I’ve always liked the saying “Karate is a lifelong battle, you verses yourself, there is no one else”. On many fronts this is so true but not just in Karate, but in life too. Because when it comes down to it, we are on our own, and the many challenges that we have to face are our very own to overcome. Karate is not easy, and it was never meant to be easy either, for everyone yes, easy no!  Theoretically the Karate that you do and practice is always your very own, be it physically, technically, mentally or even morally. You can’t go blaming others for your downfalls or failures, and you certainly can’t always depend on others either, it’s always your battle. Just as you can follow the ways of a Sensei of deep understanding for many years and some students will learn lots, and other students will take in next to nothing or very little at all, it’s life and their loss. But regardless, the Karate that you or I practice will always be our very own.

Taking ownership of one’s Karate and personal development is the basis from which the art lies, that’s the Okinawa way. Taking responsibility though does not mean self-importance, accolade and building up your own ego. A good Karate Sensei and Dojo will knock down egos, not build them up. Always remember that.

At times though there is a fine line, but there are ways of defining if a Karate Ka has been nurtured through years of quality training in a Dojo of worth. The reason being is that the Karate practice on Okinawa tends to be done quietly and regularly with no need for attention or gratification from others. Self-improvement is done quietly whereby self-importance is done loudly…. This is why there are many Karate Ka on the island who have trained for fifty years or so under a Sensei with no need or desire to teach or open a Dojo of their own. If you were or are receiving quality guidance under a Sensei of worth and training regularly amongst a good group of hard training sincere Karate Ka, then why would you wish to move on or even teach? Well maybe apart from preserving the art and passing it on correctly…

The Kumi Te or Meeting of Hands and the many training practices that they encompass are often a good indicator to see if the Karate of a Ka is either all about themselves or concentrating on oneself. Yes, there is a difference…  Thoughts of I can do this technique, and I can punch as hard as this, really mean very little when facing an uncompromising training partner or an aggressor. The Karate Ka should focus ones thoughts honestly and equally on both improving oneself and understanding the potential of others.

Here’s a little thought on self-concentration… We cannot fail to be impressed by the demonstrations of shime or testing whereby Karate Ka are punched kicked and have pieces of wood broken across various parts of their bodies. Yes, it is impressive for sure, and it’s certainly not easy to achieve or endure, and for many Karate Ka the ability to withstand punishment is a valued part of their training practice, whilst being half the way to success in confrontation. Yes, I’ve done this and in many ways I like the personal challenge so I’m certainly not going to knock its worth.

The thing here though is this. When it comes to violent situations most people are either fuelled up with anger, aggression, drink or drugs, so they will take quite a lot of contact or punishment in most of the areas that are struck during these conditioning practices or demonstrations. Or the bodies natural outer shell of a tortoise as Onaga Sensei puts it… However, when it comes to both the Kata and Kumite of Okinawan Karate you are mostly always attacking or defending the head (including the neck), xyphoid process, floating ribs, plus the knee and groin. All of these areas are never really struck during such demonstrations, and for good obvious reasons too. Because if as a Karate Ka the focus is solely on the attack or on others you could end up being in serious trouble…