October 2020

“Karate is my ‘ikigai’..”

“Karate is my ‘ikigai’, my purpose in life, practicing until the end. I have many foreign students, I want to help them develop further. I hope karate grows and grows, even after I’m gone.”  . Kiyomasa Maeda 10th dan Shogen Ryu Karate-Do . . Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for

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In self-defense there are NO RULES.

So you don’t compete in tournaments yet you teach tournament techniques….. as self-defense? . In self-defense there are NO RULES. If you’re in danger, in trouble, or in anyway threatened, you do anything and everything you can to ESCAPE, to get away and get to safety. . The idea behind karate for self-defense is that

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“Strength training is the starting point for my techniques.”

“Strength training is the starting point for my techniques, and it’s actually very important for this reason. You must do it. For any technique to be properly stabilized, basic physical strength is essential. Therefore, I perform strength training with the following philosophy in mind; great technique in kata can only be achieved with having a

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“Karate makes true friends.”

“Karate makes true friends.” – Naka Tatsuya 7th dan Shotokan JKA . Too often some instructors ruin their legacy, and the legacy of others, due to their ego. They rely on their own ideas too much, avoid useful criticism, and can even bully their students into silence. Their self-centered attitudes and approaches create a stressful

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Never break a promise.

“….Karate men have to be careful of their behavior. Never break a promise. If we keep a promise to each other, we don’t need to make laws. Never make trouble with others. Be kind to others and be strict on yourselves.” ?? . Meitoku Yagi 10th dan Goju Ryu (1912-2003) . Meitoku Yagi (八木明徳 Yagi Meitoku,

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The Way of the Warrior.

The 7-5-3 code is very much influenced by the Bushido codes of honor that dictated the Samurai, or Japanese warriors, way of life. Bushido is a code of conduct that emerged in Japan from the Samurai who spread their ideals throughout society. They drew inspiration from Confucianism, which is a relatively conservative philosophy and system

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