No one can put the knowledge or skill inside your head and in your hands. You basically get out of it what you put into it. . What amazes me still is how many people I see haven’t taken their training that far. They show up to class, do what they’re told, and then leave….
Tag: Sensei
“Don’t think. FEEL.”
When I was a kid Bruce Lee was the one who inspired me to start the martial arts at fourteen years of age, while still at school. “Emotional content”. A small scene in his classic film ‘Enter the Dragon’. . It all starts when Bruce discovers a young student walking around the temple. Upon seeing…
‘Soji’ (掃除) ‘Cleaning’ the Dojo
In Japan, cleaning is called ‘Soji’ (掃除) and apart from obviously ‘cleaning’ it is valued as a way to cultivate our minds. In fact, ‘Soji ‘is beyond mere cleaning. Buddhist monks when attending a monastery or shrine, put a great deal of time into practicing ‘Soji’. A monk’s day begins with cleaning, and cleanliness and…
“Old style karate involved only what would be useful.”
Here is a comment posted on a recent YouTube video. (I won’t mention any names)…… “I post this as a person who has trained many years in karate, then to judo and jujitsu, and then to boxing. I would also say, I have spent many years in law enforcement roles and I know what works….
“Through sparring practice the practical meaning of kata becomes apparent.”
Many practitioners talk about kata interpretation, or bunkai as an element of their karate practice. And many of these practitioners say the movements aren’t practical, they wouldn’t work for real, kata is useless, no-one comes to my dojo to learn kata, etc, etc……. and you know what? That’s true, for the way most people practice…
How important is lineage to you?
We all have a martial arts lineage of sorts, some remain faithful to one, others perhaps through no fault of their own, have several. There are those that believe who you follow is of the utmost importance, and there are others who couldn’t care less. . Anyone who has an interest in the history of…
“Learning is not simply about acquiring knowledge.”
Students develop an interest in a subject for reasons that have meaning for them. They may be motivated by their interest in a topic, their prior success, a desire to please parents or their instructors, or simply by their own drive to succeed. . There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsically…
“If you want to make friends, you have no time to make enemies.”
Cooperation and sharing are basic life skills that enable us to make friends, work successfully in groups, and get along well with others. . “If you want to make friends, you have no time to make enemies.” – Seikichi Iha 10th Dan Shorin Ryu Shidokan; above quote from an interview with the Lansing City…
Are you a serious martial artist?
If you are a serious martial artist, you won’t let anyone interfere with your martial arts. Training time is too important or valuable to be interfered with. It has to be done every day and takes priority over everything else. . Attending the Dojo, lessons and seminars are the same. They go in the calendar…
Use your mind as your best weapon, fighting first is NOT your only option.
For those of you who ‘laugh in the face of adversity’, and your response to all things is to fight, to always want to fight first….. You know who you are! . I want to stress the importance of attempting to solve a problem without a physical altercation. You should be trying your best to…
History is a valuable teacher. If you care to take a look.
Tegumi (手組) or Mutō (無刀) is a traditional form of wrestling from Okinawa. A common practice in Okinawa’s Ryukyu Kingdom period, ‘tegumi’ nearly disappeared from the Okinawan martial arts curriculum. . It is believed by many researchers that tegumi was probably the original form of fighting from Okinawa. And those researchers believe that tegumi, along…
“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom.”
“Today, there are many instructors who boast of heroic episodes to their students. They are not qualified to be instructors.” – Eiichi Miyazato 10th dan Goju Ryu from the book Okinawa Den Gojuryu Karate-do . Humility is a very important human trait that all people should exercise in their lives. The core significance of being…