A larger-than-life character, Gary Spiers was one of the earliest exponents of practical applied Karate in the United Kingdom. He was a no-nonsense martial artist who used Karate as a tool to protect himself. Some have described him as having one of the best combat brains. Like his good friend, Terry O’Neill, he had the ability to use Karate in real-world situations.
Gary Spiers was born around 1943 in New Zealand. He was half Maori. Growing up, the young Spiers became interested in boxing. At the age of 7, he wanted to box, but his mother would not allow it. Instead of boxing, Spiers began wrestling. His teacher was a fairground fighter, who regularly took on all-comers every night. Spiers loved the combat side of wrestling that he was introduced to.
At schools, Spiers frequently got into fights. He attended a school where he was only one of seven Maori children in the entire school. He was often picked on, so had to learn to defend himself. As a teenager, Spiers became interested in Karate after coming across the "Manual of Karate", by E.J. Harrison. He wanted to learn Karate, but there was only one Karate dojo in New Zealand at the time, and it was only open to Europeans. Unable to find a Karate dojo, Spiers began training in Judo.
After leaving school, Spiers began working at a large meatworks as a butcher. He was a seasonal worker and travelled to different parts of New Zealand for work. In 1962, Spiers moved to Brisbane, Australia, around the age of 19. He began practising Okinawan Shorei Karate at the dojo of John Ryan. Because he was a seasonal worker, he travelled to other parts of the country, which provided him with the opportunity to train at other dojos and in various styles, including Jujitsu and amateur wrestling.
Around 1963, Spiers began working as a doorman at several bars and clubs in the Melbourne area. Being around 6 ft and 240 lb, he was tailor-made for the job. Spiers was involved in many situations and was stabbed several times. He soon became an inspiration and legend among other doormen in Australia.
In April 1968, Spiers made the decision to go to Japan to further his Karate knowledge. In Japan, Spiers enrolled at the Goju-Ryu dojo of Gogen Yamaguchi. He also visited several university dojos to get extra practice. Being a big foreigner, he frequently faced senior grades who wanted experience fighting bigger opponents. He was given the name Kuma-San (Mister Bear). While in Japan, Spiers supported himself by teaching English and working in restaurants.
Later in 1968, Spiers travelled to Okinawa where he trained at the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato. On his return to Japan, he continued his Okinawan Goju-Ryu training at the Yoyogi dojo of Morio Higaonna in Tokyo, staying at Higaonna’s home as a guest. Spiers developed an immense respect for Higaonna, stating he was one of the best fighters he ever faced.
In 1970, the 1st WUKO World Karate Championships were held in Tokyo. During this time Higaonna introduced Spiers to Terry O’Neill. O’Neill had arrived in Japan as part of a British team competing in the World Championships. Both Spiers and O’Neill found that they had a lot in common and eventually became lifelong friends. O’Neill encouraged Spiers to come to England.
In 1971, Spiers left Japan for England via Russia. He settled in Liverpool where he stayed with O’Neill for a couple of years. In Liverpool, Spiers began teaching Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate. O’Neill found work for him as a doorman, where Spiers soon developed a reputation for being an excellent doorman who could resolve many situations. He eventually established a dojo where he taught his own practical version of Karate, much of which was from the experience he had gained as a doorman.
In 1972, Spiers was selected to represent Great Britain at the 7th European Karate Championships in Brussels. Britain won silver in the Team Kumite event. In 1975, Spiers returned to Japan to attend the Japan Karate-do College, becoming the third European to graduate. He was promoted to 5th Dan by Gogen Yamaguchi.
By 1986, Spiers had established Applied Karate. The style was geared to the practical needs of doormen. He ran a training group where many students were doormen in Liverpool, Southport, and Blackpool. He was instrumental in bringing doormen together to create a more professional industry.
In 1988, Michael Jackson held a concert in Liverpool. Spiers was handpicked by Jackson’s management team to be his bodyguard during the visit. By 2001, Spiers had become one of the faces of British martial arts and a legend in security circles. On 17 February 2001, Gary Spiers passed away from a heart attack following a battle with diabetes. His body was returned to New Zealand for a traditional Maori burial.
With thanks to Finding Karate
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