Personal Training Notes

Raw Insights & Research from my Daily Practice

Date: May 20, 2026

Status: Confidential — For Guardians Only

Welcome, Guardians. You are entering the most private part of the Dōjō. Here, I don't share polished tutorials; I share my raw research, my doubts, and the unfiltered truth about my practice. These notes are taken directly from my training journal, written in the heat of the moment. They are meant for those who, like me, are looking for the "how" and the "why" behind the elite biomechanics of Japan.

Dōjō Notes: Kime, the Essence of Shotokan

There is a power that no strength and conditioning programme will ever build. It cannot be found in a seminar room. It cannot be transmitted to a hundred practitioners at once — not really.

I received this teaching from Tamang Shihan directly. In practice. Over years of sustained and demanding training together. Not technique: the engine behind technique. The Tanden, and what it can do when you genuinely learn to use it.

Part 1 was about the body. Part 2 is about what moves the body from within.

When you feel it for the first time, everything else begins to look like preparation.

Part 2 : The Use of the Tanden

In Part 1, we covered how to generate Kime (決め — decision, focus at impact) from a physical and mechanical standpoint — the Seven Body Compressions and how they work together to produce the instantaneous, focused power that defines our style. But that insane power that can result from body compression is not Kime by itself.

Although it may be facilitated by mechanics, true Kime does not rely on technique alone. True Kime arises in the spirit first. Not in the mind. In the spirit — in what constitutes the true self, what we are beyond the vehicles of our minds and bodies.

Kime is a decision. Not an intellectual decision. A spiritual decision, embodied by our full being. That’s why many well-trained people can produce a tremendous amount of physical power in their techniques, but only a few can liberate true Kime — that powerful energy, the Ki (気 — vital energy, life force), which can destroy or heal, and which allows the masters to move and react in ways that seem so unreal that they simply have to be felt to be truly understood.

I experienced this firsthand — witnessed it, felt it, lived it — during my regular training sessions with Yahara Sensei in Tokyo. Being on the receiving end of it is something else entirely. Unsettling is the only word. Unforgettable. And it is precisely why I wrote in Part 1: when you feel it once, you know.

Kime is something very unique to Shotokan. Many other traditional Budō talk about energy and internal power, but very few place Kime at their pinnacle — as the lifetime quest of the Karate-ka.

And it is not a lifetime quest only because of its usefulness on the battlefield. If the practitioner truly embraces the quest, Kime becomes a forge: it will, as a byproduct, grow them spiritually, mentally, and physically. Because Kime can only be created through a holistic approach to practice — one that simultaneously engages those three dimensions and also demands something much deeper: who you are, what you are, what you are here for, the way you behave, the way you react under pressure, your capacity to be present, your dedication.

The quest for Kime is, in the truest sense, the quest for Shin Gi Tai (心技体 — Spirit, Technique, Body) — unified in a single instant.

Most practitioners, when they hear Kime, picture the same thing: punches. Gyaku-zuki (逆突き — reverse punch). The signature technique. The expression of power.

But the destination of this quest is far wider than that.

Kime must be liberated in every technique. Punches, yes — but also every kick, every strike with every part of the body that can be used as a weapon. And beyond strikes: in blocks (Uke-waza — 受け技), in throws (Nage-waza — 投げ技), in joint locks. The full arsenal.

And then there is movement itself.

You hear me say it regularly: move from the belly. Find Kime in your steps. I place particular emphasis on this in Yori-ashi (寄り足 — sliding step) and Tai-sabaki (体捌き — body evasion). Because when Kime enters your steps, everything shifts: your stability, the power available at impact, your capacity to absorb an incoming attack without being uprooted, your ability to see, to anticipate, to react. And something less visible but just as real: the way your opponent reads your fighting spirit — and your relationship to Ma-ai (間合い — combative distance, the space-time between two fighters).

For accomplished masters — those who have genuinely reached the summit — Kime is no longer a martial question. Not even a question of technique.

It inhabits their everyday gestures. Their actions. Their thoughts. Their decisions.

This is precisely what gives certain masters their capacity to heal — not as a mysterious gift, but as the natural expression of a life fully lived with Kime.

And Kime is precisely the reason why the traditional JKA Kumite format — the Ippon Shobu (一本勝負 — one-point contest) — is so fascinating as a training methodology. It is not merely a tournament format. It is a philosophical statement. A single point. One technique. Total commitment. Ikken Hissatsu (一拳必殺 — “with one blow.”) But this ideal creates two demands that the modern world of competitive Karate has proven unable to sustain.

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Hello warriors,

It happened to me. It happens to almost everyone.

Somewhere between the first year and the fifth, you watch your Sensei move — not just execute a technique, but inhabit it. The weight shift before the kick. The particular quality of their kiai. The way the hip arrives at the exact same instant as the fist. And something in you thinks: I want that. I want to move exactly like that.

So you start copying.

In Japan, watching Yahara Shihan teach — the way his body compressed before exploding, the precision that made everything look inevitable — I found myself studying every detail. Trying to understand. Trying, more honestly, to reproduce.

It didn’t work. Not because the observation was wrong. What I was trying to copy was not what I thought I was copying.

The fruit, not the tree

When you watch a master move, you are watching the finished product of forty years.

You see the fruit. You are not seeing the tree — the thousands of hours of Ido Kihon (移動基本 — moving basic training), the years of competition, the injuries, the corrections, the slow and unglamorous work of building a body that does exactly what the mind commands.

Yahara Shihan’s style — his Kime (決め), his way of loading and releasing — is the crystallisation of a very specific journey. Extreme foundational training. Competition at the highest level. Then decades of quiet refinement. You cannot borrow the result of that journey. You can only make your own.

The mistake I made, and the one I see most often:

Copying the style when you should be copying the principles.

Shu-Ha-Ri — and what “Shu” really means

Shu-Ha-Ri (守破離). Three stages, one arc.

Shu (守) means obey. You follow the teacher’s instructions exactly — the form as transmitted, without deviation, without interpretation. You are building foundations. Muscle memory. Discipline. Trust. This cannot be skipped and cannot be rushed.

Ha (破) means break. Personal expression begins to emerge. You start to understand why the form is as it is, not just what it is. But only once Shu is truly — not seemingly — mastered.

Ri (離) means leave. The rules so thoroughly internalised they no longer need to be followed consciously. Technique flows from being. This is Mushin (無心 — no-mind) in its fullest expression.

The most common mistake I observe — and I say this without judgment, I made it too — is jumping directly to Ha. Wanting personal expression before Shu is done.

But there is a subtler mistake inside that one.

Even within Shu, what you are supposed to copy is not your Sensei’s personal style. You copy the tradition — the form as transmitted through the lineage. The stances, the trajectories, the mechanics of power. Not their personality. The form.

University Karate vs Peacetime Karate

This distinction changed how I teach.

University Karate — pragmatic, efficient, tested against resistance. The Karate forged in halls where nobody has time for anything that doesn’t work. The JKA at its peak. Simple. Straight. Precise. This is what produces technique that actually functions.

Peacetime Karate — what masters develop after decades on that foundation. The refined, expressive, personal art you see in mature practitioners. Beautiful. And built on everything that came before it.

The paradox: the most impressive Karate you see is always Peacetime. The most foundational — the one you actually need right now — is University. And you cannot have one without the other.

Tamang Pemba Shihan — my Sensei, NSKF Chief, one of the first non-Japanese to complete the JKA Kenshusei Instructor Course — said it plainly: “Basic techniques tend to be neglected at the expense of higher level technique.”

Same error. Different generation. Different clothes.

A student who copies a master’s personal style without the University foundation produces something that looks impressive from the outside and is hollow from the inside.

The body is not ready. The mind is not ready. The structure is not ready.

The shape without the soul.

The Hiza Nuki lesson

Hiza Nuki (膝抜き) — the natural yielding of the front knee during transitions in Ido Kihon. Watch a senior practitioner and you will see it: a slight release that makes everything fluid, effortless, precise.

Watch enough Karate and you might start trying to do it. Dropping the knee at the moment of transition, imitating what you observed.

Don’t.

Hiza Nuki should never be explicitly taught or consciously imitated. When you try to do it, you create an artificial mechanical dip that disrupts your timing and destroys your power structure. A caricature of itself.

Practiced correctly for enough years — Ido Kihon, stances, transitions, again and again — Hiza Nuki emerges naturally. The body finds it. You do not produce it. You allow it.

This is the copying-too-early mistake, in miniature. You see the result of correct practice and try to reproduce it directly. But the result is not available by imitation. It only comes through the process.

The shape is the container. The process fills it.

Follow the link below for more on this topic

What this means

Observe your Sensei. Study them. This is how transmission has always worked.

But know what you are looking at.

You are not looking at a style to adopt. You are looking at proof of what the method produces.

Their Peacetime Karate is the destination. Your work right now is the University foundation that will, one day, allow you to arrive there — in your own body, your own way, your own time.

🔒 This article continues for Premium and Guardian members. Upgrade to access: a practical framework for what to copy and what to leave, three questions to ask before you imitate, and a protocol for Busy Warriors to build their own foundation without losing the transmission.

