Martial Arts

The practice of martial arts is deeply rooted in philosophy, tradition, and culture.

Bushido, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy /

The practice of martial arts is deeply rooted in philosophy, tradition, and culture. It teaches not only self-defense but also discipline, focus, and respect. Many people start their martial arts journey with a specific goal in mind – perhaps to earn a black belt, or win a world title, to learn self-defense, etc. . It […]

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It’s never about you… It’s always about your students.

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Teaching the martial arts is difficult. It demands a broad knowledge of subject matter; you have to show enthusiasm, discipline, have a caring attitude, a love of learning…. and perhaps dojo management and marketing; but most of all….. you have to have a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. . There

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“Don’t pretend to be a great master and don’t try to show off your strength.”

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Okay, so it seems I need to clarify the use of the word “sensei” as many people still do not understand its correct usage, or even how to introduce themselves without using the term. . Sensei (先生) is a Japanese word people all over the world use in place of “teacher.” But the word “sensei”

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The self-defense mindset at its core, is the fundamental belief that you are worth defending.

Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection /

Martial artists often speak of having a defensive mindset; that your brain is your best defensive tool for keeping you out of trouble. . Being aware of your surroundings helps you identify dangers and possibly avoiding those dangers. Similarly, being distracted, and unprepared is far more likely to attract predators. Awareness of what is around

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“The most important thing is the kata.”

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

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

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There will come a time when you think everything is finished. That will be the beginning.

Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

One of the things that I’ve learned over the years is that it’s important to not only learn something, but to reinforce it as well. How much you practice is just as important as how you learn. We’re all a little guilty of doing things just enough to be proficient without truly mastering a skill.

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Combative function or symbolic gesture?

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection, Sensei, Student /

I’m a strong believer in that if you are passionate about something, the martial arts or otherwise, you should also study its history. Understand the context to which something was created. . What can an individual learn from history? Through history, we can learn how past societies, systems, and ideologies were built, and operated in

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“Research your own experience, absorb what is useful…”

Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

Understanding lineage, and the traditions that have been passed down over generations is valuable and meaningful, but remaining too faithful to tradition can be a problem. . Blindly following tradition can lead to staleness. Protecting tradition is to go forward. The part you protect and the part you innovate has to move in parallel. Otherwise,

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“In karate, the most important thing is kata.”

Bunkai, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Self-Defense, Self-Protection /

Kata are a library of self-protection techniques and principles in karate. Each kata creator encoded their specific knowledge into each movement of the kata they made. Kata are not simply a record of techniques, or a solo performance; rather each and every kata is designed to record the key principles and strategies of a complete

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Keiko (稽古) and Shugyō (修行)

Bushido, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy /

Keiko (稽古) and Shugyō (修行) . Training in the martial arts is not just a hobby; we should contemplate our practice deeply. . The Japanese have six words for training, each signifying a deeper, more encompassing path: Keiko – practice; Renshu – training; Kunren – discipline; Tanren – forging; Kufu – struggling to solve a

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Japan judo hits crisis point as bullied, burnt-out children quit.

Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy, Sensei, Student /

“Japan judo hits crisis point as bullied, burnt-out children quit.” . “Japan is the home of judo but a brutal win-at-all-costs mentality, corporal punishment and pressure to lose weight are driving large numbers of children to quit, raising fears for the sport’s future in its traditional powerhouse.” – Andrew McKirdy Japan Today June 2022 .

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Karate-do is the pathway of inner development…

Bushido, Development, Dojo, Japan, Karate, Learning, Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Okinawa, Philosophy /

Karate, its birthplace on the small island of Okinawa, created from indigenous fighting systems with influences from Chinese Kempo. . “Karate” (空手), meaning “empty hand”, the name was changed from Chinese hand or Tang hand (唐手), in the early part of the 20th century – both of which are pronounced karate in Japanese. . “Karate-Do”

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