Whose Balance Are We Thinking About?
Understanding kuzushi as a principle, rather than a particular technique. We spend a great deal of time in karate learning
Bunkai
When the Label Becomes the Lesson
A throw, a stance, and what we think we’re seeing. When we first begin learning karate, almost everything we’re taught
The Question We Keep Asking About Kata
Perhaps we’ve been looking for the answer in the wrong place. A few days ago, someone left a comment on
Did Kata Begin With Two-Person Drills?
What we know, what seems likely, and where the evidence runs out A question came up recently that I think
How Do We Use Kata Effectively?
If the original meaning is uncertain, what makes an application useful? When I talk about using kata effectively, I don’t
According to Legend
How martial arts stories become martial arts history I remember this picture very clearly. Bodhidharma sitting in a cave, staring
When Choreography Becomes Application
When unrealistic attacks, compliant partners, and inherited explanations are mistaken for practical bunkai. Every day on social media, you can
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
Does Every Technique Have to Come From Somewhere Else?
Different cultures, familiar methods, and why the answers don’t always have to come from somewhere else. Whenever the practical application
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
