Not unhealthy training.....

 My last Sensei, Michael Clarke of the Shinseidokan Dojo, once said to me that, the real benefit of Karate training was for our health.

Of course, like many things Clarke Sensei talked about, he is right. 

When I was asked the other day, why do you train in Karate, my response was the same as it has always been since training in authentic Karate...

"I train for the fight I hope I never have to have". 

This statement runs deeper than the superficial street fight that many would automatically think of. I am of course, talking of illness. Authentic karate also breeds a tolerance to pain, which is why you don't see many of the Kigu (tools) of this type of Karate in the all to familiar family setting of a club. Some of the tools are positively brutal when engaged with on a higher level. 

It's not for everyone,  which is why less people practise/train in this way. 

You can pretty much  say that it harms the body and is thus is bad for your health, and this to an extent is true, but, and here's the kicker, once repaired the body and the mind are stronger. A transformation is taking place where by a higher resistance to, and a higher tolerance of pain has begun.

As I said the training isn't for everyone. 

Progress is slow, which is another good reason the type of training isn't popular in our 'need it now society. 

Being able to work the three areas of the forearm (inside, outside and back)  and back and side of the hands for hundreds of strikes cannot be had straight away....it takes time, a lot of endorphin release through continual practise and a desire to improve. 

For example, at strike/block number 45, your brain goes on the defensive to stop the exercise. It's easy to listen and go along with the notion that stopping is the best option, but so much more can be gained by carrying on. A true glimpse of yourself might even be had at this point.

Karate (or substitute any martial art here)  for health  is a great idea. And when you've been training for a couple of decades you have to ask yourself 'do I need a Sensei' ?... the answer will only probably be yes if you are one of those who are focussed on grades, belts and titles; but really, do they matter....? Not where your health is concerned. 

If your paying out  a couple of hundred dollars a year in fees, and not getting the person you're  paying for then there's not much point. 

So striking and hitting stuff can be done by anyone, and you don't need a Sensei, club or organization to do it, and contrary to some that you will hear  critique it, it's not unhealthy training. 

          

 

The Moral of the Story

 You can look fit and strong on the outside but still be physically weak on the inside....

Having a teacher that has little or no knowledge of anatomy and injuries that can be debilitating, will more than likely be detrimental to your overall health and your training. It's why some of the more reputable larger Karate organizations have educational training programs in place for their instructors. The KUGB for example and the AKF to name but two have such programs in place. How do I know? well, I've successfully completed the training of both.

Weight I was struggling to move around, walk with, lift and hold a couple of years ago, is now somewhat easier. My body has repaired from the tears it was suffering from. Had I have kept going along the road I was then my abilities today might be quite different. 

We have to recognize in our training as to what is good for us, but moreover, we need to recognize that which is bad. This includes the people around us, those we train with and even possibly the Sensei who expects that which we can not possibly give, or chooses to ignore limitations we have. 

Karate, among other things should be enjoyable, tough but enjoyable, once it isn't, then there's a problem. 

Being mindful of the job you do too must be considered when training. Doing manual work is quite different from pushing a pen around a piece of paper, working from a laptop or sitting listening to someone's issues. Training may have a greater impact on the manual work you do, yet the later not so much.

The moral......

It doesn't matter how good the Karate/Training is, if, over time you think it is a bad fit, look else where or simply leave.  

 

So you train in a Martial art....

 So you train in a Martial art do you.....?

Ever asked yourself what that actually means....?

Ever asked yourself what is Martial about it....? 

These are questions I asked myself back in 2012.  

Realizing the money making franchise I was a part of...for that is what most high street martial art schools are....had little or nothing to do with anything martial at all...... I left.

Yes, they are franchises. Clubs generate money for the person in charge of them. Often described as ' non profit' they all actually make money..... the money then going to the Head of the organization disguised as other things, such as grading fees and memberships, Uniform sales and expenses, some organizations even sell things like soft toys wearing a Gi......FFS.....is there no end to the money making.

          Not a Franchise

Personally I think a franchise has nothing to do with anything Martial at all. 

The penny dropped, so to speak, when I saw the prefilled grading certificates issued by the club i was then a member of.

Typical then of the Millennial era and a money making Karate Franchise where there was no opportunity to fail. 

Some groups even promote through their sales splurge that they promote a non contact environment. So there goes your locks, throws and pressure point training. But it's traditional Karate, right? 

Maybe you're not doing what you think you are, and it's very doubtful that there is anything remotely Martial about it......

But it is .....right ?

If the Karate fits.... wear it.

 Well, a bit of a hiatus with the blog.....but that isn't to say I haven't been training....I have, just not so much Karate, just some other stuff. 

Returning to the Makiwara the other day turned out to be a very humbling experience. 

Many of you who read the blog will already know that the variety of Makiwara I have are the nucleus of my training,together with just a few select Kata of Okinawan Karate 

Plenty to work on then. More than will last me another 30 years and see me well in to old age. 

For many Karateka, in my experience, there always seems to be a ' need more ' kind of attitude. With many whom I've met in the past constantly wanting to add more and more to the heaps that they don't already understand. 

I however, like the less is more approach.  There is more time to ' take a breath ' and study...

'Back in the day' as a guy in his late teens training 6 days a week in Athletics ( Discus ) , Judo and Basketball, I had to make a decision. Which would I focus on to achieve a higher level and, was I ok giving up the other two. 

I chose Basketball and as a Rookie was picked up by a Premier league team. For many years I honed my craft and the rest, well, that's part of my history.

At a Karate Gasshuku in April 2019, I realized I was never going to hone my Karate as long as stuff was continually added to it. Stuff like weapons and different exercise drills that would put my body under undue stress. I find it strange that I would be expected to do something that I had little opportunity in doing correctly without causing an injury. 

I digress...  I already had nearly two decades worth of content to work on, so adding other stuff also seemed odd. 

Of course I had been to other Gasshukus hosted by other groups where there would be a similar idea. Whether or not it was just about making the training different, I'm not too sure, but I do know an injury would often follow. 

Now making the training fit my body and not the other way around, injuries are now a rare occurrence in my training, and I remember my last Sensei explaining that this is how it should be with karate....umm

My point is just this, make the Karate fit your body and you will have longevity in your training...  If the Karate fits...wear it.

Not always obvious....

So, the weather has turned. It's cold here now where I am.
Of course it matters less if you train in one of those heated gyms or sports halls that cater for the masses and pseudo Karate people.

The bite in the late night air makes it harder to work with the Jari bako or Makiwara.
But then again if training in the original type of Karate were easy, then there would be more doing it.

Jari Bako....harder on the
Fingers during winter....

Gone now too are the array of small creatures that seem to like sharing the Dojo during the warmer months.
So there really is now just myself, basking in the serenity that the solitary way affords.

Injury though is always on my mind in colder weather.
I've only ever had one sensei that took any real notice of a student that was injured and yet still present in the dojo training. Realizing that although they were not 100% they would still give it their 100%.....Rob Welsh of the KUGB was like that.
Every other Sensei I have had ( there have been a few due to relocations) has just seemed to pay lip service in regards to injury. ....Its not always obvious...You can look as strong as an ox on the outside, but the inside can tell a completely different story. That so many are ignorant to this fact is quite amazing.

Better to train smart now the colder weather is here than not train at all, but don't let that be an excuse to not take advantage of the Winter weather.... it's good for the soul.

Training is everywhere....

Every once in a while, you come across somebody who inspires. Inspires without them really knowing that they do such a thing. I have been lucky, and have trained under three Sensei like this.

Character is regarded by many martial artists as a fundamental development process within any given art.
And yet so many let themselves down when away from the training they partake in.
Heaven knows, I've done it myself.
Character tested regularly and failed many times.

My Dojo Kun.....
It all adds up to Character
Development 

You do have to be open to failure though, because without it, it is impossible for character to develop.

I have been part of clubs and associations and taught Karate to large numbers during seminars and group gatherings, and was even a part of a small private Dojo once; moving on as soon as it no longer felt right to be there.

The schools Children attend from as young as 3 through to 18 do nothing to give the opportunity of failure. No, now all there is are certificates and gold stars for such silly things as simply rocking up on time.
Hardly any wonder that the world is becoming a mess.

But this said, I regularly come across 'adults' whom occasionally show their true colors and really let themselves down, as well as others......

Martial training is not just something to be done in the Dojo, club, school gym or wherever training might take place. It's about weaving it through all aspects of daily life, which of course is where it's real beauty lies.

I was asked the other day if I have ever used my Martial arts training on the street. The person was a bit perplexed when I replied
" I use it every day ".....

The Secret of......

Secrets.....you come across this all the time in martial arts. You'll read statements like ....unlock the secrets of Kata.....or the Secrets of Bunkai.....even of Budo.
The thing is, the people who are selling the 'Secret Idea' are those with the most to gain. Usually there are a series of books or DVDs that of course, You, and Me can buy.
What these salesmen are really doing is showing their vast experience over a number of years in a catalogued form.....

There are no secrets in Karate, only stuff that you haven't come across or discovered yet, realized or had insight of by whatever means.

Martial training and unlocking the secrets therein is quite simple. Keep training and you will discover them.....or not.

Karate that is my own....

On rare occasions in my training, I have partook in Kobudo. (Weapons training)
.....The Bo (staff) the Sai (tri pronged dagger) the Tonfa (mill stone handle) and the nunchaku (flail), it's not that I wanted to train with these weapons, it's just that where I was at the time one or the other were the flavour of the day.

This hangs outside my Dojo
Only now do I understand it. 

I actually found no value in the training itself, as it was always a one off and the Weapon was never revisited.
To spend several hours learning a Bo Kata I could never possibly remember let a lone how to manipulate it and use correct technique was simply a waste of valuable karate training time......

Bruce Lee is accredited with saying......." absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is essentially your own "....

Now, what you and I see as useful or useless will differ. And in martial art training that is how it should be. Martial arts at their core should bring out individualism......
For example, my flexibility may no be good enough for a particular kick but yours might be......and so on....so with is in mind whatever martial art you do the focus should be on making it your own....
I have written before of the realization I had at a Gasshuku in 2019, where it became clear I was trying to make my body fit my karate and not my karate fit my body. The two need to blend and absorb each other, especially if they are going to be effective.

To be effective it is important that you can be effective....

The Sensei who has the biggest impact on my training is Mr Michael Clarke 8th Dan Kyoshi of Okinawan Goju Ryu.
He would talk and write
( you can read for yourself)
of taking ownership of your Karate (or martial art) and being responsible for it.

In a brief conversation with him after training one day, this was something else I realized I needed to do. After training in martial arts for more than quarter of a century, if I didn't know how to train myself by now then what the hell is it that I have been doing. Especially as I was an accredited KUGB instuctor and qualified to teach Karate by the Australian Government.

Peacefulness..... gone now is the clutter......all that remains is training.  

My Karate is now my own to explore. The Kata a gateway to understanding the use of my Karate weapons not those of Kobudo.
The Karate tools I have in my Dojo offer a method of strengthening and hardening those weapons and offer a sense of distance, timing and balance to training.
I have now discarded that which I have found useless from the countless hours of training I have done to keep in line with a syllabus or to keep others happy. I train to what physical attributes I have and not to those I don't or those that afford injury.

My Karate is at last my own.

Martial art or something else....

I was sat thinking after working with the Dojo tools about what karate has become and that so many of us say we do martial art but actually do not.....

Many karate tools are found
In an Authentic Dojo 

Martial arts began as a form of self defence, this much we know. Fighting methods were developed and designed to hurt, mame or even kill.
So why is there all this other stuff, like Budo and all the inward direction of training?

I think largely it has come about over time from the culture from which it (karate) was borne.

As Westerners we take up a Martial art for learning self defence. In my experience anyway.

Tools are designed to develop Weapons....

'Punching air' may develop a certain level of technique, but does nothing for developing a weapon. A weapon that can absorb an impact as well as create one.
Tools used in Karate develop a Martial body and Martial mind.... something that many Karateka simply don't understand, or do, but find the training too hard.

Other tools develop strength.

So, before you know it, you are no longer training in a Martial way training in air, but are doing something completely divorced from it, as you try and understand all the other STUFF that is attached to what you thought you were doing in the first place.

More tools....Martial in nature....

Its easy to become sidetracked and lose focus as to why you began a Martial art, for in the beginning and not knowing any better, training is accepted for what it is. Unfortunately its probably not what you thought and actually does you a disservice leaning more towards health and fitness.....

As for Kata, well, that is there to help develop and broaden the Weapon arsenal and to help show us how to use them. Its not for show or aesthetics. Kata in itself is another tool.

To sum up.....you can't train in Karate without having the mind of developing a weapon (body/mind) and you cant do that merely by punching air, that's why tools are used, and you can't develop the weapons arsenal without working on Kata.....

Sounds simple enough....but how many of us are actually doing something different to that of what we think we are.

Weapon forging..... too hard?

Not in the Company of others...

So, with the Covid 19 iso going on Karateka are forced to train at home, if they want to train at all....
'Tis my hope that value will be found in training like this.
It's how it used to be, and no reason why it shouldn't be again.

My Dojo ....
Kaimoku ....open the eyes. 

For me, nothing has changed. My training for the past 9 years nearly, has been done in isolation, save the trips to my last Sensei during the course of each year.
So my training just simply carries on.

I realized at a Gasshuku last year that my Karate and Martial ability is what it is.
Due to my age, certain medical issues like tears I occasionally get, my physical ability is not going to improve now, but I can maintain what I have.

I also realized that I no longer needed, after training in martial arts for two and half decades, a Sensei. It's not that I think I know everything, far from it, as I feel I have only scratched the tip of the iceberg. It's just that I have plenty to work on that will last me for the next two decades and beyond; and if I don't know how to work on my Karate by now then what have I been doing all this time.

The Havamal is kind of a guide book to life....

I lost sight momentarily as to why I named my Dojo as I did and during the Gasshuku was reminded as to why I train in the first place; it certainly isn't to train in the company of others, my Karate is bigger and more personal than that. I'm not into the whole karate social thing either. I'm not into double standards and Senpai who are only after what they can get from you. Or indeed set you up to fail. Such as asking questions that THEY already know the answer to.

Within the pages of the Havalmal, there are warnings of being in the company of others, and what signs to look for when persons have an agenda.
Karate is rife with agenda, and Clubs, Associations and Dojo no matter how big or small always have that one person you should keep at a distance. Such is my experience (That word again).

Training today saw the Chiishi wielded, pots of weight lifted and a glimpse of my reflection in the wooden mirror
(Makiwara)... I like my Karate.

Happy training, I really do hope you find value in spending time Not in the company of others.
It is ok you know.

The Wooden Mirror.....

Machiwara, or Makiwara as we know it in the West  has been the staple training aid of many Karateka for more than 150 years.

There seems to be an air of mysticism about the tool and indeed that it may hold magical powers that the user may unlock.

One of several Makiwara
at my Kaimokukan Dojo

Well, I'm not too sure about magical powers, but I am certain it shows the user things about themselves that they probably don't care to see.....like a Wooden Mirror if you will.

The disseminators of Karate, those who founded it and developed it, used the tool as a focal point of training; and any modern day 'grassroots '
Dojo will most certainly have at least one.

The late Nagamine Shoshin Sensei, whom incidently my last Sensei was privileged enough to interview, once said.... there are no Karate men who do not use a Makiwara....
A Karateka of more than 60 years, then you would think that he would know what he was talking about and any serious karateka should not ignore his advice.

That so many Karateka today dismiss the Makiwara is a sign of the times I guess.
Favouring "the softer option"
of pads and paddles, where little can be achieved in developing the mind, from the uncomfortable sensations that are experienced to actually developing the hands into usable weapons, such is what can be attained from the Makiwara.

No soft option here....
The Sagi....hanging....
Makiwara is a tough training
Partner... 

So the upside to Makiwara training is the development of the mind first and foremost. It's uncomfortable, but develops tenacity and the will to carry on when it hurts a bit and thus conditions the brain to pain, shows up poor technique, develops the hips and targeting, but here's the big one ....power.
The big calloused knuckles that often accompany the use of a Makiwara are merely a byproduct of the training itself, and should never be the focus of it.

The down side is that it can be addictive, in this Karatekas experience anyway. I will explain....
As you develop or become hardened to the type of training over a few years, the uncomfortable sensations that are had turn into something else. The hypothalamus at the base of the brain releases endorphins, the bodies natural chemical product that makes you feel good.
And here is where you will find the danger. Injury....injury through enthusiasm and feeling good.
As I said, it's addictive.
Even with broken skin and blood being left behind with every strike, seems to be overriden by the euphoria experienced when everything is going right.

Toughest of them all
To work with, in my opinion.
The Ude Kitae, a Makiwara
for conditioning the
arms, hands and legs,  is real hard work...

The Makiwara should not be dismissed in a Karatekas development, it should be nurtured, embraced and looked upon as a reflection of the self. You will learn more about you in facing one than any amount of Kihon or Kata that may be engaged in.

But then again, for this reason, it's not for everyone.

...... The Wooden Mirror ......

Somebody somewhere at sometime said so.....

If Karate do, that is the way of Karate, is about stripping away the Ego, then why do so many Karateka have one....?

Double standards are everywhere.  From your low ranks to experienced Karateka who have been training for years.

Have you ever noticed that in martial arts magazines, you never see anyone interviewed below the Rank of 4th Dan.....
It's almost as if they are saying that if you're not at this perceived level (and I've seen some shit 4th Dan's,  trust me)....then you don't  really have an opinion.

There's a lot of emphasis placed on title. And of course this way of thinking is rubbish.

Sensei, Shihan, Renshi Kyoshi, Kancho......all titles that you could say command respect.
 I've heard it many times that you're not a recognised Sensei until you reach 3rd Dan. Until then you may be called Senpai if you don the coveted Blackbelt that is.
Renshi at 6th Dan and Kyoshi at 7th, assuming you do more for Karate than merely teach. And Kancho if you're head of your organization. It's all very militaristic of course and has developed into what it is over a period of time.
I presume (ref my previous post) that in the beginnings of Karate non of this existed and, most of it exists today simply because " Somebody, somewhere at sometime said so."

There is lots of hearsay about Karate on the internet....about its history, who trained under who, why this and that was developed.
But that's exactly wh a t it is, hearsay. And although there are some snipets of genuine info to be had, much remains conjecture....

Usually what we think we know is because somebody somewhere at sometime said so ......

Presumption........

Soji.....cleaning
I use my time engaged in soji to ponder over things.....
Human nature, my nature, am I doing better today than yesterday, is my training going in the direction I want it to, and so on.
So all this is present and future. I also use my time doing Soji to reflect..... the choices I've made, the positive and/or negative impact  I have, do I have an impact at all, and either way does it matter?

My limited understanding of Budo is to look at oneself through training.....

I was once told that I had had a 'Glimpse' of what Karate is,  which would suggest that I  didnt really know.
That's ok as I find other people attempt to speak for me all the time without really knowing what goes into anything I'm doing or even what my own thoughts about things are.

It would be easy to presume that this wasnt self inflicted or that it wasn't the result of hundreds of strikes...... 

It's a presumptuous world we live in where others would seemingly know the depths of someone else's psyche, when in actuality opinion is usually based on how an individual wants it to fit in with their own views and rarely on factual experience or first hand knowledge of something or someone.

The physical skill of Karate can be easily seen, but the emotion, thoughts and feelings going on inside a Karateka as they practice is something entirely different.

In any form of training it would be impossible to detect through the lens of an onlooker as to when a person felt like giving up and yet there they are still doing whatever it is they are doing. What pain or suffering was being masked by the will to simply carry on and do their best.

Presumption.....and assumption..... all they ever achieved or helped do was nothing.....

Training times.....

Training at two in the morning might seem a little odd, but not so much if you're a shift worker.

Sometimes when I go back onto days my body clock is so far out of whack that bada boom bada Bing, I'm wide awake in the early hours....

I hate training in the morning anyway. My body has usually seized up and it's hard to get moving, I'm also more prone to injury (history shows)  and besides, unlike those in professional jobs or white collar workers (no insults intended) I have to be up at five and on the road by quarter to six to be at work on time when I'm on days.....

My job is mentally and physically demanding anyway, and on the occasion I have trained in the morning ( usually 4 to 5 am) by the end of a twelve hour shift I'm absolutely wasted.....not good for the body......

I've got two of these....
Great for training the
Fingertips and hand position
For Hiraken....fore knuckle strike

My Karate is always better in the evening....I'm loose and keen to engage with whatever arises.

I've heard/been told, more than once, that an hours training in the morning is worth two in the evening.  Personally, having done both and at unholy early hours of the morning (very early) I think this train of thought is a crock of the old proverbial to be honest; that's my experience in the matter.

Karate isn't about continually regimented times for training anyway...it's about blending with your life style.

Tonight for example, prior to writing this for the blog, I trained for half an hour with two different Makiwara, and half an hour of Hojo Undo.....
Why? Well, that's what I fancied doing.....
The next session could be any time and doing whatever comes to mind.

More fore knuckle training...

What I never do though is let Karate Training affect my Job or home life......Work is work.
Home is home and karate is karate. When these things affect one another then there is something very wrong somewhere, an imbalance.

I wrote in the first blog of finding myself in a unique position. With renewed enthusiasm I move forward based on experience, and whilst not perfect, nothing ever is, it's far better than any alternative.

Refined Artwork....

How were Kata developed?

When was the last time you had the opportunity to explore a Kata with a
partner ? ....

Does Kata actually work ?

I miss the opportunity to explore Kata with a live partner. This was a real highlight for me during my time as a student in a small private Dojo.....I could of trained for hours exploring Kata and the bunkai principles particularly with a non compliant partner, but understand that there were other things that are required too.

My regular training partners of Rope, Log on a Rope, Kakitae Bikae and Sagi Makiwara are certainly a huge help, but you cant beat trying to physically manipulate a person.
So many missed opportunities before the start of a session then.....I realise now.

Sagi Makiwara and
Log on a Rope....
Great training partners 

Yes, Kata does work....well the bunkai does. It's just a question of trying to understand what the creator is trying to show us. I have trouble in this area, as do many. But what a fantastic reward once you find it.

And back to the first question.
By a couple of guys working together with attack and defence techniques exploring their Art. Creating something out of nothing.

Kakitae Bikae....
Another great training
Partner....

I read something a while ago now stating that Karate was not an ART...... but I think the Art is defined by its very creation.
Is not creating something an ART.....particularly the Kata. Understanding the Kata is then an ART in itself and it's principles a refined Art.

Stuff...

I was sat quietly the other day, thinking about all things Karate over a cup of black tea.
I couldn't believe that it had been almost eight years since I was trekking through the Cataract Gorge in Tasmania maintaining a very careful 30 odd meters behind my then, Sensei.

The Cataract Gorge foot bridge..

We navigated the hardest route possible.....and two thirds of the way through the trek I thought I was going to throw up.
To say it was arduous is an understatement and Sensei's pace relentless. Neither fast nor slow he just maintains one speed and to get through, it was a case of focussing the mind else where......

The same goes when I was playing Basketball at Premier league level in England.
The training could be very hard, long and exhaustive, to the point of throwing up.
But this being said the Cataract Gorge trek had a whole lot more going on in terms of lessons in Budo and Karate.....

Back to Karate....for nearly three years being on the K.U.G.B. Central England squad under Sensei Frank Brennans watchful eye also saw its difficulties.
And although the world's of Budo and Sport karate are very different in their approach to training and the type of training undertaken, there are similar core principles to be found in each.....

Squad Selection was always well attended.

So, I'm then sat thinking about all the 'stuff that is added to karate that really need not be there......

