What is Kata exactly to the modern day Karate practitioner? Sometimes these seemingly obscure solo movement sets in Kata practice appear perplexing to beginners or even experienced practitioners. Many question the value even more now, in this modern era of high speed internet and video instruction. I have heard reasons of why Kata is “outdated” mostly from those who say “well look at the moves. That’s not how you actually move in a fight”. Conversely I hear “nobody moves that way anymore…”, or “it doesn’t make sense to me at all…..why should I practice it??” While not an unreasonable question, this kind of query has been posed to me by even seasoned practitioners. In truth, there is a lot more than meets the eye to the Kata. So please read on below to discover what value this ancient practice holds in store for us.

One reason I have felt it was important to talk of making a transformation and change your life, is the state of our society right now. A poll taken in the past few days has made national headlines. It found optimism for the future is at an all time low. And small wonder people are feeling this way. With the mental health crisis we are experiencing, and soaring costs of living has left many feeling like they are defeated before they even begin. The good news is, this state of affairs simply doesn’t have to be. All difficulties can be overcome, and we do this by choosing to change ourselves first.

Richard Kim (1917-2001) is still considered by many to be one of the greatest martial artists in the 20th Century. The story of my Grandmaster is a very long and interesting one. I could go onto many lengthy volumes of how he shaped Karate globally, particularly in North America. That has already been done by other first hand students of Sensei Kim. Here, I will keep it shorter and summarize his many contributions to our favorite Art.

Sokon Matsumura (1809-1899). Sokon is historically known to have fought in many duels, holding the distinction of never being defeated. He was described by his disciple Itosu Anko as blindingly fast and deceptively strong, and by the great Gichin Funakoshi as having piercing eyes with a “terrifying presence”.Matsumura spent time being educated by the Satsuma Clan in Japan in sword and Bo techniques as well, bringing them back with him to Okinawa. He was also honored with the title of Bushi, a significant achievement, and went on to serve three Okinawan Kings Sho Ko, Sho Iku, and Sho Tai as Chief Martial Arts Instructor and Bodyguard, respectively

This global pandemic has been such a challenge for all. Here in the Northern California Bay Area where we are based, the Shelter-in-Place order has been extended for another 30 days, until the end of May. This would test anyone’s resolve. During this time, I have had the opportunity to train alone for long periods, and I am glad my closest friend, Karate has been there for me. During good times and bad, it has been a constant that has kept me balanced, fit, of sound mind, and spiritually nourished.

2019 has been an incredible year, full of positive change. Many have found The Martial Arts Academy, and we have had unprecedented growth. My dream of spreading true Karate as an effective fighting art, and as a means by which to live ones life has come alive.With growth also comes change, and one’s ability to change with it. One of my senior students moved across the country this year, and had to seek training elsewhere because of this. Taking up Muay Thai in his new city at an Mixed Martial Arts gym, the instructor was impressed with his “Karate Strength”, and said “Every once in a while, a Karateka comes through here with powerful kicks, punches, knees and elbows”.

This has been an compelling year, with many challenges and surprises. As I have solidly entered into my early forties, I can say without a doubt that all my years of training have paid off in huge dividends. While training properly brings the virtue of vibrant health, the real gem is being of sound mind. ‍

When I first began training WIng Chun, I was fascinated with it’s no-nonsense basic approach, and particularly it’s emphasis on short power, the famous one-inch punch. Once I got past the initial phases of being wowed by the hype and more glamorous parts often touted by fans of this fighting system, regular practice and conversations with my Sifu John Kang, started to show me the more practical underpinnings of why the system worked the way it did, and most importantly, how to use it. Often, Wing Chun is referred to in cool sounding terms such as “In Fighting” or “Close Quarters Combat”. The fundamental question is why would that particular strategy be dominant? There are several, but these are the major ones that really stand out to me to understanding Wing Chun Fighting Strategy

​This is one of the most complicated and misunderstood aspects to training and daily life. There is always some new method in the trend for “diets”. The amount of information on this subject alone is staggering. To make matters worse, it usually ends up making things more confusing.

As I sat back thinking over this past year as I normally do at the closing of it, taking notes of growth, and student progress, I found that I was really happy with all of it. So many people I have taught have given so much of themselves, and now I am seeing many in the first stages of becoming a seasoned martial artist. In my endeavor as an instructor, I have pushed many to their physical limits, and challenged their mental understandings both on the practical mental plane, and the philosophical esoteric side of things. Seeing them transform into themselves is the greatest gift a teacher can ever receive, and is the the often most important aspect of the Martial Arts that media and pop culture overlook when it comes to the training.