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Personal Training Notes

Raw Insights & Research from my Daily Practice

Date: March 2, 2026

Status: Confidential — For Guardians Only

Welcome, Guardians. You are entering the most private part of the Dōjō. Here, I don't share polished tutorials; I share my raw research, my doubts, and the unfiltered truth about my practice. These notes are taken directly from my training journal, written in the heat of the moment. They are meant for those who, like me, are looking for the "how" and the "why" behind the elite biomechanics of Japan. You won’t find this content anywhere else online, as it is the unique result of my own training experience with the greatest Shotokan masters in Japan and the special moments I had the honor of sharing with them. It does not claim to be the truth, but rather my personal interpretation of all the teachings I had the privilege of receiving there. I hope you will appreciate it for what it is.

Dōjō Notes: Kime, the Essence of Shotokan | Part 1

I’ve learned what Kime is the hard way. In the heat and fearful atmosphere of the KWF Shirogane Dōjō in Tokyo. Witnessing and feeling the unbelievable Kime of the fierce Yahara Shihan and Tamang Shihan during our daily practice. This has been a life perspective changing experience. And what I’m about to share here is the result of personal conversations and training with those grand masters who personally endeavored to guide me on the path toward developing Kime.

When you feel it once, you know.
When you know, you know.

What is Kime?

We often hear that Kime is the essence of Shotokan Karate, the ultimate goal every Karate-ka is seeking through their dedication to the art.

And that’s true.

The search of Kime is what should lead the way of every Shotokan practicionner, paving a clear path towards the utmost achievement of the practice: the famous Ikken Hissatsu. That constant search for the Ippon is what makes Shotokan so unique and beautiful, and that’s also what gives us a very clear direction for training, bringing life to each of our breaths inside the Dōjō.

And Kime is the only thing that can truly bring this Ippon principle to life.

Kime is the energy that some karateka develop in their attacks and defenses, which, objectively speaking, is so devastating that it goes far beyond the purely physical and technical aspects of those techniques. I have personally witnessed Yahara Shihan’s incredible Kime on numerous occasions, and when you feel the power of that energy, you clearly realize there is something transcending the physical.

When you train in English-speaking Dōjō(s), and even in Japan, you are often urged to seek “focus”, which is supposed to represent this pursuit of Kime. By focusing, you are asked to tighten all your muscles for a split second at impact, thereby seeking to involve the whole body in the power generation.

And of course, advanced practionners—and only them—must strive for this ultimate body contraction at impact.

Why should only advanced practicionners try to practice this focus in their Kihon ?

Simply because if beginners, or not enough trained Karate-ka, try to do so, they will inevitably tend to practice stiff techniques, missing the most important part: relaxation. Only this relaxation can lead to fast and responsive techniques, performed with the correct timing that ultimately leads to Kime—not to mention the problem of recurring injuries caused by using too much tension.

Beginners (meaning those below 1st or 2nd Dan) simply don’t have the physical and technical foundation to achieve this. It’s like a ladder: we have to climb the rungs one by one. Try to skip too many at once, and a fall is guaranteed! Progression in Karate has been very well thought out and structured by the old masters, and we must respect it if we ever hope to attain their level of expertise.

But physical contraction is only a fraction of what Kime is and can be.

In fact, Kime requires far more from the practicionner than just their physical presence. And by using the “whole body” to generate power, we are rather invited to use our whole being.

Because true Kime can only be generated by the union of Mind, Body, and… Spirit. Involving the body in power generation is actually the easiest part of Kime—even though most practicionners will never achieve the minimum technical level required to generate it.

What’s very interesting to note here is that when a master knows how to generate true Kime (and by “knows” I mean they can actually manifest it), the physical and technical part remains the gateway. But eventually, they no longer need the sheer mechanical technique to throw this energy; each of their moves is now infused with Kime. That is truly what it means to “transcend” the technique, which is what we aim for through our daily training. We can witness this kind of mastery not only in Karate but in other profound arts as well.

So even if it’s the unavoidable prerequisite, Kime requires far more than just a finely tuned physical skill.

I like to say that Kime—and this is how I feel about it—is the touch of magic that the practitioner infuses into their technique and expresses through it.

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

If you only have 15 minutes a day to dedicate to your training, or if you can only practice once or twice a week, I have a “truth serum” for you: You can still improve.

Most practitioners hit the “Time Wall” and simply give up, thinking that if they can’t spend two hours a day in the dōjō, it’s not worth it. But Karate is vast—so vast that even a lifetime of daily 2-hour sessions wouldn’t be enough to cover it all.

The secret isn’t about doing more; it’s about being crystal clear on what it means to improve.

Karate “Usefulness” vs. “Effectiveness”

We often confuse the side effects of Karate with its core purpose. Your practice should certainly bring you Usefulness: health, fitness, resilience, peace of mind, and a better version of yourself. These are vital, but they are often the byproducts of a deeper pursuit.

If your practice makes you a better father, a sharper professional, or a calmer human, then your Karate is “working” in your life.

But let’s be honest: Is that the core purpose of a Martial Art?

No. Those are beautiful side effects. At its heart, Karate is about Effectiveness. It is a Martial Art, not just a fitness routine. If we choose the “Way of the Empty Hand” over Yoga or CrossFit, it’s because of that martial component.

Your Karate needs to work.

This doesn’t mean you need to be a superhuman. It means your Tsuki, your blocks, and your kicks must be dangerous. They must have the “flavor” of a martial artist: sharp, committed, and decided.

In the Shotokan tradition, this is the pursuit of Ikken Hisatsu (to finish with one blow) and Kime, and it’s also the shortest path to all the other benefits you seek.

The Order of Operations: How to Design Your Training

When time is your most precious resource, forget the “fancy” stuff. Forget trying to collect dozens of Katas or complex Bunkais. To build a body that can actually deliver power, you must respect a specific hierarchy of training:

1. Flexibility: This is your foundation. Improving your range of motion is the #1 thing that allows you to relax your technique. If your muscles are tight, they act as a “brake” on your speed.

2. Body Relaxation: Relaxation is the key to speed, proper trajectories, and energy transfer. Tension is the enemy of speed and power.

3. Core Strengthening: Once you are flexible and relaxed, you build the “engine”—the core power that generates energy from your center.

The 4 Strategic Pillars for the Busy Warrior

If you are designing a compact routine—like the one-hour routine my Sensei, Tamang Shihan, used to practice in Tokyo’s parks when he couldn’t attend regular classes—focus solely on these four elements:

1. Speed (Through Relaxation)

Don’t worry about complex combinations. Stay on the fundamentals: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Kizami Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri and basic blocks.

• The Drills: Perform these techniques from Shizentai and then using simple steps forward and backward (from Zen Kutsu Dachi and Jyu Kamae). Focus on “dropping” your weight and moving fastly without a “tell” or preparation signal.

2. Power (Explosive Strengthening)

No static work here. We build functional, explosive martial strength, especially core, legs and arms strengthening.

• The Drills: High-speed push-ups, squats, and crunches. Don’t just “do reps”—execute each one with the intent of a strike. Also, to cultivate this lethal power, at the moment of impact in your Kihon, search for that perfect synchronization of breath, floor connection, and core contraction.

3. Reaction Time (The Nervous System)

You don’t need a partner to work on reaction; you need a Clear Image. Reaction speed in Karate isn’t just about moving your limbs; it’s about the speed of the connection between your brain and your muscles. You are training your nervous system to “fire” without a gap.

• The Drill: Visualize a specific attack coming at you and gradually increase your execution speed to your absolute maximum.
  The “Japan Connection” Secret: Start at 50% speed to ensure perfect biomechanics and a clear mental image of the opponent. Then, push your limits. Try to reach a point where the counter-attack happens instantly after the block.

  • Level 1: Step back with a block and immediately fire an Oi Zuki (step forward).

  • Level 2: Use Yori Ashi (sliding step) backward into a guard, followed instantly by Yori Ashi Gyaku Zuki forward. The goal is to minimize the “gap” between defense and counter-attack.

4. Uncompromising and Sharp Spirit

This is the most important pillar. It’s built through the consistency of your practice, regardless of how busy you are and how your external conditions might be.

• The Drill: After the final, non-negotiable stretches, close every session with 2-3 minutes of silent meditation (Mokuso). Center your energy. Commit to being “dangerous” in your focus, even if you are just standing in your living room.

The “Micro-Training” Mindset

As Gichin Funakoshi taught in his 8th precept: “Karate goes beyond the dōjō”.

Don’t wait for the perfect conditions to train. Practice your Kiba Dachi while waiting for your coffee. Visualize your Kicking Mastery biomechanics while in an elevator. Every mindful breath is a chance to polish your “Japan Connection”. This is what I call “Greasing the groove”.

As Kase Sensei once said: to be a formidable fighter, you don’t need a thousand techniques. You need to master a few—like Mae Geri and Kizami Zuki—and have the tremendeous confidence to deliver them.

Don’t be tempted by the “commercial fashion” of learning fancy, advanced techniques just to keep you entertained and give you the illusion of progress. True progress is found in the bone-deep efficiency of the basics.

Your Karate needs to work. Everything else is cheap talk.

Master simple things. Keep a clear direction. That is the Way.

OSS!
Nicolas

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

To unlock the full curriculum and the Japan Connection masterclasses, consider joining the community as a Premium Member.

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

Even though I usually receive very supportive comments on YouTube, I occasionally encounter unsolicited advice from “keyboard Senseis”. You know the type: they have a lot to say, but when I ask for a video demonstration of their theories, I usually only hear crickets.

I have zero problem with that—it’s part of the digital game.

However, a recent comment sparked a truly meaningful reflection. It didn’t come from one of those “digital fighters”; the guy who wrote it is actually very nice, and we’ve since had several interesting discussions under my videos.

