(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) In my last article, I spoke about the uncomfortable reality of aging. The biological fact that a 66-year-old cannot reliably out-athlete a bigger, stronger, violent 20-year-old. . The response was telling. Some found it liberating, while others found it insulting. But once we accept that our hardware has slowed…
Tag: Mind
Experience Has Limits: You Cannot Underestimate the Untrained.
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) Have you ever been attacked outside of the dojo? Have you ever had to deal with someone who was genuinely determined to cause you or your loved ones harm? Have you been knocked to the ground, injured, and then had to get up and run for your life? ….
Failing Your Kata: When Exhaustion Replaces Education.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) It is one thing to argue that kata is misunderstood as a concept, but it is another entirely to witness how that misunderstanding manifests in the daily reality of the modern dojo. . Following my previous article, a reader shared a reflection that perfectly captures the frustration felt by…
When Avoidance Isn’t Enough and Walking Away Isn’t Always the Answer.
(Approx 1 minute 10 second read) There are always those who want conflict, who want to fight. . We’re told, again and again, that the sensible response is to de-escalate, walk away, disengage, and not react. And most of the time, that is good advice. . But that advice quietly assumes something important. . It…
When One Movement Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story.
(Approx 1 minute 55 second read) Some time ago, while teaching at a Kyokushin dojo, a nidan asked me about the meaning of a particular movement in Kanku. . It wasn’t a version of the kata I had practiced before, but that didn’t really matter. What interested me was the question itself, because it highlighted…
The Ghost of Practice: When Visualization Helps – and When It Doesn’t.
(Approx 1 minute 50 second read) I wrote an article recently saying, as I’ve long believed, that the two-person drills came before kata. . Kata was the record, something to memorize, a mnemonic, something to preserve the lessons when you were training alone. But I also pointed out that practicing kata on your own isn’t…
Kata Makes Sense Only When You See the Other Person.
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) The question of evidence has popped up again from a personal message: “How do we know the creators of kata built them on two-person drills?” . A fair question. . But before we get into it, let me make it clear, and I mean no disrespect, I don’t have…
The Black Belt: A License to Learn.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Well done. You’ve got your black belt, you’ve reached one of your major goals. It feels great, doesn’t it? You can finally tell everyone you’re a black belt. For some it may have taken years, for others perhaps not so. . For a moment there’s euphoria, maybe a celebration…
Seeing the Whole Picture: Teaching Beyond the Basics.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) Something different. . There are many great teachers of the martial arts out there, but how do you become a great teacher? I’m not saying I’m a great teacher, far from it. I’m just sharing what’s helped me teach more effectively over the years. . Most instructors fall into…
Not Pretty – Ugly, But Effective. Function Over Form.
(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Recently I was criticized on someone’s page for saying the pioneers of karate, the masters of the past, preferred “function over form”. He asked, “What proof does he have?” . If I’m wrong, I have no problem admitting it. But in this case, I really don’t think I am….
Seeking Solutions: Progress Only Comes When You Look for It.
(Approx 1 minute 35 second read) There is so much hatred in the martial arts world on social media that I sometimes find myself wondering whether it’s all worth it. . I’ve stepped back from closed minded groups and associations, simply focusing on my own path, staying in touch only with the people who genuinely…
Focus on Your Own Path: The Only Authority You Need Is Over Yourself.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) Why do people obsess over things? . People obsess for many reasons, and some are more prone to it than others. . You might try to make sense of a situation but can’t quite understand or accept it, so you keep replaying it. Others want reassurance that they were…