“Remember, fighting skills aren’t the key to self-protection: fighting is what happens when self-protection goes bad.” – Iain Abernethy 7th dan . Self-protection, martial arts, and fighting, are NOT the same, they are related, but they are most definitely not the same. There remains so many teachers / instructors that still do not understand this,…
Tag: Training
Your karate is FAKE!
It’s time to admit that the karate you are learning (teaching) is FAKE, and it doesn’t actually teach you how to fight. . Practicing karate at certain schools does NOT prepare you for an actual fight! . The real problem is that regular people are being peddled traditional karate snake oil, by fake teachers who…
Never fail to practice.
“Where there is no practice, there is no Karate practitioner. Never fail to practice.” (end quote) – Minoru Higa 10th dan Shorin Ryu Kyudokan . ‘究道無限’ (Kyudo Mugen) – (The Path of Study Never Ends) . It is easy to believe you know enough. You have reached all the knowledge you need or want. You…
“Many [female] students had not been allowed to study karate”
Hatsuko Machida is ranked 6th dan in Uechi-ryu. She teaches at the Ageda Women’s Dojo, which is unique in Okinawa for offering women only karate classes. She explained that many of her students had not been allowed to study karate when they were young, so now they embrace the opportunity to do so. ….
You are your own worst enemy.
“You are your own worst enemy. Fortunately, you know all your weaknesses.” . You know yourself better than anyone and you know where you want to go. Therefore you need to create a path on which you are going to step in and on. . One of the problems about today’s society is that many…
“I work hard to follow my teacher’s example.”
“In Shogen-ryu there is no unnecessary movement. Everything is connected to the next move. And there is speed in that movement. I’m slow, but Taba Sensei’s karate was so fast, it was too quick to see with your eyes. I work hard to follow my teacher’s example, but it is very difficult.” (End quote)…
“Never worry about what others are doing.”
“Never worry about what others are doing.” (end quote) – Zenpo Shimabukuro 10th dan Shorin-ryu Seibukan . . Some people that always seem to be preoccupied with what those around them are doing, and what those around them are saying, or posting on social media, can’t seem to get ahead with their own lives. They…
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” ~ Chinese Proverb . Great teachers are important. They can give you amazing insights and help point you in the right direction. But the real question is: What will you do with all of that great instruction? It’s not enough to just take a karate…
The PAIN you feel today, will be the STRENGTH you feel tomorrow.
Losing interest in your martial arts training will happen to everyone at some point. There are various reasons why this can happen. However, changing your perspective a little can be all it takes to rekindle your love of your art and keep you training. . The novelty of the training wears off, or an…
100 Kata for a day.
It is World Karate Day in Okinawa (Sunday October 25th). . This year, at the Shuri Dojo, we decided to do our part too, so we did 100 “Saifa” kata. . Here’s to next year. . .
MOST styles of Karate TODAY do not incorporate throws.
MOST styles of Karate TODAY do not incorporate throws…. And I am not speaking of those dojo that use throws from Judo as self-defense (you know who you are). . However, traditional Okinawan styles that have preserved a broader base of traditional martial techniques and principles, do indeed have throws…..as well as take-down defense, sweeps,…
How effective is karate for self-defense?
How effective is karate for self-defense? (BTW, It’s a rhetorical question) . In its pure form, karate can be incredibly effective… but in its modern incarnation most of the karate seen today is sports oriented. The majority of today’s young people have only seen karate as a sport, with its strict rules and fanciful acrobatic…