(Approx 2 minute 30 second read)

I’m often asked, “Who is your teacher?”, “What style is it you practice?”. Well, I like to say that I’m forging a personal path.
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Ultimately, karate-ka who put in the training hours with the right teachers and mentors eventually end up doing their own thing, right?
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After over five decades of training, much of what I do now is my own thing. Over the years, I’ve had a number of teachers, instructors, and mentors, and I like to say that I’ve integrated their teachings into my training. But it also now includes my own theories and ideas – a reflection of my personal philosophy and the continual refinement of both myself and the dojo.
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Of course, I’m still in contact with people who have more experience than me, more knowledge than me, people I look up to.
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Someone said to me the other day, “In a world where so many people make up their own styles, make themselves kancho, and declare themselves kings of their own castles…”
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He went on to say, “Ego becomes a blindfold. Practical ability and effectiveness have the final word, no matter who you’ve trained with. And you’re only as good as your last training session.”
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There comes a time when some people, myself included, get tired of following. Becoming ‘king of your own castle’ starts to feel less like ego and more like a necessity. Maybe it’s the start of another stage in your journey, or perhaps a way to rekindle that passion in your training.
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For me, the growing expense of yearly affiliation was one more sign it was time to walk my own path.
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I’m not talking about creating a new style of martial art here. In my case, it’s simply about exploring my own ideas, developing my own theories, and stepping away from the restrictions that being attached can sometimes create.
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And when you do that, there’s always someone ready to say, “But you just made that up.”
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Well, yes. In a sense, I suppose did. But didn’t everything start out that way? Everybody is influenced by someone, or something. We learn through experience, after all.
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And just because something is ‘made up’, doesn’t mean it isn’t real. I’m certainly not pretending to be some kind of ‘master’ creating something from scratch. Just an evolution perhaps, putting together all I have learned so far.
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Many practitioners find fulfillment in established styles, tradition, lineage and structure, and that’s fine. But there are others – those ‘daring individuals’ who step away from the well-worn path, who embark on a different journey. A more personal one.
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Not better. Not worse. Just different.
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Something personal always begins with inspiration. It’s driven by curiosity, passion, and the need for honest self-expression. Sometimes, it comes from wanting to push boundaries, sometimes, just to find your own voice.
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The concept of ‘Shu Ha Ri’ describes this evolution well. It reminds us of the importance of learning the fundamentals, absorbing what came before, then gradually moving beyond strict form, before finally arriving at a point where what you do simply becomes part of you.
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Doing your own karate doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve left your teacher’s style behind. It might simply mean you no longer follow the same procedures, expectations, or limitations.
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It might mean what you do no longer feels external; it has become yours.
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I will always carry the appreciation, respect, and gratitude I have for those who taught me, guided me, challenged me, and shaped me.
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And as many people before me have said. I stand on the shoulders of giants – not to replace them, but to better see my own path.
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Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo