The truth of being a karate teacher is that students will come, and they will go. Karate training, in a good dojo, is not easy. It is demanding, exacting, you have to be determined, committed…… and not everyone is cut out to be a black belt. . When I accept a new student I usually […]
It’s never about you… it’s always about your students… Read More »
“In karate, the most important thing is kata. Into the kata of karate are woven every manner of attack and defense technique. Therefore, kata must be practiced properly, with a good understanding of their bunkai meaning. There may be those who neglect the practice of kata, thinking that it is sufficient to just practice [pre-arranged]
“Real karate is for self-defense and kata bunkai is the main tool for this.” Read More »
“From the moment we are born to the moment we die, we must constantly try to improve. If we do not, we die. It is our obligation as human beings…” (End quote) – Joon Pyo Choi 10th Dan SongMooKwan . We had a great class on Saturday. Those moments where a student has a lightbulb
…“ah, I get it now….” Read More »
“My police work influenced my drive to seek practical application practices and not be content with simplistic explanations that might not survive the rigor of an actual confrontation.” (End quote) – Taira Masaji 9th dan Goju Ryu . A technique might work very well against somebody who is your friend in the dojo, using only
“No fight [is] perfect that is not done in force and true time.” Read More »
Kamiza, Shimoza and Tokonama. . The kamiza (上座) is the “top seat” within a room, meaning the seat of honor; the opposite, the shimoza (下座) meaning “bottom seat. Tokonoma (床の間) means “space of display””. . In Western culture, the most important person traditionally sits at the head of the table, whether the occasion is a
Kamiza, Shimoza and Tokonama. Read More »
“It’s not only techniques but also your attitude.” – Teruyuki Okazaki 10th dan Shotokan (1931–2020) . . You always have a choice. It’s a wonderful thing to know that at any moment you have the freedom, the ability, the power to choose what to do. How to train or workout, practice at home, whether to
“It’s not only techniques but also your attitude.” Read More »
Things have changed over the years. When I began my training in traditional martial arts, some of the instructors were mean. They went out of their way to inflict pain on you, many of them made you feel useless, being unable to grasp a technique or kata. They ordered and shouted at you like military
Physical punishment as discipline is ABSOLUTELY WRONG. Read More »
How many times do you hear students in your dojo or school say, “I can’t”? Doesn’t that phrase make you cringe? I always tell my students; “Don’t say you can’t, because you can. Just say you’re going to try.” . As teachers, the most important and rewarding part of our work is to recognize the
BELIEF starts with “YES I CAN.” Read More »
“At first one might start it as a hobby, but if you perceive it as a ‘hobby’, it won’t develop any further. I ask this all the time. What do you do in the morning when you wake up? You wake up, you brush your teeth, whatever it might be, it’s mostly run the same
KARATE ISN’T A HOBBY, IT’S A WAY OF LIFE……. ( A BETTER WAY OF LIFE). Read More »
What’s in a name? There are those who argue against too many dojo, associations, world or international. That anyone outside of Okinawa or Japan should be remonstrated for naming their dojo or association by an asian name. Are we to believe that “one size fits all”? . It isn’t a style or the name of
“Always, whenever possible, stop thinking negatively, always think positively.” (End Quote) – Yoshizo Machida 8th Dan Shotokan . . Anxiety and fear can stop you dead in your tracks and hold you back. It’s not easy to face your fears and push through them, but for the martial arts, it is essential. . Fear keeps
“Always, whenever possible, stop thinking negatively, always think positively.” Read More »
We have all heard, “always do your best.” Whether it came from our parents, a teacher or instructor, doing our best has always been a precept echoed throughout our lives. But what does doing your best really mean? And is it even possible to always do your best? . Emphatically I say yes, yes it
Your BEST is always enough. Read More »
