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
Bunkai
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
Waiting for the Attack
Why practical karate should not train us to stand still while trouble starts on us. Someone once told me that
The Family Art Without a Name
Not all karate was preserved in the names history remembers. When we look back at Okinawan karate, we tend to
The Direction of Kata
Direction in kata is not always the direction of the attack. Sometimes it is the lesson of position. I was
When the Drill Becomes the Problem
When training stays too clean for too long, the drill can start teaching the wrong lesson. Karate, Practical Karate, Self-Defense,
Barefoot in the Dojo, Shoes in the Real World
Why tradition still matters, but context decides how karate is understood and applied. Step into a traditional karate dojo and
