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…
Category: Okinawa
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…
You either get bitter or you get better.
“You cannot undo the moves but you can make the next step better.” ?? . . You either get bitter or you get better. It’s that simple. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does…
The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.
“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.” ~ Frank Herbert ?? . Some people love to lead and have power. There’s nothing wrong with this in itself, and it could easily lead a martial arts practitioner to become a great teacher. But if this drive becomes excessive, it can cause…
The importance of discipline in the martial arts.
“I look around today and feel saddened. Many students of martial arts do not have respect for their teachers. All they want to learn is punching and kicking. This is not martial arts, it is only fighting.” ?? . . Martial Arts is steeped in tradition and principles. People are often drawn to the practice based…
Be proud of your character, not your Belt rank.
Be proud of your character, not your Belt rank. ?? . Adam Carter 7th dan Ryukyu Karate Jutsu ~ Shuri Dojo . . Some people seem to be focussed primarily on obtaining rank and status instead of working on themselves, their character, and their martial arts abilities. . Belts are not a trophy to display and…