Training in martial arts or self-defense only improves your chances in a real life scenario. A little training improves your chances a little. A lot of training improves your chances a lot. No amount of training will guarantee anything except to know that avoiding a fight is the best option, and you should have learned […]
Bad guys don’t play by a rulebook. Read More »
Kicks in kata are usually single in usage. However, there are a few kata that contain multiple kicks. So what use are these multiple kicks contained within the kata? . A kata that comes to mind is ‘Kusanku’ (there are others). The kick in question, often labeled as “Nidan geri” (二段). When I translate this,
Only a rank novice would open with a double kick. Read More »
There are many more hand techniques in kata than kicks, and when there is a kick, usually there is only one (there are a few kata with multiple kicks). . Kicking is probably the least effective of all the combative methods. Why? Because your motion and stability are severely reduced the instant you take your
When is it appropriate to use a kick in self-defense? Read More »
I have had the good fortune to have been in roles inside and outside of the martial arts, that have exposed me to a wide range of learning and teaching approaches and methods. One thing I have learned, is that I still have much to learn, and this learning will never end. . Just because
Nearly all the problems in the martial arts today can be traced back to poor teaching. Read More »
Getting into a physical fight is never a good idea, and every self-defense expert will tell you that if you can avoid a fight if at all possible, then you should. But, sometimes you can’t, if you’re attacked physically then you need to protect yourself. . Fighting is wrong. But sometimes it’s necessary, and if
You must know when to walk away from a fight. Read More »
The martial arts are largely unregulated here in the US. There are seldom background checks carried out on teachers like there are in other countries. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (UK), you don’t need anything special to open a dojo or school. . You don’t even need to
Do you want fries with that? Read More »
When you finally find what’s absolutely right for you in your martial arts training and you internalize it, you don’t need to rationalize why you do it. . I practice every day religiously, I train for me. Not to fight anymore, not for how it looks and not for what others might think of me,
Find your own art, don’t be afraid to do your own personal study Read More »
Change is the only constant in life and yet, it is the one thing we tend to resist the most, especially so when this constant is deemed to be traditional. . Okinawa is differentiated from the rest of Japan by its individual history and distinct cultural practices. One of the most recognizable products of Okinawan
Is traditional Karate just limited to imitation? Read More »
The modern labels attached to many karate techniques may have little to do with their intended function. These labels arose relatively recently in karate’s development and originate from the “watered down” karate taught in Okinawan schools, in the early part of the 20th century, modernized further on the mainland of Japan. Prior to this time,
“GEDAN BARAI” IS NOT A BLOCK. Read More »
Many practitioners of karate have forgotten that its original purpose was self-defense. To quote Anko Itosu; “…. a way of avoiding injury by using the hands and feet should one by any chance be confronted by a villain or ruffian.” . Today the need for martial arts to be purely self-defense has diminished, and the
Don’t rely on the “label” of a technique. It probably isn’t the right one. Read More »
Martial artists often speak of having a defensive mindset; that your brain is your best defensive tool for keeping you out of trouble. . Being aware of your surroundings helps you identify dangers and possibly avoiding those dangers. Similarly, being distracted, and unprepared is far more likely to attract predators. Awareness of what is around
I’m a strong believer in that if you are passionate about something, the martial arts or otherwise, you should also study its history. Understand the context to which something was created. . What can an individual learn from history? Through history, we can learn how past societies, systems, and ideologies were built, and operated in
Combative function or symbolic gesture? Read More »
