What is an online karate class like? Check out one of Shihan Goddard’s awesome online karate classes on zoom. This particular class was led by a special guest, 10th degree black belt, Hanshi Bernard, and was broadcast from the Academy … Read More

A Simple Man – My Life with Soke Nagamine by Sensei Bill George (Kyoshi, 7th dan) is a great read for anyone interested in the martial arts. [I also posted this review on Amazon.com] Hanshi Fumio Demura (9th dan in … Read More

Qigong (Chi Kung – Pronounced Chee Gong) is a form of motion and/or still meditation in order to cultivate and flow your chi or life force. One of the principles in Qigong is that of reaching a state of relaxed … Read More

Still Mind Martial Arts Masters Series (#1B) An Interview with Kyoshi Todd Keane and Shidoshi Kristen Keane – Part II This is part II of our interview with Kyoshi Todd Keane and Shidoshi Kristen Keane which continues where the part … Read More

This old kata performance just popped up on my Facebook feed in one of those “share this memory” posts. So I figured I’d share it with our followers. It’s MJ and I performing the Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu Rohai Kata (Bird … Read More

O-Sensei Shoshin Nagamine Performs Yakusoku Kumite in 1983 Karate Illustrated Cover Story A recent post came across my facebook feed that included some scans of an old Karate Illustrated magazine (November 1983) with O-Sensei Shoshin Nagamine on the cover. They … Read More

Still Mind Martial Arts Masters Series (#1A) An Interview with Kyoshi Todd Keane and Shidoshi Kristen Keane Both my father and I train at the Academy of Traditional Karate in Wilmington Massachusetts. We have been training there for about 16 … Read More

I’m proud to be an American every day but even more so on Independence Day! I’m proud to be a citizen of the greatest nation on earth, founded on the principles of FREEDOM and LIBERTY for ALL! It was in … Read More

I came across an interesting article that discusses the differences between old-style Okinawan Shuri-te and Naha-te and the concepts of irimi and tai sabaki. It also described quotes from Choki Motobu and related the concepts to his kumite. It especially … Read More

I have read a couple of books written by O-Sensei Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of our style of karate – Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu. So I know a little bit about him. After O-Sensei Shoshin Nagamine retired in 1991 his son … Read More

Here is a great Yakusoku Kumite article that I came across during my online research that discusses the creation and history of Yakusoku Kumite by Shoshin Nagamine at least twenty years before the publication of his book. The Article is … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite VII shows how to control, block & counter strike a grab. It introduces the principle of checking the grabbing arm to monitor and control its position before simultaneously blocking and counter striking. This Yakusoku Kumite VII video study … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite VI shows how to bait an attacker with a false target while introducing the principle of simultaneously blocking/grabbing and striking. It also introduces the principle of shifting and rotating your body to remove the target. This Yakusoku Kumite … Read More

A bit of sad news today for Matsubayashi karateka around the world. This month they tore down Shoshin Nagamine’s Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu dojo. Shoshin Nagamine’s Dojo is Demolished. This was the birthplace of Matsubayashi Ryu where Matsubayashi practitioners around the … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite V shows how to defend against and use kicks while introducing the principle of simultaneously blocking/grabbing and reflexively kicking. It also introduces the principle of constantly changing angles and counter attacking from the sides. This Yakusoku Kumite V … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite IV introduces how to defend against an attack from behind using the principle of simultaneously blocking and counter striking. This is after first trapping the attacker’s grabbing hand while turning to face the attacker. This Yakusoku Kumite IV … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite III shows how to immobilize an attacker’s arms and introduces the principle of simultaneously blocking and stuffing both of the attacker’s arms to temporarily immobilize them. It also demonstrates using the block to open a vulnerable target, then … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite II shows how to yield to set up attacker for counter strike and introduces the principle of conditioning or setting up the attacker by initially yielding to lure him in while recognizing a repetitive attack. Then when ready … Read More

Yakusoku Kumite I shows how to intercept an attack with a strike and introduces the principle of intercepting an attack with your own attack. This simple principle became well known as the foundation of Bruce Lee’s fighting style, Jeet Kune … Read More

This is a Yakusoku Kumite video breakdown of me and MJ practicing in our backyard during the COVID shutdown. It’s a followup to yesterday’s post, Yakusoku Kumite I-VII Video Research Study, to analyze a more current video of us because … Read More

This is a research study of a wide variety of readily available online video examples of Yakusoku Kumite I-VII. When learning, studying, practicing and perfecting such material under the supervision of a qualified local instructor, be sure to perform the … Read More

Today we will take a look back at the origins of Still Mind Martial Arts. Over a decade ago in January of 2010 I was designing some martial arts T-shirts, hoodies, hats, coffee mugs and other martial arts merchandise. [We … Read More

In addition to the Baduanjin Qigong exercises mentioned in a previous post, I began practicing these Tai Chi Meditative Movements outside in the fresh air and sunshine during the Wuhan coronavirus shutdown. Fresh air and sunshine is great for your … Read More