Practice Until You Can Rely on It
Why getting it right once is only the beginning One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that
The Problem Inspires the Technique
Why familiar mechanics can mean different things in different contexts The commonality of technique across the martial arts is that
Zanshin: The Situation May Not Be Over
Why awareness should remain after the technique has finished Zanshin (残心) is often translated as “remaining mind” or “lingering mind.”
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
