About: Glyn Jones

To truly understand the essence of Karate or achieving success really is down to perseverance and hard work, but for many, even the most primitive benefits inherent in practising the art of Karate will always be beyond their grasp. If you take the time to look deep enough at the photograph above, you will see where the basis of true Karate really lies. Or “See what no one else chooses to see”, as Patch Adams once wisely said. Some may look and see this as visiting Japan or Okinawa for more in-depth training, others may see the tranquillity of meditating under a blossom tree, or maybe even training outdoors amongst nature. Some of you may just feel that I am promoting the Dojo of my Sensei, or for those of you who can read a little Kanji that I am pushing the Goju Ryu way of practising Karate. All are valid in a way, but to look at Karate like this is kind of missing the point, just like those who only see Karate as learning to fight or as […]

I received a message recently from a friend asking why I hadn’t put a blog post up for a while. My answer was a simple one, “I’ve spent my time training in Karate instead of talking about it”. The thing is time is one of the most valuable commodities that we have so we can either use our time wisely or we can just waste it. Now, of course I don’t think that writing on here is a waste of time, of course not because if I did then I wouldn’t be doing it. However, at times my time can be of more value spent elsewhere. So how do I spend the spare time that I have away from working and being with family and friends… In the Dojo training my own personal Karate? Or do I spend my time talking about Karate or maybe even teaching it? For me personally there is no choice to make, so if I have a little spare or free time after my own training I will then commit thus to teaching others, then […]

It is often said that there is a fine line between failure and success, especially so in business. As far as achieving worthwhile goals go I’m not quite so sure, especially so when it comes to aiming for the benefits inherent in studying the Martial Arts. Without question two of the best attributes that one can have in life are positivity and patience, as anything of worth will not only take time to achieve, it will also take hard work and an unwavering determination or mindset. The mind required for studying true Budo for sure. What is most noticeable within the Martial Arts of today though compared to years gone by is students lack of patience at times, or there is to much thought on passing gradings instead of setting standards that are centred around ones own personal development and achieving things of worth. So often we see Karate Ka who have achieved either a Black Belt, a high Dan grade, or even having trained for many years. However, either their physical ability or Karate basis lacks understanding, to the […]

Over the years I have received much personal guidance from Tamaki Hidenobu Sensei 9th Dan, be this training under his watchful eye in the Dojo or during private conversations. Anyone who has had the privilege of spending time around him, will most certainly testify to both the uncompromising effectiveness of his Karate techniques, together with the exemplary basis from which his Karate stands. Not only has he been a loyal student to his teacher on Okinawa spanning some 45 years or so, as the Dojo Sempai he continues to lead from the front and by example through training hard alongside all other students. A lesson in itself that many Karate Ka would do well to learn from… Where by many senior Karate practitioners of this standing have sought fame or a large following of students, or maybe even talk more or better Karate than they do train. Tamaki Sensei has shunned all of this for a life time of studying the art quietly and privately under the guidance of his Sensei, whilst always allowing his personal Karate to do all […]

Yesterday evening just prior to sharing some training together, I was having a discussion with a friend who is also a fellow Karate Ka of many years. We were talking on Karate when he spoke about a kata from his chosen style that he hadn’t really done for a while but had been practising the evening before. Of which he then proceeded to both demonstrate and ask if I knew the kata in question, of which I said that I didn’t, even though I’d seen it performed quite a few times before. My reply though went a little deeper… “What I do know though from what you have just mentioned is that this is one of the significant differences in how they deeply understanding Karate in Japan or Okinawa in comparison to most Dojo’s in the West or around the World”! What happens in most clubs or Dojo’s outside of Okinawa is that for the norm or generally, training sessions are structured or set out on segments of the style or system. For example, many start off by working on […]