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Thanks for the run-down. It's great to read. I do have a few things to offer. For one, you really aren't saying anything new here. There are people training out there that feel the same way. As you mentioned, you do have a small group of like-minded individuals training with you, and you find great enjoyment in that. I'd cling to that, and keep training otherwise just to keep training and learning. Keep an open mind; you might not like everything an instructor teaches, but he may teach something that you do like, and that can make the whole experience worthwhile. I've done Krav Maga training in the police combatives setting a few times. I found the training quite valuable, however, I'm not sure I'd want to train that way all the time. It's quite taxing on the body, but it is very beneficial training. However, we did not do any sparring in those settings, which I'm sure would be very different, and very beneficial. Have you had the opportunity to attend any of Iain Abernethey's seminars? It sounds to me like that kind of training approach would be right up your alley. If he ever comes close to my area, I'd like to attend one, even though I'm not even a Karate practitioner. You should look into Blauer Tactical Systems. Tony Blauer has spent years looking into the psychology of fear and fear management, and the physiology of self-defense. He's mainly in the Law Enforcement/Military circles, teaching defensive tactics, but his organization does have some general public offerings, like his "Be Your Own Bodyguard" seminars. You could move, that's an option. However, I don't think you'll necessarily find more interest by moving. What I would recommend is to keep training in the style you mentioned you chose, gain more rank, and then strike out on your own. Having some certified rank behind you will go a long way in lending you some credibility in establishing your own dojo. In the meantime, build your curriculum, write up handbook on it, and make a plan for delivering your system. Now, I would also mention this: you've mentioned that you have a small group of like-minded individuals you train with, and I'm just guessing that is a pretty small group. It's highly likely that you'll be appealing to a very limited group of people, so it could be likely that you never have more than a handful of students at any time. And that's ok. But if you find that you lose students due to your approach, you may consider some training options for those seeking a different experience. If you don't care about that, and you only wish to train others the way you want to train, just realize it may limit the students that come to you for training. This sounds a bit extreme. If you truly enjoy training, keep it going. If it bothers you so much that others don't want to do it your way, then I guess you'd have no choice but to quit to save yourself the mental anguish. I could have quit training at my TKD school some time ago because of several things I don't like about the training approaches, teaching to the tests, curriculum additions, and because we don't always approach things from my point of view. But if I do that, then I wouldn't get the opportunity to present things my way when I have the opportunity to teach. I'd rather bide my time and work my things in when I can. And by continuing to train, I stay in the loop and find new and different opportunities to improve myself or learn something new. I also realize that not everyone wants to train the way I train, and not everyone seeks out the same goals in training that I do. And I'm ok with that. I'm not going to pound the table to those who don't believe or want to do things my way. Instead of pounding the table, I'll sit at the table, take notes, write up articles, concepts, and syllabi, and move myself forward on my journey in the Martial Arts. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope this helps you out.

I agree. I've had both of my boys wrestle and I am very confident that they can defend themselves if need be.

For one, you should not give up any of your mental health. What kind of divisions and isolation are you speaking about? What kind of opinions are you bringing, in what kind of settings, etc? How many years of training do you have, and what rank do you have currently? By being a mindless follower, are you talking about certain organizations, or organizations as a whole? On a side note, have you seen how many different MA organizations are out there? Division is kind of a thing in the Martial Arts, for better or worse. I would say this; if you enjoy training, keep training. That's what I do. I'm splitting time in three different styles right now, each very different from the other, and I am enjoying it very much. I always see things that I don't necessarily agree with, but I don't bang my head against a wall to get someone to agree with my point-of-view. I take in what they say, work with it, play with it, decide if I like that aspect or not, and if not, I'll move on. If it happens to be something that's a testing requirement, so be it. It's just another thing. If you derive no joy out of it at all, then you should either stop doing it, or approach it like something that is necessary, like taking your medicine (if it is that important or you believe that it is so necessary for self-defense or something like that). For me, it was first and foremost to learn how to defend myself. As I've spent more time in the Martial Arts, I've learned that there is so much more to go along with it. I enjoy the physical challenge, the technical challenges, the camaraderie built between training partners, the community of a school, things like that. If you can make money doing what you love, then power to you. Something like if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life... So, speak to us about this. I'll propose these questions to you: What did you try to make that was different? What was your approach? Your thoughts on why it had to be different? What did you not like about what you were doing? How much experience did you have before you decided things needed to be different? Did you approach others with your thoughts on it, and if so, what was their reaction? Now, I will advise that answering these questions will bring about more conversation on the subject, and to be prepared for all spectrum of replies, as everyone has different experiences. But I think it can lead to a good conversation and help to flesh out your concerns more. I'd love to see this conversation open up. I'd love to see you continue you Martial Arts journey.

