If we don’t understand the applications in kata – are we wasting our time? Someone asked me that recently. It’s a fair question. There is no single, perfect answer to what any movement in kata “is”. Even if the original creator had something specific in mind, that intent is long gone. What remains is the […]
Does Kata Work – Or Are We Avoiding What It Demands? Read More »
Karate has changed – we all know that. The karate created by the pioneers on Okinawa looks very different from much of what we see today. And of course, those later pioneers were part of that shift themselves. Change didn’t happen by accident. When I watch students from other dojo trying to work out bunkai
What Are You Waiting For? Read More »
I’ve seen a series of so-called self-defense demonstrations doing the rounds on social media recently. They’re being promoted under the banner of a well-known karate lineage. So what? You might say. Well, it matters. Because when a respected name is attached to something, people assume credibility. They assume it must be solid. But that is
Lineage Is Not a Substitute for Reality. Read More »
If you are like most people, you probably hope you will never have to face real violence. . Recently I wrote about awareness, because the best self-defense decisions often happen long before anything physical begins. The earlier you notice a problem, the more options you have. Sometimes the best outcome is simply stepping off the
Self-defense. It’s mostly about the fight, right? After all, that’s what the vast majority of training in the dojo is geared toward. . But when I speak of self-defense, I’m not talking about kumite drills or sparring. I’m talking about what happens in the real world, where the possibility of actual physical harm exists. .
Self-Defense Starts Long Before the First Strike. Read More »
Self-defense and karate – two words that can be the difference between chalk and cheese, or, if trained within the correct context, can comfortably coexist. . Some people believe combative skill, that is, self-defense, will somehow emerge despite never training to develop it, even while calling what they do “self-defense”. . That assumption sits at
When Purpose Isn’t Clear – Context Is Everything. Read More »
If you’ve followed my writing for any length of time, you’ll know that I’ve never been comfortable with step-kumite. I don’t want to reopen that debate here. Some people value it as tradition; others, myself included, take a more pragmatic view and question its usefulness. This article isn’t about winning that argument. . What is
Sabaki – Movement and Control Without Collision. Read More »
Following my recent article on bunkai and choreography, I found myself returning to the idea of “predictable responses”. It’s a familiar concept, and on the surface it makes sense. Certain actions often provoke certain reactions. . But often isn’t always. Nothing is guaranteed. . Yes, bodies respond to input. Strike, pull, disrupt balance – something
Predictable Responses Are Not Guaranteed Outcomes. Read More »
Bunkai – in some circles it is getting better. Practitioners and instructors are beginning to understand the reality of violence rather than relying on the familiar, stylized karate-type attacks. Intent, distance, and targets are improving. In others, however, there is still a long way to go. . But something fundamental is still missing in many
Bunkai Without Reaction Is Still Choreography. Read More »
Some of the messages I receive are incredibly short-sighted. “You would fail if you were taken to the ground.” . Firstly – fail at what? . I don’t compete anymore. The karate I teach, and have taught for several decades, is practical and pragmatic in approach. Yes, we occasionally have fun and do competition-style sparring,
“Take Them to the Ground” That Is The Failure Read More »
In response to my recent article about a video of a practitioner demonstrating self-defense techniques, coming from a respected karate legacy, a comment stated that it is virtually impossible to train for real-world encounters, and that even MMA fighters lose in street situations. . Statements like this often sound insightful, but they hide a deeper
Real Violence Isn’t a Fight – And That Changes Everything. Read More »
I was watching a video of a practitioner going through some self-defense techniques, presented as coming from a respected karate legacy. . To be honest, it would have been totally ineffective for that goal. . In a recent article, I explained how, as a young man in my early 20s, actively competing at a national
Choreography and the Dangers of Untested Confidence. Read More »
