(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) Karate. Is it a sport, a way to develop character, self-defense, fitness, or more? . In the early stages of my karate journey, competitive fighting was my primary focus. I eagerly awaited the moment to face an opponent and hear the word “hajime”. Other aspects of karate held little […]
The Problem With Modern Karate: It Isn’t Self-Defense by Default. Read More »
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) I’m sure many of you have a favorite kata. I have a few that just seem to sit well with me. One of those kata is Naihanchi. Simple in appearance but deep in application. It has a distinctive embusen compared to most other kata. . Gichin Funakoshi called the
The Enduring Value of Naihanchi: The Kata I Keep Returning To. Read More »
(Approx 1 minute 55 second read) People love to talk about lineage. Personally, I care more about ability. So, how important is lineage to you? . We all have a martial arts lineage of sorts. Some remain faithful to one, others, perhaps through no fault of their own, have several. There are those who believe
Lineage, Ego, and the Myth of Inherited Skill. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute read) Most people look at kata and see “blocking”. It’s the word everyone recognizes, drilled into beginners from day one. But kata teach far more than simply stopping a strike. A more accurate term is “receiving”. . So what does it mean to receive rather than block? . It’s common for less
The Map and the Mnemonic: What Kata Really Teach. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) I was up at 5:30 this morning and popped into my home dojo. . Dark outside, nothing stirring, it was so quiet, just how I like it. . The door to the dojo swung open with its familiar creak, I must oil those hinges, and I felt this wave
Before the Day Begins: Just Me, the Mats, and the Makiwara. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) The phrase “karate ni sente nashi”, often mistakingly translated as “there is no first attack in karate”, has been repeated by karate-ka for generations. . Gichin Funakoshi made this principle the second of his Niju Kun (Twenty Precepts), reminding us that “karate begins and ends with courtesy”. . However,
Karate ni Sente Nashi: There’s No First Attack… Or Is There? Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) In a real fight, the one who hesitates usually loses. There’s a reason for that, and it’s not just instinct, it’s science. . Hick’s Law tells us that the more choices we have, the slower our reaction time becomes. . The brain has to sort through options before committing
Ever Seen Someone Freeze in a Fight? It May Not Be Fear – It’s Just Too Many Options. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) How do we use kata effectively? . I don’t mean the bunkai demonstrations you see at tournaments and in some dojo where you are attacked from many different angles by many people. I’m talking about real effective defense. . Someone recently asked me a simple question: “How do you
Unlocking the Combative Meaning Often Hidden in Kata. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute read) Is doing your best always enough? . In my view – yes. There’s nothing more you can do than your best. That doesn’t mean you can’t improve. It means that right now, with what you know and understand, you’re giving everything you’ve got. Your “best” is a flexible, honest commitment to
The Spirit of Karate Begins with How You Do the Simplest Things. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Someone said to me recently that I keep writing about the same thing, and that this page “used to be great”. It was meant as criticism, and I’ll admit, it stung a bit. But maybe it’s true that I keep coming back to the same subject. Perhaps that’s because
Karate: A Journey Through Many Paths. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) Apparently, I need to “be educated”. . The saga about step-kumite will not leave me alone, it seems. Another high-ranking instructor from a well-known association sent me a Facebook message to tell me how wrong I am because, wait for it… step-kumite was never designed to be effective (in
Educating the Ignorant (That Would Be Me): Apparently, I Need to Be Educated. Read More »
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) Sometimes you can really see why karate has been stuck in the doldrums for so long, especially when questions aren’t allowed to be asked. . I remember back in the 1970s and early 1980s, asking questions of senior instructors was just not done. “Shut up and train” was the
Are We Still Afraid to Ask? Why Karate Needs More Questions, Not Fewer. Read More »
