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Profile of Sensei Toby Jenner |
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· Age:- Don’t ask, but there’s a big milestone at the end of March this year. If you read the following carefully there’s a few clues.
· Nickname:- Toby - at 11 yrs and most folk only know me as that! From tubby as I was short for my width - no change there then. You’ll have to guess my given name.
· Grades:- 3rd Dan Wado-Ryu, 1st Dan Muchindo, 1st Kyu Kobu Jutsu, 8th Kyu Ju-Jitsu
· Hobbies / Interests:- Karate (doh) Motorcycles - own 3 but 2 are off the road resting. Watching all motorcycle sports on TV or at UK circuits. Still trying to learn to play the guitar. Cycling both MTB and road, including watching Tour De France. Walking - especially Alpine. France - Food, country, people. Reading - Crime, Sci-Fi and Non Fiction. Music - Hard Rock / Metal to Classical, but the heavier the better! Zen Buddhism
· Favourite Food:- Roast leg of Lamb.
· Favourite Film:- Too many good ones to say just one, but, any Pink Panther movies all hilarious as Seller’s was a genius.
· Favourite Song:- Tears of the Dragon - Bruce Dickinson, Strange kind of Woman - Deep Purple (Made in Japan), What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye, Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin, Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd. Hard to choose from these but I suppose I’ll have to go with the Blue Grass Rock of Skynyrd.
· Favourite Singer / Band:- Where do I start or stop?
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, Guns & Roses, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Jethro Tull. I’ll have to go with Bruce and the boys to keep McNeil sane!
· Favourite Book:- Too many to mention but anything Eric Lustbaben or Patricia Cornwell and The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail is another good eye opener.
· Dislikes:- Salad and “Simulating” professional footballers. They’re cheats full stop. Send em off and ban em for 6 months, unless they play for Watford - that’s darn sarth by the way.
· Achievements outside Karate:- London Marathon 1985
· Achievements in Karate:- Restarting at 39 years old as a white belt after a 6 year break (from 2nd Kyu) and taking all grades up to 1st Dan with my Daughter Sarah. Running my own club Seishin-Do at Shafton for over 5 years before returning full time to Newmillerdam. For information: Seishin is Japanese for heart, soul, mind and spirit - which to me epitomises my approach to Karate.
· Job:- IT Manager for HSBC running a team of 11 computer operators, manager multiple technologies of small to midrange systems and 500+ service across the globe.
· Where do you see yourself in 10 years time :- Retired and living in France, well and truly removed from the rat race, with just some sheep and chickens to keep me sane.
· Describe yourself in 3 words:- Soft Southern Jessie
· What is your biggest ambition to come:- See 10 years above.
· When did you start Karate:- 1896, sorry I mean 1986, just feels longer.
· Why did you start Karate:- Always interested in Martial Arts as a teenager but no club where I lived. Finally started at 29 when NASSKC (Sport Karate but Wado based) opened a club in Watford. By then I was also bored with running half and full marathons!
· What is your best memory from training:- Any beasting session down at the Dam. Always give 100% and never ever drop out, a philosophy shared by PK.
· Favourite Kata:- Ku-Shanku
· Favourite Technique:- Uchi Ushiro Mawashigeri
· Hardest Grade:- 3rd Dan Wado-Ryu - too old for this lark and should know better.
· Favourite Grade:- 3rd Dan Wado-Ryu - no gain without pain, even at 47.
· Who have you met that is famous:- Elton John - He had just been made a director of Watford FC and travelled up on the train to an away match at Rochdale 1976.
· Who would you most like to meet:- Lance Armstrong - 7x TDF winner and cancer survivor.
· What is your greatest regret:- Not starting Martial arts until late(?) in life.
· Words of Wisdom:- ‘You only get out of life what you put in’ ‘The only moment is now. There is no yesterday or tomorrow, so give 100% now and always.’ |
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Newmillerdam Karate Club Established 1968 |