(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) While teaching at a Kyokushin dojo a little while ago, a Nidan there asked me about interpreting a specific move from the kata ‘Kanku’. . The Kyokushin version of the kata was not one I had practiced before, so we talked about how looking at one movement on its…
Category: Student
Mastering the Art of Terminology or Kicking Your Way to the Bathroom? (you have to read the article)
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) It’s common practice to use Japanese terminology in the dojo. And in my opinion, it’s also important that you get it right. . There are so many posts on social media where an instructor has posted their Japanese-to-English terminology where there are glaring errors for all to see. ….
Context: The Key to Effective Training Across Disciplines.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) I recently wrote a couple of articles about going to the ground in self-defense. Many of the comments said that you’d better know how to fight on the ground because most altercations end up there. . Yes, you may end up on the ground, and it’s imperative you drill…
Under Pressure: The Way You Train is the Way You’ll Respond:
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) You will perform the way you train. This principle holds across martial arts, sports, and virtually any skill-based activity or profession. Training shapes not only physical habits but also mental responses under pressure. . In response to one of my articles about an ill-advised self-defense technique performed for a…
Kneeling for a Throw? Staying Off the Ground in Self-defense.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Recently, I was asked to sit in on a grading where a student was being promoted from 1st to 2nd dan. When asked to perform self-defense the student performed several throws from judo, some from a kneeling position. . For me, this was not an ideal representation of a…
Beyond Sparring: Understand the Limitations of Your Self-Defense Training in the Martial Arts.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) While there are always exceptions, thankfully, most of us today rarely face the need to use physical self-defense. . Recently, someone commented on one of my articles, suggesting that sparring is the ultimate test of self-defense because of its unpredictability. While sparring does offer some unpredictability, it is nowhere…
Right. Now, self-defense. Tonight I’ll be showing you how to defend yourselves against anyone who attacks you armed with a piece of fresh fruit.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) “In order to know how good you are at something, it requires exactly the same skills as it does to be good at that thing in the first place. Which means that if you’re absolutely no good at something at all, then you lack exactly the skills that you…
Kick Like a Pro, Limp Like a Legend. Kick Today, Ice Tomorrow. (Perhaps not the best choice in self-defense either.)
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) For the last few days, I’ve been dealing with an annoying hip flexor strain. I have no idea how I got it – perhaps I slept the wrong way. I seem to be at that age. . Once again, it sparked an image in my mind of having to…
Karate is in the mind. Karate is in the heart. Karate is never about what you are wearing around your waist.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) A few months back, a Nidan we knew contacted us after his instructor passed away and asked if we could grade him to Sandan. . From the outset, I had reservations. Even though he was part of our US association through his instructor, I didn’t know this person, he…
Navigating Ignorance and Driving Blind: Martial Arts Lessons from the Road.
(Approx 2 minute 30 second read) Personally, I believe that some instructors are unknowingly teaching in the wrong context or teaching ineffective techniques. This issue isn’t just about ignorance – it’s about people who, overestimate their competence. . We all know about the McDojo, but there’s another problem: instructors who, often unknowingly, create a dangerous…
The Cultural Clash in the Dojo: The Hidden Customs Within the Martial Arts – Do Students Want It?
(Approx 2 minute 30 second read) One of my friends recently posted a video asking his students “what was karate for?”. Without exception, all of them said self-defense. If this is the case then are the cultural aspects of traditional karate irrelevant? . Many traditional martial arts schools offer more than just self-defense and fighting…
Not All Dojos Are Created Equal: When Expertise Is Just an Illusion.
(Approx 2 minute 30 second read) Imagine the fear. You’ve been training at your dojo for a while, growing confident in your abilities and trusting in your sensei. But slowly, a gnawing doubt creeps in – a feeling deep in your gut that something isn’t right. . You start to notice things you didn’t before….