What Should a Black Belt Represent?
If the purpose of karate has changed over the years, has the meaning of its most recognized grade changed with
Karate Training
Karate’s Many Hand Techniques
Karate has names for countless hand formations, but usefulness depends on whether the body can adapt when precision and control
What Are We Really Practicing in Kata?
The value of kata may depend less on how well we perform the sequence and more on what we understand
If It Doesn’t Serve the Purpose
When karate is taught as self-protection, every part of the training should serve that purpose. Kata, kihon, and two-person drills
When “It Worked” Still Isn’t Good Enough
A broken arm may be better than a fractured skull, but that does not make it a sound method to
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
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
The Shape Is Not the Lesson
A stance should serve the body and the movement, not an arbitrary measurement. Everyone starts the same way in karate.
The Direction of Kata
Direction in kata is not always the direction of the attack. Sometimes it is the lesson of position. I was
Changing My Mind
Why experience should make us more willing to look again, not less. Many people assume that experience makes your views
