No matter your age or occupation, every day you are confronted with unexpected challenges. You either accept these challenges and meet them head-on, or you resist them, wishing they would just go away. Yet challenges are woven into the fabric of our lives. They are the tests we all have to face daily. . No…
Tag: Philosophy
What is the purpose of having a goal?
What is the purpose of having a goal? . A sense of direction, a path of where you’re headed in your training or a specific aspect of it? A goal need not be everything but should give you a direction and path. The specifics of the goal can change, but its values give you a…
The importance of focus in your training.
The importance of focus in your training. . The word gets tossed around so much in the martial arts that it’s almost become a cliché, but focus is one of the most important tools you can apply to your training routine. . Focus and attention to detail during training is key to improving and making…
Knowledge speaks. Wisdom listens.
The martial arts are closely intertwined with traditions that take long lives and healthy living seriously. Old masters not only exist, many are known for outshining the young. . The karate masters of the past were at the forefront of martial arts wisdom and knowledge. Why? Because they had memories of what had and hadn’t…
There are NO shortcuts. Hard work and training. There’s no secret formula.
There are NO shortcuts. Hard work and training. There’s no secret formula. . Social media is a powerful communications medium, with widespread influence. Online communication has brought information to people and audiences that previously could not be reached. . Previous generations looked up to genuine experts, who had spent decades perfecting their art. Now, anyone…
Your bunkai needs to be effective, it must be applicable to real situations.
When you analyze kata, breakdown the movements within, your bunkai needs to be effective, it must be applicable to real situations. The kata were created for this reason. . Some of the applications put forward as interpretations of kata movement vary from the wonderful to the ridiculous, and unfortunately it is often hopelessly inadequate. ….
To not fight is the greatest victory in a street fight.
For those of you who ‘laugh in the face of adversity’, and your response to all things is to fight….. You know who you are! . I want to stress the importance of attempting to solve a problem without a physical altercation. Really you should be trying your best to deescalate a situation before it…
So, what’s your story going to be?
“Karate cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels a thousand leagues. If one trains diligently for one or two hours every day, then in three or four years one will see a change in physique. Those who train in this fashion will discover the deeper principles of karate.” –…
“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.”
People learn fast. When you realize that once you quit one thing, life gets easier. Why? Because all you have to do is give up, rather than deal with the hardship of what it takes to succeed. . Being labelled a “quitter” is a tough label to shake. Breaking a promise is a big deal;…
Is karate still your passion?
Teachers like teaching. We like to impart our knowledge and passion in the dojo and it’s the greatest feeling ever when a student succeeds. For some there is very little financial incentive to being a teacher or running a dojo, we just want our students to surpass us. . In order to be successful, many…
Do you only know one way?
Do you only know one way? Have you only been taught to fight? . For all the importance we place on learning how to fight and defend ourselves, the martial arts should at their core, teach that it is best NOT to get into a fight in the first place. . There are dojo and…
Symbolic gesture or combative function?
When people don’t understand things, they often find it easier to create their own explanations. We see this all the time, in every part of society. . To psychologists, this behavior is known as ‘rationalization’. If something doesn’t make sense, then make it make sense. Karate is no exception. And salutations in kata is an…