The point is, this comment made me reflect on a fundamental subject for us—one that concerns how we perceive what it means to be a skillful Karate-ka and, ultimately, the person we aspire to become through our training: what matters most to us, the Shape or the Soul?

The “Work in Progress” Mindset

I am never offended by technical criticism or different perspectives. Why? First, because I am a “work in progress”. I’ve never claimed to have “perfect” Karate—who could? Karate is a Dō (a Way), and the moment you think you’ve arrived is the moment you stop growing. This constant room for improvement is exactly why training every day is so exciting.

Second, I have deep confidence in the “Japan Connection” I share. For nearly 30 years, I’ve devoted my life to this study—not as a hobby or a sport, but as a path. I’ve sweat, bled, and invested everything—time, energy, and finances—to learn from the elite Shotokan masters in Tokyo. When I speak about biomechanics or core power, it isn't from a book; it’s from thousands of hours of mindful rehearsal in the Dōjō.

The Trap of “Substance without Form”

Years ago, while I was heavily involved with the JKA, a friend told me: “I’m leaving. It’s too sporty now. I need to focus on substance rather than shape”.

He had a point. Many large organizations have drifted toward a sport-oriented aesthetic. But there was a problem: his own technical level was objectively low.

Having just returned from a training trip in Japan, this made me wonder: Can you truly build “substance” on a broken foundation?

Is talking about technique—or “performing” high kicks only with your hands while explaining them (I’m sure you have that image in your mind now!)—enough to build a solid technical foundation?

The answer is no. Often, claiming to focus only on the “internal” part is simply an excuse to avoid the harsh, repetitive, and demanding reality of basic Kihon, and the blunt reality check that competition unfailingly provides.

In Karate, more than anywhere else, we must Walk the Talk.

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Personal Training Notes

Raw Insights & Research from my Daily Practice

Date: January 20, 2026

Status: Confidential — For Guardians Only

Welcome, Guardians. You are entering the most private part of the Dōjō. Here, I don't share polished tutorials; I share my raw research, my doubts, and the unfiltered truth about my practice. These notes are taken directly from my training journal, written in the heat of the moment. They are meant for those who, like me, are looking for the "how" and the "why" behind the elite biomechanics of Japan.

Read more

Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

Hello warriors, how are you doing? 👋

We often talk about the sweat in Karate—the grit, the repetitions, the “never give up” spirit. But today, I want to talk about the architecture of your training.

As you know, my life has been quite a ride recently! Between developing my startup, teaching meditation, taking care of my sweet Louise, guiding my teenager in his skating and Karate, and now welcoming our beautiful 3-month-old baby boy, time has become my most precious resource.

I’ve realized that if I want to keep progressing, I can’t just train hard; I have to train smart. I have to design my practice so that it supports my life, rather than fighting against it.

Karate must be a tool to help you walk on your own particular path. It should not be a source of stress, but a source of power.

Since this article is for you, the dedicated members of this Dōjō, I want to share my personal blueprint. Here are the 5 essential steps to design a personal training routine that guarantees progress, even when life gets crazy.

Designing your own architecture is what separates those who “do” Karate from those who “master” it. Below, I reveal the 5 specific steps to build your North Star, select your 'Sacred Ten' exercises, and create a realistic plan that fits your life—not a fantasy. Unlock the full blueprint and start training with intention today.

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

“Karate doesn’t work in real fights!”

“You should try boxing or MMA!”

“This won’t work in self-defense situations!”

“This is useless, you’ll get destroyed in the UFC!”

These are some of the delightful comments I often read under my videos or other traditional Karate videos on YouTube.

A few years ago, these statements would have made me furious and switched on my “silly mode,” prompting me to say things like, “Okay, come on! Test me and let’s fight!”

Maybe I’m getting old or wiser, but today this only makes me laugh and reflect on how foolish people—especially men in this field—can be when they defend their church without thinking.

Training is not fighting

Kihon, Kata, and drills are not real fights. They’re not fights at all! Even prearranged Kumite isn’t real fighting.

I know this may sound obvious... But apparently, many people—perhaps only involved through their keyboards—need to hear this reminder.

Would you feel safe and confident about your skill acquisition if you went to a martial arts or boxing school and the instructor said, “Okay, put your gloves on and fight!” and the entire training consisted only of successive fight matches? Wouldn’t you need to somehow figure out how to strike, block, or dodge first?

Do you think tennis players only train by playing 5-set matches on clay courts?

That makes no sense, right?

So why do people—especially those who’ve never fought—think that learning to be a good fighter requires training that consists only of tough sparring?

So my questions are:

“Would you enter an ATP Tennis tournament without having learned how to serve powerfully and accurately into the designated square?”

“Would you play in a soccer game without knowing how to control the ball and shoot effectively at the opponent’s goal?”

“Would you enter a surfing contest in overhead-size Hawaiian Pipeline waves without knowing how to swim?”

“Would you engage in a no-gloves, no-weight-categories Karate fight without knowing how to punch and kick?”

If you answered yes to any of these questions, I’m sorry, but you’re somewhat reckless, and there’s nothing I can do for you... But in that case, be careful who you’re talking to and how, because this attitude could lead to some serious disappointments!

The emptiness of Self-Defense

“Karate doesn’t work for self-defense.”

What?

I mean... WHAT?

Karate was specifically designed for self-defense and to give practitioners the best chance to escape physical altercations.

Besides, it has been extensively tested in “real” situations—both on the streets and on battlefields.

But I get it: paying your membership fee at the local Dōjō and attending a weekly class for one year won’t grant you the invincible power to escape any “real” fighting situation against any type of opponent.

When you’re tempted to compare the effectiveness of a Karate-ka versus another type of fighter or combat sport practitioner, don’t compare a random blue belt Karate student to Conor McGregor! That makes no sense. With all due respect to that blue belt, we must compare what is comparable. Sorry if this hurts, but not everyone is equal in everything—whether it’s our physical abilities, body type, background, mindset, or even our current life circumstances!

I’m fortunate enough to have met some of the greatest and fiercest Karate-ka in the world, and I can tell you that seeing them in action, nobody would have the courage to question their power or fighting ability.

And what do “real life situations” even mean? What does self-defense mean?

Do you truly believe that practicing boxing or MMA will help with self-defense?

Of course, yes! Any discipline that teaches you how to punch, kick, dodge, block, throw, immobilize, or endure pain will be a great asset when entering a fighting situation.

And if you’re a top UFC fighter, you certainly have a better chance than most people of escaping a physical altercation unscathed. Same if you’re an Olympic Judo champion!

But don’t get me wrong.

Maybe you train in a self-defense system like Krav Maga and feel confident in your ability to handle self-defense situations...

But what if your aggressor is Conor McGregor? What if there are five highly trained guys attacking you? What if they’re wielding bladed weapons? What if the attacks aren’t feinted but carried out with real intent to harm or kill?

You see where I’m going?

There is no single “self-defense.” Self-defense isn’t a static situation. There are thousands of self-defense scenarios, and just as many factors that will determine the outcome of an altercation.

Self-defense is an empty word, a catch-all term that no longer means anything, used by many only to make money by giving people false confidence in their capacity to face a fighting situation, which is harsh, brutal, crude, ugly, and very painful.

If you only practice arm-locks every week without taking care of your physical conditioning, your ability to move quickly, your capacity to deliver destructive strikes, and pushing your fighting spirit to its limits, you will only be able to survive “self-defense” situations against weak individuals or people who have never been involved in fighting in any way.

You’re merely learning a false sense of confidence, which in today’s world is obviously very dangerous for your safety.

Well and intensively practiced Karate—like any other martial art—is precisely designed to give you a better chance if you unfortunately end up in such situations.

It doesn’t mean it will make you unbeatable, but it will help you develop your body, sharpen your mind, and build formidable fighting techniques.

Boxing and MMA are not real fights

Boxing is tough—very tough. And I have immense respect for people who commit themselves to entering the ring in front of someone who genuinely wants to destroy them. The same goes for MMA.

But as rough as they may be, they are sports. And sports are not—fortunately—real combat.

Why?

Because there are rules: things you can do and things you’re not allowed to do. There are referees, medical staff, protective equipment, and only one fighter in front of you. And thankfully, that’s how it should be!

And I want to emphasize this: due to their commitment to training and the intensity of their confrontations, boxers and MMA fighters are better prepared than most people for physical altercations.

But fighting within the framework of a sporting event is not exactly the same as being attacked on the street by someone—or multiple people—who genuinely want to harm you.

“Okay, but MMA is the most complete fighting system because you learn how to fight both standing up and on the ground!”

Yes, it’s a very complete sport. But my friend, if you end up on the ground in a street fight, you’re done—and given the violence of the impact, there’s a good chance that simply falling onto the pavement will mark the end of the fight.

“But Karate isn’t a real fight either, and if you enter the ring against a pro MMA fighter, you’ll get your ass kicked!”

Of course!!!

First, even though we try—and each discipline does this in its own way—to get as close as possible to a real fighting situation, training will never be a real fight. Why? Simply because we don’t want to go home with serious injuries, and of course, as instructors, we don’t want our students to get hurt.

So the way we do this in traditional Shotokan Karate is to fight without weight categories or protective gear, performing attacks as fast and powerfully as possible while preserving our opponent’s integrity through what we call control. And yes, this requires a high skill level that not every Karate-ka reaches in their lifetime.