Expectation....what the Sensei expects of the student and the student of the Sensei.
......all that is needed is respect (both ways) and commitment (from both)
And that is all. A subservient nature by the student is not required.

Commitees......
Really, this is one that becomes toxic.....say something out of place seniors don't like, then watch the fall out. The so called leaders/leader do what they want anyway. Total waste of Karate time.

Money.....
Paying for a place to train, the upkeep of a Dojo or for equipment is one thing.
To make Sensei or Senseis boss wealthy, well, this kinda goes against what karate is about.
I've seen a 3rd Dan grade to 4th and he didn't know his Kata. His $400 was accepted and he was told after receiving his new rank "learn them". Having seen this and prefilled in certificates it really opens the eyes to the making of money through karate.

Teaching .....with no credentials.....
This is normal.
A cog in the money making gearbox of the machine. The machine being the Organization, the gearbox the club and the cog 'You'...

Many organizations who see a student progress will put pressure on them to teach.
They will compliment them, offer insentives like free training, invite them to higher grade sessions and fill their heads with fanciful ideas, all in an effort to feed the ego to get them to do what they want.....and its hardly a hard sell either.
I have seen this happen from Green belt upwards.
Again really........if you cant see what is wrong with this then there's a problem. Especially if teaching encroaches on your regular job and affects the people around you......
I find it ironic that these Karateka? think they are following the path of a Budoka,  when in actuality it is the complete opposite.

The' NEW Junior instructor' as they will be known, has had no formal training to teach, no formal training in leadership and rarely even holds a first aid certificate, let alone anything else to show a qualification of any type. And yet here you are receiving instruction from them whilst at the same time dictating when THEY rock up to teach ' you '  and not the other way round....
I'm pretty sure that's not what you're paying for, nor is it right that it's you who are pandered to. But that's the way of commercial Karate. Far far away from the tenets of Budo.

There is a myriad of 'stuff ' that is welded to the fabric of Karate. Stuff that does nothing for it, and certainly does nothing for you.

Even with small private Dojo there can be things you don't need attached to the Karate that is simply wanting to be explored and/or absorbed, with a little guidance from the Sensei to keep you straight and true.

You won't find this Karate Training
In the high street club...

I don't have all the answers but what I have learned over the past eight years (see previous post) is this.....its just simply about you and Karate-do. The training therein and absorption of.  The reason you started, not the reason for all the 'stuff ' that is added to it by those of whom you didn't ask to add a thing that has very little or indeed nothing to do with Karate itself. ....KAIMOKU.

Environmental Health.....

Bubbles, I like bubbles. They're soothing to watch.
Tranquil and serene...

My Fish Tank....
Soothing...

My Fish, 'Anderson', always looks Angry.....(you will either get this, or you won't)
.....He's not of course, he just looks it. He looks the opposite of the reason I bought him, and enjoy having him.

Anderson the Angry.....

I've tried keeping Fighting Fish before, but without too much luck. Because in keeping a Fighting Fish there is no luck about it.
I came to realise that there are certain things you must do to keep their environment safe and habitable for them.
So before buying the whole set up....you know....a package deal. I bought and read a book on how to...
I could then go out and buy the CORRECT package deal for what I wanted, but moreover for the fish I was to buy. Now known as  Angry Anderson......or as I prefer ....Anderson the Angry.....

As simple as it might seem, it takes a level of responsibility....pretty much like anything you want to do, have or to keep in good shape.

If Anderson's environment started to become "toxic" then it wouldn't be long before he would begin to suffer. It could even reach a level where it was that harmful that he could die.

My Regular Training Environment
My Kaimokukan Dojo.....

The Karate environment you choose to train in is important. To begin with though you have no idea what that environment is.
You have nothing to base it on. But over time and a little bit of experience things change.

Your training environment should be healthy..... physically clean, and mentally free of anything Toxic.

And environments change.
Training at a Gasshuku in the same environment where sometimes it's just you and your Sensei is not the same. The experience is very, very different.
The one on one environment is a very special place to be as opposed to a sports hall of several hundred, or even a Dojo of a handful.

Some Environments connect
You with nature.....

Your training environment is important. It needs to be something, that like Anderson, you can thrive in...
The moment you feel you can't is the moment of realization that maybe it's time for a change.

Like my good friend who used to be a firefighter that I mention in a previous blog...
He moved on......

The real World...Fact or Fiction...

Impact training, body/joint conditioning whatever you wish to call it (rarely done in club karate) is painful. The sensations attached to it unpleasant, to begin with at least, but never the less, in this Karatekas opinion, very necessary.

Ude Kitae...the toughest of teachers...

Having gotten a couple of years of this type of training under your belt, facing the problems it presents becomes a little more bearable. When training, the mind, instead of focussing on the severe feelings, can begin to wander......

After a typical session

Half way through my standard set the other day facing the Ude Kitae, I began to think about
' experience ' and what it means to have it, and once you've got it, what do you do with it?

