Am I Getting Angry at an Empty Boat?
Anger, assumptions, and knowing when to respond. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I find myself thinking more about
Self-Protection
The Ground Beneath Your Feet
What we wear, where we stand, and the realities of practical karate. When looking at the origins of karate on
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
Are We Still Afraid to Ask?
Why Karate Needs More Questions, Not Fewer Every so often, particularly on social media, I come across an explanation about
Have We Been Looking at the Stepping Punch the Wrong Way?
A familiar movement, an old training memory, and a different way of looking at things. Something occurred to me recently
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
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
Before It Becomes a Fight
Why self-protection begins long before physical contact. There was another shooting near me recently. One person was killed and another
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
