Category: Fitness & Well Being

Don’t Stress Over It…

I’ll be the first to admit that my tactics at approaching life have changed significantly over the past five years or so. And undoubtedly with positive results. It’s no secret that stress can have a number of adverse effects on one’s physical and mental state, especially in the long term. If you live a life of constant stress and anxiety, you’ll do more damage to yourself than the stress is worth. And chances are, the people behind that stress won’t give two shits about how far you put yourself out there.

Prolonged exposure to stress can lead to nasty effects like muscle tension, headaches, stomach problems and even heart and blood pressure issues. In addition to those few and according to an article posted by WebMD, symptoms of prolonged stress can include chest pains, rapid breathing, insomnia and loss of sex drive. I can’t but help but feel that the last one is a bit of a chicken or the egg scenario… lack of sex drive stresses you out, so you suffer more lack of sex drive, which stresses you out further… Brutal. But i digress…

Stress can also lead to the old saying about things “weighing on your soul,” as it can affect the emotional part of one’s health, as well. Loneliness, difficulty relaxing and becoming easily agitated can all be caused by prolonged exposure to stress. The problem comes from the body “fight or flight response,” which is triggered by harmful situations in one’s environment. It’s important to note that what may be considered stressful for one person may not be stressful to another. For example, some people may give zero fucks about how clean their bathroom is, while another person may get stressed out if a towel sits out for more than a couple of days.

So how does this tie in to Type-1 Diabetes? Well, the short answer is, surprise, surprise, EVERYTHING affects Type-1 Diabetes and stress is no exception. Stress will often adversely affect blood sugars, mostly due to the release of adrenaline and glucagon during those periods of increased stress. The result can be blood sugars that will slip easily out of whack, especially if you’re on a clever little insulin pump that will try to adjust for rising blood sugars but won’t understand WHY it’s happening. But all things being equal, everything described in the last few paragraphs are reason enough to try and avoid stress as much as possible.

We live in a crazy world that seems to promote stress rather than try to mitigate it, so it can be hard to avoid. For the most part, I spent over twenty years waking up to an alarm, hitting the ground running and rushing to get from point A to B, every day. There are reasons why my A1C’s have been total shit for almost two decades. In recent years, I’ve flipped the script a little bit on what it means to be healthy and have made some changes. I no longer wake up to an alarm. No, I’m not rich and I do hold a day job. I’ve accomplished this by having a reasonable bedtime at night and sticking to it in general terms as a daily routine. Even on the weekends, when I know I can sleep in a bit, I won’t wake to an alarm but will allow my body to wake on it’s own, which is far less stressful and shocking to the system than any alarm one could imagine.

A bit part of managing one’s stress has to do with how you choose to begin your day. My morning routine usually includes those first few sips of caffeine, followed by showering, dressing and prepping my lunch. Sound pretty standard? That’s because it is. The difference is I make a point of taking my time and not rushing. If I should be a few minutes behind or late, so be it. Granted, not everyone has that benefit but if you do, be sure to take advantage of it. On your way to work, try listening to some music as opposed to the news. Find a tune that you’ll sing to or groove to. Or both. Puts you in a much better mindset than hearing what political or world issues may be threatening your world.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting burying your head in the sand; I’m just saying there’s no need to constantly make yourself on edge and there’s plenty you can do to calm yourself and reduce your stress level. Finally, find some time for yourself. Whether it’s meditation, sitting with a book or just sipping a pint while watching a game, take the time to decompress and unwind. While built with the inherent ability to react to stress, we’re not built to be constantly exposed to it. That’s why so many people experience burnout and develop mental health issues.

Keep tabs on your stress. Doing so will help with one’s overall blood sugar control and help promote better overall health; diabetes-related or not. And let’s not forget the most important reason, health and stress issues aside, for doing well of this for yourself, which is to be happy. It’s important to be happy. If that isn’t motivation enough to help get you out of bed without an alarm, something may need to be changed. Food for thought… ☯️

Questions Of Respect And Dojo Etiquette…

If you’ve studied the martial arts for as long as I have, and I know that some you have, there’s a pretty good chance that at some point, you’ve trained in a dojo that was not your own. Either a neighbouring school of the same style or visiting a completely different style, eventually you may find yourself standing on the floor of an unfamiliar dojo. And not always by choice. When this happens, it’s important to bear in mind that their processes and etiquette may not be the same as what you’re used to.

For the most part, I’ve spent my entire martial arts journey training in my home dojo. While I may have dabbled and tried other dojos, I spent almost 20 straight years training at the New England Academy of Karate & Judo in Dalhousie, New Brunswick. Uechi Ryu Okinawan karate was our style but Sensei also held a black belt in judo and often included those techniques in our curriculum. It wasn’t until 2009, when I left New Brunswick to join the Force, that I was ”permanently” out of my home dojo. I put it in quotations because one never truly leaves the home dojo.

For the first few years, I trained on my own. I had the skills and experience that allowed me to do so. My concern was that being transferred and moving every few years made it unlikely that I would stick with another dojo for any significant period of time. It also negated the possibility of opening my own dojo, as i would be effectively abandoning my students come transfer time. The result was a quiet journey of training alone. But as we all know, eventually you need the dojo environment. There’s no substitution for training with a partner.

In 2016, I moved my family to what would be our final transfer. Given that I’m located in a major centre (for Saskatchewan) and the availability of several martial arts schools, I felt maybe it was time to dip my toes in the pond once again. I visited and trained with a couple of different dojos before landing on the one I’ve been training with for the past several years. And there are some processes, good and bad, that I’ve noticed throughout the years. I call them “processes,” because I honestly don’t know how else to refer to them or how to say it politely. But here are some examples…

My style usually wears a plain, white gi with no crests of patches. Some schools like to turn their uniform into a veritable billboard for their students’ skills, including adding patches along the arms or legs for different weapons or skills they’re proficient in. Some schools title and address their head instructor differently, depending on style, background and root language. As a visiting student, some schools may not welcome you or want you there; preferring to keep “outsiders” away from their students so as not to muddy the waters.

Some schools may have a specific protocol regarding visiting belts from another style. For example, my current dojo always has its students turn and bow to me in respect of being a “visiting black belt.” Not sure when that will go away, considering I’ve been going to that school for over seven years, but it’s nice nonetheless. Some schools may be fine with a student wearing their rank from a previous dojo, while some may insist you start from scratch. The latter can be a shot in the pills to someone who’s trained for decades but if one truly wants to learn a new style, this may be the route you have to take.

The important thing to remember is that different doesn’t mean bad. If you walk into a different school with the attitude that their methods are wrong, you’ll have no room in your spirit for learning and you likely shouldn’t stick around. be open to different experiences and methods of training. And most importantly, be open and ask. Wanna know how you should do a particular thing or whether you should wear your home dojo’s gi? Ask the question. And be transparent. For a number of years, I tried to keep my rank as black belt to myself when visiting a new dojo. It’s amazing how it changes a prospective instructor’s perception of you. But honesty and openness is always the best route. Especially if you plan on training with them for any length of time.

Training in a different school can present some fun and interesting challenges, especially if you choose a school that will help increase your overall martial arts toolbox. Being open and willing to learn something different, albeit without compromising your own style, and being sure to ask and get clarification so you can be respectful and mindful while training in someone else’s dojo, are integral steps to good cooperation. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll find a dojo who will be curious enough to ask about your techniques, as well. Food for thought…☯️

Plan Ahead or Else…

Variety is the spice of life… Or so I’ve been told. Training in the martial arts is a puzzle with a million pieces that requires the practitioner to acquire a new piece every class. Otherwise, the full picture will never come to fruition. That being said, studying and teaching are two very different things. Even if you have an excellent teacher/instructor and train hard, manage to absorb all those teachings and become a stellar practitioner of your respective art, passing on those teachings is an entirely different bag. And it’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. I was often considered one of my Sensei’s most promising students. That probably sounds like I’m bragging and, well… I AM. But it’s also the truth. I lived, breathed and existed only for karate until I hit my thirties.

When I was in my mid-twenties, we opened a second dojo and Sensei asked me to lead it. I excitedly accepted, looking forward to passing on everything I had learned to the next generation of karateka. Sounds ambitious, right? I lasted six months. Although I definitely have the ability to impart knowledge and teach karate to someone else, leading an entire class was definitely not MY cup of tea and I found myself leaning on Sensei to lead classes more than I did. It taught me an important lesson about the humility required to accept what niches one can operate within. And one important detail I learned, is that you need to preplan your classes and have at least some mild semblance of what you’re going to teach on a given night.

Just winging it once the class opens up is not an option. Although being fluid and adaptable is an important part of karate, you should have at least some passing idea of what concept you intend to cover on a given night. Maybe you want to focus on kicks. Maybe it’ll be blocks or you’ll do stations to build some cardio and break a sweat. In any event, starting a class and waiting to see “where the evening will take you” is not an ideal way to impart knowledge on a student. This is why you need to at least come up with some modicum of an idea on what you’ll cover. This is also extremely important in order to keep students engaged and allow them to progress. Although I’ll be the first to admit that the belt is not important, it’s the learning, that learning does need to take place.