Second, of course, if I enter the octagon against a prepared UFC fighter, I will have no chance of winning and I will get brutally beaten. But you should understand that if a prepared UFC fighter enters a high-level Karate, Judo, or Kung Fu competition, he will also have no chance of winning.

This is completely normal and not a problem. It doesn’t call into question the abilities and skill levels of any of those participants. But if you’re not prepared for a specific competition, you will also lose against people who are experienced and very well prepared! Simply because the rules are not the same—that’s all.

The problem is that because it’s about “fighting,” people think you can mix practitioners from all martial arts and that a Taekwondo practitioner should be able to enter an MMA ring. And it’s interesting to note that we never ask an MMA fighter to be effective in a Taekwondo tournament.

These are two different sports, and the comparison is as ridiculous as asking a table tennis player to participate in a Grand Slam tennis tournament, or vice versa. Can you see how absurd that sounds?

Yes, MMA has become the reference for many and has earned the label of being the toughest and closest-to-reality fighting sport. The UFC has changed the face of martial arts worldwide, but it needs to be examined for what it is—a tough sport—and understood in its proper context.

It’s not the art that makes the fighter

Maybe you’ve seen a random Karate guy getting beaten by an MMA fighter in some YouTube videos...

So what?

That doesn’t mean Karate isn’t effective—it only means that this MMA guy was stronger this time compared to the Karate guy. Maybe because of his practice and the kind of training he does, maybe because of his fighting spirit, maybe because of the difference in skill between them, maybe because the first guy had a bad day, maybe because of chance...

Who knows? That doesn’t mean MMA is superior to Karate. In fact, only people who don’t know what true martial arts are can say such stupid things. It rather means that on that day, the MMA guy was stronger. And that’s it.

There are so many factors involved in the outcome of a match that it’s very difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for a win or loss when fighters have equal skill levels.

Personally, I think that when we witness a fight, we’re not judging the art but rather the fighters involved. A rather weak person will still be weak regardless of the type of martial art they practice. Of course, the art can transform a person, but it requires a tremendous amount of effort and a mind of steel. And I’m sure you know that a physically and mentally strong person will be hard to beat regardless of their fighting style.

In fact, there are very strong and tough MMA fighters and very weak MMA practitioners, just as there are very dangerous Karate fighters and untrained recreational Karate practitioners. That’s normal—that’s life. And I feel it’s a real pity that we still need to remind some people of such obvious truths.

If you have a strong, fast, and powerful body coupled with a great fighting spirit, you just need to learn how to properly move, kick, punch, and execute some basic defenses to become a tough fighter. And those skills—which are somewhat universal—can be given to you by many different arts.

It’s not the art that decides the outcome of a fight, but the fighter: his physical abilities, his skills, his spirit, his dedication, his focus, his experience, his background, and his current life conditions.

So, is Karate not effective?

Well, it basically depends on the Karate-ka!

But do you seriously think these guys aren’t dangerous and don’t know how to fight? Don’t you think they are better prepared than most people to engage in physical confrontation?👇

What makes a strong fighter?

Understanding the philosophy is one thing. Knowing exactly what attributes you need to build to become a dangerous practitioner is another. Below, I reveal the 3 essential skills that define a true fighter and how Budō serves as a 'Superpower' in the modern world. Unlock the full manifesto and join our community.

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I guess this is a big topic for many people who want to practice something and make progress, yet feel they don't have enough time in their everyday lives to truly commit to regular training.

In my Dōjō, every year I meet people who tell me, “I would really love to get involved and improve in Karate, but I don't have enough time in my life to do so, especially with my job and all the other commitments I have.”

My answer is always the same: “I understand, and feel free to join whenever you can. Even if you can't follow an entire class, it's better than not coming at all.”

And invariably I hear the final response: “You know, if I commit to Karate, I really want to be able to dedicate myself to training very regularly. If I can't make that commitment, I'd rather not come at all.”

I have to say I never understand this perspective—how can no training be better than some training? And I'm convinced that all these “I can’t” are actually disguised excuses for some “I don't have the courage.”

But I'm always ready to change my mind!

The reason I'm talking to you about this today is that I'm currently facing concerns about the amount of time I can devote to training myself.

Since I first started Karate at 17, there was never any question of stopping or even slowing down my training. In fact, this idea never crossed my mind. Karate practice has always been the most important thing in my life, always coming before everything else. Even in the middle of chaos, even when I was down with a knee on the ground, stopping training was never an option. Most importantly, I can say that Karate saved my life and helped me navigate very tough and painful situations.

If you really love something, why stay away from it? Why not try to manage your life—and that passion—so you can continue your practice on your way to mastery?

As you may know, my sweet Louise and I recently received the most beautiful gift from the universe: a newborn baby. We're both involved in Karate and Yoga training, and we both have businesses to run—IT for me, Ayurveda and massage therapy for Louise. With the attention, time, and energy we want to give our child, it's becoming very difficult to commit to a daily 1.5-2 hour practice. In fact, finding even one hour of calm where we can focus solely on our practice has become almost impossible.

A few years ago, this would have been a major issue for me, as my mentality in Karate was: train, train, and train some more. Whether you’re feeling high or low, you train. Practice was always the answer, and I was educated in martial arts to always put training first—I mean rough, intense, daily training. I believed that the more you train, the more you progress... The more time you dedicate to your practice, the further you’ll go on your journey.

But that’s not always true.

In fact, time isn’t always the most relevant factor in making progress.

So, is this lack of time really a problem for me and my training today? The answer is no. Karate teaches us to adapt and never give up. In Kumite, as in life, we must always adapt ourselves to the situation and the opposing forces we encounter.

I’m fortunate to have had great Senseis and mentors who taught me how to deal with such situations and continue improving even when you feel you can’t dedicate enough time to training. So, I’d like to share their wisdom and my experience with you today.

Does that sound good to you?

Five minutes is better than no minutes

When I first read Funakoshi Sensei’s masterpiece, “The Essence of Karate”, I was almost shocked to discover he believed you could improve in Karate by practicing just 10-15 minutes a day!

And when you think about it, it’s totally logical and makes perfect sense! For our skills, progress, confidence, and well-being, it's obviously better to train a little than not to train at all. Practicing and rehearsing for fifteen minutes will certainly help your progress by creating new training habits, slowly building your body, and strengthening the neural pathways necessary to develop the coordination required to perform techniques properly! So, training a little is always better than not training at all.

My Sensei in Japan, Pemba Tamang Shihan, also surprised me greatly with his unique approach to managing training time while balancing the necessities of everyday material life with the hard and rigorous training he was devoted to. During the years he spent in Tokyo before enrolling in the JKA Kenshusei program, when he faced financial challenges—struggling to pay rent and buy food—he didn't simply reduce his training frequency. Instead, he temporarily stopped attending JKA Hombu Dojo classes altogether. During that time, he dedicated himself to various jobs to earn enough money to become financially stable again. Once he had saved enough, he would quit his work and return to attending Dojo classes twice a day, seven days a week, devoting himself entirely to training for at least six months.

But during those several months of earning money, was he not training at all? Actually, no. He had developed a one-hour compact self-training routine that he practiced in public parks three times a week, which contained all the most important and essential elements needed to continue progressing in Karate. I was fortunate that he shared this training routine with me, which I've been using ever since when I don’t have enough time for full regular Karate practice. And I must say, it’s incredibly effective! What I can tell you in a few words is that this training focuses on creating speed and building power that can be directly applied in Kumite—which, when you think about it, is the main purpose of Karate training... It has to work!

As I mentioned earlier, when I learned all this more than 20 years ago, I couldn’t really understand or accept it, as it was so far removed from the “never give up” education I had received from my previous Senseis in France.

It wasn’t how my operating system worked! For me, the only key to progress and skill development was dedication. And dedication equaled time spent—I mean time spent sweating and relentlessly repeating our Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. I believed that whatever our external conditions might be, we must keep going and keep training harder.

In a way, that’s true. But time isn't always synonymous with quality. In fact, it often isn't, especially in today’s hustle culture that constantly pushes us to work harder and do more, without really taking the essential time to think about what we want and how to make it a reality.

Time is not always the most important factor in success, skill acquisition and progress.

Intention is the real key to progress

Practicing mindfully for five minutes is better than practicing for one hour with fractured focus.

This isn't a scientific statement—even though I'm sure it could easily be demonstrated—but an observation from my own long training and teaching experience.

Karate—and this is of course true for many other practices—is not only a physical discipline. Of course, having a strong, flexible, and relaxed body is key to good Karate, but it’s not enough. Otherwise, a yoga practitioner, gymnast, or dancer could immediately become a good karate-ka. And that’s not the case—far from it. So progress and skill in Karate cannot be achieved through physical training alone. I would even say that physical progress is often the byproduct of training we do in other areas of this art.

Therefore, Karate is not like running or other purely physical practices—I’m not saying there are no other dimensions in these sports, but you understand what I mean, right? You can’t really make progress without being truly present in your practice. The physical part—strength, flexibility, power, and speed—is only the tip of the iceberg, and actually the easiest part. For all these aspects, you simply repeat and improve.

But other sides of the practice—like timing, Kime, space & time management, control, adaptation, and creativity—all require you to be fully present in your training, to use 100% of your capacity to test, apply, react, and adjust. And to improve these skills, you don’t necessarily need long and physically demanding training sessions. Moreover, when we practice such long and intense training, we often tend to forget the mindful part and repeat like robots. (This can be good sometimes, especially to build resilience, courage, and fighting spirit, but we need to practice other skills to have truly complete Karate.)

