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
Karate
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
You Want the Reward? Do the Work.
Progress is not owed because you started. It is earned by what you keep doing. We have become used to
When a Demonstration Proves the Wrong Thing
When structure is mistaken for application. I have seen this kind of demonstration many times in karate. A student extends
When Simplicity Holds the Lesson
Why Naihanchi remains one of karate’s most important studies for close-range practical application. I’m sure many of you have a
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.
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.
Waiting for the Attack
Why practical karate should not train us to stand still while trouble starts on us. Someone once told me that
