Category: Martial Arts

“One More Round…”

The title is an excerpt from Rocky V, where the main character, tired and beaten down by a younger opponent, stands up one more time and asks him for “one more round.” Widely panned by audiences and critics alike, I never really understood all the hate Rocky V received and in some cases, still receives. While I agree that it wasn’t the greatest out of the series of movies, it still had a reasonable storyline and some decent fight scenes. What struck the biggest chord for me in watching this movie, was how Rocky and his family basically came full circle; having gained riches through being a world boxing heavyweight champion to losing everything and moving back to the rough streets of Philadelphia where he got his beginnings. It’s an important life lesson and certainly one that wasn’t lost on me in my youth.

What’s even more extreme, is Rocky Balboa, a stand-alone movie released in 2006 that sees an aged Rocky living a life without his beloved Adrian and running a small bistro. Because of the rising unpopularity of the current reigning champ, an exhibition fight is set up between the champ and Rocky himself, bringing him out of retirement for one final foray in the ring. What’s a bit difficult in watching this movie is recognizing an aged Rocky, in his 60’s, going to town training like he did in the original Rocky movies. For old dogs like myself, it’s reminiscent of the old training montages you’d see in the original Rocky films; solid training music, working out, sweating, putting in a maximum effort to put on the best show for the crowd. It’s definitely motivational albeit a tad unrealistic. It reminds me of the recent fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Although the fight in Rocky Balboa showed significantly more substance and heart than the Tyson vs. Paul fight did.

The point to all of this and where I’m going with this post, is that much like the alpha lion stepping back from the pride so a new alpha can take the lead, there comes a time when one begins to realize that the fight is over. That the long hours of hard training and combining martial arts into one’s daily routines for maximum training and efficiency have started to pass. And eventually, one needs to recognize that there can’t always be “just one more fight.” Eventually, one needs to recognize that the last fight really was just that; the last. That’s probably the biggest and most difficult obstacle for a martial artist to face; realizing that one’s karate journey isn’t at an end but needs to significantly change to accommodate the needs of the practitioner. This recognition doesn’t come easily and is often only learned through hardship and injury.

My experience came rather painfully and roughly about three years ago. Granted, at the time, I weighed nearly 30 pounds more than I do now, and my gut definitely played a role in my speed and ability to execute techniques. I had joined a local karate dojo in the hopes of training in the dojo environment and connect with some like-minded practitioners. And with this particular dojo, I found just that. It’s without a doubt the only dojo that I found that managed to show as much interest in my style as I had in theirs. I was treated like a student as opposed to an invitee, and the instructors had as many questions for me as I had for them. It was almost symbiotic, from the karate standpoint, and I grew to enjoy training. But i did notice that it was difficult for me to keep up. Given that we were at the tail end of the COVID pandemic, it was also very difficult to breathe, since all the practitioners were required to wear face masks WHILE training. But I was getting a strong sweat going, working out and learning some new forms. I was in glory. Until I wasn’t.

I definitely started to notice that recovery time took a lot longer. I was tired and slept more during my down time and I started having difficulty finding the motivation to attend the dojo. I kept going, because I’ve been trained never to quit or give up. But I’d be lying if I said things got EASIER, the way they usually would or should. Rather, they started to get harder and more exhausting. As a result, I allowed my anger at the situation to fuel my motivation and keep pushing me harder. The penultimate event that changed my way of thinking came on a Sunday, of all things, on a day when we usually didn’t have classes. We had a weekend seminar, with several high-ranking instructors visiting the dojo to put on the seminar and provide instruction. Starting on the Saturday, it was a wonderful event. Everyone worked out hard, broke a solid sweat and enjoyed themselves. On the Sunday, we started the morning out with another workout and some instruction. Then, came the sparring…

As part of an instructional exercise, the lead instructor had two students face off within a ring. They would spar until the instructor either called one of them out, or one of the two managed to land a strike, which would eliminate the one who got struck. Then, a fresh opponent jumped in. In order to understand why this activity was a bit of an issue for someone like me, you need to understand my mindset. In my head, all the knowledge is still there. The techniques, training and muscle memory are all just as intact as the first year I trained in a dojo. As a result, and much like the aged dog growling in the corner, I’m often of the opinion that I can still respond and move just as fast as I used to. I would be proven quite wrong. I was called into the ring and sparred against my first opponent. Got him out. Second opponent, out. Third opponent? Fuckin’ out… I was on fire and became overconfident, feeling I still “had it” and couldn’t be topped. Then, one of my counterparts (in rank and experience) stepped into the ring next and everything went to shit.

While engaged in a rather spirited exchange back and forth, I overconfidently threw a left-hand hook punch that should have landed. However, my opponent ducked, redirected the hook punch and responded with a very well-placed uppercut punch straight into the lift side of my rib cage. An explosion of lightning burst from behind my eyes and my left side seized from immediate pain. Mercifully, the match was called and I stepped out, since the technique landed against me. I managed to maintain my composure long enough to walk to the edge of the circle and kneel on the floor. Once my body rested downward, the pain became aggravated, since the weight of my body was now adding stress to the injury. I realized at that point that something was very, very wrong. A doctor’s visit and some x-rays later, and I had three fractured ribs. I was on pain killers for quite some time after that.

The experience taught me several important lessons for the future. Not least of which included that the time had come for me to start slowing down and recognizing that fighting someone the same way I did twenty years ago wasn’t likely. And that in any fighting art, overconfidence and vanity can get you injured, or worse. It took several weeks and many pain-filled sleepless nights for the ribs to mend and the muscle wall to heal. After that, I made the conscious decision to continue my training in the privacy of my home. Part realization, part embarrassment, my karate journey has been a solitary one, ever since. This doesn’t mean I won’t still train with others. It simply means that I’m not trying to pretend I’m still a 23-year old black belt who is still in his prime. And that’s the important key to all this. I’ll never stop training. Martial arts is a life-long journey. But the way I started that journey can’t be the same way it ends. I’m getting older. My body is changing. And some of the amazing things I could do with karate decades ago are not the same things I can do now. And we all get there. Realizing is just one important aspect of the journey. An important piece of the puzzle. Food for thought… ☯️

Weapons of Opportunity

My specific style of karate has never focused much on weapons. After all, karatedo means “way of the empty hand,” not “way of the weapon.” But there’s no argument, from my perspective, that learning and gaining proficiency with some form of weapon is not only important and a valuable addition to one’s overall self-defense toolkit but has the potential to be life-saving. Generally speaking and for the most part, martial arts will focus on manufactured weapons that either provide blunt impact or a cutting edge. Prominent examples would include kali sticks or Bo staffs for the former and swords, spears and knives for the latter. There would be no measurable way to start going through all of the weaponry associated with the various styles of martial arts in one post. I’m sure they number in the thousands and that’s likely a conservative estimate. Ever hear of a weapon called the manriki-gusari? I guarantee you’ve likely seen one in comic books, movies or martial arts shows and didn’t even know that’s what it was. My point is, there are tons of weapons out there that allow for comprehensive and formal training with specific weapons.