Variety is also incredibly important. Especially in today’s world of “right here right now,” doing the same routine over and over again, every night and in every class, can lead to negative results and the loss of practitioners. Eventually, the students will move on. And then, who will carry on the teachings? Everything, from your warm up to your core teachings to how you close out the class or allow students to train and practice on their own will ultimately show the results of what direction your dojo will take and what future it maintains. And last but not least, know what YOU want. If you don’t want to be teaching, then don’t. There’s nothing worse than an instructor who’s doing it because they think they have to. This leads to phoning it in and your students will ultimately pay the price. Food for thought… ☯️

Food For Thought…

It’s ironic because I end so many of my posts with the phrase in today’s title but I just couldn’t help myself. As I‘ve often written before, living with Type-1 Diabetes comes with a broad set of difficulties that can make navigating daily life more complicated than it needs to be. From having to measure and calculate everything you, when you sleep and how much you work out, to dealing with equipment failures and battery replacements all while never being quite sure if you’re doing it all right can be exhausting. And one’s personal nutrition through all that mess is no exception.

As with many of my posts, I’ll start using off by clearly stating that I am not a nutritionist, dietitian or medical professional and that you should always consult your family doctor or medical practitioner before starting (or stopping) any particular dietary regimen. Unlike my experience in karate, I post these things based solely on my own experience and what I’ve found to be true. But what works for me may not work for you, which is why it’s important to consult a professional. That being said, I’ll touch on that last point. Bit later in this post.

It wasn’t until 2014 that I figured out that crab-counting was a thing. That may shock some people but throughout my childhood, Type-1 Diabetes or “Juvenile Diabetes“ as it was called at the time, involved taking your one shot of NPH insulin in the morning and staying away from sugar. That was essentially it. My parents were never provided any education on how carbohydrates basically equate to sugar and affect blood sugars in much the same way. Hungry? Here, have a slice of bread with peanut butter. There’s no sugar in that. Thirsty? Here, have a glass of milk, there’s no sugar in that… I cringe, even just writing that, as I imagine the dozens of carbs being pumped into my young body without the realization that it will adversely affect my blood sugars.

This would be the reason why I suffered the most of my complications throughout my childhood and before I entered adult life. The early damage to my eyes, the comas I suffered through and my insufferable mood swings in my teens that were aggravated by being a teenager likely could have been avoided, or at least improved, had we known about carb counting. I say “we” because as a child, I consider it to have been my parents’ responsibility to look into and acknowledge these things. But as I grew into adulthood, my knowledge of Diabetes was somewhat skewed by the practices observed by nut family during my childhood. Although inherently no one’s fault, I often wonder what might have been different, had I been armed with the knowledge I have now.

Starting on insulin pump therapy and being trained in carb counting back in 2014 changed the game significantly. I began to see markedly improved blood sugar control, better A1C results and things were looking up. But as time marches on, so does the wear and tear on one’s body, which leads to different complications. For me, the ever-present “dad bod” and the apparent inability to lose weight despite a reasonable diet and proper exercise, has begun to cause some issues with my kidneys and has led to some pretty radical lifestyle changes, not least of which is my starting on Ozempic. I’ve posted about this a couple of times already but I will update that since starting on it, I’ve lost nearly 30 pounds, which is no doubt helpful.

Although weight loss and proper exercise are important, what you stuff in your mouth is JUST as important. And starts with you. I’ve always been a bit of a heavy eater but I always justified it with the fact that I work out consistently and keep active. But my gut has always persisted. Some people have often tried to get me on fad diets, keto-this or paleo-that… The bottom line and what needs to be acknowledged by anyone, is that weight loss requires a healthy diet coupled with regular, rigorous activity. Full stop. Although some fad diets will work for some, they likely won’t work for others. It’s important to remember that every person is different, so if cutting out certain foods helps you shed some pounds, good for you! The next person who tries that same thing may lose no weight at all. This can lead to discouragement and giving up on losing weight.

That’s why, much like the martial arts, one’s weight-loss journey will be unique to them and they need to find the method that works for THEM, not the one that your favourite celebrity is toting on the infomercial. Portion size has been a big thing for me. Instead of a full plate of food, cut it back to half. Less calories means better weight management. Although the base concepts are pretty simple and make plenty of sense, regardless of what diet you’re trying to follow, it amazing how that detail seems to slip past everyone’s mind. And that, my friends, is food for thought… ☯️

One On One Can Be Twice The Learning Fun…

I remember how in the early years of training in the karate dojo, I would always be grateful for the ability to blend in to my background. Training and following along, I was comfortable following the status quo and learning in the class environment. I wasn’t a big fan of having the focus mainly on me. One might say I was a bit more shy back then than I am now. I don’t have a timid bone in my body, these days, so things are a bit different and those also affects how I learn and train.

