“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus . What happens to us is in life is an objective reality, how we respond is a subjective choice. The Stoics — of which Epictetus was one — would say that we don’t control what happens to us, all […]
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Read More »
So, modern martial arts effectiveness is intentionally reduced? Is it fair to say that modern martial arts are intentionally made less effective, in order to appeal to a broader range of people? . In 1868 Japan moved from a feudalistic government to a democratic one that resulted in a few changes to the martial arts.
So, modern martial arts effectiveness is intentionally reduced? Read More »
Why is unrealistic “Bunkai” being taught? . The answer is simple: Because the vast majority of karate is taught by instructors who don’t know what realistic bunkai is. And that’s because their instructors were never taught it. And their instructors’ instructors were never taught it. . The original creators of each kata had their own
Why is unrealistic “Bunkai” being taught? Read More »
You ARE going to get cut! . If you think that knife attacks look anything like those typically seen in martial arts classes—you can be dead (sic) wrong. . Real attacks, by people who are familiar with a knife’s properties and true potential, are a blur of short, non-committed stabs and cuts that are practically
You ARE going to get cut! Read More »
“At the world level, with the spreading Covid-19 pandemic, we are in a situation in which many have to refrain from going out. I think many will spend more time practicing at home. Taking advantage of the characteristics of karate that are that anyone can practice anytime, anywhere and even alone, let’s do our
You think training once a week is enough? Read More »
Whether you’re a Karate practitioner, MMA fighter, combat fighter or any other competition martial artist, you train for are a very specific arena, dealing with very specific parameters. Outside in the real-world, if you use those parameters, oftentimes you will find unskilled people, who just have the ability to want to hurt you, are going
The goal is to live a life that avoids violence, not encourage it. Read More »
Gichin Funakoshi’s 6th precept stated – “Kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu” (心は放たん事を要す). Be ready to free your mind. . There are many interpretations of the exact meaning of Funakoshi’s precept, but I believe part of it is that we should always keep our minds open to learning new things. . I often watch students
Be ready to free your mind. Read More »
“What do you think is the most valuable thing you might have in your life, that you really don’t pay attention to, especially when you’re young, because you just feel you have an abundance of it? It’s never ending…….… Time.” – Sylvester Stallone . The reason why people keep saying, “the trouble is you think
Don’t waste your most valuable asset…… Read More »
Close-minded is when you believe in something or in someone and your mind will stay closed to that belief and will not even try to acknowledge any other idea or concept. . Nobody wants to admit they’re close-minded. Ask anyone, and 90% of the time, they’ll tell you they’re an open-minded, positive individual who’s (apparently)
The problem with closed-minded people, is that their mouths are always open. Read More »
“A teacher is never a giver of truth; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that each student must find for himself.” – Bruce Lee . Strictly speaking, education and instruction are mutually exclusive. You instruct soldiers. You teach students. An instructor lays down rules to be obeyed; a teacher strews ideas to
Are you an instructor, a teacher, both, or something else? Read More »
My karate is stronger than yours! . Really? You think so? . It’s essential to define what people mean by “strongest”. I’m assuming that when people are looking for the strongest karate styles, they mean strongest in terms of effectiveness and practicality. But strongest, WHERE? In the dojo? In a ring? In a competition? In
My karate is stronger than yours! Read More »
When is the time to retire from the martial arts? . I’m finally old enough to examine it with some objectivity. The issue, of course, is when one should retire in karate or other forms of budo. No serious martial artist “retires” in the sense that the person ceases to train, study and explore life
When is the time to retire from the martial arts? Read More »