During my formative years in karate, I began to recognize the need to have some training in something else. These days, most martial artists I speak with tend to supplement themselves with the opposite of their home style. Practicing a striking art? Maybe take some grappling or throwing, like JiuJitsu or Judo. Already engage in one of those grappling arts? Maybe supplement with some striking art, or kick boxing. It allows one to become a well-rounded practitioner who is prepared for the eventualities of the fight falling to the ground or already being there and needing to strike the opponent to end the threat. And that last part is an important takeaway; end the threat. At the end of the day and for a genuine practitioner of the art, we’ll never be the ones to start the fight. But you’d better damn well believe that we’ll be the ones who will end it. And that becomes an important detail. So, what if you have multiple opponents and you know you’ll be overwhelmed? What do you do now? Roll over and just let it happen? Accept one’s fate? Yeah, screw that noise.

In such a scenario, I would find something, anything, that would allow me to gain a martial edge over the opposition. If I weren’t already in possession of a weapon, I would find a broom stick, a pocket knife, a broken tree branch… Anything that would allow me to even the playing field against multiple opponents OR an opponent who has a weapon themselves. Ever try to defend yourself bare-handed against an armed opponent? We train for it. It’s possible. But it’s also sketch as hell and there’s no guarantee you’ll be successful. If you’re lucky and manage to defend yourself, good for you. But all it would take is one lucky shot, whether with a stick or an edged weapon, for your opponent to put you down and then you’re completely at their mercy. Not a position I’d want to be in. I prefer to be prepared. And a big part of the preparation is ensuring you have some familiarity with a weapon.

Most of the techniques in martial arts is rooted muscle memory. The concept of practicing and drilling a technique into one’s mind so completely that it can be recalled and executed by the body without thought or hesitation. This is one of the many reasons why you’ll see karateka practicing the same technique dozens and even hundreds of times before moving on to something else. If someone attacks me on the fly, my body will instinctively react, block and strike. It’s been drilled into my very soul and over the years, I’ve never really been caught completely unaware as a result. Setting aside the possibility of unwanted hyper-vigilance, this is an important approach to whatever weapons you choose to train with. The idea isn’t to get caught in a scenario where you suddenly find your fate dependent on the use of a club or stick; rather, ensuring you have familiarity with the feel, reach and possibilities of any given weapon is what will make the difference.

In the dojo, we frequently trained with knives, practicing certain blocks in order to avoid getting cut. Outside of that, we never really focused on weapons to any extreme, much as I indicated in the opening paragraph of this post. There is one notable, unspoken weapon not opportunity that I’ve trained with independently over the decades; the BELT. No, that isn’t a typo. A belt makes an effective weapon, both for blocking and in some instances, striking. Let’s start with IN the dojo. Your belt, or obi (depending on your style), can be an effective tool for blocking and diverting your opponent. Usually made of thick, durable cotton-blend materials with deep stitching, using your belt to block an opponent’s incoming attack, followed by grappling and entangling the opponent’s limbs, the karate belt is an unspoken and unhandled hero of the unarmed. And this practice can be extended to many household items that have the same functionality. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had my sons come “play” while I’m doing dishes and grappled my sons’ wrists using the dish towel. All in good fun, of course but it keeps me in practice.

Outside the dojo, one’s everyday leather belt is even more effective. Usually containing a buckle or fastener made of a metallic compound, swinging the belt and having it strike with the metallic end is not only a significant deterrent to an oncoming opponent but is also an effective enough striking tool to possibly end the threat. Able to block and deflect attacks in the same way as your karate belt, you also have option to wrap the belt around your knuckle and wrists to help protect them during hands strikes. And let’s not forget the potential for whipping. As they used to say in the old days, nothing deters a threat like a good ol’ fashion “whoopin’.” It’s kind of like snapping a wet towel. You ever get struck by the crack of a whipping belt. That shit hurts like hell. There are some styles and schools out there that focus on training and practicing belt techniques and I consider it to be one of the most underused methods of self-defense.

All and all, while this post rather feels a bit like it’s all over the place, the important takeaway here is that there’s plenty of opportunity to increase your self-defense toolkit by indulging in methods that aren’t empty-handed. Protecting oneself and others is key, and it would be a shame if one were unable to do that because they were focused and limited on only one means and one style. Yes, one should dedicate themselves to one parent style as “their” style. I’ll be a practitioner of Uechi-Ryu until the day this life ends. But one must be open to exploring and expanding. True learning can never happen by limiting oneself. So, get out there and see what you can learn. Some skills are inherently transferable. I promise you that if you train in Kendo, Kenjutsu or Iaido, you’d be able to swing a club or a stick and defend yourself just as admirably, even if the club or stick doesn’t have a cutting edge. So branch out and learn. As the old saying goes, if you’re breathing, you should still be learning. Food for thought… ☯️

To Fight Or Not To Fight… That Is The Question…

Given the direction that the world is heading in, and some of the thoughts and opinions that seem to float around out there, I feel that this is a topic that is not only near and dear to me as a martial artist, but as someone who was terribly bullied as a child. In fact, if you can think of it, I’ve probably had it done. From wedgies to practical jokes, all the way to having a group of three peers beat the ever-loving shit out of me for having the audacity to speak up for myself, being thrown fully clothed into the gym showers first thing in the morning and even having my car vandalized and moved on me. On one occasion, which could be a story for another post, I was even attacked by a fellow student with a pocket knife. That knife successfully found purchase in my wrist. Karate saved the day on that occasion. And this bring me to today’s topic.

In keeping with the social climate, I need to point out that this post solely reflects my opinion on the subject. And bearing in mind that I’m speaking strictly in generalities and none of what’s written here should be construed as legal advice (especially since I’m not a lawyer), you should definitely do your own research and maintain your own opinions on this subject. Recently, I’ve seen a number of posts in social media where a person or in some cases, a couple, would hold up a placard that reads something akin to, “Stop sending your kids to school and telling them that if someone hits you, to hit them back. You are part of the problem.” In all seriousness, this line of thinking breaks my usual serene sense of calm and pisses me off beyond rational thought. Part of the problem? Are you kidding? Maybe we should start by addressing the fact that someone insisted on starting that scenario by hitting first. For my part, I’ve always taught my oldest the important steps of ask, tell, make.

If someone hits you, start by asking them to stop, followed by telling them so, if asking doesn’t work. If you’re in school, seeking the assistance of a teacher or adult can help. But you still need to be able to defend yourself and prevent harm or injury to yourself if none are available. This is where fighting back comes in. For 37 years now, I’ve trained in the martial arts. I’ve both benefited and been forced, to use my skills in real life scenarios where I’ve had to defend myself or others from harm and in some cases, mortal danger. Sounds dramatic. That’s not the intent. But the reality is that bullying is not a new concept. The attention on it is, with every armchair warrior and/or peace advocate strongly believing that we should all embrace peace, love each other and avoid violence at all costs. And trust me, true believers, I’m right there with you. I commit my life to the elimination of suffering in my life and the world around me. And embracing peace while avoiding violence would seem to be a logical step in that direction. However, logic is often lacking in someone who makes the conscious decision to bully others.

For over 35 years (probably longer, but the mat eludes me), I’ve trained in the martial arts. This has been an extremely important tool for me to promote and maintain my health. What most people don’t understand is that it was also a means of ensuring I could protect myself from those who sought to harm me or bully me. There had been instances, during my youth, where teachers or my parents got involved but the result was exactly what you would have expected to see in any 1980’s brat pack comedy film; it usually made maters worse. Eventually, my skills in karate not only allowed me to protect myself but it allowed to end the fights that others started. It took very little time for the bullies to start realizing that I was no longer an easy target and that they would likely suffer just as much injury as I would, just for the sake of a laugh. So, would one be correct in thinking, in those circumstances, that I shouldn’t have hit back? When one considers the fact that the bullying and abuse wouldn’t have stopped otherwise, I would say it was an important lesson for the bullies. I like to think that some of them may even have changed their bullying ways. Maybe that’s just hopeful thinking, though…

Telling people they shouldn’t teach their children to defend themselves when someone brings harm or injurious behavior their way is tantamount to encouraging “victim shaming,” where the victim is blamed for the outcome instead of bringing blame to the bully who initiated the situation. While I wholeheartedly agree that one never knows what may be happening in someone’s life to elicit this behavior, I believe even stronger that this singular fact doesn’t grant them the right to attack or bully my child. There are mechanisms in place to help you assess and find a way to channel those feelings, that anger and that energy. And I believe that in order to become a productive and successful member of modern society, my son will need to learn the importance of standing up for himself, up to and including defending himself. To do otherwise would make him a perpetual victim for the rest of his life; something I swore I would never be myself and I would never allow for my children.

Sensei often told me during my formative years never start a fight or use your training to harm others. But if someone brings harm or starts a fight with you, make sure you finish it. Doesn’t mean you have to cripple someone for life to get your point across, obviously. But under no circumstances should someone ALLOW themselves to get struck or injured just for the sake of being passive. Stop telling your kids to hit back? Maybe start telling your kid not to hit in the first place. That would solve one problem. But when it comes to bullying, sometimes you just gotta pop them like a balloon for them to float away. That’s not mine; that was from Rocky V. But a better one might be a reminder that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” While I might not agree that a bully is inherently evil… misguided, perhaps, but not evil, it doesn’t mean that one should do something about it.

Again, this is a pretty charged topic and I know some folks have their own thoughts and opinions on it. The important thing is that an opinion is comparable to being a smoker. Smokers don’t care that non-smokers DON’T smoke. Because it causes them no harm. But to the non-smoker, the smoker is causing them all sorts of damage, if they do it on their vicinity. It’s the same thing with bullies. They continue to operate as they do until someone brings the harm to the forefront and makes them stop. So the lesson here is, even if you’re not the one who starts the fight, don’t allow yourself to be bullied, taken advantage or harmed. End the fight. Protect yourself. And for the naysayers who believe that scenario can be avoided, you may want to spend a bit of time in the real world before you assume friendship and hugs will fix your problems. Food for thought…☯️

Off Warranty, And Lacking Replacement Parts…

I’m sure many of you can relate… It’s early morning. Your soft alarm goes off and you groggily click it off. You yawn and stretch and roll slightly, feeling creaks and pops in your joints that you don’t recall being there before. You make your way out of bed and slowly walk to the shower, noticing the chill on the morning soaking through to your bones. Once under the shower head, you let the warm water revive some articulation and relieve some of the aches from the previous day. You slowly trudge through your morning routine with the same amount of speed as a sloth trying to climb a tree. Sound somewhat familiar?

I often look back fondly at my twenties and remember the almost surreal ability I had to train for absolute hours on end, sweating and core temp skyrocketing… Performing line after line of full contact shadow boxing up the length of the dojo, doing dozens of katas, one after another, staying on my knuckles for 20 minutes at a time or in a horse stance for half an hour without missing a beat… This was usually followed by grabbing a shower and hitting the town, either for a game of pool with friends or a quiet coffee and soup at the local coffee shop while making my way through the latest book in the “Wheel of Time” series. The speed, reflexes and ability to recover I maintained was almost supernatural, despite being Type-1 Diabetic AND despite my blood sugars never being quite as well balanced as they are today. By the light, times have changed…

In the past couple of years, I’ve come to acknowledge a couple of hard truths; that I can’t maintain fitness to the level I did twenty years ago, which should go without saying, and, it takes me far, far longer to recover. While the stubborn part of me would love to knuckle down and say “Hell no, we won’t go,” and keep pushing just as hard as I always have, that’s just not a fair reality for me anymore. I recognize that I’m saying this while simultaneously remembering that Sensei is in his 70’s and easily puts me to shame, in the physical activity department. But I digress… The point is, I’ve grown older and as we grow older, the body’s ability to heal and recover effectively begins to diminish. This is why adults will often complain about the cracks and pops they never noticed there before. None of this has been quite as obvious as it has been for me, over the past few months.

AT some point earlier in the year, and I can’t recall exactly when, I started to notice a twinge in my right shoulder. It was subtle, at first. A bit of difficulty scrubbing my back using that hand, or a slight pain when I would reach a high cupboard. I chalked it up to having slept wrong or just tired muscles. MOST workouts were reasonable uninterrupted as a result. But over the course of a couple of months, the pain worsened and mobility in my right arm depended, to the point where I actually ordered a shoulder brace for some of those more extreme workouts. As an aside, the shoulder brace I found was one designed specifically with sports and martial arts in mind. It’s made by a company called Anaconda Fightwear, and their stuff is pretty good. If you’re interested in a braces for almost any of your joints, you can check out their website here. My shoulder brace has been a life saver, especially when I’m performing a lot of the circle blocks or techniques that I need through karate.

Once I recognized the need for external support just to do the things I’d been doing for decades, I started to contemplate the usual; appointment with the chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, etc. Anything more extreme or medical would come as a second step. But as is often the case in adult life, time passed and busy schedules dominated and I didn’t get to the chiropractor until about three months ago. Now, chiropractic medicine gets a bad rap from a lot of people. Some of this is born out of fear of having one’s joints (especially the neck) cracked. Some of it is because of one-offs where someone with something pre-existing may have had it aggravated by a chiropractic adjustment. Whatever the case, I’ve yet to have a chiropractor’s visit where I don’t feel better afterwards. The first time I went to the chiropractor was back in 2010. The relief that flowed through me after my adjustment almost brought me to tears. But once I again, I digress…

My point is, my shoulder was examined and it was determined that I may have weakened muscles in the shoulder that are limiting my mobility. Not an uncommon thing for a decades-long martial artist who is getting up there in age. Although not yet what one might consider a senior, my body’s ability to heal is less than it was, even a few years ago, so here we are. The solution? A set of simple body movement exercises to try and build back some strength in the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder. That lasted all of a couple of weeks. Towards the end, the exercises themselves became too painful and I needed to find an alternative. Going back to the chiropractor a few weeks ago, a deeper, more extensive examination of my shoulder was done. It was determined that I had a condition called “frozen shoulder.”

So, what the hell is frozen shoulder? Well, according to an article by the Mayo Clinic, whose web link I’ve conveniently lost, frozen shoulder, also called “adhesive capsulitis,” is a condition where the connective muscles and tissues in the shoulder thicken and tighten around the shoulder joint, causing limited range of motion and pain. While it’s not exceptionally rare, people over 40 and who have certain conditions like, oh, say, DIABETES, are at higher risk. Great. Thanks, T1D! One more issue on the checklist. The treatment is pretty simple; movement. yes, you read that right. Range-of-motion exercises, working the shoulder and on occasion, some pain-numbing medications injected into the joints. But, it does take years for it to completely recover. The article goes on. To explain that it’s unusual for frozen shoulder to come back to the same shoulder, so I guess THAT’S good.

Why do they call it “frozen shoulder?” As described in the article from Mayo, which I managed to find here, it hits in three stages:

  • Freezing stage. Any movement of the shoulder causes pain, and the shoulder’s ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.
  • Frozen stage. Pain might lessen during this stage. However, the shoulder becomes stiffer. Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
  • Thawing stage. The shoulder’s ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.

When looked at from this perspective, it paints a long, bleak picture of recovery. While this falls under the category of “this could be worse,” y’all know just how much I love hearing THAT. If you do the math on this, I’m looking at nearly four years to recover, bearing in mind that everyone is different. The good news is that I appear to have passed the freezing stage. After that initial chiropractor visit and the subsequent working of the joint and the pain it accompanied, I head a couple of weeks of limited mobility in the shoulder and neck that saw me walking around like a fucking robot. You don’t realize just how much you need the supportive muscles in your neck until you can’t use them. Sitting, lying down and even rolling over in your sleep becomes an extremely painful prospect. And when every movement during the night jolts you awake in pain, your rest goes to shit, so your recovery is lengthened even further. But i seem to have a fair mobility back in most areas, with only a bit of limited mobility in the shoulder with very little pain. Looks like I’m at the frozen stage. Yay.

Growing older is a part of life. There’s no getting away from it or getting out of it. That’s why it is so critically important to maintain one’s physical fitness, nutrition and getting proper rest. That will go a long way towards ensuring that you can ride off into the sunset with some reasonable constitution left, as opposed to a lump of scarred, immobile old man crankiness. I mean, let’s be honest, I’m still ticking that very last box with the crankiness but that’s a whole different thing. Next week, I’ll be starting a form of vibrational shock therapy that will help to break up any potential scar tissue and potentially help with the healing process. While I’m looking forward to it, as one would expect, I’m not a fan of the whole “shock” aspect. But I’m sure it’ll be fine. Stay tuned for updates as this treatment progresses. In the meantime, I take solace in the fact that even while having had Type-1 Diabetes for 43 years at this point, my organs are in great health, my blood sugars are phenomenal and even my eye injections have been spaced out to fourteen weeks. Not too shabby. I’d say I’m doing quite well. ☯️

Let the Hate Flow Through You…

Okay, so it’s probably a bit odd that I’m quoting from the original Star Wars trilogy for a post that touches on something a bit more philosophical and important but in my defense, wisdom and knowledge can often arise from the most unlikely places. So, take for what it is. As someone who studies Buddhism (yes, I still do, despite the fewer posts on the topic) I recognize that the world has suffering. One of the most important precepts is to eliminate that suffering, in order to live a happier, more fruitful and satisfying life. This isn’t always an easy thing, especially in modern times. The type and frequency of the world’s stressors only seems to be increasing. It can make things difficult to navigate, especially when one succumbs to one of the most difficult to navigate emotions; anger.

Anger is insidious. And it tends to creep in at the most unexpected times for the most ridiculous reasons. red light not turning to green quickly enough? Anger. Boss adds another project on your plate during your days off? Anger. Your kids eat the last of your Skittles right before you need them to treat a low? Anger. Accidentally stub your toe on the corner of a wall that’s always been there and is absolutely on one’s fault but your own? Inappropriate levels of rage and anger… It seems to strike more than the average person cares to think about and the issue with that, is that anger eventually does cause physical and psychological damage, over time. On the physical side, constant anger will lead to health issues like increased blood pressure, cardiac issues, stomach ulcers. On the psychological side, poor thoughts, depression, lack of motivation, to name a few. And let’s not forget that nasty vices one may undertake in order to forget or forego one’s anger. Or realistically, we think we do it to “relax.” In reality, we try to stem our angry emotions.

Without a proper outlet, anger can lead to a number of negative results in one’s life, outside of the direct effects on oneself. Someone who is constantly angry may be perceived as difficult or unpleasant to be around. Anger in the workplace can lead to damaged working relationships, perceived poor performance and if you happen to be in a position of authority, extremely poor perception by your staff. At home and in your personal life, a near-constant state of anger can damage relationships, create a toxic home environment and alienate the very people around you who could potentially help stem some of those angry thoughts. I’m making it sound like everyone is walking around like the hulk and it likely isn’t this bad for everyone, but the key is recognizing that anger. One may find themselves a bit surprised at how often this emotion seeps in without notice or warning.

Miyamoto Musashi, one of my favorite writers and author of “The Book of Five Rings,” a famous book on strategy, touched on anger in his book. While I won’t be quoting the book directly (you can find ebook versions of it through Kobo starting at $0.99), his thoughts veered more on the concept that one should recognize and acknowledge anger as it builds, as opposed to waiting and recognizing that one IS angry. Musashi wrote that loss of control over one’s anger, especially towards others, means that the other person has a control over you. If you allow anger to creep its way in during a given situation, it can also allow one’s potential adversaries to note your vulnerabilities, your weaknesses and allow them to take advantage of you or make you a potential target for those who mean to do you harm.

The trick to anger is to control it before it controls you. Some of it is as simple as starting by recognizing that most situations, if not all, are not worth getting angry about. Do you think that person who cut you off at the intersection has spent the rest of the morning contemplating how they cut you off? Of course not. They likely forgot you as soon as the sound from your car horn died down. Despite this, if they live rent free in your head for hours after the incident, this is a clear sign that you’re allowing anger to control the most minimal events of your life. This makes it an obstacle to peace as opposed to an elimination of suffering. And as I’ve often said before and I don’t know about y’all, but I have a strong dislike of suffering. I’m all about trying to find that peace.

Instead, when one begins to feel that anger bubbling up to the surface, it becomes important to find ways to harness and channel that energy into something productive or useful. By channeling and harnessing one’s anger, it can become an important tool for discipline, training and achieving one’s goals. It can be aimed for a positive purpose as opposed to exploding or erupting out of you like an uncontrollable tempest that threatens to damage you and/or those in your environment. By using it as a positive tool, you can also acknowledge that anger is normal. A perfectly normal and expected human emotion that everyone experiences. It isn’t about having that emotion that’s bad. It’s what you do with it. How you allow it to affect you.

If you find yourself in a position where anger is slowly starting to rise to the surface and you have no means of channeling or using it, there are ways to control it. Deep breathing exercises or meditation can be valuable tools in ensuring that your anger doesn’t bubble over into something negative. And will ultimately help in eliminating the suffering within your life. And at the end of the day, finding peace will not only help maintain your health and promote a happier, fuller life but will also allow that energy to be shared or passed on to others. As the old saying goes, don’t sweat the small stuff. Food for thought…☯️

The Spouse Is In The House, So Grab Your Boxing Gloves…

There’s a saying that I’ve often heard, although it changes with particular situations, that couples who [BLANK] together, stay together. And no, that blank is not a typo. It changes with the given situation. In this case, my thought is that couples who work out together, stay together. While that isn’t the only driving force behind staying together (obviously), there’s nothing more satisfying than getting a solid work out in with your spouse. The awesomeness of working up a sweat, getting healthy and getting that post-work out tired feeling together is something that can bring couples closer to each other and allow them to share something they wouldn’t otherwise; their overall health and fitness. For me, the decades have proved difficult in trying to have anyone I’ve been involved with, work out with me. In previous years, that was an obvious obstacle as my fitness time was usually limited to inside a dojo. But even in situations where I had someone I was dating or involved with joining the dojo, it usually didn’t work out well.

Even once I found myself outside the dojo and involved with someone, training in karate with a non-karate practitioner has some inherent problems. They won’t know the techniques. They won’t know the forms. If you hope to get a full workout, you’ll be going too fast and doing too much for any rational beginner to follow along. It can make it tough. And if you stop or slow down long enough to explain, you essentially burn through your workout time teaching instead of training. It can be frustrating and difficult for both parties, to be sure. But if you can be lucky enough to have a spouse or partner who is willing to work out with you, there’s lots that you can do to enjoy the experience together. If you insist on doing a karate workout, you’ll can limit it to kicking and punching drills, squats, jumping jacks, balance exercises… Lots of things that the two of you can do that won’t have to involve teaching some specifics to your respective exercise mate. Other possibilities are riding bicycles together, going for a job, doing weight sets… Or maybe, just maybe, you can expand your horizons and go to a class and learn something TOGETHER.

For me, I’m lucky in that my wife and I will often exercise together. While I don’t teach her mainstream karate, we often share 30 minutes of weight workouts. I have some wonderful circuits that I’ve saved on my iPad that I can bring up that focuses specific muscle groupings. Once my wife and I have hammered through one of these, we’re usually ready for snacks and/or a nap. A few times now, we’ve shared some time on the punching bag, favoring a circuit that allows us to take turns. While one is on the bag, the other uses a jump rope or sits in a horse stance. Wonderful burn and great exercise. And one of the best results of using this methodology, is the hour you spend working out is no longer an hour away from your spouse. Instead, it’s an hour you share with them. Where you get healthier and work out together. Not only enriching and healthy, it helps to bond you and bring you closer. Sounds like a definite win-win to me.

So find your niche. Discover what works for you and your spouse or partner that will allow the two of you to focus on health, increased energy, better sleep patterns, together. The result will also be shared experiences and laughs along the way that money can’t buy. And that bonding is important. Especially in a relationship that;s intended to be for life. Food for thought… ☯️

To Learn Is To Teach…

It’s safe to say that I’ve walked through the doors of more dojos than I can count throughout the course of my martial arts journey. Some before I joined Uechi Ryu and some after. But none were upset as memorable as when I walked into my Sensei’s dojo for the first time. For the most part, I was a rude, snot-nosed kid who used sarcasm and attitude t mask my own personal trauma, usually caused by my Diabetes and the issues I had faced as a child. Although I hadn’t yet started karate, I was good friends with Sensei’s son, whom I grew up to recognize as a brother. On a particular night where I was visiting and my blood sugars were skyrocketing (as they usually were), I may or may not have commented about a grown man cleaning up dog urine, when I saw Sensei tidying up after the poodle my friend owned. He decided to introduce himself then, and also introduced me to my first pressure point, which cause my arm to flare with electric pain. Needless to say, I made no further comment.

Recognizing that it’s decades later, some people hear that story and think that it was cruel to do that to a kid. Modern day adults would assume that it would have been better for Sensei to contact my parents, have them give me a talk and be sensitive to what my feelings may have been at the time. Yeah… fuck that. That’s a HUGE part of what’s wrong with the world today. Everyone’s too involved with their feelings and being offended. But that isn’t what today’s post is about, so I’m going to try and stay on track here. The point is, this was the first step towards learning humility that I had experienced up to that point. As a result, I found myself seeking out the martial arts to help heal my body and spirit, as opposed to cowering in a corner. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the dojo for the first time and saw Sensei standing there, in all his black-belted glory, as the instructor of the class. I could have excused myself and stepped out. I could have walked away and sought my teachings elsewhere. Instead, that one brief moment of humility echoed in my mind and told me that this teacher could teach; and learn was exactly what I was there to do.

Decades ago and while testing for my first belt, I noticed a panel in Sensei’s home dojo, which was attached to his house back in New Brunswick. I’ve seen it in plenty of other places since then but I remember being fascinated by the words. It read:

“For every 10,000 people that join a martial arts school, half will drop out within the first six months
Of those remaining students, about 1,000 will complete 1 year of training then quit. 500 will study for two years but only 100 will see their 3-year anniversary
On average, only 10 will study to achieve black belt.
One shall go on to teach others what he has learned, for the martial arts is now part of their life and they shall go on to share this life with others.

This person is a Sensei.”

Although the words didn’t sink in for me as deeply as they were intended, I was fascinated nonetheless. As I progressed in my studies, I began teaching others. Basics at first, then more complicated techniques, forms and even teaching the occasional class when Sensei was absent or otherwise unavailable, which was pretty rare. I enjoyed it greatly and felt that teaching was as much a part of my overall growth and learning as my mainstream studies were. There came a time when one of Sensei’s students opened a dojo of her own. With at least one class that landed on a different night than ours, I took advantage of the added tranning time. Given that I was the eldest belt in that group, I was often looked to as the assistant instructor, often opening and closing the dojo in preparation for class, and often taking on class when the instructor had to work or was absent. Teaching became an ingrained part of my journey. I met and retained many of my close friends through teaching, including but not limited to my friend Ricky, who interviewed for one of my posts back in 2021. You can read his story here.

There’s a rewarding feeling that comes from teaching others. Sensei has always said that karate is a puzzle with a million pieces. As long as you step out of the dojo every day with one new piece, you’ll have learned something. Watching someone go from their first day in the dojo, barely keeping balance when they walk, to performing kata, sparring, and keeping up with the rest of the class, emerging from their cocoon and training to become heir best selves, carries a level of satisfaction that one can only get from teaching. But teaching is not everyone’s cup of tea. I learned this the hard way, when I agreed to take on Sensei’s children’s class as the lead instructor. I went into that first night with an electric sense of excitement in my soul. I had made it. I was a Sensei. The future of these children’s martial arts journey would be molded by my hand. I would have the opportunity to pass on the things I had learned, share my insights, provide my perspective on the lessons learned, the pitfalls, the positive and negative… Until I wasn’t.

Teaching children was a significantly different bag of tricks from what I had become used to. Prior to this, I never had someone in the dojo who was younger than a teenager. While teenagers come with their own baggage, it’s usually and reasonably safe to say that they’re there of their own volition and want to learn. The same can’t necessarily be said of children. Having them line up properly, stay in line and pay attention became 75% of my time during the hour I had them. By the time the adult students started filing in to attend the adult class, I was often emotionally drained and in no position to train myself. My intention to teach others was sapping my ability to train and develop my own skills. The big issue I faced as a Sensei was that when you train children, you need to make it engaging. You need to make it fun. You can’t spend a straight hour repeating the same form over and over like I had been taught. You can’t pound on them and forge their steel muscles through fire the way we were. It was an entirely different ball of wax, one I was neither prepared nor capable of taking on.

Less than a year after I had taken it on, I had to stop and recognize the toll that teaching was taking on me and I had to relinquish the kid’s dojo back to Sensei. For what was probably the first time since that initial step into the dojo decades earlier, I had given up on something. It was no doubt as disappointing to Sensei as it was to me. But it was in the best interest of not only myself, but the children I was trying to teach. I was skilled, I was capable and I could definitely impart those skills to others. But I lacked the proper tools and knowledge to pass it on to children. Although I knew I was doing the right thing, it felt like a failure. It struck a significant blow to my psyche that took a long time to get over. As a result, I never opened another dojo on my own again after that. A few short years later, I joined the RCMP and moved out west. It was a reasonably easy excuse that transferring every few years would make it unfair to students for me to open a dojo, only to close it 3 to 5 years later. But the truth was right there in the back of my mind; the failure of my first dojo was enough to prevent me from taking the chance again.

In retrospect, part of me feels that it wasn’t so much a failure as it was an important lesson for me to recognize the different facets of teaching that I need to recognize. If I were to open a dojo today, teaching kids would likely be less of an issue for me. After all, I teach my youngest son some karate when he joins me. But that’s one child, with all my attention on him. I still believe that one can never truly learn the martial arts to its full potential without eventually teaching. It is a natural progression in one’s skills that is in effect, inevitable. But the big piece is in how you approach it. As I mentioned earlier, teaching is not everyone’s cup of tea. But the beauty of karate is that a studious practitioner will always manage to teach something to others, even when one is not planning or expecting it. Therefore, there are no regrets. Food for thought…☯️

Get Back On The Horse…

So, I wanted to touch base on one of the most disliked (generally) but yet effective tools in training within karate circles; the horse stance. I think it’s important to bear in mind that like all other aspects of karate and the martial arts, different styles and schools may execute techniques and movements in different ways. By virtue of this and as I write this post, it’s important to view my opinion through the lens that these perspectives are those of my home dojo and reflective of Uechi Ryu Okinawa karate. Some of this may not relate to other styles, they may do it differently or, if you’re a martial artist yourself, may have been trained differently. I want to be clear that the specifics of this post are not intended to say any other method is ineffective or improper. It simply isn’t my way. ‘Nuff said. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

If you’ve trained in traditional karate, you’ve likely experienced it before. Class has been carrying on for over an hour. You’re soaked in sweat and your gi has practically turned transparent from your sweat. Every muscle, joint and even your bones ache and all you want to do is break away so you can gulp down some much-needed water. The, Sensei calls out: “HORSE STANCE!” You obediently drop into the familiar position that is in some ways comfortable due to its familiarity while simultaneously spelling your ability to walk’s doom. You predict, quite accurately, that you may be unable to lift yourself off the bed tomorrow morning. That’s if you don’t collapse from the horse stance now. Sensei sets an egg timer; you know the one… the turn-dial timer that clicks at every second as it counts down? You remain static, listening to every click and praying for the next one to be the last, until finally, the bell rings. This never meant we could stop, however. Stopping was not permitted until Sensei said so. But when he finally did, the relief in one’s legs ALMOST overshadowed their exhaustion.

Me, in a horse stance in Okinawa in 2001. How young and thin I was…

What seemed like a form of torture to the casual observer was a typical part of training for most of us. And we took full advantage of the training benefits that the horse stance provided. So, let’s start with the basics. What the fuck is a horse stance? Although done slightly different in some schools, if you look at the above photo of me, you’ll note that the big toes, feet and knees are pointed outwards at roughly a 45 degree angle from the front of the body. The torso is dropped down into what could almost be called a crouch but while spreading the feet so that the thighs are perpendicular to the shins but parallel to the floor. This position is held for whatever purpose the practitioner is using it for. In most cases, it’s used primarily for training and form. But in some limited capacity, it can also be used to help execute techniques in specific circumstances during an actual physical confrontation. Imagine, your opponent has fallen to the ground and the only way to retain contact with him is by crouching down into a horse stance. It provides overall balance, stability and reach to lower positions. As you can see from the photo, you can execute techniques from different angles while in a horse stance.

Let’s get to the meet and potatoes, though. Why in the hell would we put ourselves through the scenario I described above for a stance that is only rarely used in actual fighting? Well, on the one side, most aspects of form wouldn’t necessarily ever be used in a real fight. Form is intended to provide foundation, develop technique, speed and precision before using it in a real-time application. But the deep and wide position of the horse stance strengthens almost all the aspects of the lower body, legs, hips, thighs and butt. Believe or not, your butt muscles play an integral role in the proper execution of your kicks, your balance and your stance. Remember that, next time you consider skipping your lunges during resistance training. Horse stance is an isometric exercise, which means you hold the position without moving by engaging the muscles in those areas. The maintained tension contributes to the overall strength and growth.

A bit older and thicker but that horse stance still rocks!

Besides building up the muscle strength in the lower body, the horse stance will also help to build up your endurance. It’ll also work towards improving your mobility and range of hip movement; an important aspect when training in an art that includes leg movements and kicks. This helps to increase your flexibility and make deeper, prolonged position possible and more comfortable without injuring yourself. Your balance and stability will increase over time and believe it or not, your core gets significantly engaged, considering you need to keep your torso and upper body straight and stable while in the horse stance. There are probably far more physical benefits than I have listed here, but those are the basic ones that I can think of, for the purposes of this post.

While most of this covers what horse stance can do for the body, it should also be recognized that it can do quite a bit for the psychological and mental aspects, as well. Let’s not forget that karate is as much a mental discipline as physical. The concept of fighting through the pain, pushing through and finding one’s limits are very real aspects of traditional karate. Executing a proper horse stance and holding it allows a practitioner to build resilience, mental discipline and build up one’s tolerance to physical discomfort. These are wall important aspects to developing as a martial artist. As it was once said, discispline is not the enemy of enthusiasm. So while it would be easy to dismiss or omit the horse stance from one’s workout, I highly recommend against it. After all, reading this post should illustrate that every movement, every technique and every aspect of one’s martial art has purpose, and provides far more than what the casual observer likely realizes. Food for thought… ☯️

I Have Superpowers…

No, I’m not faster than a speeding bullet. I can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound and I’m not mightier than a locomotive. I’m not referring to the imaginary superpower, although that would be really fuckin’ cool. I always thought the power of flight would be the best power, since I could eat to work every morning without paying for gas or sitting on public transit. But I digress… No, the super power I’m referring to, is one that we all have and we can all take advantage of. The big problem is that in general, without limiting ourselves by certain exceptions, no one tends to recognize or take advantage of those super powers. I’m talking about your body’s own inherent abilities.

The human body is a genuinely amazing thing. For the most part, the human body is able to heal and/or regenerate almost all the tissues within itself, with the obvious exception of teeth. Bear in mind, there’s a huge difference between “healing” and “regenerating.” For example, the liver is one of the only organs that can positively regrow, even if a significant portion of it has been removed. Bones will also knit themselves back together, often stronger than their previous state, when broken. The majority of the tissues in one’s body will heal themselves back together their original state, or what’s known as “cell replacement.” Depending on how they heal, this can be pretty extreme. For example, I’ve read that the lining of our stomachs and intestines are almost constantly replaced by fresh cells; a necessary system of the body to counteract the corrosive nature of our digestive acids, or the uterine lining in a woman’s body, which regenerates completely from one month to another.

This plays a major role in how we live. For the most part, the healthier we live, the better the chances we have of proper healing and recovery. For example, despite being one of the organs that can regenerate, the liver will fail and die off if one consumes and abuses of alcohol. Certain nutrient or mineral deficiencies will prevent bones from knitting and can even make them brittle. It’s important to note that nutritional, lifestyle habits and even how we sleep can affect our body’s overall ability to heal and regenerate itself. Age also plays an important factor, of course, with one’s body’s ability to heal properly decreases with time and age. But in terms of lifestyle and fitness, I can provide a first-hand example…

In November of 2023, I received a Type-1 Diabetic’s worst news from my endocrinologist. My blood work showed that my kidneys were struggling and I was in the early stages of kidney failure. That would be scary for anybody but having lived for 43 years with a condition that I knew would eventually knock one of my organs out of play (besides the pancreas, of course). It’s a reality I was always aware of but never really paid any mind, since I tend to work out pretty well and monitor my blood sugars pretty closely. I remember walking out of my doctor’s office that day with a fairly strong sense that I had been handed a death sentence. Recognizing that I had a family and very much left to do with my life, I did what I always do when death foolishly knocks at my door; I fought back. I started by asking what could be done to heal the issue. This is an important aspect to proper health. People these days are obsessed with “treating” symptoms but never really look at the overlying cause that’s brought them to their current state.

