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Sensei Barb
Aug 16, 2020
A personal note: update
Now that I am three weeks post transplant, I wanted to give you a quick update. The surgery went very well. My new kidney is working...
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Sensei Barb
Jun 26, 2020
A personal note
As a Sensei, my blog entries are typically themed around observations about my experience in the dojo. This entry is different. I wanted...
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Sensei Barb
Apr 6, 2018
Why compete?
In the weeks prior to our tournament, our classes are focused on presentation skills so that students know how to prepare and plan for the e
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Sensei Barb
Sep 20, 2017
The fallacy of self-defense
In the 15 years that I have been teaching self-defense, I estimate that I've taught over 1000 individuals. In that time, my approach to...
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Sensei Barb
May 29, 2017
The business of karate
Recently, I came across an old goju-ryu karate manual that was published in 1982. The author was a Canadian man; a Nidan who had trained...
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Sensei Barb
Mar 10, 2016
A piece of cloth
Before I started on my karate path, I remember having the idea that Black Belts were Masters of Martial Arts. Of course, once I met my...
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Sensei Barb
Apr 10, 2015
Kumite: The art of sparring
The secrets of karate are found in its kata. By practicing a system of self-defence principles through repeating different iterations, we...
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Sensei Barb
Apr 23, 2013
Karate: A love story
When I talk to my karate friends about why they started training, it seems that there are a handful of reasons why people start training:...
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Mike Robertson
Mar 9, 2013
Karate: My Way
Kyoshi Mike Robertson reflects on his introduction to karate after 30 years of training.