Japan

You rank is not an entitlement.

“You rank is not an entitlement.” ?? . Kanei Uechi (上地完英, June 26, 1911 – February 23, 1991) was the son of Kanbun Uechi, founder of Uechi-Ryū, one of the primary karate styles of Okinawa. Kanei was instrumental in the growth of Uechi-Ryū after his father’s death. . . You rank is not an entitlement, nor […]

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Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn.

“Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn.” ?? . Patrick McCarthy 9th dan Koryu Uchinadi . “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” ~ Thomas Moore . Becoming a shodan or higher black-belt in karate will be a dream come true for some of you. In order to do

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You have to put in the EFFORT.

努力怠るなかれ ~ “Doryoku okotaru nakare” (Never neglect effort) ?? . Kenzo Mabuni (1927-2005) . “Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, [..] that delivery of the very best that you can do. . It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you

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Never neglect courtesy and etiquette.

礼儀怠るなかれ ~ “Reigi okotaru nakare.” (Never neglect courtesy and etiquette) ?? ~ Kenei Mabuni (1918-2015) . There is a cultural element to karate which should be well observed. This cultural element involves courtesy, humility, etiquette, rank, tradition, protocol and much more. . Whenever or wherever you train Karate, you should follow certain etiquette and manners called

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Always be ready to make a defense.

“In the real world, you can’t expect people to do what they’re supposed to do.” ?? . Sensei Johnny Lawrence . “Zanshin” can be translated literally as “the remaining mind” or “the lingering mind”. It is a concept found in Zen and Budo that emphasizes a continued alertness to an endeavor. In other words, it is

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To be a master you must be a great & humble student.

“To be a master you must be a great & humble student; being a great & humble student, you will never call yourself master.” ~ anon ?? . Humility is a very important human trait that all people should exercise in their lives. Being humble means you aren’t too big for any lesson that may come

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“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” – Japanese proverb ?? . Teachers undoubtedly have the ability to change the lives of their students. Most of us can remember a particular teacher that helped shape who we are today. An inspiring and informed teacher is among the most

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Assumptions are ALWAYS wrong.

“I stopped explaining myself when I realized people only understand from their level of perception.” ?? . It’s easy to make assumptions. All you need is incomplete information about a situation or person, and an unwillingness to ask the questions you need to complete the information. . You fill in the blanks with YOUR interpretation of

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