“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…
Tag: Masters
Practitioners who are interested in self-protection, should show a keen interest in bunkai.
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…
“I always say that it is not about grade, but about substance.”
“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…
Slow down, have the intelligence to let hatred go, and live life.
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,…
“If someone asks what Karate is, the answer is Kata.”
“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…
Techniques that are effective for kumite and sparring in the dojo, are not necessarily sensible choices for self-protection.
The grappling of karate is not comparable to the highly skilled grappling exhibited by MMA or Judo practitioners. It is, by design, very crude by comparison. But karate’s grappling methods did exist long before the rise of MMA. . There are those that believe only Judo or BJJ can provide grappling and throws, and the…
Always do your best, learn everything you can…. Enjoy the journey.
“There is a saying; ‘Shikin nu tiyaui’ which means however much you train and get stronger, there is always someone who is better than you. So, we should always remember the time we first started karate, and be humble when dealing with the martial art.” (End quote) – Hiroshi Akamine 9th dan Ryukyu Kobudo &…
“The way of karate is the way of everyday life.”
In Japan, a number of time-honored everyday activities, such as making tea, arranging flowers, writing, some of which are traditionally deeply explored by their practitioners. . Students study how to make tea, write with a brush, or perform martial arts, in the most skillful way possible, to express themselves with maximum efficiency while trying to…
What is conditioning?
“Karate is another reason for being fit. I can prove to you I can still perform karate at my age.” – Nakahodo Tsutomu 10th dan Uechi Ryu, born 1933. . What is conditioning? . Conditioning training is a ‘keyword’ that is often interchanged with the word ‘fitness.’ You’ll often hear martial artists talk about what…
“You can continue Karate for a lifetime.”
“You can practice at your own level and no matter the age it can be done and you can continue Karate for a lifetime.” – Tsuneo Kinjo 9th dan Goju Ryu Jundokan . Aging is one of the greatest challenges we face. In most sports (I’m not referring to karate as sport here), there is…
“Kata have been around for centuries.”
“Kata have been around for centuries. I can certify their effectiveness without having to transform anything. They must be seriously studied.” (End quote) – Masaji Taira 9th dan Goju-Ryu . Teachers undoubtedly have the ability to change the lives of their students. Most of us can remember a particular teacher that helped shape who we…
“One should be able to move in any direction with ease.”
“One should be able to move in any direction with ease. When attacked the natural reaction is to go back. You should practice hard to overcome this.” – Hironori Otsuka 10th Dan Wado-Ryu (1892 – 1982) . In actual combat the objective is to escape, or if necessary, to control, or to hit and not…