Also, as I've already explained and experienced firsthand, sometimes you train very hard for long periods but see other people taking it more easily while still improving more than you do.

If you’d like to learn more, check out the following article where I share my personal experience on the subject!

So, why?

Because they truly know why they’re there, why they repeat and rehearse all these techniques in the Dōjō. Their intention is crystal clear to them, and that changes everything. This is especially true if your own intentions aren’t totally clear, if you’re experiencing confusion, fatigue, or weariness. In that case, the “never give up” spirit isn’t always the best way to handle this period—it can actually lead you even further down.

To get the most from your training, you first need to build unshakable clarity.

When I truly understood this from within, it completely changed my Karate life and skill level. Putting very clear intention into every step I took inside the Dōjō totally changed the pace of my progress, and my overall Karate level increased dramatically in just a few weeks!

And of course, this applies to every area of your life, which is why my motto since then has been:

Think about it—this is a simple but life-changing mindset.

Building the mindset is the first step. But how do you practically implement this in a schedule that’s already full? Below, I share the specific tactics I use to maintain progress in 15 minutes, and how you can design your own 'Micro-Dōjō' anywhere. Unlock this guide and the full Yūshin Geiko system by becoming a Premium Member.

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To follow up on the post about Dōjō Kun, here is an introduction to Gichin Funakoshi Sensei's Nijū Kun, the Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate.

And it’s of course a must-have book for all Shotokan Karate practitioners!

Naturally, the following translation is not perfect and is not done word for word.

But I have tried to stick as closely as possible to the original statements, sometimes adding a little context to make them more understandable.

You will also find in parentheses a very short note to clarify each precept a little more.

My favorite is Principle #10: “Apply Karate in everything, therein lies its beauty.” It’s the very essence of why I built this Dōjō.

So here is a summary of these 20 magnificent precepts that we strive to live and respect through our Karate-do practice.

• 一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな

  Hitotsu, karate-dō wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto o wasuruna

  Do not forget that Karate-do begins and ends with Rei.

  (“Rei” is sometimes translated as “bow” or “a bow”, but it rather refers to the respect for etiquette and courtesy specific to Japanese Budō)
  

• 一、空手に先手なし

  Hitotsu, karate ni sente nashi

  There is no first attack in karate.

  (Karate-ka should not attack first, Karate must only be used to protect lives and as a reaction to adversity)
  

• 一、空手は義の補け

  Hitotsu, karate wa, gi no tasuke

  Karate stands on the side of justice.

  (Justice can also refer to righteousness)
  

• 一、先づ自己を知れ而して他を知れ

  Hitotsu, mazu jiko o shire, shikashite ta o shire

  First know yourself and then know others.

  (Do not care about what others do and think, instead try to master yourself and your own path)
  

• 一、技術より心術

  Hitotsu, gijutsu yori shinjutsu

  Mind takes precedence over technique.

  (Always put spirit first, in Dojo as in life progress is always a process from the inside out)
  

• 一、心は放たん事を要す

  Hitotsu, kokoro wa hanatan koto o yōsu

  The heart must be free.

  (The heart also refer to the spirit, and the notion of freedom can also mean letting go)
  

• 一、禍は懈怠に生ず

  Hitotsu, wazawai wa ketai ni shōzu

  Misfortune arises from carelessness.

  (Calamity springs from laziness and lack of vigilance)
  

• 一、道場のみの空手と思ふな

  Hitotsu, dōjō nomi no karate to omou na

  Karate goes beyond the dojo.

  (Don't think that Karate is confined to the Dōjō)
  

• 一、空手の修業は一生である

  Hitotsu, karate no shūgyō wa isshō de aru

  Practicing Karate is a lifelong pursuit.

  (When you really start Karate, you will never quit because it's a journey that teaches, supports and rewards you throughout your life)
  

• 一、凡ゆるものを空手化せよ其処に妙味あり

  Hitotsu, arayuru mono o karate kaseyo; soko ni myōmi ari

  Apply Karate in everything, therein lies its beauty.

  (The spirit and philosophy behind Karate can be used in all aspects of life)
  

• 一、空手は湯の如し絶えず熱度を与えざれば元の水に還る

  Hitotsu, karate wa yu no gotoshi, taezu netsu o ataezareba moto no mizu ni kaeru

  Karate is like boiling water; if you don't constantly heat it, it will return to its original state.

  (Never stop practicing! If you stop, your level will inevitably decrease)
  

• 一、勝つ考は持つな負けぬ考は必要

  Hitotsu, katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyō

  Don't have a mindset that seeks victory, but rather cultivate a mindset that seeks not to lose.

  (Victory or defeat are very subjective, and you inevitably encounter both in life. The important thing is not to win according to external criteria, but to protect what you are inside yourself and not to be destroyed psychologically and spiritually)
  

• 一、敵に因って轉化せよ

  Hitotsu, teki ni yotte tenka seyo

  Make adjustments according to your enemy.

  (Adapt your mind and technique to your enemy, your target, the obstacles you’re facing)
  

• 一、戦は虚実の操縦如何に在り

  Hitotsu, tatakai wa kyojitsu no sōjū ikan ni ari

  The outcome of a battle depends on how you handle emptiness and fullness.

  (Here we can find the concepts of Yin and Yang, the balance between all opposing forces and states)
  

• 一、人の手足を剣と思へ

  Hitotsu, hito no teashi o ken to omoe

  Think of your limbs as swords.

  (Almost the entire body can be use as a weapon)
  

• 一、男子門を出づれば百万の敵あり

  Hitotsu, danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari

  When you step out your gate, you will face a million enemies.

  (We must always strive towards a state of full vigilance)
  

• 一、構は初心者に後は自然体

  Hitotsu, kamae wa shoshinsha ni ato wa shizentai

  Formal structures are for beginners; for others, everything become natural.

  (Beginners practice formal postures and techniques, experienced practitioners use Shizentai —natural body/postures)
  

• 一、形は正しく実戦は別物

  Hitotsu, kata wa tadashiku, jissen wa betsumono

  Strive for perfection in Kata, actual combat is another matter.

  (In Karate, we always try to build a strong spirit, body and techniques, but no matter how intense the training, it will always be just training. We must always remain humble and keep in mind that the real fight —without any rules— involves many factors and that's a completely different matter)
  

• 一、力の強弱体の伸縮技の緩急を忘るな

  Hitotsu, chikara no kyōjaku, karada no shinshuku, waza no kankyū o wasuruna

  Don't forget the use of release and power, expansion and contraction in techniques and to modulate your speed of execution.

  (In Karate, we use several principles to generate speed and power - which is part of what we call Kime —and we must learn to adapt our way of performing techniques depending on the context in which we operate)
  

• 一、常に思念工夫せよ

  Hitotsu, tsune ni shinen kufū seyo

  Always be thoughtful in your pursuit of the Way.

  (We must always think, act and practice mindfully)

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!

OSS!
Nicolas

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I’ve always been amazed by the beauty of these guiding principles of Karate-dō practice.

In fact, it’s so wonderful that through practice, the ancient masters brought out such a beautiful philosophy.

A very important thing to notice is that none of these precepts is about the physical aspect of the practice.

Because...

Karate is not a sport, it's a way.

A way of living, a way of being.

And that’s why the founding fathers always placed courtesy, spiritual values and self-perfection as the cornerstone of Karate.

As master Funakoshi Gishin wrote: “Spirit first”.

Traditionaly in Shotokan, the Dōjō Kun is repeated out loud at the end of each class.

And each of these precepts is a guiding and living principle that all Karate-ka (Karate practitioners) strives to cultivate and respect through training both inside and outside the Dōjō (道場 - the place where you study The Way).

Although the Dōjō Kun is not commonly known and used nowadays, there is a globally accepted translation in all traditional Shotokan Karate organization like JKA, JKS, JSKA, SKI and NSKF.

It can be noted that some traditional Karate organizations such as Yahara Shihan’s KWF abandoned the Dōjō Kun years ago (Have they come back from this position?).

You can see this common translation in the picture above.

But for my part, I prefer to use the following translation that I thought about ten years ago.

I think this fits better with the original Kanji (Chinese characters) and the meaning that Master Funakoshi wanted to cultivate and share through Karate.

I have also added a personal interpretation of the message carried by each of the precepts.

And what’s more, it makes more sense to me and resonates more deeply in my heart:

• 一、人格 完成に 努める こと
  hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto
  Seek the accomplishment of character
  The first commandment, therefore the first thing to never forget, is that Karate is above all about the spirit. It’s all about building a strong, reliable, sincere, thruthful, sharp, focused, kind and resilient mind.
  

• 一、誠の道を守ること
  hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
  Defend the path of sincerity
  Whatever others and the world may think, say or do, a Karate-ka must never compromises on his values and must always remains true to his heart, his words and what he deeply believes to be expression of truth and compassion towards others.
  

• 一、努力の精神を養うこと
  hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo yashinau koto
  Cultivate the spirit of perseverance
  In Dōjō as in life, if you want to achieve any results, obtain something great or reach a high level of skill, the keys are dedication, commitment and consistency. Everything else is just talk.
  

