Hikite: More Than a Movement
Looking beyond the movement we practice. One of the most familiar movements in karate is the withdrawing hand. We see
Applied Karate
Did Kata Begin With Two-Person Drills?
What we know, what seems likely, and where the evidence runs out A question came up recently that I think
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.
When the Instructor’s Limits Become the Method
When self-defense is shaped by the instructor’s limits, the student may inherit the boundary of someone else’s knowledge. Every instructor
When the Label Says Self-Defense
When the Label Says Self-Defense Social media algorithms are a strange phenomenon. Lately, mine seem to be filled with video
Empty Hands, Armed Assumptions
What the phrase “empty hand” can make us forget about real violence, and the assumptions we bring into the dojo.
Why Jump?
Questioning whether the jump in kata is the lesson, or simply the shape we inherited. There are several kata where
The Danger of Certainty
How unquestioned assumptions can limit progress in karate – and in life A limiting belief is not simply a wrong
