Introductions

I suppose if you, the reader, are to understand where I'm coming from as a Karateka some introductions are in order.

I have been involved in martial arts for just over 14 years now, more than some, less than most.  In fact I don't count it as anything substantial, just putting it out there.

The first 7 years of my journey were spent training in a Mu Duk Kwan Tae-Kwon-Do dojang.  Funny enough MDK seems to have the closest resemblance to the Okinawan Kata out of the other TKD systems ( Pinan- Pyung, Naihanchi-Na Ba Jhin).  This training gave me a pretty solid foundation (for the most part).  I trained earnestly, polished my poomse (Korean forms) for each tournament, sparred every chance I got.  I was teaching classes and held private lessons and ultimately felt satisfied in my training this, I would later come to realize, is a bad thing.  One day I hit a wall, a plateau if you will.  Luckily it was around this time my current teacher, my Sensei, began showing up at the dojang.  ( Full story later, its a good one)
Over a period of a few months he was in and out, working with the head instructor and I showing us some pointers.  He would say things like "I'm going to show you what you've been doing, with out knowing you were doing it." and really opened up the importance of proper training and more importantly Kata. Long story short, ultimately the head instructor of the dojang decided not to continue learning and was content on keeping things the way they were.  I'm not sure on the particulars but he left, and I followed. I shed my black belt, donned a white belt and I've been training with him ever since.

The last 7 years I've spent studying Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate.  Initially the training was a rude awakening.  Learning to take a blow, even learning to give one.  The endless Kata, the conditioning,  I had no idea the training would be so holistic, so relevant.

It's no doubt that the majority of readers to this blog will be of the Karate community, but it's my true goal to support the argument for Karate's efficacy in the modern world.  My aim is to point out some of the errors in today's view of Karate and explain, to the best of my ability, why some of these views exist.

Thank you for reading I hope I have something to offer.