Karate Explained

🥋 OSU OR HAI?

For many karate practitioners, Osu is one of the most commonly used words in the dojo. It can be heard in training halls around the world as a greeting, acknowledgement, or expression of spirit.

Yet during a conversation with Mabuni Kenzo Soke, son of Sh*to-Ryu founder Kenwa Mabuni, I heard a perspective that challenged my understanding of the term and its place within traditional karate.

That conversation led me to explore:

✅ The origins of Osu
✅ Its connection to Japanese military culture
✅ Why it is not traditionally Okinawan
✅ Why some instructors prefer the use of Hai instead

The result was a deeper appreciation of the cultural traditions, etiquette, and history that shape karate today.

If you've ever wondered about the true meaning of Osu, you may find this article interesting.

📖 Read the full article:

https://karateexplained.com/vault/osu-in-karate/

*toRyu

🥋 The More Answers I Found, The More Questions I Had

When we first begin karate, we often think the journey is about finding answers.

How do I stand correctly?
How do I punch properly?
How do I remember the kata?
What do I need to do for my next grading?

But over time, the questions begin to change.

We start asking why a movement exists, what principle it represents, how it functions under pressure, and what we may still be missing.

That is one of the reasons karate remains such a lifelong study.

The kata has not changed.
The student has.

This latest Karate Perspectives article explores curiosity, kata, long-term training, and why remaining Forever a Student may be one of karate’s greatest lessons.

👉 Read the full article here:
https://karateexplained.com/vault/questions-in-karate/

Reflection:
What question has changed the way you understand your karate?

Karate often begins with physical goals.

Fitness.
Self-defence.
Confidence.
Achievement.

But if we continue training long enough, something changes.

Over time, karate can become less about proving something — and more about refinement, perspective, resilience, continuity, and personal growth.

This new Karate Perspectives article reflects on how our relationship with karate evolves through different stages of life, and why being “Forever a Student” means something different as the years pass.

🥋 Forever a Student
How Our Relationship With Karate Changes Over Time

🔶 Read the full article on Karate Explained:
https://karateexplained.com/vault/forever-a-student/

What does being “Forever a Student” mean to you at your current stage of training?

Most karate students focus on the techniques inside a kata…

…but the real lesson often begins before the first movement is even complete.

The opening of a kata reveals intent, awareness, and application—if you know how to interpret it.

This is where training shifts from repetition to understanding.

Read more here:
https://karateexplained.com/vault/what-the-opening-of-a-kata-reveals/