One of the most recognizable aspects of karate is the black-belt, which is awarded to those who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the art. But the black-belt is more than just a physical accessory or a symbol of skill; it represents a journey of personal growth and development. Another beginning, not the…
Tag: Lineage
Being a Black-Belt means you have learnt enough to realize how little you actually know.
EVERYTHING up to Shodan black-belt is the foundation on which you practice your karate and the foundation in which you are ready to solidly build upon. . Shodan should represent the end of your initial training and you now have a solid basis on which to build and go forward through the next levels. Every…
“There are no styles of karate-do, just varying interpretations of its principles.”
Talk to anyone about the martial arts and it is very likely that they will ask you, “what style do you practice?”. . How did all these various styles come into existence? Are they really that important? Should the existing styles be preserved? . It’s often stated that as you gain experience over the years…
“Kangeiko” is a martial arts tradition, it’s an important part of the spirit of a dojo.
As the temperatures plummet again this time of year our thoughts turn to “Kangeiko” (寒稽古). The purpose of kangeiko is to begin the new year with a personal challenge, renew the spirit and set a tone of excellence for the entire year. . Kangeiko (literally ‘cold training’ or ‘winter training’) is a common practice of…
Happy World Karate Day.
Happy World Karate Day. . “In 2005, the Okinawa Prefecture Assembly passed the resolution declaring October 25th ‘Karate no hi’, (空手の日) ‘the day of karate’. . Some 700 years ago, karate was born in this land, Okinawa. Coexisting with the beautiful nature and climate of Okinawa, our predecessors created karate, a traditional culture that Okinawa…
It’s not the number of techniques you know, but how well you know them.
Some instructors teach their students “just enough” and often these instructors believe that they themselves have been taught all there is. . Learning is often taken to mean memorization, and advancing from one grade to the next as education, and passing that grade to mean they are competent. . If instructors just follow the curriculum,…
The wearing of the “Aka Obi”. The Red Belt.
Titles, belts and grades are often discussed in the martial arts, and is usually a topic of contention. . Often it’s people who don’t even know each other personally and decide to head off into a diatribe of hatred and abuse. It’s usually coming from people who are lower grade black belts that have never…
Nearly all the problems in the martial arts today can be traced back to poor teaching.
I have had the good fortune to have been in roles inside and outside of the martial arts, that have exposed me to a wide range of learning and teaching approaches and methods. One thing I have learned, is that I still have much to learn, and this learning will never end. . Just because…
Do you want fries with that?
The martial arts are largely unregulated here in the US. There are seldom background checks carried out on teachers like there are in other countries. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (UK), you don’t need anything special to open a dojo or school. . You don’t even need to…
Is traditional Karate just limited to imitation?
Change is the only constant in life and yet, it is the one thing we tend to resist the most, especially so when this constant is deemed to be traditional. . Okinawa is differentiated from the rest of Japan by its individual history and distinct cultural practices. One of the most recognizable products of Okinawan…
“The most important thing is the kata.”
The Pinan (平安) kata series, Shodan-to-Godan (Pinan is often translated as ‘peaceful/tranquil mind’), are widely taught to students in a variety of karate styles. They are attributed to Itosu Yasutsune ‘Anko’ (1831-1915) who is said to have adapted them from older kata. However from which kata is less than certain. . Itosu introduced karate into…
Are your kata original?
If you have a true interest in the martial arts, I believe it is important that practitioners have some understanding of the history of our art. . Today, many practitioners and instructors state that they are practicing and teaching the ‘original’ kata as taught by Master… (insert name). . But what is original?….. The true…