“ ‘Ishiki’ (意識) is very important. ‘Awareness – Take more attention and focus’. Without ‘Ishiki’: you wouldn’t realize what is happening here and there. By doing it you see and realize things happening. During everyday training with more attention and focus you will see and realize how your stance, form and technique are. Do not…
Tag: Motivation
Great emphasis was placed on balancing physical and mental learning.
“During Matsumura’s generation, unlike today, great emphasis was placed on balancing physical and mental learning.” . Nagamine Shoshin (1907-1997), the founder of Matsubayashi-Ryu, published a book called “Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters”. The quote above comes from that book, and highlights the importance of “Bun Bu Ryu Do” (roughly “Cultural and Martial Studies Together”) in…
Forging the exceptional, out of the ordinary.
“Recently I hear people saying that sports karate, competition karate, is the tradition of our time…. But if I may express my personal opinion, I’d like to ask ‘so then what is karate in Okinawa?’….. . It is an unbroken culture and tradition that our ancestors have carried through history. For hundreds of years especially…
Jiu-kumite should reflect the kata
“I don’t mean to suggest that I have a totally negative opinion about karate-do’s competitive element, it’s just that I feel that it is too shallow. Regardless of whether it is Okinawa, the Japanese mainland, or the world in general, jiu-kimite (free sparring) ignores the principles to which kata apply. Simply put, jiu-kumite should reflect…
To be a master you must be a great & humble student.
I have learned that you cannot teach someone who doesn’t want to learn or grow. Without that desire, there is no use in advising or coaching them, because it just won’t work. People reach a particular level of knowledge because their interests and motivations bring them to a point, but then they don’t want to…
Knowledge is knowing the right answer. Intelligence is asking the right question.
Knowledge is knowing the right answer. Intelligence is asking the right question. ?? . . “The world is full of people who are determined to be somebody or to give trouble. They want to get ahead, to stand out….” ~ Bruce Lee . Everybody wants to progress, everyone wants to wrap themselves in another black belt,…
We learned karate that was to be used in real-life situations.
“Traditional karate is what we learned from the time we started, traditional Okinawan karate. As did our elders. We learned karate that was to be used in real-life situations. If you don’t continue to train with that sense of there being a real opponent, you won’t be able to respond in that kind of…
The most advanced thing you can do, are the basics.
“The most advanced thing you can do, are the basics, consistently.” ~ Morio Higaonna 10th Dan Goju Ryu . Train your basics everyday to improve in your karate training; it sounds so logical and makes so much sense. Now, it’s up to you, the student(s), to rise to the challenge. . It’s true, through daily…
“For every dream, take the first step, and persist on your journey.”
“For every dream, take the first step, and persist on your journey, only then will you know if it worked. This decision depends only on you! . “Aways, whenever possible, stop thinking negatively, always think positively, be faithful and then your life will start to change for the better.” ?? . . Yoshizo Machida 8th Dan…
“In karate, hitting, thrusting, and kicking are not the only methods..”
“In karate, hitting, thrusting, and kicking are not the only methods, throwing techniques and pressure against joints are included.” ~ Gichin Funakoshi . Many students, and instructors, who stand toe-to-toe and exchange techniques, forget (or should that be neglect?) that at some point in a self-protection/self-defense scenario, you will undoubtably end up in a clinch….
You must get up, must train.
“Fighting may not kill you. Opponent may not kill you. Couch will kill you. Food will kill you, the chair, the traffic, the office. You must get up, must train.” . . Dedication and commitment are what transfer dreams into realities. For the sincere student, it mustn’t be enough to simply understand karate. We must…
What motivates you to practice karate?
What motivates you to practice karate? . In all honesty, the only way to do it is to do it. The mistake people make with motivation is that they think it’s something you either have, or you don’t have. Unfortunately, you have to work at motivation. This means you have to actively tell yourself that…