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
Self-Protection
What Should a Black Belt Represent?
If the purpose of karate has changed over the years, has the meaning of its most recognized grade changed with
The Warning We Quietly Give Ourselves
What training quietly removes before the attack has even begun. As senior practitioners, we have a responsibility to pass karate
The Fence Is More Than the Position of the Hands
Why the fence is not simply another guard, but a way of managing distance, communication and intent before violence begins.
Where Should We Look?
Why concentrating on one part of the body may cause us to miss what is happening elsewhere. People often ask
When the Guard Changes the Problem
Why the habits that make sense in a fight may work against us in self-protection In boxing we were taught
Knowing When to Kick
Kicks have value in self-protection, but their usefulness depends on context, timing, and the person using them. Kicks can be
Teaching the Fight First
Many self-defense classes begin at the point where self-protection has already failed. Self-defense. Everyone teaches it, right? It’s written on
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
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
