When we look back at Okinawan karate, we tend to remember the names that survived: the teachers who wrote things down, taught openly, or became connected to later recognized systems. We remember the broad labels, Shuri-te, Naha-te, Tomari-te, and later the formal schools that grew from them. But it’s worth asking how much more existed […]
The Family Art Without a Name Read More »
It is tough to explain to others why we keep showing up, day after day, week after week, year after year, to struggle and sweat. There is a feeling of satisfaction that comes from the learning process in martial arts, and that feeling goes far beyond the physical side of training. For those of us
When Martial Artists Forget Their Own Lessons Read More »
When you first learn a movement or drill, it is natural to begin from stillness. Static training gives you and your partner time to understand what is being taught. It allows you to coordinate your response, learn the shape of the movement, and begin to understand where your body needs to be. There is nothing
When the Drill Becomes the Problem Read More »
Step into a traditional karate dojo and one of the first things you will usually do is take off your shoes. Hopefully. Karate, like many Japanese budo, is traditionally practiced hadashi, barefoot. There are cultural reasons for this, practical reasons, and reasons connected directly to how we move, balance, and feel the ground beneath us. In
Barefoot in the Dojo, Shoes in the Real World Read More »
There is a point in training where the body starts to argue with the mind. Sometimes it happens during a hard session, when the repetitions are no longer sharp, the breathing is heavier than expected, and the easy answer begins to appear. Sometimes it happens before the session has even begun, when the body feels
The Point Where You Want to Stop Read More »
There are several kata where movements are performed as jumping, leaping, or dramatic athletic actions. Suparinpei is one example, with the jumping front kick, or mae tobi geri. I understand why these movements look impressive. A well-performed jumping kick shows timing, coordination, strength, flexibility, and confidence. It can have value as a physical challenge, and it can look
Many people assume that experience makes your views more settled. My experience has been the opposite. The longer I have trained, the more willing I have become to revisit things I once accepted without question. When I first started in the martial arts, I was like most beginners. I accepted what I was taught because
Before I knew the word sabaki, I already understood one thing: If someone is trying to hit you, being somewhere else is usually a good place to start. That idea wasn’t unique to karate. Coming from boxing in my youth, moving off the line of attack simply made sense. You learned quickly that standing directly in
Before I Knew the Word “Sabaki” Read More »
Recently, I received a message from a couple interested in training. Their circumstances are understandable. They have personal issues that making regular attendance at a dojo difficult. They asked whether online training was available and suggested they could visit in person once or twice a year to train and correct any bad habits. It’s a
Why the Dojo Still Matters Read More »
A limiting belief is not simply a wrong idea. It’s a belief that set like concrete over the years. You experienced something once, maybe twice, and without quite realizing it, you filed it away as a permanent truth about your practice. The mind loves efficiency. It doesn’t want to re-examine every experience from scratch, so it
The Danger of Certainty Read More »
Following my recent article on kata applications, a familiar response appeared. The essence of it was simple enough: “My instructor taught me the bunkai.” Fair enough. Before going any further, it’s worth acknowledging that while bunkai technically refers to the process of breaking down and analyzing a movement, most karate practitioners use the term when discussing applications.
Does Being Taught Bunkai Make It “The” Bunkai? Read More »
One of the most common debates in karate revolves around kata applications. Someone demonstrates a movement from a kata and then explains what they believe it represents. Another person offers a different interpretation. Before long, the discussion turns into an argument over which application is the “correct” one. Underlying this debate is an assumption that
The Problem With Looking for “The Application” Read More »
