“Karate is an integral part of my life and contributes meaning to my life. Someone who establishes a dojo has a mission: and that is, to instruct and develop more students. . Opening a new dojo requires a lot of students, who will join and help run and maintain it. So in light of that,…
Category: Martial Arts
If you listen, you may learn something new.
“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…
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…
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…
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…
A closed door is not an ending.
“Sometimes, you need to close certain doors… not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they don’t lead anywhere!” . Patrick McCarthy Hanshi 9th dan Koryu Uchinadi . . Sometimes not all open doors lead to opportunities, we’ve got to close some doors in our lives because they don’t lead us anywhere. ….
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…
Do not be consumed by the desire to want other people’s rank.
Do not be consumed by the desire to want other people’s rank. . Comparing yourself to people around you is a trap you can easily fall into. But, measuring your success in Karate by comparing belts with other people is a dead-end that only leads to frustration, jealousy and sadness in the long run. ….