Is this in your dojo, or the MA community at large? If it's happening in the dojo, then that's on your instructor(s) for failing to maintain a positive training environment. If it's in the MA community at large, then I would just limit my MA fellowship with my classmates. Before you quit martial arts, I suggest checking out some other schools in your area if there are any. You'll find that no two schools have the same environment. My school has a very peaceful atmosphere, while I've seen others that are run like a military boot camp. However, this is assuming that your issue is with your school and not the MA community at large.

Mental Health is a very serious and personal matter; it should never be taken lightly. When it comes to my mental health, the MA is just a thing, it is just a want and not a need, and not worth to affect my mental health. Before, I wasn’t alone, but nowadays I’m very much alone. What was once alive is now a lonely destitution. The SKKA is dead, our Soke and Dai-Soke are dead, many of my fellow Shindokanists are either dead or gone their own way; only empty chairs surround a once thriving table. I’m still trying to understand and cope with the fact that what was is no more; not easiest thing to wrap my mind around. Still, I’m a MAist, now and forever and nothing will change that in me. My mind might be a very lonely thing but my mind is strong. Keeping God first before the martial arts keeps my sanity in tact amongst the dark cloud of loneliness.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. Martial arts for me is a solace and I often fall into it deeper when I am struggling with my mental health. I'm deeply saddened to hear that the martial arts community at large, a community that has made me feel so welcome and understood, has made you feel isolated. If you feel comfortable talking about it, I am interested in hearing about your experiences with martial arts. You have posted in the past about not meshing well with the sensei in your dojo who teaches the classes that you are most easily able to attend. Do you think that another dojo might be a better fit for you? That said, and I want to be clear on my stance, if your mental health is suffering because of your involvement in martial arts, then you need to prioritize your mental health and withdraw from martial arts as a whole. At the end of the day, martial arts is a hobby for most martial artists. If this hobby is having a negative impact on your life, then the only people who would put you down for leaving it behind are people you should not be associating with. Martial arts are optional, and while I love martial arts and wish that everyone would do them, I understand that there are a lot of things that need to be worked on in the broader martial arts community to make it a better, more welcoming place. Take some time away. If you end up getting the itch to come back, find a dojo promotes a culture and community that works for you. If you never feel the itch to return, that's okay too. Again, I'm sorry that your community has let you down and impacted you in a negative way. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

In my state, there is already a phys ed requirement. When I was a kid, the closest we go to martial arts was a unit on wrestling, which was probably acceptable since it is an intramural sport. My kid goes to a private girls school right now, but I know the public schools have plenty of extracurricular athletics available over and above "PE" class, with soccer leagues etc. There's no shortage of TKD schools for kids, either. My take is, leave it as something voluntary, outside the public sector. Then there's no parents complaining about Johnny hit Billy, we don't believe in bowing, why isn't Suzie a black belt yet, etc.

If Martial Arts become part of a school curriculum, then it takes the instructor's discretion away on a lot of things. For one, someone that probably doesn't know a thing about Martial Arts training is going to become an arbiter of what is or isn't taught, to what extent, etc, and things could likely get watered down. Then there is the issue of how to approach gradings. Insurance and liability become even bigger issues of concern. The instructor has less ability to control who he/she is teaching; it becomes available to all, especially if it's required. I like to think all kids can benefit from Martial Arts training, but there will be some that will take in the training for the wrong reasons. The idea appears appealing at first glance, but I think there are a lot of things that can go wrong.

I think there's one important question that you need to know the answer to: what, exactly, is this particular student's end of goal offering an unsolicited demonstration of what he can do? Because the answer to that will determine whether or not it's offensive or a waste of time.

I don't find the question bizarre, it's very intriguing and thought provoking. At first impression, I thought maybe this student has an ego trip going on, and is looking for an opportunity to show off a bit. I may be generalizing, but I think a lot of martial arts teaching and ranking is about "practice-this-and-this", then there's a test where they tell you, "do this and this." How often does a student, even an advanced practitioner, get asked, "OK, let's see what you've got. Show me something, freestyle it, draw on what you know, in the moment". I have to wonder, how many would struggle to think of something?

