All Blog Posts (273)

Mr. Starks is one of out Black Belts, and just recently got out of the Navy after serving 8 years in SAR (Sea Air Rescue). For strength training, endurance training and nutrition information he is one of our valued go-to sources. This is his answer to the question of gaining weight if you eat too…

Simple, easy workout equipment you can make…

It is so easy to give in to all the excuses that stand in the way of our success and good health.

THIS LINK will take you to a posting that gives you some tools to overcome those excuses.…

Pain in the foot? Try this.…

7. Members of this Family support all members in everything except the loss of

Honor.

Emotional support, Physical support, Spiritual support, in fact any kind of support should be given without question – that’s what Family does. But if the support involves the loss of your…

4. Members of this Family always honor

Themselves.

Honoring your Teachers, Students and Peers is almost impossible if you don’t, or can’t, honor yourself. Living an honorable life is difficult, but it is something one should strive for in every aspect of…

The 9 Principles of Goju-Shorei

and why they’re important

Over the next three postings I’m going to discuss each of the 9 Guiding Principles of Goju-Shorei. I struggle from time to time trying to follow them and I assume that I’m not alone.

First a…

Think you've given enough, or cared enough?

Think again.

This is one small example of the extended hand making a huge difference.

Domo Arigato to Master Jeff Denton for this…

Think you're training too hard or sparring too hard.

Think…

Let the fun begin. 1,000…

It’s the annual resolution time; new diet, new goals, new job, new accomplishments, etc. We’ve all done it for years, and we all have a miserable success rate. At the end of the year we look back on the shards of our resolutions – yet again.

Here is my 2012 Resolution, and I invite you to join in or tag along.

I resolve to be Relevant.

Relevant in my decision making

Relevant in my well…

Master David Turnbull, as a part of his test for 6th degree in Tae Kwon Do, performed some interesting, inventive, and unique breaks - not to mention some kicking skills. The egg he is using is raw. I love the idea that he is using his students and fellow black belts for this portion of the test.

Master Turnbull, if you can't tell from the video, is hugely strong, but also one of the kindest, gentlest human…

Upon entering my dojo you will see, to the immediate left of the door, three large pictures of Grand Master Novak. One is the front cover of a 1977 martial arts magazine, another one from an earlier time, and the last one was taken in 2005 just before he was confined to a wheelchair by a car accident. His inscriptions to me on these photos…

FOUR CORNERS

By Professor Kainoa Li

Professor Henry S. Okazaki taught that each corner of the Dojo held a certain significance and was there as a reminder to teach us something special. He had combined Japanese Judo & Jujitsu, Hawaiian Lua, and Chinese martial arts to create arguably the first truly culturally "Mixed Martial Art."

He also broke ground by teaching people…

Some fun close quarter drills using the crook of the…

When we meet someone new the exchange of information is usually just our names, seldom anything else. We come away without knowing much about each other, not really.

Some other cultures know how to do it right. This example was shot at Aim High Academy of Martial Arts in Portland,…

I hope this short video brings back good memories for all who were there and envy from those who…

Recently, in conjunction with an Obon festival, I visited a Buddhist church in a small town on the Idaho/Oregon border. The summers in that area are very hot and the unshaded doors of the church were facing directly west. In consideration for any members who chose to visit the church in the heat of the day the handles to the front doors were loosely wrapped in soft cloth.…