• 一、礼儀を重んずること
  hitotsu, reigi wo omonzuru koto
  Honor the principles of etiquette
  Courtesy, respect and kindness are the heart of Budō. Respecting and practicing the principles of the etiquette strongly contributes to develop these states of mind. By cultivating this spirit, you learn to be calm, even in the middle of the chaos - which is embodied by the hectic and sometimes frightening activity of the Dōjō -, to focus your mind, to foster harmony and to be patient and methodical in the pursuit of your goals.
  

• 一、血気の勇を戒むること
  hitotsu, kekki no yū wo imashimuru koto
  Control your impetuosity
  The way of Karate is not about being agressive but rather being combative. It is first of all a way of self-protection and preservation which should help people develop a great fighting spirit with a huge respect for the Life and others.

Thanks a lot for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
Feel free to share your own perspectives on this in the comments!

OSS. 🧘🏻‍♂️
Nicolas

PS: Here is the translation found on Wikipedia which roughly specifies the meaning of the different Kanji.

• 一、人格 完成に 努める こと
  hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto
  jinkaku = personality, kansei = complete (perfect), ni = to, tsutomeru = endeavour

• 一、誠の道を守ること
  hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
  makoto = truth, no = 's, michi = path, wo = with respect to that, mamoru = defend

• 一、努力の精神を養うこと
  hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo yashinau koto
  doryoku = effort, no = ’s, seishin = spirit, wo = with respect to that, yashinau = cultivate

• 一、礼儀を重んずること
  hitotsu, reigi wo omonzuru koto
  reigi = courtesy, wo = with respect to that, omonzuru = honour

• 一、血気の勇を戒むること
  hitotsu, kekki no yū wo imashimuru koto
  kekki = vigor (impetuousness), no = of, yu = courage, wo = with respect to that, imashimuru = refrain

Deepen Your Practice

The Dōjō Kun is the compass of our spirit. To see how these values like 'perseverance' and 'self-control' translate into physical power, explore our Technical Curriculum in the Master Index. OSS!

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This morning I’ve been called to record a few words of appreciation for you and to start sharing my personal background and perspectives on Karate.

I hope you'll find some ideas useful to you in this video!

Wish you a wonderful day.

OSS.
Nicolas

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

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🔥 Want to achieve great Karate kicks and improve your flexibility & core power? Check this out! 👇👇👇

Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

A wonderful introductory video to traditional Shotokan Karate-do which begins by showing a calligraphy “Heaven - Earth - Humankind” (天地人) created by the very famous JKA instructor Tanaka Masahiko Shihan.

This reminds us that for all high-level Japanese instructors, even if they practiced tournaments when they were young, Karate is not and never will be a sport.

In fact Karate is much more than that.

For them, Karate is about growing, being a better human being who is able to live in peace and harmony with others and with the universe.

This is why all the young JKA instructors still involved in competitions always show a kind and humble heart.

Because for them Karate is not a game about winning and losing points in tournaments, and even though they train very hard for that and they try to do their very best, they don't care much about competitions results.

And this is a reason why, even if a Karate-ka wins the JKA All Japan Tournament, it does not affect in any way his place in the Dojo and how he behaves towards his Sempai (Seniors) and how they behave towards him.

Because true Karate is something else.

True Karate is something highly personal and is not meant to be compare to others’ practices. Real Karate is not about having a perfect technique according to certain - and yet temporary - standards. We cannot say “I practice true Karate, they don’t practice real Karate”. From this perspective of personal growth, this makes no sense. And I believe that if you sincerely devote yourself to the study and practice of Karate, you are practicing true Karate, regardless of your technical abilities, your rank - there is no rank in life mastery - and even your experience.

This beautiful calligraphy alone summarize what Karate is all about for me:

Growing as a human being, at peace with yourself and the world, and in harmony with nature.

So that's why I really love the spirit and the atmosphere that emerge from this video. I find it very motivating and inspiring for our own daily training and lifestyle.

And on top of that, it shows rare images recorded during the instructors' usually closed-to-the-public daily training, and we can have a short glimpse of the kind of techniques they work on during those sessions!

OSS. 👊
Nicolas

PS: I'd be really curious to know what Karate or your martial art means to you.
Would you mind telling me more in the chat?
I look forward to hearing from you there! 👇

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

To unlock the full curriculum and the Japan Connection masterclasses, consider joining the community as a Premium Member.

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Hello my friends,

Here's a little unplanned and improvised video I felt like making for you on my morning walk today.

In it, I share with you what I consider to be the four philosophical pillars of my Yūshin Geiko practice, which I continue to cultivate every day through my training, meditation and reading.

🙈 Please forgive me for the poor quality of my English, but I hope the message will still be understandable... Which, after all, is the most important thing! ✨

I hope you enjoy it and that it contains some insights that will be valuable to you!

Have a wonderful day! ✨

OSS.
Nicolas

Deepen Your Practice

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

Hello, how are you doing? 👋

I hope you've enjoyed my latest posts and videos!
Today I'm sharing an article that I think is essential. Both in and out of the Dōjō.
Indeed, I firmly believe that it contains elements that truly have the potential to enlighten and support your journey through life and Karate.
In it, I share lessons I've learned through life experience, the teaching of my Sensei, and long periods of training in Japanese Dōjō.
Please take the time to read it calmly and quietly.

I hope you’ll enjoy it!
With all my respect and appreciation.

OSS!
Nicolas

I wrote these few following words some years ago, as I was going through a very tough and painful period of my life. I was trying to reconnect myself to the me I really was, the me I had begun to find during my first and most intense training trip in Japan which lasted one year. The real me, the strongest me.

This first training trip in Japan, which is now more than 20 years ago, lasted an entire year. It was really awesome and I was feeling like a fish in the water in this beautiful country. Training was fantastic, people were wonderful and I met there my best friends in life. But everyday life hasn’t always been what you could call easy for me.

I sometimes experienced periods of - controlled - sadness, periods of nostalgia about my country and friends over there - Maybe because of the language which always required tremendous efforts for me to understand what people were talking about, or my fatigue caused by very hard training, or the feeling of scarcity around money and food, or my lack of confidence to go out and meet girls, or all of that together.

I’m a very emotional guy, and that’s especially true when I’m going through a hard and intense training period. In fact, it always happens when I begin to feel deep changes within myself, when I feel a new kind of power growing inside me and which is the direct consequence of my - sometimes painfull - dedication to training. In that kind of period, feelings always overflow within me and I see the world through a veil of highly intense emotions, and often through tears… This is what I call “controlled” sadness. It’s not sadness about my condition, nor about me, but it’s some kind of very deep and intense feelings around things that makes me feel melancholy. This can be caused by almost anything that comes to me in life: witnessing some sort of injustice, seeing someone who is in a very bad state, in precariousness or who is facing very hard difficulties, seeing a child who misses his parents… It’s in fact a very deep kind of empathy.

Faced with this kind of periods, I’ve always made the choice to embrace all these strong feelings that were growing within me, to feel them fully for what they are: my inner signal, my color, the words I speak to the universe. Being aware and appreciating my feelings this way helped me a lot to cope with the harshness of the training, to return to the Dōjō every day even though I was very scared, and to truly enjoy the beauty of the gifts that life offers us.

This is a very valuable lesson I learned over there, Always put the feelings first.
Since I know it can be a real game-changer in life - to help you unlock your potential and build the life of your dreams, I will surely come back to it for you in more detail in a future article. Stay tuned!!! 😉

I went to train in Japan because I felt that it was a kind of duty for me. As soon as I started practicing Karate in France, I thought that if one day, I wanted to be legit and fair when talking about this great art, I would first have to train in Japan for an extended period and with the best and fierce Sensei(s) over there.

Average is not safe.

I’m like this, I can’t practice something and stay average. It’s not like I always want to be the best - life taught me quite harshly that it was impossible to be the best everywhere, but I’d rather not do something than just casually practice it and not feel like I’m starting to achieve some sort of mastery.

As an example,

A few months ago, I started skateboarding again - after more than 20 years without doing so - to support my son in his learning process and spend quality time with him. And it’s stronger than me, I can’t just ride around lightly with my board, I have to learn advanced moves and tricks, know exactly how and where to put my feet on it, understand an feel its physic… So we started watching videos, taking notes, rehearsing moves over and over, and practicing seriously every day.

So for Karate it was the same. I truly fell in love with this art as soon as I made my first steps in a Dōjō, and I wanted to achieve a certain skill level, always keeping in mind the classic and naive image of the “old master in the mountains” promoted by the martial art movies and TV series of the 70s and 80s.

I was not good… And I still am not. But it was my thing and since I loved it, I’ve been able to dedicate my time and heart to its practice, always putting Karate first in my life and before everything else - truly everything. The kind of commitment I could never make to things I didn’t really enjoy like school, work etc… I always need to really be exalted about something to commit to it.

I think that whatever your thing is, staying in the average zone is not safe for your well-being and mental health. Knowing that there’s more, that there’s a fulfilling path of learning, a blissful mastery that is within your reach, and not take it is like loosing a battle with yourself. Not being able to find the courage and dedication to build up a discipline to practice can only lead to great frustrations and regrets in life.

That’s why since my childhood my motto in life has always been “Always make your choices and actions today so that you won’t regret them tomorrow“.

So I devoted myself a lot to Karate.
I trained more than most people and continue to maintain that regime today.
I pushed myself a lot for Karate, in all areas of my life. I mean really a lot, so much that many people - even in Japan - thought that I was a bit crazy and fanatic. And surely I was!

So at this time - and it was understandable - I was really thinking that…

Balance is for losers!

