There is a modern belief that achievement is something you can hold in your hand – a certificate, a diploma, a grade, a title, a rank. Something printed, stamped, and signed that proves you have arrived. It’s a comforting illusion, and it has taken root in karate. . The logic is simple. If the box…
Tag: Black-Belt
What Seniority Was Meant to Represent – When Titles Outpace Training.
Karate has always been a long road. It was never meant to be a collection of certificates to gather, but a lifetime of practice that slowly shapes the person who walks it. . The early grades mark progress, but they are only the beginning. Shodan literally means “first step”, the point at which you finally…
A Word That Wandered: How ‘Osu’ Drifted Through Karate.
After I posted my thoughts about the word “osu”, I expected a few people to disagree. But what surprised me was how many long‑time practitioners, including instructors, admitted they weren’t actually sure where the word should be used, or even why they say it at all. . Some people told me they’d been using it…
Waiting for the Lightbulb Moment – When Patience Becomes an Excuse.
A comment on one of my articles suggested that Western students want answers immediately, whereas the Japanese are prepared to wait patiently for a ‘lightbulb moment’. . In other words, understanding should come to us in its own time, and until then we simply repeat. . There is some truth in this, but it is…
The Black Belt: A License to Learn.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Well done. You’ve got your black belt, you’ve reached one of your major goals. It feels great, doesn’t it? You can finally tell everyone you’re a black belt. For some it may have taken years, for others perhaps not so. . For a moment there’s euphoria, maybe a celebration…
The Hardest Lesson in Karate: Unlearning What We Thought We Already Knew.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) ‘Fighting’. If you think about it, it’s not difficult, is it? Most of us had scraps as kids, play fights with parents, siblings, or mates down the park. We all had a fight now and then. . Then we joined a karate club, and suddenly it became difficult. We…
Educating the Ignorant (That Would Be Me): Apparently, I Need to Be Educated.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) Apparently, I need to “be educated”. . The saga about step-kumite will not leave me alone, it seems. Another high-ranking instructor from a well-known association sent me a Facebook message to tell me how wrong I am because, wait for it… step-kumite was never designed to be effective (in…
Are We Still Afraid to Ask? Why Karate Needs More Questions, Not Fewer.
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) Sometimes you can really see why karate has been stuck in the doldrums for so long, especially when questions aren’t allowed to be asked. . I remember back in the 1970s and early 1980s, asking questions of senior instructors was just not done. “Shut up and train” was the…
Old Masters, New Lessons: The Endless Path, Not a Finish Line.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) We call them the old masters, but what did that title truly mean? In an era before standardized ranks, how was genuine mastery actually measured? . Mastery in the martial arts is a touchy subject. There are self-proclaimed “masters” that we tend to sneer at. Some styles call instructors…
If This Is the Standard for Practical Karate, the Bar Isn’t High – It’s Buried.
(Approx 1 minute 55 second read) A friend of mine recently sent me a video of a JKA Shotokan Dan test weekend seminar, taught by a senior JKA instructor. And guess what, five step-kumite was being practiced and taught. . Now, I have written about step-kumite extensively, and in my opinion, if you need reminding,…
Back to the Future: Still Teaching Step-Kumite? Why?
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) Imagine you’ve spent months waiting for a black belt-only weekend course with your favorite Japanese sensei. A teacher as highly regarded as anyone could be. You apply early, pay your hard-earned fee, and look forward to some advanced karate. . For those who follow my page, you can probably…
How Many Kata Do You Really Need? One Kata, Three Years – Still Enough Today?
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) As I’ve mentioned before, the comments section of my articles often inspires me to write again, and my recent article on kata’s true purpose was no different. . This time, a reader asked a very thoughtful question. They explained how, despite training kata in both Shotokan and Kyokushin, they…