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Barefoot Training and the Role of Shoes in Karate Practice: Tradition and Practicality.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 1 minute 55 second read) Step into a traditional karate dojo, and the first thing you’ll do is take off your shoes (hopefully). . Like most Japanese budo – with the exception of kyudo (Japanese archery) – karate is traditionally practiced hadashi (裸足), barefoot. There are plenty of reasons for this, some cultural, some […]

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Rattling the Cage: Karate and the Questioning Mind.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) My first exposure to karate was Wado-Ryu in 1974. The bulk of the classes focused on the basics, with plenty of exercises thrown in to keep things ‘enjoyable’. . Of course, there was kata and I was told that it required years of dedicated practice to truly understand, yet

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Personal Safety: Self-defense Goes Way Beyond the Physical.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) A little while ago, I was approached by some of the moms of the younger students, asking if I would be interested in doing a self-defense course for them. None of them had ever practiced the martial arts before. . Normally, I would encourage anyone to join our classes

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Beyond the syllabus: True progress starts when you look deeper.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) I remember a little while ago being invited to teach at a dojo and hanging on the wall in plain sight was the curriculum or syllabus they followed. It was structured, organized, and served as a clear guide for what students were expected to learn. . But as I

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I Can or I Can’t – The Choice Is Yours. Real Training Begins When You Want to Stop.

Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) So, what’s your story going to be? . If your instructor pushes you, disciplines you, and demands the best from you all the time – doesn’t that mean they truly care and want you to progress? . Recently, we had a student leave the dojo who had been with

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When Self-Defense is Just Pruning Your Roses.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 55 second read) What is awareness, and why is it so important in self-defense? . Many practitioners focus solely on physical techniques, treating force as the solution to every problem. Some even adopting a fight-first mentality, giving little more than lip service to avoidance. . But we all know that avoidance is

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Purpose-Driven Practice: Cut Through the Unnecessary, Focus on Function.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) Over the years, karate has been modified to fit a non-combative formula such as competition, athleticism, style, and aesthetics. However, traditionally, karate – and its kata – were designed as records of practical fighting methods for civilian self-defense. . Now, I understand that not everyone trains for self-defense or

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Walking with My Teachers – A Moment of Reflection.

Buddhism, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) I started my ‘journey’ in 1974 and now everything I do carries the lessons and experiences of the Sensei I have trained under. Their insights, wisdom, and guidance have shaped my understanding, and in many ways, they walk with me still. . Throughout life, we encounter mentors who leave

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From Tradition to Function: Making Every Stance Count.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) In everyday English, we use the word ‘stance’ to infer a fixed, unchanging position or viewpoint. This common usage of the word can confuse people into thinking that we utilize our karate ‘stances’ in the same way, that they represent a fixed position….. They do not! . A recent

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Can You Really Apply That Lock? Reality vs. Fantasy.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 1 minute 55 second read) Some of the comments I receive on my articles are truly remarkable (I’m being polite here). They certainly inspire me to write, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain. . Recently, a few people argued that fine motor skills work under high stress – some comparing the skills of martial

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Cognitive Dissonance in Training: When Belief Clashes with Reality.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 1 minute 50 second read) A friend of mine reminded me, in relation to an article I wrote about keeping karate grounded in reality when approaching self-defense, about cognitive dissonance in the martial arts. . Ever feel that discomfort when two ideas just don’t sit right? . That’s cognitive dissonance. . We dedicate years

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No One Size Fits All: Are You Training for the Wrong Fight? Finding Your Path in Martial Arts.

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) Whenever I write an article about real-world self-defense, the comments seem to explode into “my style is the best”. . I don’t think a lot of these people actually train themselves – maybe keyboard warriors, maybe just inexperienced – but these comments usually revolve around one style in particular:

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