Iain Abernethy - The Practical Application Of Karate

In this podcast I wish to discuss what constitutes a “karate technique”. Or in other words, what makes a technique a part of karate? Can techniques be added to practise and legitimately be considered to be part of karate? And what of “forgotten” techniques that were once part of practise? Are they no longer karate techniques? How do we define a “karate technique” anyway? While it may seem this is one of those pedantic discussions that are so prevalent in the martial arts, I would suggest it’s an important question that has a huge impact on how karate is practised today and the future course it will take. Our discussion of this topic will also allow us to look at the relationships that exist between the various martial arts, and for us to tackle that long existing martial myth of the unique origin of technique. In the podcast we look at techniques which were not practised within karate but now are commonplace; techniques which were commonplace within karate which are now generally not practised; and what all these “karate techniques” have in common. Thanks for joining me to discuss these issues and for your support of these podcasts! All the best, Iain

Welcome to the latest podcast! In this episode we discuss what differentiates a living kata from a dead one. When karateka commonly talk about kata being “alive” what they are referring to is a vigorous performance; as opposed to a lacklustre one. However, to my way of thinking, a kata needs far more than simply looking “lively” to be truly alive! For kata to be alive it must be part of a wider process. It is the "seed" that the fighting systems of the past produced. The seed can only truly live when it is allowed to grow and thrive. Kata must be practiced. The applications of kata must be understood; and more importantly the combative principles that those applications encapsulate must be internalised thorough drills and live practise with live partners, such that those principles form habits; habits we will fight in accordance with. The kata then is living and breathing within us. It’s if fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. It is not lying dormant awaiting the inevitable rot; it is alive and thriving every time we move, every time we train and every time we are forced to protect ourselves and those we love. In this podcast we look at the “lifecycle” of kata and explain the process that ensures a kata truly lives within the karateka. In listening to the podcast you will also find out how kata can be both like strawberries and zombies! I hope you enjoy the podcast and find it useful. Thanks for listening and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain

Welcome to the latest podcast! In this episode we discuss what differentiates a living kata from a dead one. When karateka commonly talk about kata being “alive” what they are referring to is a vigorous performance; as opposed to a lacklustre one. However, to my way of thinking, a kata needs far more than simply looking “lively” to be truly alive! For kata to be alive it must be part of a wider process. It is the "seed" that the fighting systems of the past produced. The seed can only truly live when it is allowed to grow and thrive. Kata must be practiced. The applications of kata must be understood; and more importantly the combative principles that those applications encapsulate must be internalised thorough drills and live practise with live partners, such that those principles form habits; habits we will fight in accordance with. The kata then is living and breathing within us. It’s if fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. It is not lying dormant awaiting the inevitable rot; it is alive and thriving every time we move, every time we train and every time we are forced to protect ourselves and those we love. In this podcast we look at the “lifecycle” of kata and explain the process that ensures a kata truly lives within the karateka. In listening to the podcast you will also find out how kata can be both like strawberries and zombies! I hope you enjoy the podcast and find it useful. Thanks for listening and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain

One of the never-ending controversies in martial arts is the role and influence of the combat sports. Some are ardent supporters and some see the sporting side of the martial arts as a heresy that should be challenged and slighted at every opportunity. Those who would class themselves as “traditional martial artists” often see the modern sporting offspring of the traditional arts as an aberration that is a betrayal of the values, objectives and ethos of their non-sporting forerunners. Those who concentrate on civilian self-protection are also often quick to slight combat sports for their limitations, rules and lack of “realism”. So in this podcast I’m going to come out in defence of sport against the traditional and reality based neigh-sayers. The reason I feel the need to do that is that our combat athletes are normally incredibly bad at doing this! The arguments put forward in defence of sport to the traditional and reality based communities are normally very poor. They are frequently logically unsound and actually bolster the arguments made against sport. I hope you enjoy the podcast and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link can be found below the player

