having tiered seating giving the audience a fantastic view of some of the greatest demos being performed in Britain today. The crowds seemed to be even bigger this year and the queues for the seats in the Tatami area went all the way back into the main arena. Many people - once in just sat and watched - entertained by a variety of Martial Art systems changing every 10-15 minutes. Everything from wood breaking to Tai Chi and musical Katas to self defence reenactments.

One of the many demo's in the Tatami area

Click here to see Mpeg video of this demonstration 1 min download
168kb

Demonstrations were also performed in the ring and Lei Tai mat area. These included some exciting sparring competitions including semi-contact sparring to Tai Chi and grapple & strike bouts

Chongshin Do pad drills

NJJKC Grapple & Strike

Click here for sparring demo Mpeg

Here we see 10th Dan Soke Dossett taking on four members -at 61 years old he still has great technique and ability.


10th Dan Soke Dossett - Tatami

Click here to see Mpeg of Soke in action with Sensei Sam Gibbons
360kb download 2 mins

The exhibition filled up fast this year and the crowds explored all areas of the show, seeking new equipment, video’s or books or looking out for one of the many fantastic displays of technique by the various styles of martial art. The Kwon team were very entertaining with their incredible high kicking routines to pumping tunes.

Kwon demo on Lei Tai

Click here to see the Kwon team in action
Mpeg video of Musical Kata.

A short respite from the crash bang wallop - here we see a wonderfully relaxing demo of Tai Chi
A Tai chi group demonstrating on Lei Tai

One of the many clubs registering at our stand at Seni2001

The show meant that many new Martial Artist clubs registered FREE on the martialartclubs.com registration and this is rapidly  growing we now have over 700 clubs listed.

Are you on the list! 

Remember if your not listed they can't find you. 

Register Free NOW.

To find out about the next show
click here to link to seniworld site

Shaolin at Seni
Whilst in Birmingham last year the Shaolin Monks appeared unannounced to the surprise of the packed visitors of the Seni - they could not resist the opportunity to show these "would be martial artists" what 15 centuries of commitment to perfection can show. This year the legendary Shaolin Monks had their own stand at the Seni this year promoting their sell out tour show
"The Wheel of Life"

Shaolin Monk - Wheel of Life stand

Click here to read the "Wheel of life" show review -
by Sensei Martin Blakeway

During the Seni show a limited number of people seated in the Tatami were given an unexpected treat when in walk the Shaolin Monks to perform completely unannounced a free performance of the Shaoiln "Wheel of Life" show. They really do some up the essence of the martial art spirit in their awe inspiring performance.

Seminars
The introduction of the seminar areas last year was a huge success. It enabled members of the public and martial artists alike to train with and be taught by some of the worlds big names in Martial Arts including Carley Gracie, Tatsuo Suzuki, Frank Massar and many, many more.


Dr Hee Young Kim signing a training log

This year was as great with famous names from all styles of Martial Art. Seminars included -Grappling with Billy Doak and Ross Ianaccaro, Self Defence with big man Jamie O'Keefe, Muay Thai with Master Sken, Karate with Tricky Donovan, Terry Oneil and Tatsu Suzuki, Jeet Kune Do with Bob Breen, Sean Roberts and Ronnie Christopher, Taekwon Do with Dr-Young Kim and even a seminar with a Shaolin Monk - Sifu Shi Yanzi for Kung Fu.


Jamie O'Keefe chatting with fans

There were so many things happening all over the show floor this year that it was impossible to look at and cover all things in the one day and many people came back on the Sunday for another look around and witness some of the great displays and seminars.

Unfortunately this year I was unable to take part in the seminars as I had a badly dislocated knee injury - however some of our members did and the reports were excellent. Especially the Self-defence with Jamie - explosive no frills self-defence techniques that got the participants thinking about what really works.  

Competitions
This years seni introduced another few new concepts the chance to test yourself in a number of open competitions.
Full contact San Shou competition
This exciting fighting system was demonstrated throughout the weekend on the Lei Tai at Seni. Referee's and Judges were present to score this hard hitting competition in front of hundreds of onlookers.

San Shou - Full Contact Fighters

It is a competition form of Kung Fu that permits the use of punches, kicks and wrestling take down techniques. The crowds meant that not everyone could see - however the show was screened on the huge video wall at the show, which also showed premiere's of the newest video and film releases as well feeds live action back from the feature areas and seminar rooms.

Arm Wrestling a martial art?
Well it may not be a Martial Art in the true sence of the word but it is easy to see that these powerful men & women are a force to be reckoned with and are "dedicated athletes" according to Middle Weight Champion Neil Pickup. They compete all over the world with some of the best coming from Russia, and America however Japan is now emerging as an arm wrestling superpower. There are 5,000-6,000 committed arm wrestlers in the UK and some of the best were there to do battle.
Arm Wrestling at the Life Style Stage

The Lifestyle stage was the arena and the noise from the crowds show this is as exciting sport as another - if your into that sort of thing!
Arm wrestlers from around the globe took part including the World 75kg champion Tsvetan Gashevski - all the way from Bulgaria and Britain's own Elain Pickup the Under 65kg World champion took on the Belgian Kathy Defthe - the Light Middleweight champion of the World in the ladies supermatch challenge.

Talks & Lectures
The lifestyle stage was also the stage for many interesting talks on many different Martial Art related subjects. It is an area for open discussion, debates and lecture type talks on many subjects including meditation, nutrition and emergency procedures, interesting and informative subjects such as the history of the sword and talks on the Sydney Olympics were also discussed. Much interest for all members of the Martial Art world. There was even an interview with 10th Soke Dossett who's 50+ years influence in the Martial Arts has opened the mind of many and upset the few with his free spirit thinking - Full report click here.

Banzai
The UK's festival of martial arts "Banzai" debuted at Seni2001 on the Saturday night. The show was an incredible mix of bouts, demonstrations and mind defying feats from some of the worlds greatest practitioners. Although a sell out event this was televised exclusively for Sky Sports, and will be web broadcasted and is set to be released on DVD at the end of 2001.

 All in all a great weekend when all styles and disciplines of the Martial Art World were brought together under one roof and were united. The spirit of Martial Arts is still as strong as it ever was with interest growing daily. This is a great time when the most recent of free styles are mixing ideas with the most traditional art forms where hundreds of years of Martial Art spirit has evolved into a harmonious environment that benefits all.

The Martial art industry will continue to grow with more and more Martial Art programs, films on main stream TV and inclusion in the Olympics, the Martial Art Spirit can only get stronger. Well done to all at Seni for a great show and we look forward to being there again next year.

Check out this years Mpeg video's and fantastic pictures of great Martial Art action from the SENI 2001

Last years Seni
check out 2000 editorial.

Check out last years photo's of Seni 2000 in our pictures pages