Applied Methods by Adam Carter
Adam Carter, founder and senior instructor of Shuri Dojo, has over five decades of experience in karate training and teaching. Applied Methods explores practical karate, context, real-world application, and perspectives on practice, teaching, and experience.
Latest from Applied Methods
The Instructor a Student Remembers
Why encouragement, example and trust can matter long after the lesson is over As instructors and teachers, one of the […]
We do not always know what a student sees in us.
Whether we intend to be role models or not, young students may see us that way. That carries a responsibility.…
Does Karate Inherently Improve Your Character?
Why years of training, rank and tradition do not automatically make someone a better person Character traits can certainly be […]
Years of training do not guarantee good character
Karate may give us opportunities to develop patience, discipline and self-control. But years of training do not guarantee good character.…
Move the Body, Not Just the Feet
Why the movement between stances matters as much as the stance itself One of the things that can happen in […]
We spend a great deal of time studying the positions in kata.
We spend a great deal of time studying the positions in kata. Perhaps we should spend just as much time…
The Question Behind the Kata
What kata may tell us even when their exact origins are uncertain I have sixteen kata in my standard curriculum. […]
We may never know precisely who first assembled every movement of every kata.
We may never know precisely who first assembled every movement of every kata. But someone thought those movements were important…
Why Is Karate Taught This Way?
How the development of Karate-Do changed the way kata is taught Because this is how Traditional Karate-Do developed. If someone […]
Learning a kata and learning from a kata are not the same thing.
Learning a kata and learning from a kata are not the same thing. That distinction has been on my mind…
What Does Pinan Really Mean?
Why these so-called beginners’ kata may deserve a much deeper look The Pinan/Heian kata, Shodan through Godan, are among the […]
Some kata are introduced early and then quietly treated as something we eventually move beyond.
I’m not sure that makes much sense. The Pinan/Heian kata may be taught relatively early, but that does not mean…
You Don’t Have to Be More Than You Are
On honesty, experience, and the responsibility that comes with teaching Over the years, I have written quite strongly about fake […]
You do not have to be extraordinary to be a good martial arts teacher
Some of the strongest teachers I have known were never the loudest, the most decorated, or the most impressive on…
Training for the Wrong Problem
If karate is supposed to have relevance to self-protection, then the way we practice has to reflect the problems we […]
