To truly understand your karate, look beyond the technique. . Often, we get fixated on what we’re going to do in order get the result we want. Most people tend to ask the question; “How do I do that?” . I view all techniques and drills to be a means to impart a principle. It’s…
Tag: Masters
“Karate at its heart is not about sport or beauty. Karate is about SURVIVAL.”
Many people are in denial of the inherent benefits of kata for self-defense, partly because its performance is seen solely as a succession of moves. Without understanding the combative applications they contain, the importance of kata has diminished. If people don’t understand what and why they are doing something, they won’t invest the necessary time…
BAD GUYS DON’T STAND STILL.
“Kata, as a demonstration, is but a shallow and limited usage of kata” – Donn Draeger (1922-1982) . If you promote your martial art as self-defense, or pragmatic with combative real-world methods of training, then you MUST demonstrate and include high intensity realistic training….. Obvious right? . But….. BAD GUYS DON’T STAND STILL. . If…
You can’t live in the past. You can’t live in the future. You can only live for today.
As human beings we consists of many instincts and fears. As most of us know, the strongest ones are the instincts for survival. . In very stressful situations, a human mind can react with a high dose of fear when we feel like our life is in danger. It’s just a natural human reaction. ….
Is your art sport, or does it have a deeper meaning for you?
For many people, the status of their martial art is something of great importance. For others, it’s not important at all. Is your art sport, or does it have a deeper meaning for you? . Having success in an arena or being able to break boards, ice, bricks etc., or to fight in a controlled…
“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance..”
“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance..” – Yasuhiro Uema 10th dan Shubukan Shorin Ryu . Grades, or belt ranks, are without doubt one the most controversial aspects of the martial arts. They can cause many problems and focussing overly on your belt rank, can become extremely toxic. . A…
“Any martial art without proper training of the mind turns into beastly behavior.”
“Any martial art without proper training of the mind turns into beastly behavior.” – Shoshin Nagamine (1907-1997) . If you draw inaccurate conclusions about what you’re capable of doing, you’ll limit your potential. . Karate practitioners the world over spend so much time strengthening their bodies, improving their techniques and drills, but so many neglect…
You must take failure into account.
Is the demonstration of techniques by your instructor successful….. every-time? . Why this could be a problem?….…. Because those techniques will often fail, more often than you think….. and students need to understand this, and practice and prepare for failure. . The success of any demonstrated technique is largely dependent upon having predetermined knowledge of…
Can you learn karate by watching videos?
Can you learn karate by watching videos? . Let’s be honest. You will never, ever become a great martial artist just from watching videos! To become a great martial artist, you need a real-life teacher and real-life training partners. . Videos are a goldmine of information and inspiration. They are a learning tool that no…
“Do not think of attack and defense as two separate things.”
“Meotode” (夫婦手), an uchinaaguchi (the native Okinawan language) principle literally meaning “husband and wife hands”. In the case of an actual fight both hands should always be used together, which is essential in close-quarter pragmatic karate. It is a way of maximizing strategical advantage in a physical altercation by utilizing both arms and hands equally,…
What is the true meaning of the martial arts?
What is the true meaning of the martial arts? . The problem with this question is that the answer is going to be very subjective and personal. . We use the term ‘martial arts’ in a very broad sense, to encompass many different types of activities, and many practitioners describe what they do as…
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.”
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Stephen Hawking or David J. Boorstin . What is knowledge? It is the thoughts, ideas, understanding, facts or information acquired through learning and practice. . What is ignorance? Lack of knowledge, or information about something. . Knowledge improves if we…