“To all those whose progress remains hampered by ego-related distractions, let humility – the spiritual cornerstone upon which Karate rests – serve to remind one to place virtue before vice, values before vanity and principles before personalities.” – Sokon Matsumura (1809-1899) . . “A good instructor teaches students how to fight, a great instructor teaches […]
“True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” ~ Tom Peters . Trust is a wonderful thing. Real trust is something that is earned over time. In budo practice, trust is absolutely essential. Without trust there is no respect. Trust is really easy to break and very difficult to gain. Once trust is broken,
Trust is a wonderful thing. Real trust is something that is earned over time. Read More »
Motivation in martial arts training. . I’ve been training in the martial arts for almost forty seven years now and finding the motivation to keep going has been an ongoing process. Sometimes it was easy, other times not so much. Which brings me to the question I think is key to have long-term motivation to
Motivation in martial arts training. Read More »
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’. ?? . ‘Sensei’ (先生) is a Japanese word people all over the world use, in and out of the dojo, in place of ‘teacher.’ . But the word ‘sensei’ is much more than simply a synonym for ‘teacher’. When trying to understand a Japanese word, it’s always a good idea
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’. Read More »
“[..] there are many quotes that refers to Zen in relation to martial arts and life.” ?? . Morio Higaonna 10th dan Goju Ryu . “A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.” ~ Deepak Chopra . . An overcrowded and stressed mind blocks the flow of peace, clarity, wisdom and creativity more than
“A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.” Read More »
“The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there.” ?? . Ed Parker American Kenpo (1931-1990) . In the martial arts world, I have noticed an undesirable trend with many practitioners and instructors. There are those who regularly talk about the things they have accomplished, they exaggerate their success and
Humility is knowing what you don’t know. Read More »
“You rank is not an entitlement.” ?? . Kanei Uechi (上地完英, June 26, 1911 – February 23, 1991) was the son of Kanbun Uechi, founder of Uechi-Ryū, one of the primary karate styles of Okinawa. Kanei was instrumental in the growth of Uechi-Ryū after his father’s death. . . You rank is not an entitlement, nor
You rank is not an entitlement. Read More »
Everything is about energy. . The energy introduces you before you even speak. The moment you meet someone, you simply know what type of person you are dealing with. You know it from a body language, posture, behavior, the way they look, walk or smile. . Some people can make you feel happy, enthusiastic, calm,
Be kind to everyone. Read More »
“Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn.” ?? . Patrick McCarthy 9th dan Koryu Uchinadi . “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” ~ Thomas Moore . Becoming a shodan or higher black-belt in karate will be a dream come true for some of you. In order to do
Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn. Read More »
礼儀怠るなかれ ~ “Reigi okotaru nakare.” (Never neglect courtesy and etiquette) ?? ~ Kenei Mabuni (1918-2015) . There is a cultural element to karate which should be well observed. This cultural element involves courtesy, humility, etiquette, rank, tradition, protocol and much more. . Whenever or wherever you train Karate, you should follow certain etiquette and manners called
Never neglect courtesy and etiquette. Read More »
“Do not put your main purpose in mastering Karate techniques themselves, you should instead study the way of life through Karate.” ?? . Meitoku Yagi (1912- 2003) 10th dan Goju Ryu Meibukan . Meitoku Yagi, was a karate master and teacher. He learned Goju-ryu from legendary founder Chojun Miyagi. On April 29, 1986, Emperor Hirohito named
“It is possible to learn the technique of all kata in two or three months. But simple ability to repeat them is not the point here. Years of practice and thorough training are necessary for deep understanding and mastery. . Nowadays even children get taught Suparinpei if it is needed for competitions. Well, a child
How can we teach others if you do not truly understand yourself? Read More »