I’ll always remember the first time I found myself training alone with Sensei. To be clear, when I say alone, I don’t mean one on one while the rest of the class is paired off, as well. No, what I mean is literally only Sensei and I in the dojo. Classes for us would usually run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, with junior belts and younger kids leaving after the first hour. The older and more senior belts would almost always stay for the second hour, as the lessened number of students meant less of a watering down of Sensei’s attention.

On this one particular night, the few senior students who would have stayed that second hour were either absent or had to depart early for individual reasons, leaving me alone with Sensei. I was still a white belt and I remember experiencing a distinct feeling of apprehension as I stood at attention and Sensei waited for the remaining students to clear out. Once we were alone, he began to continue to instruct, but to me and me alone. The positive is that I was still getting my time out of the class. At the time, the negative was that his focus was solely on me as the only student present, which meant that each and every little thing I did got picked apart and corrected.

I was incredibly grateful when the clock finally struck 8:30 pm as it would mean the spotlight would be off. But it wasn’t in Sensei’s nature to follow the clock. Karate knows no time limit, he would often say. I enjoyed the benefit of his direct tutelage for another fifteen minutes beyond the scheduled end of the class. I left the dojo that night feeling a sense of accomplishment. Many of my forms and techniques had been directly evaluated, corrected and commented by my Sensei; something I hadn’t had the pleasure of experiencing before.

As the years passed and I gained time, experience and what I like to think of as a touch of wisdom, I came to value and appreciate the nights when Sensei and I would be alone together to train. I also came to recognize that many students often feel that they don’t get such direct exposure to their instructors in mainstream schools, which leads many students to feel as though they’re neglected or ignored. I never had such feelings, considering I was the type of kid who preferred to be in the background. But there’s definitely something to be said for getting some one-on-one coaching from an instructor.

I was reminded of this experience last night. I finally returned to Kempo, after being absent for almost two years. Following the rib break and crushed muscles from early 2022 in another dojo, I made the conscious choice to step away from group training to allow myself to heal completely and continue to train on my own, at my own pace. This process took longer than I had anticipated and as I often say, life rarely cares about one’s plans. It wasn’t until I received an email from the dojo asking the entire mailing list if they still wanted to receive the emails that I realized classes had been reopened from the pandemic.

As my first class back, I anticipated seeing some old faces and training with several people. I was significantly disappointed to see that some long-time students and people I had gotten to know were no longer attending the dojo. But that isn’t my story to tell. Ultimately, given the night and the circumstances, it was just me and the instructor. I once again found myself in a situation where it would be one-on-one training. This was a two-fold situation. Ion the one hand, I was older and experienced enough that training solo with someone else no longer causes concern. On the other side, despite several years of training at their school, I still don’t have the familiarity with Kempo that would make me comfortable in training in any of their specifics.

On this particular evening, the instructor and I agreed to keep things informal. As opposed to opening a formal class, we simply bowed to each other and got into some training. We spent two solid hours training with kali sticks. This was an exciting prospect, since my loving wife (looking at you, baba!) bought me a set of phenolic kali sticks from Budo Brothers. What are phenolic kali sticks, you may ask? Speaking in generalities, phenolic materials are usually comprised of thermosetting resin or compounds. The result is a lighter but harder stick, making them last longer and be more effective in the training environment.

I got to use my new Kali sticks for the first time last night and I have to say, they held up phenomenally. Putting in a couple of solid hours doing Kali work was the perfect way to shake off the cobwebs and get back into the martial arts groove. It made for fantastic evening. I’m going to take the opportunity to do an unofficial product plug and mention that if you want to check out the Kali sticks I bought, they can be found on Budo Brother’s website here.

Don’t knock the opportunity to train with an instructor one-on-one. Although it can sometimes seem intimidating and even a bit daunting, considering they usually have the skills and rank that many aspire to, they’re there to train just like you are. And the amount you can learn in those rare sessions can go a long way towards helping the progress of your martial arts journey. Last but not least and speaking as a previous instructor as well, the amount we learn from the student during those sessions is just as valuable and important. Martial arts training is a two-way street. Food for thought…☯️

The Comeback Kid…

I have to say that 2024 hasn’t exactly started on a pleasant foot for me, at least health-wise. Back in November, my oldest son was diagnosed with bronchitis, which saw him on antibiotics and hacking like a chain smoker for a couple of weeks. All things consider3d and given his youth, he recovered reasonably quick. I, however, were not so lucky. Around the end of the month, I started coughing as well. And then I did something stupid…

