Martial Arts

“Does this work?” is a meaningless question without the qualifier of “works for what?”

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

“Compared to Jiu Jitsu, karate is more destructive, Jiu Jitsu is the art of throwing and holding and is slow compared to karate” – Kentsu Yabu from the Honolulu Advertiser July 9, 1927 . “Does this work?” is a meaningless question without the qualifier of “works for what?” . There is a huge difference between […]

“Does this work?” is a meaningless question without the qualifier of “works for what?” Read More »

Practitioners who are interested in self-protection, should show a keen interest in bunkai.

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

Funakoshi wrote; “A student well versed in even one technique will naturally see corresponding points in other techniques. A upper level punch, a lower punch, a front punch, and a reverse punch, are all essentially the same. Looking over thirty-odd kata, he should be able to see that they are essentially variations on just a

Practitioners who are interested in self-protection, should show a keen interest in bunkai. Read More »

“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance.”

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

  “I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance. Even if wearing a white belt, doing your best is what matters most. This is what I try to pass on.” – Yasuhiro Uema 9th dan Shubukan Shorin Ryu . If you are visiting another dojo outside of your group, or changing

“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance.” Read More »

Slow down, have the intelligence to let hatred go, and live life. 

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

You run into lots of different attitudes in the martial arts (and out of it), most are extremely positive, but some extremely hateful. While all of us would prefer the positive, unfortunately there are those that just prefer to hate. . Hate is an emotion that gives us a feeling of intense hostility and aversion,

Slow down, have the intelligence to let hatred go, and live life.  Read More »

Hit from where your hands are.

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

In the dojo recently we talked about “momentum” in a strike, punch or similar technique. Momentum can simply be defined as; “mass in motion.” All objects have mass; so if an object is moving, then it has momentum. . Our discussion was based upon moving our hands in an opposite direction to our target (moving

Hit from where your hands are. Read More »

“A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker.”

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

We all make mistakes, we lose our way. We focus on the wrong things. We pursue goals at all costs. We doggedly stick to our training routines that may not be effective. You can be a good, dedicated person and still exercise poor judgment. . Sometimes in these moments, we’re not the friend others deserve,

“A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker.” Read More »

Indulging in hate and revenge is like drinking saltwater, the thirst can only grow

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

Sometimes the best thing you can do is not ruminate, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. . At times, we struggle amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, so much so, that we get frustrated and are completely unaware of which way to go. Life is not going to happen according to you.

Indulging in hate and revenge is like drinking saltwater, the thirst can only grow Read More »

“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata.”

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

“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata. Karate is the act of inheriting a Kata from the master. It is the act of guarding the Kata inherited from the master. It is to nurture someone and make someone grow.” – Yamashiro Yoshitomo Okinawa Kenpo . What is the true meaning of the

“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata.” Read More »

What works best…. is what works best.

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

Human beings are emotional creatures. In the battle between emotions, common sense and logic, emotions win, always . I prefer to look at my karate from a logical and common sense perspective, with a view to developing functional combative skill. . Logical thinking is a process of exploring different solutions to a given problem. .

What works best…. is what works best. Read More »

“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

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

Despite the differences in origin and style, most martial arts consist of similar techniques and skills that form a base for the art. . Most people believe that karate is a strike-only martial art. Wrong! Karate contains a whole arsenal of grabbing and throwing techniques in addition to striking. Traditional kata are full of it,

“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Read More »