Most if not all students of Karate started because they wanted to learn how to defend themselves. They wanted to learn how to fight. As the student progresses he gets to learn all the other aspects of Karate. He or she learns the discipline, culture and philosophies. They develop interest in performing Kata and to fight in Kumite. The student will continue to train because he learned to appreciate every aspect of Karate-Do, but there will be one aspect that he would appreciate the most and it will serve as his main motivation to stay committed to his training. He may be hooked to joining tournaments and become an athlete. He may become a good leader in his organization, as he practices his understanding of Karate-Do principles. He may seek spiritual growth as he deepens his knowledge through his training. So the Karate practitioner is a philosopher, an athlete or a leader. But today’s Karate-ka should be a modern day warrior who posses all of these qualities and more.
A warrior is healthy and fit to be able to fight in combat. We should have the endurance to last in a fight, the strength to grapple, move or throw opponents, the agility, speed and power to fight effectively. We are always at awe whenever we see old masters that can execute technique excellently despite their age. “In the past, masters of karate have enjoyed long lives. Karate aids in developing the bones and muscles.” (Anko Itosu)
Even
if one is not an athlete he or she should acquire the habits of an athlete like
living a healthy life style, eating healthy and exercising or training. No
matter what our age is, we should be at our best condition to do our daily
activities and tasks effectively. We should be able to walk or run a distance
if needed to, to be able to lift or move heavy objects or body weight, climb
hills and flights of stairs. It is important to do strength and conditioning exercises known traditionally as “Hojo undo” and of course to practice regularly.
Master Anko Itosu also said that “Karate is not merely practiced for your own benefit;
it can be used to protect one’s family or master. It is not intended to be used
against a single assailant but instead as a way of avoiding a fight should one
be confronted by a villain or ruffian." So the Karate-ka as a modern warrior must have the capability
to defend not just himself but also to protect his family; love ones, other people or strangers as
well. Karate is not intended for consensual fighting, you versus a brawler or
another martial artist. This is the misconception about self-defense. “Ruffian”
means a violent criminal or trouble maker. The modern warrior must
have the ability to respond to violence. A fight with ruffians increase the
danger to you or the one you are protecting. To avoid a fight is to be able to
put the ruffians out of action and escape or survive the situation. To avoid
danger one can also de-escalate. You can be more effective to de-escalate if
you have confidence in your ability to respond to violence and not out of fear.
You can also avoid danger by being aware of your surroundings, people, danger
zones or choke points and situations. The Karate-ka also uses his awareness to
be sensitive to others, to recognize opportunities and to be creative. The
modern day warrior is truly a man of peace.
One of our Dojo Kun is “to foster the spirit of effort” or “be purposeful”. A Karate-ka always strives to do his best in training and in anything he does. He has an excellent work ethic. He works hard to achieve his goals. He continuously learns and improves his skills and knowledge. He not only works hard but works smart. Over training results in injuries and prevents you from progressing physically and technically. It also prevents you from being effective in your other roles in life, like work and relationships. It is the same if we over work or over extend ourselves, doing so many things. Our health, relationships and productivity suffers. If we work smart, we can also have more time to practice Karate. We must maintain excellence and effectiveness in combat, work, training and our roles.
One of the Niju Kun states “Be
aware at all times that you have millions of potential opponents”. This does not
mean that we should be paranoid. It means that we have to always be vigilant.
As a modern warrior, one must always have security, strategic and tactical
consciousness. Always be prepared for a calamity, a break in, fire, form of
harassment, violent attack, accidents or unfortunate events. It is better if
you are the one to give rations/donations than to be getting donations in case
of disaster. It is better to be a survivor than to be a victim of violence. The
attitude of being prepared is also applied to travels or road trips,
presentations at work, fulfilling requirements and documentations. This does
not only mean that you know what to bring to the occasion but also what is your
strategic and tactical plan. It means that you have gathered all necessary
information or intel about the place you will go to or the event that you will
encounter. Your travel plans and strategies not only concerns maximizing time
and resources but also safety concerns.
