“From the moment we are born to the moment we die, we must constantly try to improve. If we do not, we die. It is our obligation as human beings…” (End quote) – Joon Pyo Choi 10th Dan SongMooKwan . We had a great class on Saturday. Those moments where a student has a lightbulb…
Tag: Sensei
Physical punishment as discipline is ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
Things have changed over the years. When I began my training in traditional martial arts, some of the instructors were mean. They went out of their way to inflict pain on you, many of them made you feel useless, being unable to grasp a technique or kata. They ordered and shouted at you like military…
BELIEF starts with “YES I CAN.”
How many times do you hear students in your dojo or school say, “I can’t”? Doesn’t that phrase make you cringe? I always tell my students; “Don’t say you can’t, because you can. Just say you’re going to try.” . As teachers, the most important and rewarding part of our work is to recognize the…
Your BEST is always enough.
We have all heard, “always do your best.” Whether it came from our parents, a teacher or instructor, doing our best has always been a precept echoed throughout our lives. But what does doing your best really mean? And is it even possible to always do your best? . Emphatically I say yes, yes it…
What motivates students to learn and how can we encourage them?
“The reason why I’ve continued it this far is it’s simply I just like it….. I just love training karate.“ (End quote) – Masao Shinzato 8th dan Matsubayashi-ryu . What motivates students to learn and how can we encourage them? . Students may be motivated by their interest in a topic, their prior success…
Are black belts in martial arts given away too easily?
“These days too many people stop training once they pass 2nd or 3rd Dan, they don’t realise that belts are not important. Grades mean nothing; all that matters is to train hard.” (End quote) – Tatsuo Suzuki Wado-Ryu (1928-2011) . Are black belts in martial arts given away too easily? . If your black belt…
Do you revere your sensei or teacher?
“We received from our ancestors, the old masters of karate, the Kata, which they have created with their blood and their hearts, putting their whole souls into them.” (End quote) – Mabuni Kenei . . Do you revere your sensei or teacher, as is often quoted by the older generation of Karate masters? . Reverence…
Why is unrealistic “Bunkai” being taught?
Why is unrealistic “Bunkai” being taught? . The answer is simple: Because the vast majority of karate is taught by instructors who don’t know what realistic bunkai is. And that’s because their instructors were never taught it. And their instructors’ instructors were never taught it. . The original creators of each kata had their own…
Are you an instructor, a teacher, both, or something else?
“A teacher is never a giver of truth; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that each student must find for himself.” – Bruce Lee . Strictly speaking, education and instruction are mutually exclusive. You instruct soldiers. You teach students. An instructor lays down rules to be obeyed; a teacher strews ideas to…
When is the time to retire from the martial arts?
When is the time to retire from the martial arts? . I’m finally old enough to examine it with some objectivity. The issue, of course, is when one should retire in karate or other forms of budo. No serious martial artist “retires” in the sense that the person ceases to train, study and explore life…
As instructors and teachers we have a duty of care to our students.
As instructors and teachers we have a duty of care to our students. While they are at our schools or dojo, we have a legal responsibility, and it is called; “Duty of Care”. It is associated with physical welfare as well as moral, intellectual, and the social wellbeing of students. . There are several aspects…
Karate and kobudo are difficult……
“Karate and kobudo are difficult, if you do not practice seriously with a traditional approach, you may miss the important points.” – Fumio Demura 9th dan Shito-Ryu . . The truth is to become good at karate, to get anywhere near being proficient with your techniques, drills and kata, you need to do hundreds and…