We all make mistakes, and we do so with regularity. Some errors are small, some not so. No one enjoys being wrong. It’s an unpleasant emotional experience for all of us. The question is how do we respond when it turns out we WERE wrong? . Some of us admit we were wrong and say […]
“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” Read More »
Do you “Osu!” in your dojo? We do not “Osu!” in our dojo. So why do YOU keep using the term “OSU!”? . There is debate among karate-ka and karate scholars about the history of the term “Osu” and its correct usage. One thing that is known for certain, is that the term did not
Why do you keep saying “OSU!”? Read More »
MOST styles of Karate TODAY do not incorporate throws…. And I am not speaking of those dojo that use throws from Judo as self-defense (you know who you are). . However, traditional Okinawan styles that have preserved a broader base of traditional martial techniques and principles, do indeed have throws…..as well as take-down defense, sweeps,
MOST styles of Karate TODAY do not incorporate throws. Read More »
“The aim for personal development. Mental strength; that is a mind without fear is needed for that strength to be pursued.” – Hiroshi Akamine . Photo of Shorin Ryu Karate and Ryukyu Kobudo Master Hiroshi Akamine 9th dan with turtle shell ‘timbe’ (shield) and ‘rochin’ (short spear). . . Life just doesn’t hand you
“…a mind without fear..” Read More »
Okinawan Karate Pioneers. . Itosu Anko (糸州 安恒) is considered by many the father of modern karate. He was born in Ishimine, Shuri in 1831. He was a master of Karate that was active in the Ryukyu Kingdom period through the Meiji Period. Educated in the Chinese classics and calligraphy. Itosu began his ‘tode’ (karate)
“You should always train with intensity and spirit.” Read More »
“Self-praise and over-confidence is a sickness that corrupts training.” – Hohan Sōken (1889-1982) Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū . . They once began as humble students. Although they didn’t necessarily have “talent”, they have some limited martial arts training and then self-promote themselves to a Dan [black belt] rank. After which, they open a school proclaiming to
“Self-praise and over-confidence is a sickness that corrupts training.” Read More »
How effective is karate for self-defense? (BTW, It’s a rhetorical question) . In its pure form, karate can be incredibly effective… but in its modern incarnation most of the karate seen today is sports oriented. The majority of today’s young people have only seen karate as a sport, with its strict rules and fanciful acrobatic
How effective is karate for self-defense? Read More »
“How good you are, you cannot decide for yourself – karate makes it that way. What you put out is what you get.” – Seikichi Iha 10th dan Shorin Ryu . . Sometimes in life, we find ourselves at a dead end, or a crossroads, or on a path that seems to go nowhere. .
“How good you are, you cannot decide for yourself.” Read More »
“Karate is my ‘ikigai’, my purpose in life, practicing until the end. I have many foreign students, I want to help them develop further. I hope karate grows and grows, even after I’m gone.” . Kiyomasa Maeda 10th dan Shogen Ryu Karate-Do . . Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for
“Karate is my ‘ikigai’..” Read More »
“The secret principle of martial arts is not vanquishing the attacker, but resolving to avoid an encounter before its occurrence. To become an object of an attack is an indication that there was an opening in one’s guard, and the important thing is to be on guard at all times.” – Gichin Funakoshi ?? . .
“..the important thing is to be on guard at all times.” Read More »
So you don’t compete in tournaments yet you teach tournament techniques….. as self-defense? . In self-defense there are NO RULES. If you’re in danger, in trouble, or in anyway threatened, you do anything and everything you can to ESCAPE, to get away and get to safety. . The idea behind karate for self-defense is that
In self-defense there are NO RULES. Read More »
“Strength training is the starting point for my techniques, and it’s actually very important for this reason. You must do it. For any technique to be properly stabilized, basic physical strength is essential. Therefore, I perform strength training with the following philosophy in mind; great technique in kata can only be achieved with having a
“Strength training is the starting point for my techniques.” Read More »
