Patrick Donkor

Most commented posts

  1. Charles Mack — 31 comments
  2. Ray Fuller — 10 comments
  3. Peter Spanton — 10 comments
  4. Masahiko Tanaka — 9 comments
  5. Bob Poynton — 8 comments

Author's posts

This week in history (7 October – 13 October)

8 October On 8 October 1953 Gōju-ryu founder Chōjun Miyagi died, aged only sixty-five. Born on the island of Okinawa, Miyagi had begun his training in 1902 under Kanryo Higaonna. By 1915 Miyagi had become one of Higaonna’s top students. Miyagi’s Karate style of Gōju-ryu was introduced to Japan in 1928 via the Kyōto Imperial …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-7-october-13-october/

Musings: Beyond your first Black Belt

The aim of most karateka is to reach the level of black belt. For some, this is seen as the pinnacle of their training. However, what does a karateka do when this goal is achieved? Typically attaining black belt is seen by many as being an indicator of mastery of one’s art. In my opinion, …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/musings-beyond-your-first-black-belt/

This week in history (30 September – 6 October)

4 October On 4 October 1924, Motokuni Sugiura, a former Chief Instructor of the JKA, was born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Sugiura was promoted to 1st Dan by the age of 20. At university he had been taught be Gichin Funakoshi and his son Yoshitaka. After he graduated in 1944 he joined the Tsuchiura Navy …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-30-september-6-october/

This week in history (23 September – 29 September)

24 September On 24 September 2004 noted martial artist Teruo Hayashi died from lung cancer in Osaka, Japan. Described as one of the last great Japanese Budo masters,  Hayashi is the founder of the Hayashi-Ha branch of Shito-ryu Karate. He trained under some of the greats of Japanese and Okinawan Karate, including Seiko Higa, Kenko …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-23-september-29-september/

This week in history (16 September – 22 September)

21 September On 21 September 1980 Ronnie Christopher was promoted to 1st Dan by Keinosuke Enoeda. One of the best competitors of his generation, Christopher won numerous titles nationally and internationally. He was part of the British team that won the 1990 Shoto Cup in Sunderland, England, defeating the previously undefeated Japan in the team …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-16-september-22-september/

This week in history (9 September – 15 September)

9 September On 9 September 2015 Goju-ryu master, Teruo Chinen, died in Spokane, United States. Born in 1941, Chinen trained as a teenager under Goju-ryu founder, Chojun Miyagi. He later trained extensively under one of Miyagi’s main students, Ei’ichi Miyazato. Chinen first travelled to the United States in 1969, initially for what was meant to …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-9-september-15-september/

This week in history (2 September – 8 September)

4 September On 4 September 1931 Kenneth Funakoshi, a distant relative of Shotokan Karate founder, Gichin Funakoshi, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hirokazu Kanazawa, a former Grand Champion in Japan, had arrived in Hawaii in 1960 to represent the Japan Karate Association (JKA) as Chief Instructor at the behest of Masatoshi Nakayama. Funakoshi who was …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-2-september-8-september/

Musings: The 5 aspects of physical training

Miyamoto Musashi, the great Japanese swordsman once wrote: The way is in training This is a basic requirement of all martial arts. When translated from Chinese, Kung Fu means “hard work“. To progress in the world of martial arts you must be willing to toil and sweat. If you are willing to put in the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/musings-the-5-aspects-of-physical-training/

Musings: Training for the over 40s

We live in a world geared towards the young. In the professional sports world elite athletes are considered over the hill after the age of forty. We also see this in the Sport Karate arena, where it is rare to see competitors over the age of forty, unless in a Masters event. However, martial arts …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/musings-training-for-the-over-40s/

Quote 272

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/quote-272/