“True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” ~ Tom Peters . Trust is a wonderful thing. Real trust is something that is earned over time. In budo practice, trust is absolutely essential. Without trust there is no respect. Trust is really easy to break and very difficult to gain. Once trust is broken,…
Month: April 2020
Motivation in martial arts training.
Motivation in martial arts training. . I’ve been training in the martial arts for almost forty seven years now and finding the motivation to keep going has been an ongoing process. Sometimes it was easy, other times not so much. Which brings me to the question I think is key to have long-term motivation to…
The possession of anything begins in the mind.
“When you feel life out of focus, always return to basic of life. Breathing. No breathe, no life.” ~ Mr. Miyagi ?? Nourishing the mind is of utmost importance during these extraordinary times. Karate isn’t just physical. It’s very much a mental discipline too. . Legendary martial artist Bruce Lee said it best: “The possession of…
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’.
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’. ?? . ‘Sensei’ (先生) is a Japanese word people all over the world use, in and out of the dojo, in place of ‘teacher.’ . But the word ‘sensei’ is much more than simply a synonym for ‘teacher’. When trying to understand a Japanese word, it’s always a good idea…
“There are no styles of karate-do, just varying interpretations of its principles.”
“Why I Stopped Practicing My Karate Style. (Maybe YOU Should Too?)” ~ Jesse Enkamp . . “There is no place in contemporary Karate for different styles. I have heard myself and my colleagues referred to as the ‘Shotokan style’, but I strongly object to this attempt at classification. My belief is that all ‘styles’ should…
It is very difficult to keep tradition.
The difficulty of preserving tradition. ??� . “It is very difficult to keep tradition, not only in karate do, but also in other martial arts. In order to do so, both teachers and students seriously need to do their best. Students need to have an understanding of karate while enjoying it. Of course, teachers have to…
“A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.”
“[..] there are many quotes that refers to Zen in relation to martial arts and life.” ?? . Morio Higaonna 10th dan Goju Ryu . “A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.” ~ Deepak Chopra . . An overcrowded and stressed mind blocks the flow of peace, clarity, wisdom and creativity more than…
“Many Karate teachers teach a watered down style….”
“Many Karate teachers teach a watered down style – no hip action and no depth of punching – so it is easy to say that these teachers have no depth to their knowledge. You are what your teacher is, and if he knows a lot, you should be able to demonstrate this knowledge.” ?? . Yuchoku…
Make sure, as instructors, your students know exactly what they are being taught.
However keen you may be to begin teaching, before you venture on to the mat and attempt to teach any of the basic techniques (or advanced) to students, it is necessary to know something of the combative principles they contain. . The instructor needs to ask himself/herself what are they training for? Are you training…
Humility is knowing what you don’t know.
“The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there.” ?? . Ed Parker American Kenpo (1931-1990) . In the martial arts world, I have noticed an undesirable trend with many practitioners and instructors. There are those who regularly talk about the things they have accomplished, they exaggerate their success and…
Fighting is not always the best option.
“Fighting is not always the best option.” ?? . Adam Carter 7th dan Ryukyu Karate Jutsu ~ Shuri Dojo . Every individual, at some point in his or her life, has been victimized, exploited, or bullied in some form or another. Whether this relates to being bullied as a child, an adult being singled out at…
Push yourself, because, no one else is going to do it for you.
“Push yourself, because, no one else is going to do it for you.” ?? . Tatsuya Naka 7th dan JKA Shotokan . No matter how hard you try, some days, your students aren’t engaged. There’s no way around it. Student apathy occurs when the student believes that their pedagogical success lies completely with the instructor, or…