In the world of martial arts, grades are often viewed as a reflection of a practitioner’s journey – a blend of technical ability, deeper understanding, and personal character. Yet, from time to time, we come across individuals whose grade far outweighs their actual ability, knowledge, or behavior. And when that happens, it’s hard not to…
Tag: Bushido
Standards Don’t Judge You – They Reveal You
Every dojo has its own rhythm, its own expectations, its own way of doing things. Mine is simple: if you train here, you show up. Not perfectly, not endlessly, not more than your life allows – just consistently. Recently someone suggested that expecting this might be a “privileged stance that lacks empathy”, or that speaking…
Showing Up: When You Can’t Train
Anyone teaching martial arts knows the student who talks about wanting to train but somehow can’t manage to show up on time, or may not show up at all. And when they don’t, there’s always a reason. There usually is. But it tells you something. It shows you where training really sits on their list…
When You Step Outside
I was asked recently what actually happens when someone steps away from an organization, goes on their own path. You’re part of something for years. You put time into it, help where you can, stand alongside people, and for the most part you don’t question any of it because it feels normal. It feels like…
Loyalty Is Not a One-Way Street
Not every patch is a symbol of trust. Over the years, I’ve seen many martial arts groups rise and fall. Names change, alliances shift, and new banners are flown – but the questions stay the same. What does it mean to be loyal? What should an association stand for? And when that loyalty isn’t returned,…
The Real Opponent
At some point in training, you begin to look back a little more. Not in a nostalgic way, but simply to make sense of things. You start to notice patterns, not just in what you do, but in how you think and how you react. People often say your body can stand almost anything, it’s…
Winning Is Not the Goal in Self-Defense
Self-defense and fighting are often spoken about as if they are the same thing. They are not. There is overlap between the two, but they are fundamentally different in both purpose and outcome. This distinction is often misunderstood, particularly because many people are taught physical or fighting skills first when they attend a “self-defense” class….
The Problem with “Osu” in Karate
Communication can sometimes be surprisingly ambiguous, especially online. A single word, used casually in one place, can carry very different meanings somewhere else. The term “Osu” is a familiar sound in karate circles. In many instances it’s meant to convey perseverance, respect, or commitment to training. In some Japanese karate styles it holds a strong…
The Mental Side of Training
Training the Mind Most people think of martial arts training as physical. Techniques. Speed. Power. Conditioning. Those things matter, of course. But over time many practitioners begin to realize that martial arts training involves something more as well. The training of the mind. Anyone who has watched sport long enough has seen how quickly psychology…
Chibariyo
The Ryukyu Kingdom, the historical heart of modern-day Okinawa, fostered a unique culture distinct from mainland Japan. This distinctiveness extends to language, with Okinawan dialects collectively known as Uchinaaguchi. Many karate practitioners, myself included, appreciate using the Japanese terminology that’s part of our practice. While most practitioners utilize it primarily for principles, techniques, drills, and…
The Opponent We Cannot Defeat
Time is the one opponent we cannot defeat, yet it’s the one we often underestimate the most. The reason people say, “the trouble is you think you have time”, is because when we’re younger, it moves so slowly. But as we age, it speeds up. You gain a new perspective. You reach a deeper understanding…
Rank Is Earned, Not Requested
A little while back, a nidan instructor contacted us after his instructor passed away and asked if we could grade him to sandan. From the outset, I had reservations. Even though I knew his instructor, I didn’t know this person. He had never joined us for a session, and I had never seen him train….