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
Dojo
Empty Hands, Armed Assumptions
What the phrase “empty hand” can make us forget about real violence, and the assumptions we bring into the dojo.
When the First Answer Feels Complete
When repetition, rank, and tradition make an explanation feel complete before it has ever been tested. In karate, some explanations
Waiting for the Attack
Why practical karate should not train us to stand still while trouble starts on us. Someone once told me that
The Family Art Without a Name
Not all karate was preserved in the names history remembers. When we look back at Okinawan karate, we tend to
When Martial Artists Forget Their Own Lessons
Respect, ego, and the gap between what martial arts claim to teach and how martial artists sometimes behave. It is
When the Drill Becomes the Problem
When training stays too clean for too long, the drill can start teaching the wrong lesson. Karate, Practical Karate, Self-Defense,
Barefoot in the Dojo, Shoes in the Real World
Why tradition still matters, but context decides how karate is understood and applied. Step into a traditional karate dojo and
Changing My Mind
Why experience should make us more willing to look again, not less. Many people assume that experience makes your views
Why the Dojo Still Matters
Why information alone cannot replace correction, training partners, and time on the dojo floor. Recently, I received a message from