My doctor suggested that losing a bit of weight would help. My initial thought was “fuck you, too.” Although always on the husky side, I’ve never been obese or even what one would call fat. Although I snack and eat like the best of the ‘em, I’ve never been a horrific eater and always monitor my carb intake carefully. This is where he introduced me to Ozempic and suggested I start taking it. I was pretty leery of it, due to the negative spin the media had put out. But I reluctantly started on it. In tandem with the drug, I also drastically altered my diet. No, I didn’t jump on to some stupid fad or gimmicky diet and I didn’t download an app. I simply took common sense steps that doctors and nutritionists have been barking for decades. I started avoiding battered foods in favor of fresh, lean proteins. I got in the habit of pan-searing fresh fish instead of getting battered, frozen fish. Steak and chicken were prepared fresh, as well. Healthy grains in small doses, fruits and even soup, which I’ve always considered a nemesis of mine. I had soup forced on me a lot during my childhood and as an adult, I always stood that a liquid couldn’t be a meal. I’ve allowed myself to provide me wrong.

Sleep habits were altered. I go to bed effectively the same time every night, with the only exceptions being if I’m traveling and it can’t be helped. I started taking steps to ensure proper, uninterrupted sleep, which has been challenging in and of itself, due to PTSD. But once I got to a certain point, I can now get at least six to seven hours of sleep WITHOUT any of the initial aids I was taking to get that sleep. Most mornings, I wake up prior to my alarm. Working out has been a consistent challenge in recent years. Fatigue and lack of motivation can be some of the biggest obstacles to proper health. I changed up my routine where, instead of trying to work out for a couple of hours, several times a week, I work out for thirty minutes, every day. There are days where I miss, of course. But losing one 30-minute workout is much easier to recover from, than going a full week without working out at all.

In conjunction with the Ozempic, this led to about 30 pounds of weight loss, which is almost double what most semaglutide users can expect. Instead of sitting back and letting the medication treat something, I jumped on and helped it do its job. Given this weight loss, a few magical things started to happen. My blood sugars became increasingly easy to control. My blood pressure dropped and stayed down, meaning I had less headaches. My sleep quality increased significantly but last and not least was the biggest aspect of all; my kidneys had recovered and I was no longer in early stages of failure. The sense of relief and satisfaction at having taken my health in had the way I did was phenomenal. Now, I’m not suggesting that someone who IS in kidney failure can recover their organs. I’m not friggin’ Wolverine, after all. I was lucky enough to have caught this at a stage where the damage could be reversed.

The lesson here is that most people have vices that are unhealthy and do damage that isn’t seen in the here and now. It isn’t until a red light pops up that we decide to stop and take a good, hard look at our habits. Some people never get the opportunity. But making some of these small changes to one’s habits can be life-prolonging, if not life-saving. So, we all have a super power. We have the ability within ourselves to heal our bodies and maintain our health. We simply need to embrace that power and work towards making life healthier and easier for ourselves. Food for thought. ☯️

When Should One Start Teaching?

This is actually a topic I found recently on a social media page for karate, where the subject of teaching others and at what level of black belt can one begin to teach. Recognizing that every style has its own methods and differences, I don’t necessarily want to generalize too badly but I will share the high level version of what my school has always done and what Sensei always encouraged. For the most part, my Sensei’s Sensei used to say that martial arts is like climbing a ladder; over time, you make your way up several rungs to get higher. Once you do, you’ll take notice of someone who is a number of rungs below you. The idea is that you should reach down and help that student climb the next rungs to reach the same level as you’re on, if not exceed it. Then, as that student progresses to the higher rungs, they would be doing the same for you. It’s a bit of a romanticized notion and it certainly requires each practitioner to be a bit selfless and willing to help others as opposed to focusing solely on themselves.

But the specific question posed in the social media post I saw, was how many degrees to one’s black belt were required to teach. This is a bit of a loaded question, since originally, belt systems weren’t used in traditional Okinawa karate. The ones with knowledge basically just, well… taught. So the concept of requiring a black belt in order to teach others is a somewhat westernized detail that doesn’t necessarily track. One aspect I WOULD agree with, is the requirement to get one’s Sensei’s approval or consent before starting to teach someone else what you’ve learned. Your Sensei is the one best suited to determine what level you’re at, and whether you’ve become proficient enough in certain areas to effectively pass on the material. After all, if you perform a technique poorly and you teach it to someone else, they’ll learn it poorly and practice it poorly. This does your style a disservice and will lead to the dilution and watering down of your style, whatever that may be. But at what point can one genuinely begin to teach others?

This question takes me all the way back to good ol’ 1989. Yes, you read that right; 1989. 36 fucking years ago. Man, I’m getting old… Anyhoo, I remember struggling through much of my first week in karate. Such is always the way with new students. You don’t know shit, haven’t learned anything yet and are basically just following along, trying to mirror what you see everyone else doing. Usually while doing it poorly or improperly. After the first week, Sensei grabbed me before class and told me I needed to learn some of the basics one-on-one. I had foolishly assumed at the time that I would be receiving this instruction from Sensei. But given that there are several students and only one Sensei, I quickly learned that he would often lean on other students to provide initial coaching and guidance. I still remember the young girl who taught me the opening of my first kata… She was a few years younger than I was. One of three sisters, all of whom were in karate, her name was Teri-Lynn.

Patient, helpful and willing to put me through my paces, it’s interesting to wonder where I would be or what direction my martial arts training may have taken, if not for those initial interactions where I was properly guided by someone who knew the material and could easily and readily pass it on. It played an integral part in how I viewed the dojo, its students and the teaching of Uechi Ryu. Unlike some other schools I visited and tried, where I was basically left endlessly to my own devices to learn and glom on to what I could. This makes it extremely difficult to learn properly and can lead to frustration, discouragement and ultimately, quitting the school. But my point is that Terri-Lynn was a yellow belt when she taught me all the basic knowledge I required to start my karate journey.

So, the takeaway lesson here, is that rank is irrelevant when it comes to teaching the art. Whether your belt is white, black or any of the colors in between, teaching what you know is man important part to learning within karate. And not just for the one you’re imparting the knowledge on; it’s important for you, as the teacher, as well. One cannot effectively learn without teaching. And one cannot effectively teach without learning. This is the important balance that one must acknowledge when seeking to learn and/or teach within traditional martial arts. Karate is meant to be taught. And while one cannot effectively teach train by oneself, karate is not a solitary art. I’m reminded of a line from Star Wars, of all things. In Episode I, where they’re at a Jedi funeral and discussing the return of the Sith, Yoda says, “Always two, there are. No more, no less…” There’s a whole bunch of reference behind this but the same can be said of karate. One who knows, and one who learns. Those roles will shift and go back and forth through the years. Learning and teaching go hand in hand. That’s why, if trying out a new dojo and you feel abandoned and left to your own devices, it may not be the style for you. Food for thought… ☯️