I've have been schooled, grew up on the streets of Birmingham, had a small roll in security for a while (door control) played Basketball at premier league level, studied music and had two fantastic careers ( still enjoying my second one )
besides my martial art background.
All this adds up to factual experience. Experience that encompasses lots of different things and situations.

My Fighting Fish 'Anderson'
Actually knows nothing
of fighting.

I find it ironic that some people who try to teach life lessons, guide us, council us and decide what we need or indeed don't need, actually have little experience of that of which they purport.
They know of school, and learning, books and other people's ideas, but in my
' experience ' don't know much of the real world or of what it takes to live in it well and is the reason they regularly quote others, or relate other people's experiences in their conversations.

Real world experiences are what help shape us, and whether at the time we realise it or not, help us cope better with life's difficulties as we move from day to day.

Using the word
 ' experience ' throughout the blog is something I will do regularly, for this is what the blog is based upon. My experiences and my own thoughts that have arisen from these experiences.

More fore knuckle training
More experience....

So, keep you karate real.
It's not a good idea to be sucked in by those who have little knowledge of what they speak.... like the karateka teaching kumite, who has in fact, never stepped on to a competition mat. Or the Sensei who speaks of self defence, who has never had to defend themselves.
Or those who talk of karate tools with little understanding of them or know how they are used.....

If you recognise people in your club or Dojo like this then maybe it's time to move on. Even in other areas of your life, like work for example. It might be time to start questioning that which is presented to you, as people like this certainly aren't doing you any favours. All they are in fact doing is filling your head with unsubstantiated personal ideas based on nothing.

Change and Contentment....

So, as I'm ageing my training focus is changing. I am, these days, focussing more on karate for my health as opposed to that of Budo. Whilst some of the more basic elements of Budo are present, like training with a sincere mind, and that of action far out weighs intention, for me at least the new focus is refreshing.

One of my two Tachi
Makiwara.....
Keeping me in check for nearly
Two decades.....
Even though this is number 9

Almost eight years in the Budo, certainly in its physical sense has taken it's toll.....but this said my impact training is still prevalent, and I guess it always will be.

 I was facing a Makiwara some ten years before any training in the Budo, and is something I hope I can continue into old age. My karate now fits in with my body, where as before I was trying to fit my body in to karate, which wasn't working terribly well.....

Stepping away from Karate for almost 10 months, or at the very least dumbing it down, gave me time to breathe, time to miss the thing I love doing and to come to an understanding of what was good for me and what wasn't......

I get that we all have to do things we don't necessarily like, and finish the task at hand, even when we have had enough, it's character building at the very least and defining at the most. To finish a thankless task with a smile on your face and a sense of achievement is a great feeling.

The following is a quotation from the late Bruce Lee....

Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is essentially your own.

The Havamal
Life lessons and how
to conduct yourself...

Whilst during my training  hiatus, I did lots of reading.
I read more of Budo, The Havamal (Norse Text) articles my Sensei had written and thought about things my upbringing as the Son of a Serviceman had taught me.


I realised I was no longer content, and I am a great believer in being content as opposed to being happy. Happiness is short lived, a snap shot, a moment within the moment. Out of contentment true happiness is borne.....a happiness that is not short lived.

I have seen the Toxic side of karate, the double standards of those I have had the misfortune to train with, and the subservient nature of Senior Karateka towards their Master....

My other Tachi Makiwara
Or wooden mirror
as I like to call it.
Contentment.....

.....I can't unsee what has been seen....

So do that which makes you content, not that which makes you happy. There is a difference......and it's a big one.....

Leadership...being set up to fail.

A close friend of mine used to be a retained Fire Fighter.
Retained, in so much that he would be on call whenever he was not doing his regular job that provided for himself and his family. A good bloke then, offering help and skills he had acquired through hard training  to the community in his time off between his shift work.

He has since however, resigned from his firefighting position. You see, he has morals and integrity and being surrounded by Liars didnt sit well with him. Being set up to fail, didn't sit well with him and working under seniors with no integrity didn't sit well with him.

The Sagi Makiwara
Will not set you up to fail
But failing is an option 

When those in charge or even those who are your peers, can not be sincere with those they lead or work along side then the outcome is always inevitable.

Poor leadership stems from poor character, crappy values and inner weakness and is fuelled by large egos.

But in the same token people only have authority over you if you give it to them.
Where the loss occurs is when someone who has been an asset walks away from something that, at it's core is good.

I found myself in a similar position regarding Karate not all that long ago which gave rise for me to assess my situation.
I was at a Gasshuku where a fellow student set me up to fail.....asking a question of which I wasn't quite certain of the answer....
Long story short....I found out later that he knew of that of which he had asked...so he was testing me and my response. I didn't fail per sey because I didn't give any kind of definitive answer.
Now having my awareness for such behavior on Red alert I also began to notice " double standards"  too, from so called seniors no less....ummm.