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being Type-1 Diabetic for 41 years, is that I’m inclined to catch each and every. Little bug that comes floating past me. Hazard of the condition, I guess but the result has been that I’ve developed a stubborn streak. Especially when it comes other obtaining basic medical care. I’ve always been of the opinion, and the current state of Canada’s healthcare system has proven it, that there’s little point in trying to see a doctor for something basic like a cough. It’s pretty rare but sometimes I’m wrong…

It stands to reason that in the first week or two, one will usually tend to ignore something as basic as a cough. Normally attributed to the cold weather or the common cold, going to a doctor for a generalized symptom like a cough is basically the same as wasting several hours of your life, especially since they’ll likely just tell you to grab some cough syrup, get rest and fluids and call it a day. I will fully admit that I do occasionally tend to consult with Dr. Google, and everything I found about bronchitis seemed to indicate that my son wasn’t contagious after three days. Since I didn’t start coughing until well after a week of his, I thought I was likely in the clear.

By the second week, my cough had worsened to the point hat I was chugging Buckley’s like it was Alpine beer (look that up, if you’re not from the Maritimes) and it was enough that it was beginning to affect my sleep and my work. Luckily, my blood sugars seemed to be rolling at a normal level, so… small favours. But after a couple of instances of missing work to catch up on sleep, it was mildly suggested that perhaps it would be time for me to get checked. However, my stubborn streak told me that this had to pass soon, considering I had already been hacking for a while.

The beginning of week 3 of this phenomenon was a short week for me, as it was the week before Christmas. With a mounting task list to accomplish before the holiday break and a multitude of meetings and events, I never got to a clinic. The following week was actually the week of Christmas. Although I was off all week, it was fuckin’ Christmas. I muddled through the holidays and we even travelled towards the end of the week to be with family for the New Year holiday. That was the conclusion of week four. I hadn’t gotten better and in fact, I start “throwing up” from my lungs and expelling liquid, as well as having some difficulty breathing.

That last sentence obviously kicks things up a notch and likely makes some of you wonder if I’m completely out of my mind for having waited so long. Time and circumstance can be a bitch. But upon my return to work on January 2, I made a point of trying to get in to see someone. On Wednesday, which was January 3, I finally managed to get in to see a doctor after waiting for over three hours and frightening some people with my hacking. I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in my lungs and prescribed an antibiotic, steroid and an inhaler to help open up my lungs and breathe a little better.

That was on January 3 and I’ve worked my way through all the prescribed meds. The steroid had a ridiculous effect on my blood sugars, leading to some harsh nights without the carbs to account for it. It’s only been the past few days that the cough has all but disappeared and I’m starting to feel better. Lesson learned for me, that I should wait and ignore my illnesses. You’d think that would be common sense but if everyone had common sense, they wouldn’t need to call it “common sense.” But I digress…

The colder season can be harsh for anyone with some sort of chronic condition as we tend to get sick a bit more than the average bear. But when you factor in recovery time, blood sugar control due to the illness AND due to medication, as well as how blitzed you’ll feel from exhaustion, that cough I ignored way back in November may have been better served by visiting the clinic sooner. Lesson learned and food for thought. Don’t ignore your body. Although the symptom may seem simple (say THAT three times fast), the cause may be a shark in the water. Stay healthy, my friends. ☯️

The Second Family…

Most karate practitioners have been there and I spent decades experiencing the same routine… Your dojo doors open up and you show up for class about thirty minutes before start of class. There’s some friendly “how are you’s” and hellos exchanged while stretching. Maybe you engage in a form or two and do a bit of light shadow sparring. Sensei is always the first one there and always makes a point of asking you how your weekend was or, if you’re on the last class of the week, will ask you what plans you may have for the weekend to come.

Sound familiar? It should. This is the sort of social nicety that one can expect when entering a dojo and before starting class. Setting aside for the moment that not all dojos have the whole “get here half an hour before” mindset, you can usually expect that people who train together will bond together. Relationships and connections will develop, which will lead into a more social connection beyond the immediate purpose for being in the dojo, which is training in karate. This aspect is important, not only for you as a person but for you as a student, as well.

These connection make it easier and more comfortable to train in the dojo environment and allow for material to be absorbed and learned easily. If one is able to think back to the initial year one started in a dojo, there was awkwardness, silence and it felt as though one’s skills weren’t progressing. Some of that could likely be attributed to the fact that those interpersonal connections and relationships hadn’t been solidified yet, which led to less questions being asked, less people being approached for coaching and less overall learning.

Some may comment that this isn’t entirely accurate and that it doesn’t really play a role but I’ve seen it firsthand. It’s very hard to learn if you train like an antisocial douche who sits in the corner and doesn’t connect with anybody. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll learn NOTHING. But you certainly won’t learn at the level you should with the quality of teaching that a dedicated student deserves. The worst is when the teachers and instructors do their best to reach out but the student STILL wants nothing to do with connecting to other fellow karateka.

