Kosokun Shio - 'To view the sky'

Post by Sue Wharton....

One of the kata that I am currently learning for nidan is Kosokun Shio. Whenever I learn a new kata I like to explore the origins and history of it. I think this is important because many kata, particularly older ones, have many cultural or historical references in them that may make them difficult to understand or interpret if you are not aware of the kata’s founder or the political/cultural situation at the time the kata was developed.

Does reading about martial arts enhance your practice?

Post by Sue Wharton...

How important do you think it is to read about martial arts as well as practise it? Does reading about it enhance your ability to actually do it? Personally, I think that it does. Here are my reasons why I think reading is important:

Why do we perform Mokuso?

Post by Sue Wharton....

Do you perform mokuso (moh-kso) during the opening and closing ceremonies of your karate class? Do you regard it as just a part of one of those quaint Japanese rituals that you’re expected to participate in when you practice a traditional martial art, or do you think it has real value in preparing you for training and enhancing your performance of karate?

Clean sweep at the dan gradings...

Posted by Sue Wharton...

Yesterday the SSK hosted its December dan grading session on the first day of the winter weather. As usual the grading session was held at the SKK Judo centre in Newton-le-Willows and sixteen hopeful students arrived in the freezing, wet conditions….

Okinawa, part 6 - Hokama's insights into karate

This is the final part of a series of articles written by Steve Hegarty following his visit to Okinawa in August this year. Steve went to Okinawa to experience living and training in a traditional karate dojo. He trained with karate master Hokama Sensei. Hokama Tetsuhiro is a 10th dan in Goju Ryu karate and is President of the Okinawa Goju Ryu Kenshi Kai karate do kobudo Association and founder of the first karate-do museum in the world. In this article Steve reveals some of  Hokama Sensei's thoughts about karate and kobudo...