Canadian Dojo: Recent Episodes
Canadian Dojo
Canadian Dojo is a podcast about Karate. Whether an enthusiast, a student, an instructor or dojo owner, the Canadian Dojo Podcast has something for you!
So here is our recap of the recently held WKC team Canada tryouts which took place over the May long weekend this year. We talked about all aspects of the tournament and we don't pull any punches. We tell you what we liked and what we didn't like. Give a listen and let us know if you agree with our breakdown.
It goes without saying that if you're going to participate in physical activity like the martial arts injuries can occur. I'm not telling any of you anything you don't already know. The questions we ask you this episode are how do you manage your injury and is it possible to continue training while injured. Give a listen and share your stories of how you managed your injuries and training.
It's been a crazy several months but we are finally back with new episodes. In this latest short episode I just give a brief history lesson on what's been going on as well as a preview of some of the episodes to come. Thank you to everyone who stuck with us and were "nagging" me to get back in the proverbial saddle.
More great content is coming your way so please stay tuned.
A good martial arts instructor does more than just teach martial arts. They share their experiences with you. They will be in your corner when you need them, sometimes literally. They will route for you inside and outside of the Dojo. They absolutely want you to succeed and gain as much as you can from the martial arts. That said they don't necessarily share everything. I came across a list of 10 things your martial arts instructor may not tell you, but it's good for you to know. Give a listen and see if you agree with them and my breakdown of them. Don't hesitate to share some of the things that you wish you knew, or wish you were told earlier in your training.
As a follow up to our last podcast, Random Questions, we have a sequel episode called Random Questions - Kids Edition. During our recent March Break karate camp I had the kids ask me anything they wanted. I think I may have gotten off easy here, but some of the questions were very good and really made me think. Some of them even surprised me. Give a listen and see if he would've ask any of these questions.
Is weight training good for your martial arts? Who is the GOAT? What's my favourite memory from a tournament? These are some of the questions I was asked in our random questions podcast. Give a listen to find out the answers and the answers to many many more questions.
Today is January 16, 2023. Monday, January 16 in fact. Today is what they are calling Blue Monday. It's supposed to be the saddest day of the year, at least so far. I take a quick look into what Blue Monday is where it came from and if it's even real. Give a listen and remember to have a GOOD day :-)
Here we are at the beginning of a new year. In this podcast I do a quick review of the last 12 months for me and my dojo but I also talk about my goals for the coming year. Give a listen and don't be afraid to share your goals with us.
Are martial arts tournaments even a thing anymore? The answer is yes they are. Coming out of the pandemic they are starting to gather steam again and this can be a very good thing for the martial arts community. Many people think that tournaments are something that only kids do but that's not the case. Today I talk to three adults who competed at a tournament recently for the very first time. We discuss the motivations that led them to compete, how they felt about their performance and whether or not they'll do it again. If you're an adult who does martial arts this is something you're going to want to listen to.
Here we go with Part 2 of our WKC World Championships discussion. We have a couple of days of the tournament under our belts now and we discuss what we've seen and experienced so far. Did you attend the tournament? Do you agree with our breakdown? Let us know.
The WKC World Championships starts tomorrow at 9:00am. Here is a pre-tournament break down of our hopes and expectations. The training that got us here and where we go from here. We also spend some time talking about Killarney Ireland which is where the tournament is taking place. Definitely a place worth visiting. Part 2 will land on Wednesday or Thursday so give a listen and stay tuned.
Here is the long the weighted part two of our favourite martial arts movies Saga. My guest for this podcast certainly has a theme which you will no doubt catch on to pretty quickly. Give a listen and see how many of our selections you've seen and how many you agree with.
It goes without saying that the past 2 1/2 years have been tough. Not just tough financially they have been tough emotionally and mentally for so many people. Our family, our neighbours, our coworkers, our friends. Many of them have struggled with their mental health. Maybe it's you who have struggled with your mental health. Maybe this is a new thing or maybe it's some thing you've been dealing with for a long time. Today that is what we were going to talk about. We're going to discuss the science about how being physically active and working out can help people struggling with mental health issues. Of course it wouldn't be the Canadian Dojo Podcast if we didn't talk about how the martial arts is uniquely situated to help people working on these issues.
In this latest episode I have the privilege of sitting down and talking with the one and only Sensei Rick Joslin. Mr. Joslin has been a driving force and an influence in the local martial arts community since the 1960s. It was a privilege speaking with him and talking about his martial arts journey so far. Give a listen as we talk about the past and how his approach to teaching changed over the years.
In our continuing conversation with Sensei Flood we move from the past to the present and the future. We talk about and break down the benefits of martial arts training and how well run dojos can be a positive force in their community. We also talk about the state of the martial arts industry as it is today and where he feels it could and should go in the future. He also breaks down his new program that brings the benefits of the martial arts and martial arts training to people who, at one time, may not have been welcome in the old school hard-core dojo system. Definitely a conversation not to be missed
In this episode of the Canadian Dojo podcast we are very lucky to have Sensei Jim Flood join us and talk about his journey so far in the Martial Arts. Sensei Flood is highly regarded as one of the top karate coaches in the country. In part one of this two-part episode we discuss his routes in the Martial arts and where how and why it all began. We talk about his experience as a competitor and then as a coach and how his communication style and coaching style has changed over the years. We also dive into how karate and the martial arts has changed over the past quarter century and how his background in karate help him recover from a catastrophic car accident. This episode was a lot of fun to record and I hope you really enjoy it.
Motivation and staying motivated is your key to success as a martial artist. It's not easy! You will never always be motivated. No one ever is. What motivated you today may not work tomorrow. In this episode we talk about the different types of motivation as well as why people lose their motivation and what they can do to prevent that.
As you know I love speaking to people about their training in the martial arts. Whether currently training or reminiscing about previous training I enjoy hearing how the lessons learned in the martial arts are brought to other aspects of peoples lives. Today's a big day for my guest doctoral candidate Stuart Pearson. Today is a day he defends his thesis in the Netherlands. Originally recorded over the Christmas holidays last year I spoke with Stuart about his time training with me and how he feels the martial arts has helped prepare him for his thesis defense.
What is a McDojo? Have you ever heard the term? In today's podcast we talk about what might make a dojo a "McDojo". We explain the term and some of the beliefs behind the idea and break down some of the misconceptions. We also discuss if, at its core, the idea behind the term is even still relevant in the modern martial arts world. Give a listen and see if you may train at a a "McDojo".
During this pandemic many Dojos and martial arts clubs had to pivot and pivot quickly to online training classes. Now that lockdowns are over or are quickly coming to an end the question is, does online training work? Can you functionally learn martial arts in a completely or mostly online setting? These are questions we try to answer in today's episode of the Canadian Dojo Podcast.
It's our first episode of the new year. I take a moment to reminisce about the highs and lows of 2021 and talk about my goals and hopes for the coming year. I also take an opportunity to share some of my thoughts on the continuing Covid pandemic and what it means for a small dojo trying to grow and move forward.
Karate at its core is a self defence system. At least it was. The question is, is it still? Is Karate an effective method of personal protection or has it been usurped by other martial arts. Has Karate lost its original guiding principle and if so does it actually matter? These are the topics we tackle in this podcast.
Picking the right Dojo is a much bigger decision than people give it credit for. When you're looking to start your journey in the martial arts what most people don't think about is that the club they are walking into could be a big part of their life for the next several years or more! Whether you're registering yourself as an adult or looking for a dojo for your kids, the club you choose and the instructor you choose is a potentially very big decision for you to make. Choosing the right Dojo is an investment that can potentially pay dividends for years to come.
As an instructor and a dojo owner this is something I see on a regular basis and have seen many times in the past. It is the karate equivalent of a tale as old as time. An adult reaches out about starting their journey in the martial arts. In actuality though, they are restarting their journey because they originally started training when they were kids or teens. Now, years later, they have decided to rekindle their passion and love for karate and hopefully achieve their goal of black belt. This is more common than you might think and it's a great topic of conversation for the Canadian Dojo Podcast.
In today's episode we discuss the concepts of Embusen and Bunkai as they are practised in Karate kata. Embusen is less well-known than Bunkai and is considered to be the "new kid" on the block as a practice concept in kata. Many styles of karate as well as many clubs do not embrace the concept of Embusen but at the Canadian Dojo Podcast, we do and that's why we're talking about it. Bunkai is a far better known concept but is often sadly overlooked. If kata is the heart of Karate then Bunkai the heart of kata.
For much of its history Karate and the martial arts as a whole have been a very male-dominated activity. Over the past few decades however that has ended and rightfully so. Now, more ladies and girls than ever are training in karate and the martial arts. In this episode I talk with my very good friend Lisa Allen about her journey in the martial arts and her thoughts on not only girls in karate but girls in sport as a whole. It was a lot of fun and we even managed to stay mostly on topic. Male or female this is definitely something to give a listen to……
At the Canadian Dojo podcast we love talking to people about their stories and their personal journeys in Karate in the Martial Arts. Today we talk with our good friend Joe van Troost about his 25+ year Martial Arts journey from an open system club to a traditional Goju Ryu dojo. We also discuss his time spent training abroad and many of the things he's learned along the way. Is his journey the same as yours? Give a listen and find out……
In this episode I build on the last episode where we talked about goal setting and I discuss a goal I set for myself using the S.M.A.R.T. system. I decided 11 months ago that I needed to lose weight. Not a little bit of weight but a lot of weight. I talk about how I set the goal, what motivated me to set the goal, the metrics I measured and ultimately how I couldn't have done it without my karate training.
It's time to get S.M.A.R.T. about our goal setting. When setting goals they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and bound to a specific time frame. In short, they should be SMART. In this episode we talk about setting goals and the tools you need to achieve those goals. We also discussed the difference between a goal and a Hope or a wish. Goals are a means by which we can better ourselves but many people don't set goals effectively or give themselves the tools they need to achieve those goals. Are you one of those people? Give a listen and find out…
In today's podcast Sandy and I discuss last weekend's WKC Canadian team tryouts that took place in Ottawa. We recap the weekend and give our thoughts on the tournament itself. Give a listen to learn what we liked, what we didn't like, what we had hoped for and ultimately what we got.
This episode is part two of our WKC Canadian Team tryouts taking place in our nations capital of Ottawa. In this episode we recap the events of yesterday and give our impressions of the tournament itself and our expectations of the day to come. We also have a great conversation with the Mom's about their kids impressions of their wins as well as the apprehension some of them felt about mom competing.
In today's special episode we're on the road in our nations capital of Ottawa for the WKC Canadian National Team tryouts. I talk with some of the competitors about their journey to the tournament, their thoughts about the first actual tournament of the Covid era and their overall expectations prior to the competition.
Karate teaches kids more than just how to kick and punch. The karate dojo is a place where life skills are taught. This is most keenly seen in well-run children's programs where kids are taught not just the basics of karate, but equally importantly, life skills like focus, self-confidence, discipline, courtesy & respect and many more. In today's fast-paced world filled with distractions and peer pressure's, karate helps instill a sense of self worth in kids and helps to build the character needed to succeed in an ever changing world.
This episode is a continuation of last weeks episode where we discussed what Kata is, what it isn't and the benefits of doing it. In today's episode we move into the application of Kata. We introduce the six key components of any successful Kata and we break them down with practical tips to help you get the most out of your Kata training. Whether you're a brand new novice white belt or a seasoned pro of a black belt these tips will help you maximize your training and get the most out of not just your Kata but each and every karate class you do.
Kata is the beating heart and the foundation of karate. In this episode we talk about what kata actually is as well as some of the misconceptions about what it is. We also breakdown the key benefits of studying kata and the value you get from performing it. Whether you're brand new to karate or a seasoned black belt, understanding the kata is the key to your ultimate success in the martial arts.
Despite the best efforts of multiple fire crews, on October 31 of 2019 in Naha Okinawa Shuri Castle burned to the ground. As practitioners of karate we all have a deep connection with Shuri Castle and in today's episode we discussed some of the Castle's history as well as it's deep connection to world of Karate.
In today's episode my good friend Sandy Sbrissa and I talk about tournaments. Why you should consider doing tournaments, how to prepare for tournaments and as coaches instructors what we feel are the characteristics required to be successful at tournaments. We also take a trip down memory lane to discuss some of the tournaments we competed in and frankly how tournaments have changed over the years. Get your best Gi ready, dust off your sparring gear and get ready for some tournaments talk……
In this episode my good friend and all around great martial artist Aaron and I talk about movies. In fact, we talk about some of our favourite martial arts movies. Movies that are guilty pleasures and others that actually inspired us to start our journey in the martial arts. If you are a karate or martial arts enthusiast like we are the truth is you can't go wrong with any of these movies. You'll get a "kick" out of watching each of them.
Today were talking about books. Specifically books on karate and martial arts. Not only are we discussing six books that every martial arts should have in the library, we also talk about why, as a martial artist, you should read these books and the benefit you will get from them. Kick back, relax and maybe get your reading glasses ready.
So maybe you're feeling stuck. You've been training for a while and you've had a roadblock. Or maybe you're training for something, a grading, a black belt test maybe a tournament and you just need that extra boost. In this episode we take you through six different things you can do to quickly improve and enhance your karate training. Like many other things in karate though, these tools can be taken and used in other parts of your day to day life.
Hey everyone, here's our very first episode of the brand new Canadian Dojo Podcast. Why have I decided to start a podcast on all things karate? You'll have to tune in to find out the answer.