One of the never-ending controversies in martial arts is the role and influence of the combat sports. Some are ardent supporters and some see the sporting side of the martial arts as a heresy that should be challenged and slighted at every opportunity. Those who would class themselves as “traditional martial artists” often see the modern sporting offspring of the traditional arts as an aberration that is a betrayal of the values, objectives and ethos of their non-sporting forerunners. Those who concentrate on civilian self-protection are also often quick to slight combat sports for their limitations, rules and lack of “realism”. So in this podcast I’m going to come out in defence of sport against the traditional and reality based neigh-sayers. The reason I feel the need to do that is that our combat athletes are normally incredibly bad at doing this! The arguments put forward in defence of sport to the traditional and reality based communities are normally very poor. They are frequently logically unsound and actually bolster the arguments made against sport. I hope you enjoy the podcast and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link can be found below the player

Welcome to the last podcast of 2013! This month we answer your questions! It’s been over a year since the last question and answer podcast so it’s about time we did another. Thanks to the many questions submitted, we cover a whole host of topics in a podcast that is a whopping 96 minutes long! Hopefully plenty to keep you entertained over the holiday period. Think of it as an early Christmas gift :-) Topics covered include stances, women’s self-defense, my top 5 martial arts movies, the relevance of kata in the age of MMA, high kicking vs. low kicking, weapons training, my favorite kata and why it’s my favorite, adapting technique to the circumstance and the individual, dealing with feeling de-motivated, meditation, the non-combative benefits of kata, martial arts and character development, conditioning vs. technical training, training for the over 40s, and loads more besides! I am extremely grateful for the support these podcasts receive and I hope this end of year mixed bag is something you enjoy. I’ll be back with another new podcast early next year! Until then please have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Winter Solstice, a Great Saturnalia, Omisoka, Shogatsu, etc! Whatever you and yours celebrate at this time of year, I hope you have a great one! All the best, Iain PS The direct download link can be found below.

Welcome to the last podcast of 2013! This month we answer your questions! It’s been over a year since the last question and answer podcast so it’s about time we did another. Thanks to the many questions submitted, we cover a whole host of topics in a podcast that is a whopping 96 minutes long! Hopefully plenty to keep you entertained over the holiday period. Think of it as an early Christmas gift :-) Topics covered include stances, women’s self-defense, my top 5 martial arts movies, the relevance of kata in the age of MMA, high kicking vs. low kicking, weapons training, my favorite kata and why it’s my favorite, adapting technique to the circumstance and the individual, dealing with feeling de-motivated, meditation, the non-combative benefits of kata, martial arts and character development, conditioning vs. technical training, training for the over 40s, and loads more besides! I am extremely grateful for the support these podcasts receive and I hope this end of year mixed bag is something you enjoy. I’ll be back with another new podcast early next year! Until then please have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Winter Solstice, a Great Saturnalia, Omisoka, Shogatsu, etc! Whatever you and yours celebrate at this time of year, I hope you have a great one! All the best, Iain PS The direct download link can be found below.

In this podcast we look at Street Fighting! In particular, I explore what the term actually means, the connotations it can have, and the confusion and dangerous thinking that can result. The podcast looks at the vital differences between “street fighting” and “self-protection” and explores the why fighting skills are not what is needed to deal with criminal violence. The podcast highlights and explores the key three problems with “street fighting”, why neither you nor the criminal wants a fight, vital legal considerations, and why most martial artists as blind to what truly works when things get physical. We also have the usual quick round up of news and some new theme music! Thank you for your support of these podcasts, and in particular a huge thanks to all of you who keep telling your friends and training partners about them! There would be no podcasts without your support! I hope you enjoy this latest offering and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link for this podcast is found below.

In this podcast we look at Street Fighting! In particular, I explore what the term actually means, the connotations it can have, and the confusion and dangerous thinking that can result. The podcast looks at the vital differences between “street fighting” and “self-protection” and explores the why fighting skills are not what is needed to deal with criminal violence. The podcast highlights and explores the key three problems with “street fighting”, why neither you nor the criminal wants a fight, vital legal considerations, and why most martial artists as blind to what truly works when things get physical. We also have the usual quick round up of news and some new theme music! Thank you for your support of these podcasts, and in particular a huge thanks to all of you who keep telling your friends and training partners about them! There would be no podcasts without your support! I hope you enjoy this latest offering and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link for this podcast is found below.

