What Is the Art in Martial Art?
Why the word “art” does not mean beauty, performance, or freedom from function. Someone recently told me that karate could
Self-Defense
The Danger of False Confidence
When children are taught weak self-defense methods, the danger is not just failure. It is the false confidence that comes
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
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 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 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
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,
