(Approx 3 minute read) Someone recently commented on one of my articles, saying they don’t bother planning lessons – they just go with the flow. That got me thinking. . I’m all for being adaptable in the moment. But it made me reflect on how we, as instructors, prepare – or don’t – for the…
Category: Martial Arts
In life, you cannot always choose what you do, but you can always choose who you are.
In life, you cannot always choose what you do, but you can always choose who you are. . No matter how things may seem, you always have a choice. Sometimes, the best choice is to let go and just move forward. . The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take that…
The Shattered Mirror: Reflecting on the Damage Hate Can Cause.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) Further to my article on mental health, I want to address another important aspect that affects many both in and out of the martial arts – hate. . You encounter many different attitudes in the martial arts. Most are extremely positive, but some harbor intense hatred. While all of…
Fighting Inner Battles: The Martial Arts and the Mind. There’s No Magic Fix.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) Many people believe that sport is played with the body and won with the mind. This being so, can the amount and intensity of training contribute just as much psychologically as physically? . Studies have shown that fitness training may help improve self-esteem, confidence, and body image. There are…
Teaching Self-Defense: It’s Time to Be Honest – One Size Doesn’t Fit All.
(Approx 2minute 15 second read) First, I want to thank those of you who follow my page and read my articles. If you do. you should know I prefer the practical and effective over rigid, performance-focused modern karate. . I often write about the stark differences between real self-defense and the misleading claims made by…
Balance in Combat – Mastering Your Center of Gravity.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) If you end up having to fight, apart from anything else, having good balance can make or break the outcome. . Balance is one of those things you don’t think about – until you lose it. Suddenly, it’s all that matters. In any martial art, controlling your center of…
Exploring Kata: More Than Techniques. From Motion to Meaning.
(Approx 2 minute 30 second read) Something someone brought up recently about kata. They were asking, “If we don’t really understand the applications, the why behind the moves, are we just wasting our time?” . There’s no single, perfect answer to what any move in a kata is supposed to be. Even if the old…
Stillness and Action: Finding Zen in Every Movement.
(Approx 1 minute 30 second read) Zen. People think it’s some mystical concept, but really, it’s just about direct experience – seeing things as they are, without the clutter of unnecessary thought. . In the martial arts, that means decisive action. No hesitation. You train to build instinct, to trust your preparation. A fight doesn’t…
Karate and Kobudo: Two Paths, One Tradition – Complementary, Not Opposing.
(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Someone commented on my recent article, suggesting that styles also reflect the “weapons reality” that an opponent might use. . He stated that “Okinawan Karate focused on empty hand fighting against weapons such as Bo, Jo, Nunchaku, Sai and Tonfa. This ‘weapons reality’ led to direct, close quarter, power…
Styles Define the Path – But the Practitioner Defines the Journey.
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) “What style do you practice?” . I get asked this question whenever someone learns that I practice karate or when someone with a little knowledge of karate inquires about joining our dojo. . It’s as if the style of karate you practice is more important than the kind of…
The Ferret’s Way: Tenacity, Effort, and the Spirit of ‘Ganbaru’.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) I don’t know about you, but I always try my best in everything I do. Occasionally, I get annoyed with myself, thinking I could have done better. Maybe I’m just wired that way. Of course, I don’t always succeed, but next time, I try that bit harder. . An…
A Lifelong Commitment: Tie The Belt, The Path Could Be Long.
(Approx 2 minute read) Most people who start martial arts don’t stay. Some quit after a few months, others after a few years. A rare few keep training for life. Why? . Kenwa Mabuni once said, “空手は生涯の研究です” – Karate wa shōgai no kenkyū desu (“Karate is a lifelong study”). Many of the early masters believed…