Me and ' Groot' ...
No ego from GROOT
He's just quite simply... hard...

I really don't like this kind of behaviour and from that moment on the other guy and myself were done.

I've been in the situation before and I'm not too sure what kind of kick or advantage the other person's perceives that they get.....a power trip, maybe? .
It even happened at work the other day, though the circumstances were different the end result the same.....

Setting someone up to fail, to me at least, shows really poor character, it also shows an inner weakness and a very big ego.
It also has no place in a Karate Dojo......or at your place of work, for that matter.
It's something I don't miss about training in groups... that one person who quite simply " doesn't get it" ...

More of my SINCERE  Karate Training Partners.....
They lead....I listen... though
I sometimes miss the point 

Karate-do that is to say the way of karate, needs to be conducted with sincerity, integrity and honesty. All things that are free to anyone.
That so many can't even find these things within themselves to live their lives by, or in the leadership of others is really sad and far from constructive in this Karatekas opinion.
But as I said, others only have authority over you if you give it to them......

Who's who ?

I mentioned to a Karateka the other day that it was sad to hear of the passing of Kanazawa Sensei...... who's that ?  was the reply.

Serenity....as I see it...

When studying anything, the whole thing should be looked at, and not just some of it.
A bit like the black belt I mention in my recent post
' Fake ' .....
.... it's no good just learning the physical aspect of Karate. An understanding of where, why and how it came about should be sought as well.

At the beginning of my study I was a Shotokan man, but I still knew of the other prominent Sensei of other 'styles'. Even of styles I had never heard of, because that's what study does. It broadens knowledge.

Without academic study and only knowledge of the physical, then training in the Art of Karate-do is incomplete. To know of the guy on YouTube demonstrating Kata and not of the forefathers or of the Sensei that disseminated Karate across the globe is really quite sad but is a common enough story in karate today.

I've have been training in Okinawan Goju Ryu now for nearly 8 years, not long by any means, but this said, I have not forgotten where it all began. My KUGB roots in Shotokan are still there, though over shadowed now by my Goju Ryu training it was, for me, never about the style but moreover, about Karate itself. Beginning Goju Ryu opened my eyes to other aspects of training long since abandoned in Shotokans methods. One of the many differences between Japanese and Okinawan Karate yet borne out of the same beginnings.

I will be forever grateful at the opportunities presented  and the generosity that was extended to me by those whom I have been able to call Sensei.....generosity that I will never be able to repay other than in that of trying to be a good student.

I now enjoy the serenity of the uncluttered Karate I practise and enjoy....a serenity similar to that depicted in the wall hanging, pictured above.

With Karate as it is today it needs good students. ( what is a good student? More on this later ) It needs it's history to be kept alive.

"To search for the old is to understand the new, the old the new, this is just a matter of time." .....Funakoshi wrote....
Funakoshi, who's that ? you ask....   Never mind !

Kaimokukan....open the eyes

My Dojo is currently under refurbishment. The outbuilding it is situated in doubles as a work shed..... which is found to be amusing by some....  I guess you either get it or you don't.

The Shomen [Altar]
In the Kaimokukan Dojo...

The Shomen in my Dojo is kept simple and uncluttered.
With just a couple of things (gifts) I have received from very generous karateka sit on the shelf underneath my Dojo Kun to the left, and also a simple reminder of humble beginnings to the right.
In the middle hangs the Dojo name.....KAIMOKUKAN..... meaning the place where the eyes are opened. Rather appropriate after meditation and what karate, training and the experiences there of have done for me....

I have trained in many Dojo both as student and guest and practised under many different Sensei and teaching styles; faced many Karateka from all walks of life and also learned many lessons, some obvious and others, well, not so much.

My Dojo Kun, like many others in many Dojo around the World, is based on simple principles that have, and indeed continue to serve me well.
That's right, there are many Dojo Kun. Don't be misguided that there are only those of Shotokan, Goju Ryu and Kyokushin Kai, for as well known as they are, they are by no means exclusive to the Art.....

Karate needs to be experienced on many levels, and whilst you can be loyal to a sensei, you can also be limited to the Karate exposure you have. Training with others and under others is eye opening and in this Karatekas opinion a must in a student's development.

A Gift from my Wife

A while ago now I hosted an event that came to be known as ...All Shotokan Day ...but was inclusive of other Ryu as well. Four instructors from different organizations teaching one and a half hours each over a full day of karate do. It was a fantastic event enjoyed by many until the focus on money took over which then saw me done, and I never taught or trained at another one. The event fizzled out.

Karate has a dark side, corrupt and toxic but there is also a purity and honesty to be found within the Art that is hard to find anywhere else....  In opening your eyes,  to all it has to offer, it is possible to navigate a path full off highlights and riches as a reward for the hard work put in..... KAIMOKU.....