“What do you think is the most valuable thing you might have in your life, that you really don’t pay attention to, especially when you’re young, because you just feel you have an abundance of it? It’s never ending…….… Time.” – Sylvester Stallone . The reason why people keep saying, “the trouble is you think…
Month: February 2021
The problem with closed-minded people, is that their mouths are always open.
Close-minded is when you believe in something or in someone and your mind will stay closed to that belief and will not even try to acknowledge any other idea or concept. . Nobody wants to admit they’re close-minded. Ask anyone, and 90% of the time, they’ll tell you they’re an open-minded, positive individual who’s (apparently)…
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…
My karate is stronger than yours!
My karate is stronger than yours! . Really? You think so? . It’s essential to define what people mean by “strongest”. I’m assuming that when people are looking for the strongest karate styles, they mean strongest in terms of effectiveness and practicality. But strongest, WHERE? In the dojo? In a ring? In a competition? In…
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…
Karate “blocks” only work in a predefined attack.
Karate “blocks” only work in a predefined attack….. Shock, horror….you mean my karate blocks won’t work in a spontaneous attack? . Action is always faster than reaction even when you’re anticipating it. When you’re reacting your brain goes through what could be described as a “defensive reaction cycle”; perception, evaluation and reaction. That takes time….
“Carry the tradition into the future.”
We are scared of change, and always avoid it for as long as possible. People appreciate regularity, security and comfort. Change is the contrary, it takes you out of your comfort zone, it is unstable at first, scary because unknown. And we have always fear what we ignore. . Another way of thinking would be…
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…
“I think people should really take more time in promoting karate as a cohesive vehicle for self-improvement.”
“I think people should really take more time in promoting karate as a cohesive vehicle for self-improvement rather than individualize it to a specific style.“ (End quote) – Cezar Borkowski 10th dan Northern Karate Schools . There are a lot of lessons karate teaches us throughout our journey, most of which will hopefully draw out…
Never neglect courtesy and etiquette.
Modern life sometimes encourages an individual to act without thinking, to treat others carelessly, to feed the ego. By contrast, etiquette, discipline, and a respect for others is at the heart of the martial arts. . Etiquette is not simply a matter of tradition, nor is it a matter of “being polite.” It is at…
“I teach karate as a life protection art, not as a sport.”
“I teach karate as a life protection art, not as a sport….. My son commands the 4th Marines he trains Marines to go to war, and then you pray you never have to. It’s the same thing in training karate, that you train to win, there are no silver medals in a life protection situation.”…
It’s not about the Likes. It’s about sharing the knowledge.
Right now we all live in a world we never imagined. Movements and socialization limited and restricted. Many schools and dojo have closed or are operating at a bare minimum, some only able to offer online classes. So where does this leave the students? . For us at the Shuri Dojo, and me personally, we…