The Notebook: Classical Karate & Bunkai | Adam Carter

“Does this work?” is a meaningless question without the qualifier of “works for what?”

July 29, 2021

“Compared to Jiu Jitsu, karate is more destructive, Jiu Jitsu is the art of throwing and holding and is slow compared to karate” – Kentsu Yabu from the Honolulu Advertiser July 9, 1927 . “Does this work?” is a meaningless question without the qualifier of “works for what?” . There is a huge difference between […]

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Practitioners who are interested in self-protection, should show a keen interest in bunkai.

July 28, 2021

Funakoshi wrote; “A student well versed in even one technique will naturally see corresponding points in other techniques. A upper level punch, a lower punch, a front punch, and a reverse punch, are all essentially the same. Looking over thirty-odd kata, he should be able to see that they are essentially variations on just a

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“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance.”

July 27, 2021

“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance. Even if wearing a white belt, doing your best is what matters most. This is what I try to pass on.” – Yasuhiro Uema 9th dan Shubukan Shorin Ryu . If you are visiting another dojo outside of your group, or changing

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Slow down, have the intelligence to let hatred go, and live life.

July 26, 2021

You run into lots of different attitudes in the martial arts (and out of it), most are extremely positive, but some extremely hateful. While all of us would prefer the positive, unfortunately there are those that just prefer to hate. . Hate is an emotion that gives us a feeling of intense hostility and aversion,

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Hit from where your hands are.

July 25, 2021

In the dojo recently we talked about “momentum” in a strike, punch or similar technique. Momentum can simply be defined as; “mass in motion.” All objects have mass; so if an object is moving, then it has momentum. . Our discussion was based upon moving our hands in an opposite direction to our target (moving

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“A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker.”

July 23, 2021

We all make mistakes, we lose our way. We focus on the wrong things. We pursue goals at all costs. We doggedly stick to our training routines that may not be effective. You can be a good, dedicated person and still exercise poor judgment. . Sometimes in these moments, we’re not the friend others deserve,

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Indulging in hate and revenge is like drinking saltwater, the thirst can only grow

July 22, 2021

Sometimes the best thing you can do is not ruminate, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. . At times, we struggle amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, so much so, that we get frustrated and are completely unaware of which way to go. Life is not going to happen according to you.

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“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata.”

July 21, 2021

“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata. Karate is the act of inheriting a Kata from the master. It is the act of guarding the Kata inherited from the master. It is to nurture someone and make someone grow.” – Yamashiro Yoshitomo Okinawa Kenpo . What is the true meaning of the

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What works best…. is what works best.

July 20, 2021

Human beings are emotional creatures. In the battle between emotions, common sense and logic, emotions win, always . I prefer to look at my karate from a logical and common sense perspective, with a view to developing functional combative skill. . Logical thinking is a process of exploring different solutions to a given problem. .

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“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

July 19, 2021

Despite the differences in origin and style, most martial arts consist of similar techniques and skills that form a base for the art. . Most people believe that karate is a strike-only martial art. Wrong! Karate contains a whole arsenal of grabbing and throwing techniques in addition to striking. Traditional kata are full of it,

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How do you know if you’re dehydrated?

July 15, 2021

Your body needs water to function properly and stay healthy. Proper hydration also helps you maintain good health and will help you train harder at your chosen martial art. . How do you know if you’re dehydrated? . Here’s are a few signs to be aware of if you are not drinking enough water: .

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The common origin of technique.

July 14, 2021

The common origin of technique. . The commonality of a technique is that they all make use of biomechanics and weaknesses of the human anatomy. Where the various arts differ is in the rules, the goal, and the context that they are trained for. . In competitions you try to win. In consensual fights you

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