Author Archives: chrissensei

明けましておめでとうございます！(Happy New Year – pronounced Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu). Fireworks in Japan Sobukan is officially into its second year, with first training (初稽古) being held at Glenelg beach tomorrow morning at 10am! If free, please come along for some fun, training, … Continue reading →

Himeji Garden Lotus Congratulations to all the Sobukan students who have achieved their goals in our inaugural year. I hope everyone feels a little healthier, happier and safer. Thank you all for your amazing support. I am extremely proud of … Continue reading →

Following is my email to the victim of a recent bullying attack, his family and the school. Names of the young man and his school have been removed to protect his privacy, but I have included the body of the … Continue reading →

The Sobukan syllabus has a theme for each belt designed to develop real strength and balance by focussing on eliminating weaknesses. This is obviously the reverse of most traditional martial art schools which tend to concentrate on building great strengths while gaping … Continue reading →

There is a wealth of martial art books, DVDs, i-phone applications etc available on the market, but which ones are really worth buying? Most resources have some value, but on a limited budget with limited time, it is prudent to … Continue reading →

Sobukan EOY party!! Who: Your family is invited to the SOBUKAN Bonenkai – EOY party. Where: Himeji Japanese Garden on South Terrace, City. When: 11am Sunday 11 December. What: Training – just a little Eating – please bring food with … Continue reading →

Staying within your comfort zone is easy, but progress lies just beyond. I once made a difficult decision. I could have chosen to remain with my first karate dojo, where at 18 years old, I was a black-belt instructor. I … Continue reading →

Apart from perhaps some hard-style karate-ka, the importance of relaxation is pretty much unanimously accepted. Relaxation leads to improved speed, power, agility, flexibility and many other elements crucial to martial arts. Relaxation is pivotal to the judo maxim of 精力善用 … Continue reading →

守破離 Shuhari describes the three phases of learning experienced in the martial arts. It is not a common term, even in Japan, but many avid martial artists are already familiar with it. Shuhari is not exclusive to martial arts, originally … Continue reading →