(Approx 2 minute read) A comment on one of my articles about self-defense challenged my point that techniques in real combat should rely mostly on gross motor skills. The commentator disagreed, insisting that fine motor skills work just as well in such scenarios. I’m not sure he had any experience in this, as he didn’t…
Tag: Self-Defense
More Than Childcare: Equipping Children for True Real-World Safety.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) A little while ago I had a mother and young son join the dojo. I love it when families train together, it’s really enjoyable when we have a mixed class. . One evening, I was teaching the youngsters how to be an awkward, real pain, difficult ‘little ‘un’, if…
Movement, Not a Catalog of Techniques: Reconnecting Karate with Practical Applications.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) Can you think of another pastime, hobby, sport, or functional defensive practice where there is so much ambiguity? . If I was teaching you advanced ‘blue-lights and siren’ driving skills (I used to), and I answered a question that was so plainly incorrect it would put your life and…
No, You Can’t Mug Me Today. I Just Train for Fun!
(Approx 1 minute 50 second read) I recently had a persistent commenter on my Facebook page, a person who, every time I posted an article about self-defense, would jump in to say that in his 40 years of training, he has never had to use self-defense. He claimed that he trains purely for fun and…
Lessons from the Past: Do Some Traditions Fail in Self-Defense?
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) Social media today is flooded with people showing off their ideas of bunkai applications. Every day, my feed is full of someone performing something or other. . Sometimes, these ideas are just cringeworthy, so I move on. It’s not worth losing time over. . Now, I get that for…
Guiding Young Minds: Teaching Kids Karate Without Losing Its Depth.
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) A comment on my recent article stated “Trying to encourage a young student (say 7-10 year old) to embrace the multiple options for jodan age uke as a starting point is simply impractical. Surely it is better to focus on getting the technique correct from the feet up (on…
“Keiko Saki, Rikai Wa Ato” (稽古先，理解 後) – Practice First, Understanding Later.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) I’m sure you have heard the term, ‘renshū’ (練習) – practice through repetition. It’s about ingraining a skill by doing it over and over again until it becomes second nature. . In many Western dojos, when a new technique, drill, or application is introduced, students will often carefully mimic…
Meeting it Head-On: Shouldn’t Angles Define Kata and Your Responses?
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) I’m writing about angles again as I had so many comments and messages about this, I want to try and make my case a little clearer. . When you’re in the dojo and you begin to practice any step-kumite, drills, or sparring, you stand facing an opponent, right? ….
“Self-Praise and Over-Confidence is a Sickness That Corrupts Training.”
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) Confidence is something every martial artist needs. Without it, even the most skilled person can freeze when it matters most. I’ve written about this recently – the impact of how a lack of confidence can ruin any skill you may have. . However, just as too little confidence is…
Thinking for Yourself: Breaking Free from the Illusion in Karate.
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) “What the herd hates most is the one who thinks differently; it is not so much the opinion itself, but the audacity of wanting to think for themselves, something that they do not know how to do.” – Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) . Karate, and the martial arts in general,…
When Tradition Becomes a Cage Without the Key.
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) Recently, I wrote an article about how a single movement in karate can serve multiple purposes – beyond the common terminology labels we give them. I used a simple example: the movement many call ‘jodan uke’. I shared a picture of two of my students demonstrating it as a…
Breaking the Mold: Lessons Hiding in Plain Sight.
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) Ever notice how we’re really good at ignoring stuff that doesn’t fit what we already think? . This happens in karate a lot. We get an idea in our heads about, let’s say an upper block, and that’s it. That’s how we see it, period. . Of course it…