In kata and during drills, you can spot the dangling arm of a beginning student. After a decent punch, the arm just flounders next to […]
Tag: Explore Kata
Lights, Camera, Kata!
When you compete in tournaments, remember that you are being judged on your performance of the kata not only the technical execution. Kata are subjectively […]
Musical Kata
“The irony of musical kata is that the kata were probably folk dances to start with. They lost their musical ties and have since been […]
Common Kata Mistakes and How to Fix Them
I made a mistake at my fourth-degree black belt test. Grandmaster (GM) Gascon called me up, “Bagnas, get up here.” I was sitting crisscross, so […]
Should Kata End Where They Begin?
In the movie Karate Kid, the final section of the story takes place at the All Valley Karate Tournament. Daniel only participates in the sparring […]
Motobu Seminar 2005 Review
In the study of Okinawan Karate history, Choki Motobu stands out as a legendary figure. However, this golden age of Karate was nearly a hundred […]
The Right Ingredients
Adding the right ingredients to your cooking determines whether or not your meal is a success. The same is true for martial arts training. Do […]
The Hidden Value of Antiquated Techniques
Many people have heard the phrase, “Throw out what doesn’t work, keep what does.” I have seen many martial artists stop practicing or teaching certain […]
The Lost Teachings of Shaolin Kempo
It seems strange to say there are lost teachings for a relatively new style, such as Shaolin Kempo Karate. Many would claim otherwise, yet the […]
Peaks, Plateaus, and Valleys
When you experience a peak in training, your progress in the art is quite apparent. You often feel a sense of euphoria over the hard-earned […]