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.
Traditional Karate
Why Is Karate Taught This Way?
How the development of Karate-Do changed the way kata is taught Because this is how Traditional Karate-Do developed. If someone
Karate Kata and the Weapons Question
Being able to use a weapon within a karate kata does not mean the kata was originally designed for one.
What Are We Actually Testing?
When testing becomes more about endurance than understanding, it may be worth asking what the student is actually learning.
High Kicks, Modern Karate and a Different Problem
Why a technique that works so well in modern karate may not always be the best choice for self-protection. In
Karate. What Is It?
The same name now covers very different ways of training, with very different purposes. It’s funny isn’t it how two
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
What Is Tradition in the Martial Arts?
What we inherit matters, but that does not mean it should remain unchanged. What is tradition, or traditional, in the
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
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
