“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” ~ The Dalai Lama . . You’ve probably heard people say such things as: “There’s no use talking to you… You never listen… Most researchers conclude that the average person listens to only 25% of…
Category: Karate
Allow yourself to be a beginner.
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” ~ Plato . We often focus on endings, desired outcomes, the end of the road, how we want things turn out. Even when we practice our techniques, most students, and some instructors, focus on the end of the technique, forgetting that there is a beginning…
Difficult doesn’t mean impossible.
“Difficult doesn’t mean impossible. It simple means that you have to work hard.” ?? . Karate is not easy. Everything seems difficult the first time. But as you keep practicing, it becomes easier to accomplish. The task isn’t the one getting easier; it’s actually you who is improving. . Sometimes, we encounter a technique, a drill…
“Fighting is always last answer to problem.”
“Fighting is always last answer to problem.” ~ Mr. Miyagi ?? . To always want to ‘defeat’ someone; to always want to fight first; to always be right; to always come out on top; the building of a monumental ego;…. these are the goals of many practitioners. However, if these goals, are the only goals,…
Don’t underestimate the value of a good mentor.
Don’t underestimate the value of a good mentor, they will guide, support and champion you on the road to success. ?? . An open mind and a thirst for knowledge can take you a long way in the martial arts, IF you are willing to listen and learn from others. . Make sure you find and…
Kakie – It’s all about the feeling.
“Kakie – It’s all about the feeling.” ?? . Two of our most committed students having some fun with ‘kakie’ practice at the Shuri Dojo. . While Japanese Karate approaches combat from a long distance range, Okinawan Karate prefers a close range. . ‘Tuidi’ is the Okinawan method of grabbing, seizing, twisting and dislocating an opponent’s…
Basics are everything.
“Basics are everything.” ?? “You can’t have a strong house without a strong foundation. The stronger the basics, the stronger the house – it’s as simple as that. Unfortunately a lot of practitioners don’t understand.” ~ Fumio Demura . . . ? Photo Credit: Martial Arts Digital
Study the old, understand the new.
温故知新 On Ko Chi Shin — “Study the old, understand the new.” . There is always something new to learn in traditional karate. Don’t stop learning because you have reached the first few black belt levels. . “Dan” (段) does not mean “degree”, it means “level” or “stage”, and 1st and 2nd dan are just…
Eliminate in your opponent the desire to keep fighting.
“The ultimate goal in a battle it is to eliminate in your opponent the desire to keep fighting.” . Your best defense is to use your brain. What really gets injured if someone insults you? Your pride, your ego? If you let it get to you so much that you want to throw down the…
Look in the mirror… that’s your competition.
“Look in the mirror… that’s your competition.” ?? . Minoru Higa 10th dan Shorin Ryu Kyudokan . Who are you competing with? . We’re all guilty of looking at other people and wishing we had what they had. Sometimes feeling jealous or thinking why not me? We sometimes even lie to ourselves and say “I’ve worked…
Karate has throws and joint locks.
“As up to now [1938] karate has only partly been introduced in Tokyo, people who exercise karate in Tokyo believe that it solely consists of punching and kicking techniques. When talking about ‘gyaku-waza’ (locks) and ‘nage-waza’ (throws) they assume that these only exist in jūjutsu and jūdō. This way of thinking is exceedingly counterproductive with…
Fighting is what happens when self-protection goes bad.
“Remember, fighting skills aren’t the key to self-protection: fighting is what happens when self-protection goes bad.” ?? . . Self-protection, martial arts, and fighting, are not the same, they are related, but they are most definitely not the same. . As martial artists we need to understand the difference between these three concepts. They are distinctly…