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...