(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) In my recent article I wrote about using Japanese terms to describe techniques, which in certain situations can be limiting. One such example I gave was nukite. . A couple of the comments stated you wouldn’t use that technique in a real fight. Of course they are right, when…
Tag: Zen
Back to the Future: Still Teaching Step-Kumite? Why?
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) Imagine you’ve spent months waiting for a black belt-only weekend course with your favorite Japanese sensei. A teacher as highly regarded as anyone could be. You apply early, pay your hard-earned fee, and look forward to some advanced karate. . For those who follow my page, you can probably…
How Many Kata Do You Really Need? One Kata, Three Years – Still Enough Today?
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) As I’ve mentioned before, the comments section of my articles often inspires me to write again, and my recent article on kata’s true purpose was no different. . This time, a reader asked a very thoughtful question. They explained how, despite training kata in both Shotokan and Kyokushin, they…
Understanding Karate’s True Purpose: Real Violence, Real Purpose and Why Kata Matters.
(Approx 2 minute 15 second read) Kata was born in a time of real violence, not sport or rules. To think its creators couldn’t defend themselves is absurd. Context matters, and ignorance is not bliss. . I recently received a comment that read: “No fighter ever trains kata to learn how to fight. Only old…
Karate, Context, and the Critics Who Miss the Point.
(Approx 1 minute 45 second read) My recent article about not working hard for a black belt, paying for it, or getting it too easily brought a lot of thoughtful comments. Many people shared their own journeys, what the belt meant to them, and the effort behind it. . But there’s always one (usually more…
Black Belts for Sale: What Happened to Earning It?
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) When I took my shodan (a long time ago) I had no idea it was happening. I turned up for class as normal, always early, the first to arrive, as I helped teach the children class. . My instructor then informed me, “you’re taking shodan tonight.” Wait, what? There…
No Meaning? The Pinan Kata – A Complete Fighting System, Not Children’s Play.
(Approx 2 minute 55 second read) The comments section on my articles reveals quite a bit about people’s knowledge, sometimes the lack of it, their dogma, and sometimes, just a way to put across an opinion. . It’s all good, but when a comment is wide of the mark it gives me impetus to write…
Thinking Like the Creators: Kata as Living Time Capsules – Perspective in Practice.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Do kata have a theme, or are they just a collection of techniques? . Many people see only the techniques, but what we should be doing is learning how to uncover what each kata is trying to teach. The goal is to discover the individual theme and message in…
Shaking the Tree: Wake Up to What You’re Really Practicing and Teaching.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) There are many instructors that are passionate about their karate. They want to appeal to a wider audience and they obviously need to keep the doors of their dojo open. I know, I’ve been there. . There’s nothing wrong with wanting to grow your school or attract students, but…
Was Bruce Lee Right? Why Knowledge Alone Isn’t Enough.
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) I was at school in the 1970s when a friend of mine managed to sneak into the cinema to watch Enter the Dragon, the iconic Bruce Lee movie. . The next day he was so enthusiastic about it that, even though I had never heard of Bruce Lee or…
Am I Getting Angry at an Empty Boat? Zen, Karate, and Self-Defense.
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) Many martial artists think self-defense begins with a punch, and for many practitioners, it’s the only way they see it. . Maybe because I’m getting on in years now, I think more of my failings and my fallibility. Back in the day I loved to fight, boxing as a…
Building on Fundamentals: Why Withholding Techniques Until Black Belt Fails Students.
(Approx 2 minute 20 second read) A comment on one of my recent articles said that they don’t train throws in karate until students reach black belt. Really? Why? . I’ve never understood this mentality as a teacher. I’ve been teaching a long time, both in martial arts and outside of it. If I only…