Today marks the 24 and a half birthday for KarateForums.com. That is quite a landmark! The fact that this community has lasted for so long is a testament to its members and how we all interact with each other. Sure, there have been ebbs and flows along the way, but by and large, it’s easy to see why this community has stayed active for so long. It’s because we are a community. KarateForums.com is so much more than a collection of random usernames floating about the ether of the internet. Amid a collection of newer members and longtime members, one can see that this is a community nurtured by caring and respect for others. Upon first glance at our community, it would appear that martial arts brought us all here, and one would think that martial arts is what binds us all together. I think it’s much more than that. Martial artists are who we are, and who we are is why we are martial artists. The drive, the determination, the perseverance of sticking with something and making it not just a hobby, but a lifestyle, says something about who we are. And that “something” is also what continues to build this community. All martial artists experience the highs and lows, positives and negatives that come with a lifetime of training in the martial arts. This community, KarateForums.com, has been a pillar of support for those of us who continue along this journey, because community members come here to laugh, cry, exclaim, and gripe about our training, knowing we are coming to an open and honest community that will back each other, guide each other through, and support each other as we navigate “the way.” Whether one has been a student for 30+ years or is a brand new white belt just donning the gi for the first time, KarateForums.com is a collection of like-minded individuals that all share a common set of interests, and I truly see that each and every one of us genuinely cares about everyone else here and the goals that we have. KarateForums.com isn’t just another website; it’s as much a part of my martial arts journey as practicing the martial arts is. I truly believe I am not alone in this. The longevity of KarateForums.com is good proof that this is the case for many others as well. Happy half-birthday, KarateForums.com! Let’s keep it rolling!

Funakoshi discussed what he learned from both Anko Itosu and Anko Asato in Karate-do: My Way of Life, and some of his other works. Both Mabuni and Gusukuma have only had the same two teachers: Itosu and Higaonna. The Shito-ryu curriculum divides their kata into two groups: the ones taught by Itosu and the ones taught by Higaonna. The Tomari-te katas are listed under the ones taught by Itosu. Hanashiro only trained directly under Anko Itosu.

11/22/2025 BJJ: 10:00 - 11:00 am. Open mat. I don't know how many rounds we rolled today, but we did a bunch. There were three of us and we did round robins. A younger guy I hadn't met before showed up. He was quite a bit lighter than me. I did have a pretty good hip throw takedown. I don't recall if it was from an underhook, or if he tried to step behind me to take me down and I was able to keep a base and wrench him back over. I do recall I was really deep with my hips, behind both his legs, and when I threw him I was worried that one of his legs stayed planted and twisted his knee up. Thank goodness that wasn't the case. I also pulled up on the finish so it just wasn't an absolute slam. During a few of the rolls with this kid I was able to get a couple of Americanas going. Didn't quite get them finished, but I was getting close; I know time ran out on at least one of them. The kid was really lanky, too, and had a pretty sticky guard. The other was one of the coaches, I guy who's short and stocky like me. I always struggle against him. He just keeps moving and framing. I need to keep my legs more active. When they stop I lose what decent position I had gained and end up getting sucked back into a guard of some kind. The coach would stop and briefly discuss a few things here and there, but by and large we kept the rounds going, which was great. At the end of the class, he did cover some details on mount and moving up to high mount and isolating an arm.

It sounds like your approach to the Pinans is the same as it was originally, for the youth. I agree with your assessment that if the applications can be found in other kata, then the redundancy just isn't necessary. I'm not a fan of curriculum for curriculum's sake.

Oh, it's definitely controversial. Some people get REALLY mad about it. My view, though, is similar to Yabu Kentsu, who said "if you have time to practice Pinan, practice Kusanku, instead," although there is also material from Passai and Chinto in the Pinan series. Basically, the Pinan kata were developed by Itosu for his school PE karate program, and while they do have valid and effective applications, almost all of those applications can be found in the older kata. Additionally, I've found that teaching the Pinan series and then teaching Kusanku, Passai, and Chinto actually makes it MORE difficult for students to learn the older kata, not less, as is often claimed. It takes a long time for them to be able to stop mixing up the kata, because there are such similar sequences. I don't have any issue with the concept of yakusoku kumite, but the way that most yakusoku kumite is designed is just bad. The distance is too large, the techniques are applied impractically, the attacks are unrealistic, etc.