All that being said, my point is that training in karate has so much more to offer than just being in the dojo. It’s the semi-permanent connections made with the practitioners. For example, you can tell a lot about the dynamic of a dojo by what happens AFTER the class. For the most part and from what I’ve seen of many dojos I’ve trained in, the class closes, people change and get the hell out of dodge. I even trained at one dojo that boasted shower facilities on site but I’ve never seen anyone use them. Considering the key holders are usually standing there waiting like vultures for everyone to get into street clothes and leave, that’s not surprising.

In my home dojo, it usually took at least half an hour for everyone to leave. This is because once class closed, you’d have students helping each other with technique, or people would start chatting and conversing, almost to the point of hanging out. Hell, my home dojo had a standing tradition that on the last Wednesday of every month, senior students would get together to grab a beer after class. Stories and laughs would be shared and even if we were all karate practitioners, most of the conversations would be unrelated to karate. Imagine that? Even now, when I travel home for any reason, I make a point to have social visits with Sensei and others I’ve trained with. These are relationships and bonds that last a lifetime and can never be undone.

Am I saying this phenomenon is necessary to train in karate? Absolutely not. Considering I’ve been effectively training for over ten years by myself, by virtue of there being no schools of Uechi-Ryu in Saskatchewan, I think I’m living proof of that. What I’m saying is that it makes it BETTER. It makes it more fun and more motivating. Like it or not, human beings are pack creatures and we are drawn to others of our kind. To develop those bonds is to provide an undeniable benefit to one’s training and ultimately, to one’s overall personal development. Food for thought… ☯️

Dojo Code Of Conduct


I wrote this post all the way back in December of 2019 and reposted it for the last time, almost two years ago. Although I try to avoid just recycling posts I’ve already written, this post outlines the proper guidelines a prospective student should follow when attending ANY martial arts school. Some of these are simply a matter of tradition, some of them are necessary to ensure that a dojo runs smoothly. Some, mostly all of them, are also a show of respect for the school you’ve chosen to attend. I think we can all agree that even if you’ve studied in a different style or have a different set of core beliefs, you should still show respect when inside someone else’s dojo. ESPECIALLY if your goal is to have it become your dojo, as well.

One of the big points I make when listing these things, is if your core beliefs don’t align with the school you’re visiting, you likely shouldn’t be joining. Not all styles are created equal and not all schools will suit every student. Martial arts is a very subjective journey and the first step should always be to find the school that works for you. But I digress… Given that my significantly delayed but anticipated return to the dojo is forthcoming, I’ve decided to repost this list as a reminder.

I’ve had the opportunity to observe some students, visitors and outsiders in many dojos. Taking into consideration some of the things I’ve observed, these are some of the basic principles of conduct when training within the dojo. This is never an exhaustive list and is often subjective to what’s been seen in the dojo but it’s all good stuff. Here we go:

