(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) I mentioned in an article recently that an Okinawan teacher showed his black belts a series of techniques meant to showcase ‘real’ karate. Unfortunately, expectations are never as exciting as reality. . Firstly, someone said to me in the comments section, “Can you provide a link to the video?”…
Tag: Self-Defense
Creativity in Motion: The Power of Possibility Through Asking the Right Questions.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) The problem with many karate techniques is that they are often taught as having a single, fixed use. Consider modern karate and the tools it provides. Let’s take an example: the “Jodan age uke”, the ubiquitous upper rising block. In modern karate, it’s typically used to block, deflect, or…
The Trouble With Trying to Do It All: Have Clarity of Purpose and Choose the Right Path.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) All combat sports are one-on-one fights with rules. Self-protection, on the other hand, is not consensual fighting and should be approached differently. . Training for success in sport is designed to ensure success in sport. It makes little sense to train to develop one set of skills when they…
Common Ground: Universal Principles and a Shared Language – Different Paths, Similar Movements.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) The comments on my articles are inspiring, often funny, and sometimes, just uninformed. . To all the armchair enthusiasts, keyboard warriors, and practitioners from other methods who think kata is useless – let’s get this out of the way: You do not fight with kata. . The kata were…
Karate: Art or Illusion? No – Let’s Get Back to Reality.
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) Has karate become nothing but a demonstration art? . Many people send me messages asking my thoughts on various karate videos, as I often write about realism and practical karate. This week, I watched a video of an instructor from Okinawa, demonstrating applications from kata. . To be honest,…
Practical Self-Defense: Ditch the Drama and Embrace Reality. Sitting Pretty or Prepared?
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) It’s astonishing to me that I need to clarify this further, something as straightforward as practical self-defense, yet here we are. Once again, the armchair enthusiasts seem unable to grasp the situation with any common sense. . To set the record straight: regarding the article where I was asked…
Beyond the Isolated Movements: How Transitions Bring Kata to Life.
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) While teaching at a Kyokushin dojo a little while ago, a Nidan there asked me about interpreting a specific move from the kata ‘Kanku’. . The Kyokushin version of the kata was not one I had practiced before, so we talked about how looking at one movement on its…
Context: The Key to Effective Training Across Disciplines.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) I recently wrote a couple of articles about going to the ground in self-defense. Many of the comments said that you’d better know how to fight on the ground because most altercations end up there. . Yes, you may end up on the ground, and it’s imperative you drill…
Under Pressure: The Way You Train is the Way You’ll Respond:
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) You will perform the way you train. This principle holds across martial arts, sports, and virtually any skill-based activity or profession. Training shapes not only physical habits but also mental responses under pressure. . In response to one of my articles about an ill-advised self-defense technique performed for a…
The Ground: Think Twice Before You Go There!
(Approx 2 minutes 30 second read) Some people are incredibly territorial when it comes to the martial art they practice. The comments on my recent article about judo and self-defense sparked a storm of snarky responses – some from people who seemed genuinely upset, and others, who didn’t even bother reading the article before offering…
Kneeling for a Throw? Staying Off the Ground in Self-defense.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Recently, I was asked to sit in on a grading where a student was being promoted from 1st to 2nd dan. When asked to perform self-defense the student performed several throws from judo, some from a kneeling position. . For me, this was not an ideal representation of a…
Beyond Sparring: Understand the Limitations of Your Self-Defense Training in the Martial Arts.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) While there are always exceptions, thankfully, most of us today rarely face the need to use physical self-defense. . Recently, someone commented on one of my articles, suggesting that sparring is the ultimate test of self-defense because of its unpredictability. While sparring does offer some unpredictability, it is nowhere…