National Karate Academies
Our Founder and Chief Instructor
“The only thing worth worshiping is something good”. [Professor Steve Miranda]
Executive Position: Director and Technical Advisor
Background: The Founder and Chief Instructor of the
National Karate Academies is Professor Steve Miranda, a very talented and
experienced instructor in many different styles of martial arts. Steve Miranda
is highly recognised in the martial arts community and has a reputation for
quality martial arts training. He is a true freestylist, with a traditional
background.
How it all began …
Professor Steve Miranda’s
love affair with the martial arts began at a very early age when he was
introduced to Kancho Bill Fenton by his grandfather Angie Miranda because of a
fight in the play ground. A fighter by nature, the young Steve Miranda became
Kancho Bill Fenton’s most dedicated and best student, with a life long
relationship lasting nearly 40 years. Kancho Steve always said that Kancho Bill
was his “second father”. Kancho Bill graded Professor Steve Miranda to 8th
Dan black belt in Judo and Jujitsu for his years of service, knowledge and
dedication. His wish was to grade Professor Steve to 10th Dan before
he died, but sadly Kancho Bill passed away on the 15th September
2005, at 77 years of age. He will always be remembered and deeply missed, but
it is wonderful that his legacy lives on.
After training in
Judo and jujitsu for many years, the young Steve Miranda asked Kancho Bill if
it was okay to do a kicking art like Tae Kwon Do. Kancho Bill said, “I will
take you and I will decide if it is okay”, which he did, with a positive
response. And so the National Karate Academies journey started from there. The
young Steve Miranda achieved black belts in Tae Kwon Do, kung fu, Silat and
different types of Ju Jitsu. Hungry for knowledge, Miranda tried style after
style, but could not find true satisfaction because in his eyes, no one style
was complete. Professor Steve sacrificed his child and teenage years for the
martial arts.
1984
– heading in a different direction …
In 1984, Kancho
joined a Zen Do Kai Karate club headed by Renshi Damien Aiden, and on his third
night of training Renshi Damien said, “you are going
for your black belt in three months time and I want you to run the Gawler dojo
for me, as the instructor doesn’t turn up. There are only twelve students. Just
teach the Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu and a bit of Judo and they will love it.”
Professor Miranda advertised, successfully building the dojo up to 70 students
each night, and developing instructors from there.
Deciding to branch out onto a
slightly different tangent, Professor Steve left Zen Do Kai, along with Kyoshi
Gary MacRae, who was his Head Instructor at the time. Kyoshi Gary formed the
Golden Knights Martial Arts Group, grading Professor Steve to 5th
Dan in the Kin Bushi Ryu style. After a few years with the Golden Knights
organisation, Miranda was pressured by his higher ranks to leave and develop
his own system. Reluctant to leave the Golden Knights system because of his
close relationship with Kyoshi Gary, he eventually bowed to peer
pressure, feeling that in order to follow his true path in life, there was no
other choice.
Kyoshi Bill Wallace
discussed at length with Professor Steve Miranda about starting his own truly
unique style, stating that he would support him all the way. The challenge was
to create a style of martial art that combined Professor Steve Miranda’s skills
and knowledge, without the political and traditional ties of his past. Further
discussion with close friends Kyoshi Craig Smith and Kyoshi Gregg Braun, who
also gave their unquestioning support, both made the comment, “it’s about
time!” Even Professor Steve’s
1993 - The birth of Zen Do Ryu …
Professor Steve began writing
the syllabus for Zen Do Ryu, drawing upon his vast experience gained by earning
Black belt ranks in Nine different Martial Art
systems. Zen Do Ryu Freestyle Karate was eventually born, arriving in the world
on July 4th, 1993.
Zen Do Ryu was the result of nearly
forty years of study in many different styles of Martial Arts by Professor
Steve, and is a Martial Arts System that stems from a truly Freestyle origin.
The Syllabus uses Kata from Goju Ryu, as well as the old Zen Do Kai system,
although these have evolved and changed over time. Self defence knowledge has
been derived from Jujitsu, Kicking techniques have been drawn from Tae Kwon Do,
Falls and Throws have been inspired by Kodakan Judo, and gouging and other similar
techniques have come from Silat.
In true freestyle fashion much has
changed since 1993, but the core values and beliefs Professor Steve Miranda instills
in his Instructors and students, have remained the
same. Zen Do Ryu became a truly world class Martial Arts system, maintaining
the traditional Japanese Karate based philosophies, but remaining uniquely
Australian.
The wider picture of a flourishing career …
Professor Steve has also trained and taught
overseas, and has run martial arts seminars in the United States, Melbourne,
Sydney, Adelaide and the Queensland Gold Coast. A winner of many Australian
National All Styles Titles, Professor Steve and his team retired undefeated
from competition during the late 1990’s/early 2000’s in yuksukos, (defence
moves). Professor Steve’s martial arts experience has been utilized in the
security industry where he has shared his knowledge through numerous seminars.
During the early 1990’s he also briefly taught self defence skills to the
Police Cadets at the
2007 - A new and more challenging
path …
In acknowledging the continued need for
change, the decision was made in mid 2007 to change the organisation’s name
from Zen Do Ryu Freestyle Karate to “National Karate Academies – Zen Do Ryu
System”, allowing Professor Steve greater flexibility to market and open
freestyle karate clubs in other states throughout
Having trained in the martial arts for over
forty years, Professor Miranda was graded to 8th degree blackbelt on August 2,
2008 by the Australian Martial Arts Association. Professor Steve remains a
popular and very knowledgeable keynote speaker through his ability to
communicate positively with an audience.
There is no doubt that this particular
martial arts Master will continue to be a formidable force in the modern
martial arts world.
If you are a current registered
National Karate Academies member,
visit our Members Only Section to
check out ‘Professor Steve’s Flashbacks’ page!