I have great respect for all of my teachers at the USKL dojo and appreciate how much they inspire me to improve myself.  I have many selfish reasons to try to follow my father’s example in pursuing a lifetime of karatedo training, and I feel very fortunate to have found a dojo in which I feel I can do so, but I also hope to carry on the small family tradition that my father started, teaching my children to live healthy lives and to always try hard, even when they have cold feet.

The movements we practice, even in isolation, are difficult to perform correctly with good power, speed, and posture.  Putting the movements to imaginary but spirited use in katas ups the ante further with greater focus on timing, distance, rhythm, and agility.  In kumite sessions, awareness, reaction, and strategy are added to the mix (along with a healthy threat of “negative feedback” for any deficiencies).  Karate is at the very least a training method, a crucible even, for developing physical and mental skills for fighting.