  1. Bow when entering or exiting the dojo: This seems like a bit of a tiny detail, but it is an important one. It provides a show of respect; respect towards the instructors, respect towards the ones who trained before you, and respect towards the school. It also evokes a sense of discipline. Even though you may not realize it now, that tiny detail begins to lay the foundational discipline that should become the cornerstone of your training;
  2. Ensure your Gi, or karate uniform, is clean and pressed: This one is important not only for protocol and etiquette, but for hygiene reasons as well. And you would be surprised how many people overlook it. There’s nothing worse than someone who assumes that their last workout wasn’t intense enough to warrant laundering their uniform. Make sure it’s clean. Not only does that ensure a more “pleasant” environment for yourself and the other students, it shows proper respect for the uniform you wear on your journey. Keep an eye on the condition of your uniform. If it’s become yellowed and stained, regardless of washing, it’s time to replace it. If there are tears and/or holes, have them repaired (unless they’re unsightly even once fixed). You shouldn’t have to iron your gi but if you do, for the love of ALL that’s good and holy, don’t iron a crease down the center of your pants. Your going to karate class, not a business meeting;
  3. Stand straight and pay attention: When not executing a movement in the immediate moment, it is imperative that you stand straight and tall, heels together and thumbs tucked into the front of your belt. Keep your gaze towards the front and pay close attention to what the head instructor is saying. Try to avoid looking around and fidgeting. A big part of discipline is being able to focus long enough to build an attention span beyond that of a goldfish and if you fidget and waste your time, you may miss an integral piece of information you needed for what you’re working on;
  4. Acknowledge every instruction given: Different styles will have different ways of doing this. Some will choose a shallow bow when the head instructor provides instruction, some will answer in the affirmative by saying Hai (Japanese for “yes”) or something of the like… The method of acknowledgment will depend on the style and school you’re in. But once it’s clear that the instructor has completed providing instruction, this small acknowledgment is not only a sign of respect but provides the instructor with some cursory way of knowing that you’ve understood what’s been said;
  5. No food or drink within the dojo: You would think this one would be common sense, but a martial arts school is no place for you to sip your mocha-choca latte while your kid trains. Since the average martial arts class only lasts about an hour and a half to two hours, you can manage this easily without having food and drink within the confines of a training environment. In recent years, I’ve noticed that it’s become a bit more of a common thing for the practitioners to carry water bottles into the dojo and take water breaks throughout training. I’m pretty divided on this, considering Sensei always use to tell us to use the washroom and grab our drink BEFORE class started, because once you bowed in, you were in until you bowed out. But from a health perspective, I understand better than most that proper hydration is important. That being said, my current classes are only an hour in length and the average person should be able to make it through that short period without necessarily sucking back on a bottle;
  6. Get out of the way: If you become injured or over-tired, bow, step back and sit in seiza (on your knees) at the rear of the class. Stay out of the way and remove yourself from the flow of the class until your fatigue passes or your injury allows you to continue. Of course, if your injury is severe or serious enough to think you need to remove yourself, you likely shouldn’t continue as you could aggravate the injury further. The point is, there’s nothing to be served by standing in the way while others continue and you shouldn’t expect that everyone will stop and wait. After all, this is their time, too;
  7. Don’t show up late: This one is and always has been, a personal pet peeve of mine. Some instructors will say that if you show up late, it’s better to get “some of the workout” in rather than none at all. Although that is a great concept, showing up late can be disruptive to a class and shows great disrespect to your class and instructors. We all have busy lives. It falls to you to plan ahead and schedule things so that you may attend class. Whether or not showing up late is appropriate will be up to your head instructor, but true respect dictates that if you aren’t fifteen minutes early for class, you’re already late. A good example is a recent evening where I had to fight off a bout of low blood sugar and didn’t make it to class. I’m sure that if I really pushed it and fought my way down there, I would have been able to make it only a short period after start of class. But such disrespect for the flow of a dojo’s operations shouldn’t be encouraged;
  8. Don’t waste your instructor’s time: Although you’ve likely paid a fee for your presence, the instructor(s) within the school are there to impart their knowledge and skills to you and others. If you aren’t going to put in your full effort, then you’re wasting your instructors time. Effectively, you’re also wasting your time AND the fee you paid. You’re also affecting the other student’s ability to learn properly. Karate isn’t something you can walk into a few 1-hour classes and expect to progress. You need to put in some supplementary time training outside the dojo, on your own. This is the only way you’ll truly progress and make any headway. Otherwise, you may as well join a knitting circle;
  9. Respect and train based on your partner: You will sometimes be paired with someone of lower or higher rank than yourself. If you’re paired with someone of lower rank, you become the example of what is to be taught. If you inflict injury upon your partner, you may discourage them from further learning and you will have gained nothing yourself. If training with someone of higher rank, respect should be given and you should take every advantage to learn from this person as they are in the same position you would be if training with a lower ranked belt. Granted, time has proven that there is just as much you can learn from a lower rank. It depends on how positive your perspective may be; and
  10. Don’t be afraid to share some personal information: This is a new one that I haven’t included in the previous iterations of this post but I feel it’s significantly important, especially since it also plays in to some of the previous points about food and drink and disrupting the dojo. I’ve always made a point of sharing the fact I have Type-1 Diabetes with all of my instructors and students. We live in a world of wanting privacy but such a step is important, not only for my health and well-being but because there may be occasions where I’ll need to excuse myself to eat some fast-acting carbs or rest for a few moments. Beyond the respect component, such steps can be necessary to ensure I don’t pass out on the dojo floor. Be sure to discuss such things with your head instructor so that there are no misunderstandings.

I’ve seen everything from kids running around, coffee, students fidgeting and looking around… In a school I trained in, there was even one guy who showed up forty minutes late for class with a bag of cheeseburgers and ate while the rest of us did calisthenics! Besides the fact that the smell of burgers was killing me, a karate dojo is definitely NOT the place to eating, much less junk food. Even though some of these points could be viewed simply as one’s person’s opinion, it stands to reason that tradition and respect are things that should never be ignored in the dojo.

