As the 2022 Soccer World Cup approaches, fans around the globe are eagerly anticipating the chance to see their favorite teams battle it out for the top spot. But as a fan of the German national team, the outlook isn’t looking quite as rosy as we might have hoped. According to recent reports, the German […]
I started my test December First 2022, this is how its been going. Just like Dirk and David my goals are the same, 50,000 push-ups, 50,000 sit-ups, 1000 acts of kindness, 1000 rounds of sparing, 15 minutes of mediation everyday, read 6 books, 1000 repetitions of a single kata, and my 1000 mile journey. And […]
As the summer season comes to a close, Germans across the country celebrate with a special festival known as Ernte Dank Fest. This annual event, which takes place in the fall, is a time for people to give thanks for the abundance of the harvest season and to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures […]
Sushi: A Delicious Way to Recharge After a Karate Tournament After a long karate tournament, there’s nothing quite like a good meal to help you recharge and feel good both physically and mentally. And for me, there’s nothing that hits the spot quite like a delicious plate of sushi. Not only is sushi a tasty […]
No pain, no gain? The past year I have had more pain and injuries than I can remember since my accident many years ago. I am eager to get past this and transition into a different phase of training and more balance for my not-getting-any-younger body. As I type, I have a black and blue […]
If you’re a fan of martial arts, you won’t want to miss the Dixon Ryukyukan Karate and Kobudo tournament. This annual event brings together practitioners of all ages and skill levels to compete in karate, kobudo (Okinawan weapons), and sparring matches. I had the opportunity to participate in the tournament this year on November 5th […]
Empathy Training (Black belt requirement) – Some reflections The past week I have been going back through my personal training journal whereas I have kept tabs on my progress against my black belt requirements, jotted down some of my thoughts and observations, and kept notes of my various injuries I’ve had to work through over […]
Ski Day is a good day! Being in the final stretch before testing for black belt, I decided to get a day trip in with my oldest son as to enjoy the snow and some slope time. I thought about the risks like twisting my knee or any number of other injuries that could occur […]
This Friday, November 4th, we had House Sorting Day at the dojo. As you might know the dojo consists of four different houses – Tatsu (dragon), Tenko (fox), Suzaku (phoenix), and Shisa (lion dogs). Each one of them represents a different virtue. Once a year new members of our dojo family are getting sorted in […]
Halloween is here. After two years of reduced Corona festivities we had an office party where all dressed up. My choice to go was as a Plague Doctor – kind of fitting after the pandemic. Plague doctors were medical professionals who treated plague patients during outbreaks of the disease in Europe. They wore long robes […]