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
When the Mind Will Not Let Go
We spend years training for physical problems we may rarely face, yet the mind is something we have to deal
When the Best Choice is Not to Fight
Sometimes self-protection is not about what you can do physically, but whether you can prevent the situation from becoming physical
What We Didn’t Practice
What repetition teaches us, and what can happen when something changes. When I opened my dojo back in the UK
Context Changes Everything
Before deciding whether a method works, we first need to understand what it is supposed to achieve. We are often
Karate Kata and the Weapons Question
Being able to use a weapon within a karate kata does not mean the kata was originally designed for one.
What Happens When the Other Person Stops Helping?
What resistance reveals about the difference between learning a method and being able to use it. If we say that
The Body Already Knows How to Move
Training should refine natural movement, not replace it with something artificial. There are some things nobody really teaches us. Lose
What Are We Actually Testing?
When testing becomes more about endurance than understanding, it may be worth asking what the student is actually learning.
High Kicks, Modern Karate and a Different Problem
Why a technique that works so well in modern karate may not always be the best choice for self-protection. In