And even if we physically can’t do it anymore, when we’re sick or when we’re going through very tough life experiences, we must still continue to train. I was educated like that in my practice of Karate. A mindset that has been reinforced, especially in big cities like Tokyo, by today’s hustle culture.

I thought people who talked about creating a balance between their “private” life and the Karate training were just losers! When they said they couldn't attend training due to family commitments, I just thought they were making excuses and being weak.

I understood later that it was simply… not my business! And I just didn’t know what was going on in their lives, what their battle were and the puzzles they had to solve… In fact, they were the only ones walking in their shoes, and as sovereign individuals, they were the only ones qualified to decide what was the right way to practice for them.

Everyone can practice a martial art in their own way that suits them best, there is no room for competition when you practice an art whose purpose is to improve your well-being and quality of life. And of course, what really mattered was how they were showing up in the Dōjō!

And for each individual the most important thing is that the way you practice and your level of dedication match your own words, thoughts and training expectations.

For me it was training, training and more training, a real “Never Give Up” spirit that often was - literally - the synonymous with blood and tears. By doing this, I was truly able to be accepted and taught in the Japanese Dōjō - which, as a Gaijin, was not really easy to achieve at that time -, and as a reward, I learned a lot about myself, people, life and… The Way.

But even if this spirit almost saved my life on certain occasions, especially when I was facing very harsh life experiences or conditions, it did not always served me and was often practically counterproductive in the moment. But at that time I didn’t understand that, and in my mind it was just “Keep going, keep going”… So I did it, more and more… Or at least I tried to…

And in fact, I often observed people in the Dōjō who were much less committed than I was, who were taking things a lot easier, but were improving far more than me. This was so frustrating that I often preferred to lie to myself, finding excuses about my poor skills and telling myself that they were not on the true path of Budō. But the truth was they were kicking my ass in Kumite! And whatever excuses I made, whatever judgement I might have, reality does not lie and my skill level was not up to my commitment. It took me years - I’m probably very slow! - to accept that, but when I really realized that, I shifted my mind about Balance and it totally changed my skill level, the pace of my improvement and most importantly my happiness in life!

So, what Balance should be?

We have to understand that Balance must be something that genuinely serves you in life and in training. In fact Balance is a word that you can put behind pretty much whatever you want.

First, Balance is not making excuses not to go to training, not do something you told yourself you should do, or avoid a commitment!
We all have things that can disrupt us in our lives, events or commitments that can take us off track, feelings of suffering, doubts or uncertainty that can be really difficult obstacles to overcome. This is life, welcome to the world! And often the easiest way is to give up, to procrastinate or to tell yourself that ultimately you don’t need this thing, you don’t want to do this or that… This is one of the major differences between successful people (in their lives) and others. Indeed, even if it’s hard and long, the first will stay on track whatever life presents to them while the others will prioritize these disturbing things and an immediate relative feeling of safety and comfort. You can easily imagine the difference between them in term of skills, mindset, growth and fulfillment over time. It’s easy to get caught in the hamster wheel like everyone else and find excuses to stay on an easy path. And Balance is often the perfect excuse: “I need to find a balance between my personal affairs and my training, so I have decided to only come to the Dōjō once a week!”

Balance is not about making compromises.
Choosing compromise is building a life of regrets.

Balance is not about learning to deal with the things you don't like in your life, hoping they will somehow get better by themselves.

This is not what I call Balance.

Balance is putting all your energy into finding the way to remove them, and standing tall while they are still there.

Balance is finding your best possible path, managing the echoes of your past that you still experience today, towards your best possible life.

Balance should always support your way towards the best version of yourself and the life you’re here to live.

Balance should make you happy and fulfilled, by building all the present moments that put together will one day be called “your beautiful life”, not building a life of regrets and excuses.

The concept of Balance applied to your life should contain very high energy, and should always be guided by powerful and positive words like “potential” or “hope”.

Applied to martial arts or Yoga, finding balance means finding a way to get excited about each new single training, to be delighted during the practice and to make the best possible progress.

Balance is making your thoughts, feeling, words and actions matching your inner expectations, it’s a way to manage your life so that you are always aligned with what you are deep inside.

It’s highly personal and depends on what and who you are, but finding balance is finding your own best way to achieve the greatest efficiency in your training, regarding your own unique goals and feelings. If you want to be a world champion, you will of course need huge dedication. If you practice to lose weight, to have fun, for self-defense or to build your body, these will be different types of commitments and mindsets.

But the key is that your actions must match your - inner and outer - words, and Balance should always support you for this.

Balance in training

As the philsophy of Tao teaches us, nothing stay static in the world and everything is constantly changing. The whole universe is always in motion and it is governed by an energy that is behind everything, an energy that allows life to live, seeds to grow, waves to break, that makes things exist and constantly evolve. And this energy is always moving between two opposite sides to create this beautiful balance and harmony, the Yin (陰) and the Yang (陽), which is often represented by the taijitu (太極圖).

Yin is represented by the black color and corresponds to the feminine essence of things. It also stands for the earth, winter, smoothness, slowness, night, silence, the student, the son, mourning, compression…
Yang is represented by the white color and represents the masculine, the sky, summer, power, speed, day, speech, master, father, birth, expansion…

Yin and Yang are not energy itself, but are more philosophical concepts and practical life aspects that receive, contain and transmit the energy. These two aspects of the universe are complementary and always work together. There cannot be Yin without Yang and vice versa. They are both equal and one is not superior to the other.

The same concepts exist in the traditional Vedic culture and are largely taught through Yoga. They are called Tama (Yin) and Raja (Yang). Vedic sages added to these two sides a third concept called Sattva which represents a perfect balance between the two previous ones. Some types of Yoga practices and exercises are more Raja, others are more Tama, and the master may use both to rebalance a student’s physiology and psychology. And our final goal through the practice of Yoga is to tend towards a more Sattvic life in all its areas, physical, mental, health and spiritual, and where we step out of duality to discover that everything is one and embrace this wholeness.

In Karate, we traditionally have 3 components in training: Kihon, Kata and Kumite. To these I will add mental and physical conditioning.

So in all these areas of training, we must build a balance between the Yin and Yang sides of the practice: low or high speed motions, level of engagement (for example in Kumite), soft or powerful, strength and flexibility, endurance intensity, technical practice (Kihon and Kata) and sparring (Kumite)…

Of course this balance is highly personal and must be adapted to your own objectives and training needs (current imbalances, desires, constitutions…), but to be fully effective your training must always contain both sides of Taijitu. For most, it’s important to wisely balance the Yin and Yang aspects to build a comprehensive, uplifting and fulfilling practice that will become a great tool to support you in your everyday life, fostering your well-being and happiness, your health and fitness, your autonomy, your mental power and of course your ability to protect yourself - in the broad sense - and your loved ones.

From Philosophy to Practice: Your 10-Step Blueprint

Understanding the dance of Yin and Yang is the foundation. But how do you stop the “hamster wheel” and actually build this balance in a life full of demands?

I have distilled 20 years of struggle, research, and Japan-acquired wisdom into 10 fundamental steps. These are the exact rules I use today to keep my center as a father, an entrepreneur, and a Karate-ka. They are designed to move you out of the “average zone” and into a life of high-energy fulfillment.

Unlock these 10 steps and the final lessons from Tamang Sensei by joining our Premium community today.

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Hello everyone! 🙂

Here's a video of one of our black belt training sessions last year.
We worked a lot on using the Tanden as the starting point for each technique.

The Tanden is one of our internal energy centers, energy which is called "Ki" ("Chi" in Chinese, "Prana" in Sanskrit). In fact there are three main Tanden in our body (each corresponding to a particular Chakra): "Jo Tanden", "Chu Tanden" and "Seika Tanden" (also called "Ge Tanden").

In Karate, we focus primarily on the Seika Tanden (which is located inside the belly, a few centimeters below the navel), and when we say "Tanden", we are commonly referring to this one in particular which is the primary location of the Ki that we aim to use in techniques.

I believe this is one of the most important things —too often forgotten - to understand and master in our Karate training.

Using the Tanden will create more powerful techniques and put us on the way to "Kime" (battle-ending decisive attack).

We have a lot of preparation exercises to feel this sensation - that I’m glad to share with you during our live online classes ! 🔥 —and it's particularly difficult when performing Kizami Mawashi Geri because we have to use all our internal power (from the core muscles and Tanden) to control our bodyweight, fight gravity and avoid leaning backwards.

It may not seem like it, but it is also very difficult to execute this properly in Oi Zuki because we also have to defy gravity while the back foot slides forward.

For more details on the importance of Oi Zuki and why I believe it’s the most fundamental technique in Shotokan Karate-dō, you can read this article:

It's also very interesting to note that this core power we cultivate through the Tanden is also used in Yoga practice to perform some very difficults Asana (postures). In Yoga this internal power is created by using the Bandhas which somewhere are related to the Tanden in Japanese and Chinese culture (More to come on this topic soon!).

Hope you will enjoy this short video! 🙂
(Sorry, the training was in French, but don't worry, it has English subtitles!)

OSS.
Nicolas

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

In Karate we have a wonderful tool called Kata ( 型 - forms).

Kata consists in a pre-arranged series of movements, defenses and counter-attacks which are mostly performed without a partner.

While we aim at executing these techniques with maximum speed and power, Kata must be performed with the cleanest intention, a free spirit and an always available body.

But Kata is a lot more than just a great tool for learning self-defense techniques.

