YOU’VE GOT YOUR BLACK BELT! GREAT……. . Now what? . You see, the day after you get your black belt, when all the partying and celebrations have stopped, you undoubtedly came to a pretty disturbing realization: . Nothing changes…. Let me repeat that…. Nothing changes. . You may have a few more bruises. Maybe even…
Year: 2020
The great master Itosu Anko studied Karate very hard.
Okinawan Karate Pioneers. Chibana Choshin (1885-1969) . The great master Itosu Anko studied Karate very hard. He was not only a great Karate expert, but a scholar and excellent calligrapher. I first visited Anko Itosu in 1899 and asked him to teach me Uchinan-no-te [old name for Karate]. . Twice he refused me, leaving me…
Do it Now! Sometimes later becomes never.
The martial arts have been my way of life, sometimes my profession, for many, many years. During that time, I’ve often been asked how a person can stay motivated. How does someone get up every morning and continue their training routine? How does a practitioner avoid becoming part of the majority, the people who give…
“Sanchin is the basic and also ultimate Kata of Goju-ryu.”
Sanchin (三戦) is a kata of Southern Chinese (Fujianese) origin that is considered to be the core of several styles of traditional karate. It is the basic form of “Tanren – 鍛錬” (training) that Goju-ryu (Uechi-ryu and Isshin-ryu too) basically is built upon, and is the foundation of their karate training. . The name Sanchin,…
“Okinawa traditional karate is budo.”
“Practicing karate improves your lifestyle through health and mental stability. Okinawan karate focuses on developing mental strength and willpower. There is no end in the journey of learning true karate.” (End quote) – Ippei Yagi 8th dan Meibukan Goju Ryu . . Learning anything requires commitment and the ability to push through the uncomfortable feeling…
“My mission is to teach the true meaning of Okinawa karate.”
Whether you practice karate for fighting, competition, reality or self-defense, if that’s all you want from training then that is your choice. However, you could be missing out on all the other aspects that the traditional martial arts have to offer. . Since ancient times, the Ryukyu Kingdom has built an attractive traditional culture. In…
Your sensei is an EXTROVERT!
Teaching is a highly social profession, so it would follow that all teachers are extroverts, right? Wrong. . Many successful teachers are self-described introverts, and one of the biggest misconceptions about this personality type is that they’re shy. . Introversion is more about how you respond to stimulation, including social stimulation. Where as extroverts really…
Take notes. Practice what you’ve been taught.
When I learned martial arts in the 70’s and 80’s I went to lessons, took a notebook and took notes in my own way. Then when I went home I would practice from those notes I had taken earlier. The notebook went with me everywhere, and whenever the opportunity arose I would open it up…
We are what we repeatedly do.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.” – Will Durant . “Arete.” – Is a powerful word. To the Greeks, it meant ‘excellence’. It was the ultimate expression of human greatness—moral, physical, spiritual. It’s what the Stoics were chasing. It’s what you should be chasing today. ….
The Dojo…A brief vacation from your problems.
With so many people these days leading hectic, over-stimulated, and sleep-deprived lives, it’s no wonder that worry and anxiety is at an all time high. In a way, our brains are hard wired to be on the lookout for threats and reasons to worry, despite whether they are real or imagined. . What this means…
“I think karate is to be practiced to toughen yourself, every time over and over.”
“I think karate is to be practiced to toughen yourself, every time over and over…. As for having my own students, I learn a lot from them.…I teach what I know about karate, and say, let’s do it together, let’s improve together. Well at least this is what I am trying to do.” (end quote)…
“A teacher, a really good sensei, is never a giver of ‘truth’…”
“Mentorship is like friendship: it evolves over time, and it’s a two-way street.” – Simon Sinek . Mentorship is an activity in which we engage in to help develop the next generation of karate teachers, style or group leaders. What exactly is mentorship? What makes it effective? How does it differ from just teaching or…