When Choreography Becomes Application
When unrealistic attacks, compliant partners, and inherited explanations are mistaken for practical bunkai. Every day on social media, you can
Karate Training
I Was Never Taught That
At some point, an instructor has to stop waiting to be shown every answer. One phrase I hear quite often
Three Years on a Kata?
What if learning another kata was meant to mean learning another way of dealing with the problem When we began
Starting Again Without Starting Over
What does your grade mean when you step into someone else’s dojo? What happens to your grade when you join
Returning to Karate After Years Away
What remains, what changes, and the challenge of finding your place again. People leave karate for all kinds of reasons.
Starting Karate Later in Life
What progress, grading and good karate can look like when the journey begins later. A comment on a recent article
What Does the Grade Represent?
A grade should recognize development, not create the appearance of it. When I took my shodan, a long time ago
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.
