Remembering Soke Takayoshi Nagamine Sensei: The Harmonious Son of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate

Karate is a living thing.
And never are we more reminded of the fragility of living things than when we are confronted with the inevitable consequense of living itself – death.
Last week, on April 26, 2012, soke Nagamine Takayoshi sensei, head of the World Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) Kara… (READ MORE)

3 Widespread Misconceptions of Modern Karate (That You Need to Know Today)!

Contrary to what some experts will have you believe, the history of Karate is a real puzzle.
At least when you dive below the surface of it.
I mean, loose threads everywhere, strange names and dates that don’t add up, oral testimony that contradicts written “facts” and political… (READ MORE)

The Wisdom of Inoue Yoshimi: Legendary Japanese National Team Kata Coach (Seminar Recap)

Inoue Yoshimi sensei is not your ordinary grey-haired, chain-smoking Japanese gentleman.
Well, he is a gentleman, and he does smoke a lot, and his hair seems pretty grey… but he is by no means ordinary.
Far from it.
This man is probably the last person you would ever want to mess with, especiall… (READ MORE)

Musings on Mushin: Karate’s Equivalent of Mindfulness

Fun fact:
At the tender age of twenty-three, French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher Blaise Pascal claimed to have empirical evidence that the void exists. As the story goes, when René Descartes, notorious denier of “the void”, heard ab… (READ MORE)

Mental Power Training for Karate: Controlling Your Self-Image

Self-defense is not a sport.
I think we can all agree on that.
So, by definition, traditional Karate can’t really be called a sport. Sure, people try hard to make Karate into a pseudo team sport – especially in tournaments – but the harsh reality is that on the mythical ‘st… (READ MORE)

27 (More) Things About Karate You Ought To Know

Blah, blah, blah, mandatory intro text that nobody reads. Oh, and see previous post on this theme, entitled 29 Things About Karate You Ought To Know, here.
Let’s go:
27 (More) Things About Karate You Ought To Know
1. Black belt is not a belt. It’s a state of mind.
2. Karate is like riding a bi… (READ MORE)

4 Dietary “Secrets” to Becoming Stronger, Kicking Ass and Staying Healthy (That Every Karate-ka Should Know)

The Dalai Lama is on a diet.
So is your mom. And your best friend. And your sensei. And his pet frog.
In fact, everyone you can name is on a diet.
And so are you.
How can I be so sure? Because a “diet” isn’t something you go on and go off of, like, say, a prescription. A diet is what you eat, day in a… (READ MORE)

Go Kenki: The Undercover Kung-fu Pioneer of Okinawan Karate

History is rarely written by losers.
And if the modernization of Karate was a popularity contest, the losers surely had to be the plethora of old-school Karate masters who stayed behind in Okinawa, as a handful of daredevils crossed the waters to spread their beloved art of Karate to mainland Japan&… (READ MORE)

The True Meaning of Mokuso: Karate’s Essential Mental Tool

Facts:

It has been called “the silent killer” and can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain and irregular heartbeat.
It is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis and suicide.
It damages, shrinks, and kills b… (READ MORE)