Sensei says (insert dogma), so it must be true and this is the way I will do it, until the end of time. . One problem which constantly crops up in the martial arts, is that often students, and some instructors too, have an idealized image of a sensei. Once a student gives his, or…
Tag: Masters
Know which battles to fight.
Know which battles to fight. The real skill is not how to fight. It is knowing which battles to pick and which to walk away from. . If your response to all things is to fight, this is bad thinking, bad practice. After all, life isn’t measured by how many times you stood up to…
“You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.”
Commonly translated as “meditation”, mokuso (黙想) literally means “silent/still” (moku-) + “thoughts/thinking” (-so). In other words, mokuso is the act of silencing our minds. . Your mind is the most powerful tool you have for the creation of good in your life, but if not used correctly, can also be the most destructive. To control…
“Sport sparring is not self-defence and has very little to do with it.”
If you’re like most people, you probably hope you will never find yourself in a self-defense scenario. . As a general rule, self-defense only justifies the use of force when it is used in response to an immediate threat. The use of force in self-defense generally loses justification once the threat has ended. Any use…
If you don’t give anything TO the martial arts, don’t expect anything FROM the martial arts.
No matter your age or occupation, every day you are confronted with unexpected challenges. You either accept these challenges and meet them head-on, or you resist them, wishing they would just go away. Yet challenges are woven into the fabric of our lives. They are the tests we all have to face daily. . No…
Your bunkai needs to be effective, it must be applicable to real situations.
When you analyze kata, breakdown the movements within, your bunkai needs to be effective, it must be applicable to real situations. The kata were created for this reason. . Some of the applications put forward as interpretations of kata movement vary from the wonderful to the ridiculous, and unfortunately it is often hopelessly inadequate. ….
So, what’s your story going to be?
“Karate cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels a thousand leagues. If one trains diligently for one or two hours every day, then in three or four years one will see a change in physique. Those who train in this fashion will discover the deeper principles of karate.” –…
Is karate still your passion?
Teachers like teaching. We like to impart our knowledge and passion in the dojo and it’s the greatest feeling ever when a student succeeds. For some there is very little financial incentive to being a teacher or running a dojo, we just want our students to surpass us. . In order to be successful, many…
Symbolic gesture or combative function?
When people don’t understand things, they often find it easier to create their own explanations. We see this all the time, in every part of society. . To psychologists, this behavior is known as ‘rationalization’. If something doesn’t make sense, then make it make sense. Karate is no exception. And salutations in kata is an…
“I’ll never stop doing karate, it’s made me who I am…”
Pushing through the difficult times, and the tough periods is something we all have to do. Whether it is personal, business, mental, or emotional, there are lots of variables, unknowns, and circumstances we all must handle and deal with. . “継続は力なり (keizoku ha chikara nari) – ‘consistent practice makes strength’ – these words are echoed…
“Karate is an integral part of my life and contributes meaning to my life.”
“Karate is an integral part of my life and contributes meaning to my life.” – Shinjō Kiyohide 9th dan Uechi Ryu (rank updated to 10th dan November 3rd) . Have you ever fallen in love with a thing? Not a person or a place, but a thing? Well maybe not a thing but an activity;…
“Kyudomugen (there is no end to the way of martial arts).”
“Many young today will train extremely hard for a little while and then stop. This is not good. You must train little bit, but you must train often. Consistency is what creates a great martial artist, not brute strength. Karate is not for a rank, glory or for revenge. It is a way of life:…