$100M isn't a bad price, but I think Paul let his ego get the best of him in his decision to accept this fight. Like you said, he's a novelty boxer. Part of the bit is the tendency of people to hate watch the bouts in the hopes that he gets knocked out. It's possible that he took this fight to deliver that and create a comeback narrative, but there had to be a less painful way of doing so. In any event, I would be lying if I said I didn't watch the highlight reel more than a few times.

How much of your mental health are you willing to give up for martial arts? Where it is something supposed to bring people together and build communities of like minded people, I have found that it caused more divisions and isolation especially when people have opinions and dont wish to just join to be a mindless follower. At what point does one decide that Martial Art is costing them too much and isolating them more then it brings joy to their life, is that the moment they should call it quits, or betray themselves and just continue while joining the group and hiding their true feeling? Idk, at this point I truly wonder WHY do people practice martial arts, I think most people have interest in health benefits and looking at nice forms or competitions and making money via martial arts. I am highly thinking of quitting all and make my life less stressful and more happy. I dont see a reason to keep hitting my head on a wall of unacceptance. I tried to make something else/ different. It was in vain. Good continuation to those who choose to keep Martial Arts alive, I dont think I have more to give in that aspect, Ill focus on other areas in my life.

I wouldn’t put much, if at all. I think the “becoming a better person” part of martial arts works the same way the PSA’s at the end of 80’s cartoons (G.I. Joe, especially) worked: children are more willing and eager to heed advice from people that they look up to. And also back in the 80’s during the “karate boom,” children were more likely to look up to a karate instructor. After reaching a certain age, I think the “becoming a better person” part of karate only come to those who actively seek it, and that age is probably sometime during or right before middle school.

Hello, Thank you for visiting KarateForums.com. After a month and a half of nominating and voting, the 24th edition of the KarateForums.com Awards have come to an end. It is now time for us to announce the winners! Before I do so, I wanted to once again congratulate everyone who was nominated. Regardless of whether or not you won the award, the fact that you were nominated means that, when asked to identify a member who really stood out in the past year, your fellow community members thought of you. In the history of this community, only 169 members have ever been nominated for an award. To be nominated is pretty cool, and you should be proud. If you did not win or were not nominated, please don't take it badly. These awards do have meaning, but they are also for fun and not everyone can win or be nominated. Please join me in congratulating our winners. I would like to specifically thank everyone who participated in the process by nominating and voting. It is the community that selected the nominees and decided the winners. There are no KarateForums.com Awards without you. In fact, a majority of our nominees took the time to vote in categories where they were nominated. Since you can't vote for yourself, your choice is to vote for someone else or not vote at all. Though I can't reveal who voted for whom, please know that I appreciate everyone who thoughtfully voted in the categories where they were nominated. It says a lot about you, and I love to see it. Without further ado, here are our winners: 1. Member of the Year: @KarateKen 2. Community Spirit Award: (tie) @bushido_man96 (for the 9th year and 2nd consecutive!) and @DarthPenguin 3. Staff Member of the Year: (tie) @bushido_man96 (for the 9th year and 2nd consecutive!) and @Wastelander (for the 3rd year and 2nd consecutive!) 4. Funniest Member of the Year: @KarateKen 5. Karate Contributor of the Year: @Spartacus Maximus 6. Health and Fitness Contributor of the Year: @bushido_man96 (for the 5th year!) 7. Instructors and School Owners Contributor of the Year: @Wastelander (for the 4th year!) Congratulations to bushido_man96 (3 wins!), KarateKen (2 wins!), Wastelander (2 wins!), DarthPenguin, and Spartacus Maximus! bushido_man96 has now hit the milestone of 25 wins over the history of the KarateForums.com Awards, currently with 27, which is 2nd all-time. Wastelander reached and surpassed the 10 win mark, now with 11, good for 5th all-time. Finally, DarthPenguin now has 5 wins, T8th all-time. Congrats all around. For past winners and all of the awards historical data, please check out: http://www.karateforums.com/awards.php Thank you for reading and for supporting the KarateForums.com Awards. Sincerely, Patrick

