Category Archives: BLOG – English version

In the traditional dojo, every gesture carries meaning. Respect is the foundation supporting all the martial arts, and the bow — rei — is its visible form. Whatever style you practise — Karate, Judo, Aikidō or another Japanese martial art — the bow is a declaration of commitment: to the teaching you receive, to yourContinue reading “Respect and the Traditional Bow in the Dojo — A Lesson in Honour and Humility”

Practising the martial arts is not only a matter of technique. Etiquette — reishiki (礼式) — is not empty ceremony: it is the visible part of a state of mind. Anyone entering a dojo for the first time notices immediately that people move differently. Not out of solemnity, but because every gesture has a reason,Continue reading “Etiquette in the Dojo — The Gestures That Carry Respect”

The tiger enclosed in a circle is the most recognisable image in modern karate. It is not a decorative drawing: behind it lie a scholarly pun, a hill in Okinawa, and an irony few people know. The Origin of the Design — A Pun, Not a Legend The image was created by Hoan Kosugi, aContinue reading “The Shotokan Tiger — Symbol of Restrained Force and Inner Discipline”

How Not to Buy a Watch That Only Appears to Measure A smartwatch can be a serious training instrument. Or it can be a bracelet that displays invented figures with great conviction. The difference between the two is not visible in the shop, not visible in the specifications on the box, and most often notContinue reading “The Importance of Monitoring Training with Smart Devices”

The Back After Forty: A Complete Plan, From Pain to Strength — and Why No Single Style Is “The Answer” Low back pain after forty rarely comes from an accident. It comes, most often, from deconditioning: the deep musculature that stabilises the spine weakens when it is no longer called upon, and the back beginsContinue reading “Back pain. Causes. Recommendations related to movement and physical exercise”

Mokuso (黙想) translates literally as “silent thought” — 黙 moku, silence, and 想 sō, thought or contemplation. It is the moment of stillness at the beginning and end of training, present in karate, judo, aikidō and kendō. It looks like the simplest thing in the dojo. It is, in fact, the one part of trainingContinue reading “Mokuso: Meditation in the Japanese Martial Arts”

Kime is one of the central concepts of karate and, most likely, the most poorly translated. What the Word Actually Means Kime (決め) derives from the verb kimeru — to decide, to determine, to settle definitively. The same verb appears in everyday Japanese: you kimeru a meeting, you kimeru a price. There is nothing esotericContinue reading “About KIME: Mental and Physical Strength in Karate”

Training that places heavy demands on the muscular and joint systems requires recovery to match. Proper recovery reduces excessive soreness, prevents injury, and lets you progress steadily instead of alternating between hard effort and forced layoffs. The recommendations below draw on the research literature and on my own practical experience. I have marked explicitly whereContinue reading “Muscle Recovery After Training: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Avoid”

What Sarcopenia Actually Is Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and function with age. It is not an inevitable consequence of growing older but a recognised condition with its own diagnostic code, and one of the leading causes of frailty and lost independence in later life. The mechanism has three components thatContinue reading “Sarcopenia: Confront Muscle Loss and Rediscover Your Vitality”

Kickboxing is often seen as an aggressive sport, but in essence it is far more than a contest of strength. Practising it brings benefits both physical and mental, making it a complete activity for anyone looking to improve their health, their self-control and their general sense of wellbeing. Origins and Development Modern kickboxing was bornContinue reading “The Benefits of Practising Kickboxing”