Making connections with students, through humor, kindness, likability, and more is important in any dojo. It can also be astonishingly rewarding. However, you should never be friends with students. Friendly, yes. Friends, no. There is a danger in building relationships with students and that line can never be crossed….. Be a teacher, mentor, and role…
Tag: Philosophy
“Ataishi turu atairu”
“Ataishi turu atairu” – is a Okinawan proverb meaning “We get along well with those we can get along with well.” . Theodore Roosevelt said that “the most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” Research shows how good relationships with people around us are…
Why take the time to learn the martial arts for self-defense?
Why take the time to learn the martial arts for self-defense? . It’s a well known fact that size and strength matter significantly when engaging in unarmed combat. So why bother learning the martial arts for self-defense at all? Why not get a gun (legally: Country and State permitted), where size and strength are much…
Creating your own style of martial art.
Creating your own style of martial art. . Why is this frowned upon? What makes us any different from the old masters? Didn’t they spend time with several teachers and then after a time, “go out on their own”? . Understanding our lineage, and the traditions that have been passed down over generations is of…
Try something new, incorporate “meotode” into your training.
“ The risk of learning something new is that you may have to completely change what you’re doing and what you are thinking, as a result of what you’ve learned. Yet, when you’ve reached a level of experience, you don’t want to change, you don’t want to lose everything you’ve gained. Well guess what? You…
Hey… lets be careful out there.
“There is one place that you have not looked, and it is there, only there that you shall find the master.” – Quote from the Last Dragon . It’s important to recognize when something doesn’t feel right, or is killing your motivation, or making you unhappy. When you know you have tried your best and…
How bad (or good) are untrained people at fighting?
Those of us that study pragmatic karate, will always tell you that the karate we practice is for use against “civilian attacks”…. the reason karate was created. That our combative skills are for use against a thug, “ruffian or villain” (Ankoh Itosu precept quote). Someone who is untrained in the martial arts. . But these…
I hate teaching!
“Teaching is far from perfect. It’s messy, and in that mess is where you’ll craft your teaching and truly enjoy the journey.” – Lisa Dabbs . I hate teaching! . Not everyone is well suited to a position as an instructor or teacher. As you climb higher in grade it is expected of you to…
You must train against uncooperative and resisting opponents.
You must train against uncooperative and resisting opponents. . A lot of martial arts techniques and applications just don’t work against a non-compliant resisting opponent. Especially so when applied in the ways that the vast majority of people try to apply it. . How many times have you seen bunkai or partner drills with an…
There is more than one way.
In the martial arts everyone has an opinion, whether that person is knowledgeable or not. The problem these days is that everyone believes what they read and watch on social media, instead of thinking for themselves. . But sometimes you read an article or watch a video that contains new, controversial, or subjective information, and…
Always willing to learn.
Why are people so afraid of learning something new or different? Even if you have been doing something for years one particular way, there may be a different way, or a better way. Wouldn’t that be interesting and great to know and learn? Why are you so adamant that there is only the way you…