Position Before Technique
Over the past few weeks I’ve been organizing material for a new student handbook project. I expected one section to…
We Are Reflections of Our Teacher
Recently I found myself watching one of my students work with a beginner. What struck me wasn’t the techniques he…
The Value of Experience
Competition as Part of Training One thing I have noticed over the last few years attending Kyokushin tournaments is how…
What Shihan Bobby Lowe Told Me
In today’s Kyokushin world, it sometimes seems that every year brings another organization, another split, or another debate about who…
Kyokushin Beyond Sport
Budo Begins Where Sport Ends My sensei used to say, “Any time a martial art is turned into a sport,…
Osu: The Heart of Kyokushin
If you spend any time in a Kyokushin dojo, you’ll hear the word Osu constantly. We say it when we…
Kyokushin doesn’t punch to the face???
“Kyokushin doesn’t punch to the face.” What? Really? I’ve heard or read this about Kyokushin many times over the years…
Reflections on Tournament Fighting
I competed in my first karate tournament in 1981. I was a white belt in the beginner’s division, and I…
The Only Secret is Sweat
Mas Oyama said, “The only secret is sweat.” It’s a simple statement, but one I feel goes right to the…
Lessons From My Sensei
Lessons From My Sensei Martial Art vs Sport “Any time you turn a martial art into a sport, you weaken…
