(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Conviction. It’s crazy when people are so confident, so absolutely certain, so entrenched in their own ideas, that they just can’t see outside the box. Their way is the only way – end of discussion. . As well as the martial arts – with a little boxing thrown in…
Tag: Masters
Step Off the Center Line and Gain the Advantage.
(Approx 1 Minute 50 second read) I was asked a great question: “Do all kata start with a move to the left? Are there any kata that start to the right?” . Many beginners start off by learning maybe ‘Fukyugata’, ‘Gekisai’, the ‘Pinan’ kata, which all share one commonality – the first movement goes left….
What Happens After the Strike? Control Them, Don’t Let Them Control You.
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) Have you ever wondered why so many techniques in kata seem aimed at the chudan (mid-level)? . Guess what? Perhaps they’re not. . What if the real purpose is to provoke a predictable reaction from your opponent – one that opens up the head or neck as the actual…
Labels, Myths, and the Loss of Function: The Death of Practicality?
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) As a follow-up to yesterday’s article, I thought I would share a couple of comments I received. . Now and then, I get odd messages from people – especially since I’m an advocate for using kata as a kind of practical Swiss Army knife. . Here’s one that shows…
Kata Without Labels: Rethinking What You See – Discovering the Function Within the Movement.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) Take a single technique from any kata – a reverse punch (gyaku-zuki). Most people think of it as just a punch. But what if it’s more? What if that basic movement – seen in countless kata – is a tool that goes far beyond striking? And of course, gyaku-zuki…
Respect Isn’t Silence. Martial Arts Without Question Is Just Obedience.
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) Someone sent me a personal message saying that I “don’t understand the martial arts” and that if I did, I would “show respect”. . I have no idea what article he was referring to – he didn’t say. He just launched into several accusations. . Assumptions like that usually…
Tradition Isn’t the Problem – Repetition Without Reason Is.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) In the modern world of martial arts, we have more information than ever before – yet we cling to methods that seem to have lost all meaning. . So many facts and opinions are out there, but none of it really sticks. Many people continue to revolve around outdated…
A Defining Moment – The Meeting That Redirected Karate.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Today, there are many types of karate. But it’s worth saying what often gets left out: it didn’t used to be this way. . Originally, karate was a method of self-protection – pragmatic and rooted in application. The shift to having ‘many types’ of karate is not something that…
Why Waiting Until Nidan to Learn Bunkai Misses the Point.
(Approx 2 minute read) Too many think kata is just choreography – technique after technique, moving in lines. But without bunkai, it’s empty. . A comment I received the other day from a Shotokan instructor said he doesn’t teach bunkai until the practitioner is at nidan (2nd dan). . Really? Why? Such disregard reflects a…
When Older Eyes Meet Unpredictable Hands – Karate, Age, and the Untrained Threat.
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) As we get older, our karate should change. We no longer need to prove ourselves like we did in our twenties. . Instead, we add another layer to our practical, pragmatic training – moving meditation, more introspection, and a sense of dignity. We begin to think about the legacy…
Respect Is Not Blind – It Seeks Understanding, Tested in Reality.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) My article on hikite had the usual amount of naysayers but this comment caught my eye: . “Interesting that you know better than Funakoshi, Nakayama and all the Sensei’s that came from that line. Some may say you were being very disrespectful at the very least?” . He went…
Revisiting Hikite: The Human Body, Nakayama’s Vision, and the Revolving Door.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) Much of today’s karate comes from the modernization that took place in the early part of the 20th century. Instruction by prominent sensei from the 1960s shaped what many still teach today. . One such method – which I’ve written about extensively – is hikite. – Not again. ….