Where modern karate goes wrong in self-defense is where fighting comes first. . Street fighting and self-defense are two different things. Most people think about this as the same, even martial artists. They are not. In street fighting you are basically a fool that lets your ego expose you to danger. Street fighting is for […]
Where modern karate goes wrong….. Read More »
If you have seen The Karate Kid movie, you will undoubtedly remember the wise old karate master, Mr. Miyagi, telling his student Daniel-san to; “Look eye! Always look eye”. . Well, not necessarily. At least not in the martial arts. . In fact, in Japanese culture, excessive eye contact is considered rude. And being rude
“Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare.” Read More »
My karate is stronger, tougher, more athletic…. it’s superior to yours! . Really? It’s superior in all things?….. . You have to define what you mean by “superior”. I’m assuming that when people say a “superior karate style”, they mean the best in terms of effectiveness and practicality…… But superior, WHERE? In the dojo? In
My karate is SUPERIOR to yours. Read More »
I am often asked for answers to questions from people online that I have never met, without knowing who these people are, or what they are doing, or where they come from. There are no introductions, or any form of politeness, it’s just…. “I want information, give it to me NOW!” . Sharing knowledge is
So don’t cheat. Don’t pretend you did it. Don’t lie….. WORK FOR IT. Read More »
Martial arts training is about training both the body and the mind. Part of training the mind is discipline. The discipline to do what is necessary. . It’s all about priorities, right? After all, you only practice a couple of times a week. . When I started karate almost five decades ago, I decided to
It’s all about priorities, right? Read More »
What is Zen Buddhism? . Trying to explain or define Zen Buddhism, by reducing it to an article, to a post on a website is almost impossible, it weakens its meaning. . Defining Zen (禅) is like trying to describe the taste of honey to someone who has never tasted it before. You can try
What is Zen Buddhism? Read More »
The word ‘mushin’ is comprised of two kanji characters: 無 (mu), meaning ‘nothingness’, and 心 (shin), meaning ‘heart’, ‘spirit’, or, in this case, ‘mind’. In this way, mushin can be roughly translated to ‘nothing mind’ or ‘no mind’. It comes from a longer phrase used in Zen Buddhism, ‘無心の心’ (mushin no shin), or ‘mind of
“Karate has been present in Okinawa since the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom. That is why it is our mission to protect this tradition.” – Yoshitsune Senaga 10th-dan Uechi Ryu . What’s the difference between history and tradition? . In our fast paced and ever changing lives and a world that appears to be in
What’s the difference between history and tradition? Read More »
No one can put the knowledge or skill inside your head and in your hands. You basically get out of it what you put into it. . What amazes me still is how many people I see haven’t taken their training that far. They show up to class, do what they’re told, and then leave.
In Japan, cleaning is called ‘Soji’ (掃除) and apart from obviously ‘cleaning’ it is valued as a way to cultivate our minds. In fact, ‘Soji ‘is beyond mere cleaning. Buddhist monks when attending a monastery or shrine, put a great deal of time into practicing ‘Soji’. A monk’s day begins with cleaning, and cleanliness and
‘Soji’ (掃除) ‘Cleaning’ the Dojo Read More »
Criticism for the sake of criticism does nothing. . Criticism has become a common tendency in present times. Once someone writes about their feelings or observations in the martial arts, they have to confront criticism. Although their writings are reflections of the martial arts in general, there are still critics to highlight the positive and
Criticism for the sake of criticism does nothing. Read More »
“Karate ni sente nashi” (空手に先手なし), typically translated as, “There is no first attack in karate.” . Gichin Funakoshi made this principle the second of his “Niju Kun” (Twenty Precepts), reminding us that “karate begins and ends with courtesy”. . Karate and particularly kata, often suffers a bad name for being outdated and unrealistic. In my
“Karate ni sente nashi” (空手に先手なし) Read More »