Here are some beautiful meanings and lessons I’ve learned from the practice of Kata.

First, in Kata, each technique should be executed with Kime, which is the complete union between mind, body and spirit.

Truly practicing in this way teaches us that in life every step, every breath, every action should be performed with full awareness.

In other words, Kata invites us to fully and genuinely live the present moment.

Also, as my Sensei usually says, in Kata, each technique responding to an attack (which must be overcome) invites us to a new destination, a new goal to walk towards, which is represented by the next movement.

In fact, each technique and even each Kata reveals us a new light, a new step to move forward. A step which will often be a new challenge to fully embrace, requiring a new level of commitment.

But to me, the most powerful message is that this continuation of life-engaging techniques, leading a beautiful and peaceful ending, reminds us that even in the chaos, there is always (always) a light that is available to us.

Kata must be lived.

Kata is a storm followed by beautiful weather.

Kata is a crisis, a drama with peaceful interludes.

Kata is life.

Kata is everything.

Oss.
Nicolas

—

In Karate, beauty often lies in simplicity:

Deepen Your Practice

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Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

Oi Zuki is a great and beautiful technique

And it’s also one of the most misunderstood one, and even by Karate-ka themselves!

Such statements can only be made by someone who has never truly practiced or even understood what traditional martial arts are and the beauty behind their legacy.

Of course Oi Zuki is not intended to be used as is in a fight or self-defense situation.

But Oi Zuki contains all the keys and principles that can make you master more advanced techniques and strategies designed for that.

This is the beauty of the traditional Japanese spirit: taking something, studying it, practicing it, mastering it, refining it and transforming it into an art, a way of being.

And Karate is no exception to the rule.

In order to be able to master something, Japanese culture tends to simplify it as much as possible, to remove all uncertainty, everything that is unnecessary to understand its heart, its principles and its intrinsic beauty. So that you can practice it more easily, more freely, and touch, then master its core principles.

That’s why Karate may seem very academic to many, because for learning purposes it has been broken down, structured and ordered with the ultimate aim of improving its teaching and understanding.

You may not agree with this way of doing things, but if you look at the Japanese objectively, they are always able to achieve a world-class level in all areas, by observing, learning, rehearsing and polishing whatever they appropriate.

When I was in Japan for my first trip over there, during the first three months, Yahara Sensei and the other masters of KWF Hombu Dōjō (I spent a full year training there in Tokyo) basically only taught me Oi Zuki. Of course I was practicing other techniques, but they only cared about the way I was moving forward to punch. And during and after class, they only corrected me on this technique! At that time I didn’t fully understand this, but I was trusting them, so I was relentlessly repeating my Oi Zuki in front of the mirror every day after class.

And guess what?

This allowed me to feel for the first time the sensation that I talked about in a previous article and which relies on the “Shin Gi Tai” (心技体 - Spirit/Heart - Technique - Body) concept I explained there:

This is what Kihon (基本 - basic training) are made for, polishing the techniques so that we can one day feel the right way to do them. And when you feel it once, you know. Then the rest of your training becomes trying to get that feeling back, and more and more often.

It’s interesting to note that before its development in mainland Japan, it seems that there were not such kind of Kihon training, and the practice was mainly based on the Kata (型 - forms), which - due to their complexity - required very long period of training and dedication to master the basics. Learning process was made easier by the use of the decomposing approach of Kihon - inspired from Kendo (剣道), the way of the sword.

And in this field, Takushoku University in Tokyo, under the great leadership of Tsuyama Katsunori Shihan was truly the best. His unique training approach, based on the in-depth study and practice of fundamental principles of techniques, has produced most of today’s famous JKA (Japan Karate Association) competitors and instructors. Of course, the training there was indeed very (very!) tough, but like in many other universities, and the highly analytical approach of Kihon taught by Tsuyama Shihan really made the difference.

Today too, even though I think I have a deeper understanding about this technique and the Karate core principles, every time I meet my Sensei, Tamang Pemba Shihan, he carefully looks at my Oi Zuki and inevitably says “No satisfaction…”. And then he spends hours teaching me how to master this simple technique.

That’s why one of my mottos has always been “Master Simple Things, Keep a Clear Direction”.

And for the anecdote, I remember that for its 8th Dan test, Yahara Shihan, the famous KWF Chief Instructor, performed Heian Shodan! (which is the first and most basic Shotokan Kata)

Beauty lies in simplicity. And so is mastery.

I believe that the spirit of Karate practiced as a Budō (武道 - Martial Ways) is all contained in Oi Zuki, and especially the spirit of Shotokan (松濤館) which can be summarized by the maxim “ikken hissatsu” (一拳必殺) which roughly means “One killing blow”. Indeed, Oi Zuki contains the simplest expression of the main principle we aim for in Shotokan which is to convey all our power forward, with maximum speed and efficiency. And I will add, as my Sensei used to teach - which is one of the most important things, always done but not so often taugth by Japanese Karate-ka -, “smoothly, with the best possible trajectory and without unwanted movements”.

Bruce Lee would have said “Be water my friend!”.

OSS.
Nicolas

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

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Let's be real my friends...

If you really want something, if you have a goal, a compelling objective...

You absolutely have to imagine, think, feel, eat, sleep and be this dream.

It must inhabit you, be with you constantly and occupy each of your thoughts, each of your actions, each of your seconds.

There are no shortcuts, no coincidence.

And everything else is just cheap talk, blah blah or smoke and mirrors.

Focus and commitment are always the key that unlocks the path to what you want to achieve.

And the outcomes you've always dreamed of are just waiting for you behind that door.

Oss.
Nicolas

A few Notes on this:

Deepen Your Practice

If this teaching resonated with you, you can find more lessons and drills organized by theme in The Dōjō Master Index: Navigate Your Path.

To unlock the full curriculum and the Japan Connection masterclasses, consider joining the community as a Premium Member.

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❤️ Drop a like or ♻️ Restack if this brought value to your path today.

🔥 Want to achieve great Karate kicks and improve your flexibility & core power ? Check this out! 👇👇👇

Welcome to the Dōjō. To find specific technical drills or philosophy essays, visit our Master Index. Full access to our Japan-grade masterclasses and technical archives is reserved for our Premium Members.

If in your life you’ve dedicated extended periods of time to practicing something deeply and seriously, whether it’s an art, a sport, a manual activity or a martial path, I’m pretty sure you will understand what I’m about to describe.

In fact, I know you know, and I know that you’ve already felt that feeling!

You know, this feeling of near perfection when after hundreds, thousands of repetitions, you execute “that” technique. The only one that gave you this wonderful feeling!
It fell on you without any warning and left as quickly as it came…

This feeling that for a blessed moment, everything was aligned, everything was focused. Your technique, your body, your mind and your soul.

In Budō (武道 - Martial Ways) like Karate-do (空手道), this is the ultimate goal of the entire practice, achieving unification between Spirit, Technique and Body. It’s called Shin Gi Tai and this is the mindset that should be underlying every training.

“Shin Gi Tai” (心技体 - Shin/Kokoro Gi Tai/Karada)
Spirit/Heart - Technique - Body

To describe it in a more understandable way, this is the same feeling that you have already experienced when, watching a magnificent sunset, you have the impression that time has almost frozen, as if everything was blended together and there was only you - as an infinite extension of everything - in this world.

Unfortunately, these kind of feelings come… And go…
But this is somehow a good thing, because it gives us a target, a purpose in our everyday training, and without it - or if we could always reach this point - practice would be very boring! And for that reason - because it’s a very rare and unique feeling - the whole purpose of our practice should be to feel this feeling again, to endlessly search for that beauty. And when you’ve felt it once, you know it, but it can take months or even years to feel it again!

So, what is Karate all about?

As Rick Hotton Sensei once said - I don’t know him personally, but I know he has a great practice and understanding of the The Way - : “In Karate, we are not making shapes!”. I can also quote the late Lesly Fightmaster who used to say in her Yoga classes: “Yoga is not about the pose!”. And she was always adding - I love it! - : “And you don’t have to be perfect!”.

Of course we build shapes, of course we perform - sometimes very difficult - postures, but those are not the ultimate goal of our practice, those are not the destination of The Way. Of course, focusing on the techniques and on the postures can be fun, pleasurable, rewarding or tough, and it can also be very useful for health, well-being, self-defense, fighting or Shiai (試合 - competition game ).

But this physical alone practice is only the tip of the iceberg. Of course, it’s an unavoidable path and to be on The Way, you must commit yourself to a very demanding practice all your life. But 90% of what the practice really is, is immersed, it’s still in the water and you have to dive deeper into yourself to touch it.

And if you only focus on technique and have never consider that 90%, you risk missing out on the “Shin” part. You may become a great competitor - And I have a huge respect for that -, but what will be left then? What will be left when you will no longer be on the podium if you didn’t care about the spirit part of the practice?
Of course, being an athlete will have many great side effects on the spirit like confidence, courage, resilience and capacity for dedication, but it will also strengthen the ego part. And didn’t the old sword master say that practicing Budō was “cutting off your ego” in the first place?

Most practitioners spend their entire lives perfecting the “shapes,” but few ever touch the 90% of the iceberg that remains underwater: the Shin (Spirit).

In the following sections, I dive deep into why your techniques are merely “containers” for your soul and how to step into the Zone where time vanishes. I also share a pivotal, raw story from my first trip to Japan—where training under Yahara Sensei led me to a moment of “magic” through tears and thousands of repetitions.

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