Since around 1967, O’Hara Sensei has been teaching Goju Ryu in Bakersfield. I began training with Sensei in 1973. At each promotion I received Sensei has said, “More rank, more responsibility.” During my 40 years of training I have taught and or began formal dojo in Canton-Illinois, Lindsay-California, Ventura-California, Eagle-Colorado, and Colorado Springs-Colorado …
Recently I was reminiscing about my more than five decades as a student and teacher of karate. One of the things that I contemplated is that I once saw martial training as an activity of great interest. However, in retrospect, the “gifts” from my sensei, sempai and colleagues have, in fact, …
Teaching children karate is a very difficult task. The instructor has to keep training safe, engaging, organized, fast paced, and relevant to the child’s age. The instructor and the dojo members also have to practice what they preach. In other words, be consistent in regards to what you say and what you do …
The history of karate is replete with information concerning kata. The issues are generally who did which kata, how were they developed, what is the source and what is the meaning. Most of this information is purely academic — think about it, we have what we have and what we …
A few days ago one of my more serious students asked me what ki (chi) is. Usually I respond with my standard explanation –it is the’ life force which each of us has within him in varying degrees. It is that, which when focused, allows us to deliver greater speed …
Since the beginning of time young men have tested their physical strength either of necessity or to simply prove themselves stronger than the others. We have all done it — it is merely a contest or, often part of a rite of passage. These efforts, however, were rarely systematic and were …
Educate yourself both academically and in the ways of the world. Have faith in yourself in all matters. Realize that a loss is not a loss if you learn from the experience. Understand that love is a random emotion, and that the loss of a lover is not the loss …
Quite often in magazines and newsletters we find articles by student and teacher alike praising the caliber of students of the past and often berating the modern crop of novices entering Dojo doors. Some of this is well founded because values are different in more recent times. Of course, at …
In early days of karate in America those who introduced the art to Americans were either Orientals who immigrated to our shores or those who, after World War II were returning service men who trained under those Asian Sensei who were willing to teach the occupying “gaijin”. We have come a …
How many times has every sensei heard these pitiful words? There are, of course, many good reasons for discontinuing karate training — severe injury, losing a teacher, relocating and even, “I don’t like this any more.” However, those who dropout most often do so for bogus reasons. For example, “I’m …