Interesting topic, and thanks for clarifying your background and your situation. I could relate to aspects of problem areas you described as things I've had to work through, too. But I don't think what you're describing is really a mental health problem, unless it's interfering with your daily life and happiness. It sounds more like a struggle to figure out where you can fit in with like-minded people. Now the critical part. You describe training in various arts with several breaks, but it doesn't sound like you ever got a black belt or significant level of experience in any one thing. But you talk about doing research and deciding how it ought to be in karate. So putting that together, if you're meeting instructors, visiting schools, and have that kind of attitude, they're going to see right through you and tell you to go someplace else (like MMA). I would say, like others have, keep training with the group you have and count yourself lucky. From my own experience, after I reached a higher dan rank, I went into Hapkido, then JKD and MMA. Eventually the JKD/MMA group fell away, and I tried to connect with a new school. Pretty much any school that was traditional or gave out belts was suspicious of me and turned me away. Eventually I too, thought I'd reached the end of the line in martial arts. Then I reconnected with one of my old Hapkido instructors, who welcomed me, and now I'm a 4th dan Master. Do I agree with all the training, or the content? No. Do I know things I never get to do there? Sure. But I'm happy to be there.

Happy Hanukkah!

One of the hallmarks of being a Martial Artist is training through adversity. This is an adversity for you. It's up to you how you approach it. One other question: in the dojo you train at, do you have the rank or certification that allows you to teach, and if so, do you take that opportunity?

Member of the Year AND Funniest Member of the Year? What an honor! Thank you to all who voted and awarded me this, and congratulations to all who won and were nominated.

Thank you to all voted!! Congratulations to all the winners!!

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all the voters!

Thank you to everyone who voted, and congratulations to all of the winners!

I don't think this is always the case. There are times when a technique and the target can "meet in the middle" and maximize damage. I'll demonstrate this often with hikite using a knife hand strike to the neck. Pulling the attacker into the that strike generates great power into a vital spot, the neck. We do this with the hikite hand holding one of the attacker's wrists. In Aikido we using a pulling hand quite often to aid in the completion of techniques. It isn't necessarily met with a strike all the time (although there are times when it could), but often times it will result in using our other limb to make contact to gain kazushi.

there is sometimes a way round this - years ago a friend of mine was brought in by a school (happened to be a private one) to teach two of their pupils martial arts during PE lessons. He was their instructor in their regular club and they were allowed to choose whatever thing they wished to do in PE providing it was a sport they could demonstrate a genuine interest in etc. He taught them during the day a couple of times a week and was given discretion over what he taught etc and his assessment. Gradings were still the usual route. I am aware this is very much the exception though - would be extremely hard to tailor it to a school situation generally

Hikite is NOT about power; it’s about being in close range of my attacker. Hikite aides in providing me information as to where the body is without me having to look. With Hikite I can control, manipulate, and seize. Of course, I have to use both of my hands to do one or another. No Hikite, no acccuracy. Imagine how kata would look like without Hikite??

Two of the most obvious explanations for hikite or “chambering” become clear when considering the strategy and range of Eastern martial arts. Particularly those of Chinese and Okinawan origins in their older pre-sport versions. Unarmed fighting and self-defense is rarely if ever done at distances beyond arms reach and most techniques require closing distance. It makes a lot of logical sense to seize, trap and pull an attacker while striking. The other explanation for hikite is exploiting antagonist motions to train effective body mechanics and structure for maximum power generation. This is not really unique to Eastern martial arts, but a vital concept. Every technique involves opposite movements and push/pull is one of the most important. In Eastern arts, at least, this is more obvious in training and becomes more subtle once skill develops and when used in actual fighting or defense.

Is it "playoff Mahomes" that beats him, or is it "playoff Allen" that loses...???? Only time will answer that question, I guess. This could be the year we find out. Allen doesn't have a great defense to rely on, and I'm not sure even he can carry that team through to the AFC title.

12/10/2025 Heavy Bag Workout: 10 rounds, 1:20/1:00. Alternated orthodox/southpaw. Rounds 1-4 boxing only. Rounds 5-8 added in kicks. Rounds 9-10 speed bag. PNF stretching in The Rack.

Is an interesting idea but it does depend on the purpose of the testing. I could see how it might work well for more skilled practitioners who are attempting to demonstrate 'mastery' of some skills. If there were some constraints set such as : need to perform a combination of a minimum of X strikes of which Y need to be kicks etc. and have a few similar constraints then it might be an interesting idea. Could run alongside the usual testing of perform this kata etc. Sorta reminds me of a style i did in the past where for grading you were also required to perform a prior grades pattern/kata but with free direction, which meant you had to change the directions and could adjust the techniques a little (eg make a kick a jumping variant or more complex one - so could replace a roundhouse with a 360 roundhouse but still had to move into the next technique smoothly). Was good for really bedding down the patterns in your muscle memory i thought

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year's awards. Stay tuned for an announcement where we will reveal our winners.

