The Okinawan Karate Myth

Imagine that you are living in a small village, hidden deep in a valley somewhere in a land far away. Let’s say that this rural village is a quite primitive society. You don’t have any telephones or computers. We’ll even, heaven forbid, say that you don’t know what iPods are. Shocking, right?! Anyways, you are […] Read more »

What is Traditional Karate

By Iain Abernethy The title of this article is ‘What is Traditional Karate?’ And that may seem like a strange question for a traditional karateka to ask! But it is my view that we often do not think what ‘traditional’ actually means, and how that impacts upon the art we practice. The dictionary definition of […] Read more »

Traditional Karate vs Sport Karate

What is the difference between traditional Karate and sports karate? On a technical point of view there is hardly any difference between “traditional karate” and “sport karate” .  Whether it is Shotokan, Wado, Kyokushinkai, Isshin Ryu, Shoring Ryu, or any style, the basics are pretty much the the same. The difference starts in the performance […] Read more »

The spirit wins, not muscles

Spirit wins, not Muscles In martial arts, it is the spirit which is of primary importance. Techniques come second. A martial artist with strong fighting spirit (kihaku) can win over any obstacle, tangible or intangible. Attitude overpowers aptitude, like in any other vocation. The techniques, power and strength are born out of physical attributes and […] Read more »

Learning Karate

In his 1975 memoir, My Way of Life, the great teacher Funakoshi Gichin wrote, One of the most striking features of karate is that it may be engaged in by anybody, young or old, strong or weak, male or female. Funakoshi’s statement rings ever-truer to me the more people I work with in Shorin Ryu […] Read more »

A Brief History of Traditional Karate

The true history of traditional karate is almost impossible to verify due to the secrecy surrounding the arts and the lack of written records. It is known that the martial arts of Okinawa and Japan were influenced in the development of their martial arts by various Chinese sources. It is also clear that at least […] Read more »

Meet the Instructors

Shihan Jeremy Haas   Sensei Randy Long Chief Instructor   Assistant Instructor       Sensei Karla Haas Sensei Andrew Winham  Assistant Instructor  Assistant Instructor Read more »