(Approx 1 minute 40 second read)

Someone recently said to me that I force my opinions on others. That I believe in practicality above all else. That I think I am right all the time.
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Let me be clear, I don’t force anything on anyone. I share what I’ve learned through decades of training, testing, and teaching. I put my views out there plainly and without dressing them up, because karate is not a subject for half-truths. I believe in logic and common sense, and I also believe that just because something is “always done this way” doesn’t mean there isn’t another way.
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Yes, I put practicality at the heart of my karate. I post it plainly at the top of my Page. If karate isn’t practical, then what is it? A performance? A tradition with no teeth? To me, practicality is the measure of whether something in karate belongs or not.
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I’m not interested in sport any more, but if that is your thing, that’s fine, I’m not trying to knock you down (see what I did there?). Everything has its context. And if you truly read my articles, you’ll see I post about context all the time. If you can’t understand where it fits, that’s not my fault.
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Do I think I’m right all the time? Absolutely not. However, I do stand by what I say until someone shows me a better way. That’s not arrogance, that’s conviction. After over fifty years of practice, I don’t speak from theory or wishful thinking. I speak from experience. If that comes across as too strong, maybe it’s because too many people are used to karate being spoken about by just viewing its surface, or in a way that never risks challenging the listener.
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I’m still learning too; I check in with mentors and peers from time to time. But this is my Page, my space, my voice. If my perspective doesn’t sit well with you, that’s fine, you don’t have to read it.
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I believe in karate that works when it’s needed most. I won’t apologize for saying that clearly. If that makes some people uncomfortable, then maybe the real issue isn’t how I speak at all, it’s whether they’re willing to face the same question I ask myself every day: would my karate actually protect me if it had to?
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It’s a question every serious practitioner must face.
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If that question feels like it’s too much for you, then maybe it is..… But then again, I maybe wrong.
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Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo