I remember some time ago visiting a dojo to teach. Hanging on the wall was the syllabus the students had to follow. One of the kata I had chosen to teach that day wasn’t listed, and they remarked that they didn’t need to learn it because it wasn’t on the syllabus. . We all want…
Tag: Lineage
Understanding Without Permission, Discomfort With Independent Thought.
Why do some discussions shift from reality to rank the moment clarity or experience is questioned? . This question came up recently in response to one of my articles: “Are the views stated your own views, or are they transmitted from your teachers?” . On the surface, it sounds reasonable. But it reveals something deeper…
Waiting for the Lightbulb Moment – When Patience Becomes an Excuse.
A comment on one of my articles suggested that Western students want answers immediately, whereas the Japanese are prepared to wait patiently for a ‘lightbulb moment’. . In other words, understanding should come to us in its own time, and until then we simply repeat. . There is some truth in this, but it is…
Karate, Context, and the Problem With Certainty.
Following my last article, one of the comments said that karate’s Chinese influences were based on systems that used clearly defined sequences, and therefore Okinawan kata must have been designed the same way. . In that article I also mentioned that many people assume kata itself is made up of clearly defined sections – that…
Kata Only Fails When We Forget Why It Exists.
(Approx 2 minute 30 second read) As martial artists, we all have a style in which we feel comfortable. Karate, however, has been unbelievably dumbed down over the years. . Sadly, a number of individuals overlook karate’s true significance. They are not interested in its history, its influences, or where and why it was conceived….
Kata Makes Sense Only When You See the Other Person.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) The question of evidence has popped up again from a personal message: “How do we know the creators of kata built them on two-person drills?” . A fair question. . But before we get into it, let me make it clear, and I mean no disrespect, I don’t have…
Not Pretty – Ugly, But Effective. Function Over Form.
(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Recently I was criticized on someone’s page for saying the pioneers of karate, the masters of the past, preferred “function over form”. He asked, “What proof does he have?” . If I’m wrong, I have no problem admitting it. But in this case, I really don’t think I am….
Karate Doesn’t Need More Choreography – It Needs Honesty.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) In a recent article I talked about learning from others, whether from people or other methods, it’s good to have an open-mind to everything, right? . Of course there are people who are deeply stuck in their ways and unfortunately, here is an example of just that. . A…
The Art You See Isn’t Always the Art You Need: Function Over Form.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) I was watching a video recently of bunkai performed at a tournament in Japan. . It was the usual two against one format. The individuals performing the applications were incredibly athletic, the choreography was really impressive, their techniques crisp, the timing and techniques impeccable. . It was really fun…
Why Some People Seek to Learn but Never Change.
eople (Approx 2 minute 40 second read) I’ve taught quite a few people over the last 50 years or so that I have been involved in the martial arts. By now, regulars to my Page, and even those who aren’t, can probably tell that I prefer my karate to be practical and pragmatic. . Sometimes…
More Than a Block: One Movement, Many Uses.
(Approx 3 minute read) A friend of mine recently posted an image of a downward block, or gedan barai, to show it could do something most people never expect: in this case, a throw. . For clarity, he placed text alongside the image that said, ‘Gedan Barai is not a block’. Oh crikey, I know…
Good Teachers Are Measured by What They Inspire, Not What They Need to Prove.
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) In a recent article I wrote about lineage, one of the comments I received said, “The worth of a teacher is not measured by the fame of their lineage, but by the depth of their understanding, their ability to transmit, and their humanity.” . He added, “…what truly matters:…