Folks, no matter what sport or art you study, there will always be guidelines to follow. The martial arts simply have more, and that’s part of the charm. Although the above guidelines are only basic, they apply to any martial arts school you attend. Your specific dojo may have more, and this is one of those moments where it’s important to take the initiative and ask. After all, respect is a primary aspect of karate and all martial arts. Food for thought… ☯

Have A Little Style While Showcasing Your Style…

One of the biggest issues and trends I’ve noticed in recent years, especially online, is when martial artists take a position or basically bash or call out other styles. Although I can fully admit to not endorsing certain schools of thought or how certain techniques are done by others, I’ve always maintained a respect for how other styles may do something that is different than my own way. Respect is a very large piece of the martial arts puzzle and should be considered when commenting on someone else’s style.

The thing is, and I’ll likely take shit from some commenters on this, is that no style is perfect. I’ve had the benefit of training with a number of different schools and styles and can honestly say that I’ve seen many different ways of performing the same technique. Some good, some bad. The problem is that this is a matter of perspective. What I assume is a poor technique may be quite an effective one for practitioners of a particular style. Since I don’t have the advantage of having trained extensively in this style, I may not have the vision or perspective to recognize this.

For example, I would never attempt or use the multiple high kicks employed with certain styles. The concept of balancing on one leg for any length of time in an actual fight seems ludicrous, at best. But for someone who’s drilled and built muscle memory using those techniques, using them may be efficient and precise. The same kick or punch performed by two different practitioners will only be as effective as the practitioner’s skill level, experience and effort, regardless of the style.

One of the most notable examples I can think of is when I trained for a period of time with a karate dojo that used long, striding steps to reach and attack their opponent. On my side of the table, this seems incredibly ineffective. After all, why would I stretch myself out and actively try to walk towards an enemy who is out of arm’s length? If I can’t reach them, then they can’t reach me, right? Fight’s over! Uechi Ryu has always focused on strikes when the opponent is within reach, to ensure contact. Oh sure, we step and slide the same as any karateka but some styles will practically cross half a room in doing so. Does this mean my style is better? No. It just means it’s different and one can potentially be as effective as the other. It’s all in the eye of the practitioner.

A lot of people are often reminded of the old classic Kung Fu movies where you’d get two students from competing schools, yelling that one’s Kung Fu style is stronger. Strength is found in the practitioner, not the style. And with that strength needs to come with the respect not to constantly judge a technique or assume it “won’t work in real life.” I swear to the light, if I go the rest of my life without someone saying that to me, it’ll be too soon. But I digress… Take the time to appreciate the technique. The discipline. The effort. And never forget that if something is done in form or drills, it likely serves a deeper purpose than in actual practice. Honour and respect your fellow martial artists. Food for thought…☯️

The Ozempic Follow-up…

So back in November, my visit to the endocrinologist’s office resulted in my having Ozempic prescribed as a weekly injection. I wasn’t particularly jazzed about getting on this medication as, in the history of my life, the introduction of any new medication has ALWAYS caused chaos in my blood sugar control. However, Ozempic works by mimicking the effects of the naturally-occurring hormone the body produces to tell your body that you’re full. The result is that you eat less. If you combine this with regular exercise, not only does your blood sugar control become much tighter, one tends to lose weight as a side effect.

While Ozempic isn’t primarily intended as a weight loss tool, I will point out that within a month of me using on the injections, I dropped from approximately 94.5 kilograms to 91.1 kilograms, which is a significant improvement. The loss of weight has made my cardio workouts a bit easier, clothing fits better and if I can finally kick this pulmonary infection, I’m looking forward to increased energy levels and ability to return to some of my physical activities, such as Kempo Karate, which I recently found out has re-opened its doors.

Even at almost two months in, I haven’t really felt any of the general side effects for this drug that most sites, such as WebMD tend to list. I’m actually enjoying the lessened portion sizes and I’ve started incorporating more vegetables and lean proteins into my diet. I’ve eliminated most (key word) processed meats and foods and enjoying the benefits of my exercise bike in the basement. The result has been a healthy drop in weight, as you can see from the photo above, which was taken yesterday morning. Fasting weight is subjective, based on a few factors, including whether you’ve had your morning bathroom trip, if you weigh yourself with clothing or not and removing anything that provide added weight, such as your insulin pump or cell phone. In recent days, I’ve gotten weight results as low as a flat 90 kilograms (approximately 198 pounds), which is the lightest I’ve been in over ten years.

Although the drug is primarily intended to help control blood sugar levels and tend to be used more with folks that have Type-2 Diabetes, it has very much proven to be an invaluable tool in getting me healthier. My blood sugars are smoother but the weight loss is the icing on the cake. So much so, that it has evoked the envy of work colleagues who would like to try the drug themselves. Considering they don’t have Diabetes, it speaks to the trend seen in recent media about the recreational use of this drug for weight loss. This causes supply chain issues for the Diabetics who genuinely need and benefit from this medication, which is why it’s important never to use something of this nature unless you need it and it’s been prescribed by your doctor or medical practitioner. ☯️