Well, to be expected, the fight scenes were unrealistic (no safety gear but nobody gets banged up except the boxer), but well choreographed. I liked the cameo at the end!

I think it would be an interesting criteria to add to an existing testing to see what the student can do, how it would differ, what the focus would be, etc. If they asked for something like that to replace the testing, I would say no. To do it as a supplement to the same test, sure. Seeing how students grow and evolve is the fun part of teaching.

That's interesting that your hands are in the guard position in your katas prior to striking, yet you use the pulling hand in the two-person drills. I do think the applications make more sense in the two-person drills, and if you are constantly grabbing and pulling on someone, the need to explain it is kind of moot. But to not see it replicated in the forms is interesting.

This got me thinking quite a bit -- we don't frequently pull hikite in Uechi-Ryu. For example, our kata generally start with the hands in a guard position, we chamber the strike, execute the strike, and then return to the guard position. We do pull hikite in some of our two-person drills, when we execute a sequence of strikes. However, it's sufficiently uncommon that we don't explain the "why"; we just do it. However, in thinking about the reasons you posted, several of them come to mind -- specifically the grabbing and pulling your opponent, and also activating the hips. IMO these both go hand in hand for us. We are taught that when we receive a strike, we should grab it, pull it (to disrupt the opponent), and this also activates the hips to prime the counterstrike.

Why would a student want to do that in the first place?? Especially a student with 20 years MA experience?!? Offensive?? No. Students initiative?? Depends. Waste of time?? Not exactly. Count for rank?? No. Insulting Student Body?? No. Students, imho, should never assume a position that they don’t possess. Said student came to me for training; I didn’t come to that student. The proof is on the floor. If a student has 20 years experience in the MA, that student won’t have to suggest anything to me because I’ll know it quite clearly. Proof is on the floor, and the floor reveals everything. If warranted, I’d consider said rank that I believe would be most appropriate for that student. After that, I do not bargain any Testing Cycle because no student is greater than the floor and the floor is where the Testing Cycle starts and ends.

Yeah i think that Dak is a large part of the problem tbh. I have always thought he is massively overrated. Was interesting that one of the studio guys came out and said that on the UK NFL coverage the other day (he was a former Giant DL) and the other posts really had a go at him for it, talking about how great Dak is. I've never seen it tbh. He is decent but not a top tier QB

Every half-anniversary, I invite a member of staff (in order of seniority) to address the community. Thank you for writing this, Brian. I appreciate you and all of the members who have made this sentiment a reality.

What besides redundancy could motivate a martial arts instructor to decide not to pass on something?

I think that might be a bit controversial. I think all kata that predate karate moving to mainland Japan should be safe from elimination. All katas developed after that, especially the ones meant to be taught before the Pinan and Heian series (or Naihanchi and Tekki, if your school teaches those before Pinan and Heian) should be fair game. Even the more advanced ones, such as Ananku and Gorin should be fair game. I agree with this 100%. I think yakosoku kumite is useful, but I don't believe it should be testable.

Rika Usami's speed is lightning. If I had any criticism, it would be questioning if she could hit a heavy bag that way, and what would happen if she did. Her pacing is excellent for demonstrating technique, posing between moves, and it works for her style of karate.

I am exactly the same way. If it's sitting there waiting for me, then I don't have to buy when I want to read it. I'm now poking my way through Heavy Bag Workout by Sammy Franco. It's got some interesting ideas on changing up heavy bag training.

I've been enjoying it immensely. It's can be hard to teach your children, especially at first. You're their parent, and kids have a hard time switching into that mode of learning rather than just being your child. Anyone with a child who was in school during lockdown can tell you this. However, it is very rewarding.

There are few things in martial arts practise that are as rewarding as the opportunity to share it with one’s own child. Generations ago it was much more common for parents skilled in something to actually pass it down and teach/train a son or daughter. The possibility of this is actually a great personal reason to keep practicing.

My first student was my child. Unless you want a more philosophical answer, in which case I was my first student.

In Shindokan, even the most basic of kata bunkai is taught at all ranks; age isn’t an exception.

It's been a full year now without a drink. I promise this is the final update