This is not the latest iainabernety.com podcast, but a “bonus podcast” of my recent interview with MartialPreneur TV! It’s just over 50 minutes long and looks at my experiences as fulltime martial artist. In the podcast I am asked about how I came to be a full time martial artist, what lessons I have learnt along the way, what is my advice for those who similarly want to commit to the martial lifestyle, my advice for those looking to publish books and DVDs, and quite a bit more too. I really enjoyed chatting with Scott and I think that comes across. I hope you the podcast! I’ll be back with the next iainabernethy.com podcast very soon; which is on the subject of “street fighting” :-) Speak soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link can be found below the player MartialPreneur TV Blurb: “This week’s special guest is Iain Abernethy. Iain is best known for his work on the practical application of karate and kata bunkai or application of the moves within kata for real combat. He has been a published author and has produced many books and training DVD’s. He also produces and hosts a successful podcast which I like to listen to regularly which spurred me to ask him to come onto the show. Iain produced a podcast episode in which he called “money and the martial arts” which I think every martial preneur should listen to. In our martial preneur tv episode I expand upon that podcast Iain did and also ask Iain to guide us on how he went from an electrician to full time instructor and published author. This episode is a real cracker and is absolute fried gold for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a full time teacher in the martial arts.” YouTube Link: http://youtu.be/aRH--t6Z5Uw MartialPreneur TV Link: http://martialpreneur.tv/episodes/episode22-martial-arts-author-iain-abernethy-talks-about-making-the-leap-and-going-professional/

This is not the latest iainabernety.com podcast, but a “bonus podcast” of my recent interview with MartialPreneur TV! It’s just over 50 minutes long and looks at my experiences as fulltime martial artist. In the podcast I am asked about how I came to be a full time martial artist, what lessons I have learnt along the way, what is my advice for those who similarly want to commit to the martial lifestyle, my advice for those looking to publish books and DVDs, and quite a bit more too. I really enjoyed chatting with Scott and I think that comes across. I hope you the podcast! I’ll be back with the next iainabernethy.com podcast very soon; which is on the subject of “street fighting” :-) Speak soon! All the best, Iain PS The download link can be found below the player MartialPreneur TV Blurb: “This week’s special guest is Iain Abernethy. Iain is best known for his work on the practical application of karate and kata bunkai or application of the moves within kata for real combat. He has been a published author and has produced many books and training DVD’s. He also produces and hosts a successful podcast which I like to listen to regularly which spurred me to ask him to come onto the show. Iain produced a podcast episode in which he called “money and the martial arts” which I think every martial preneur should listen to. In our martial preneur tv episode I expand upon that podcast Iain did and also ask Iain to guide us on how he went from an electrician to full time instructor and published author. This episode is a real cracker and is absolute fried gold for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a full time teacher in the martial arts.” YouTube Link: http://youtu.be/aRH--t6Z5Uw MartialPreneur TV Link: http://martialpreneur.tv/episodes/episode22-martial-arts-author-iain-abernethy-talks-about-making-the-leap-and-going-professional/

In this month’s podcast we cover two topics! The first thing we cover is “The Case for Kata”. The question is often asked if kata itself plays a meaningful role in practise. If kata is nothing more than a repository for bunkai, then why not just practise the applications and do away with kata? Does keeping the solo forms, and devoting time to their practise, serve any meaningful purpose? Naturally, I think the solo form does have an important role to play; and in the first section I explain why. The second section of this podcast looks at “A Warrior’s View of Fate”. I begin by discussing my take on the character development / life-enhancing side of the martial arts before moving on to the topic of “fate”. The warriors of the past had well developed views on fate in order to ensure bravery in battle and to help deal with the precariousness of their existence. It is also my view that time in the dojo can teach us about the workings of fate, and that we can use that knowledge to help shape our future outside of the dojo. To explain how I see fate, I look at some for the ancient mythologies of Europe and see what they had to say on the subject. We also touch on history, psychology, and the “do ethos” in the martial arts as envisaged by it’s greatest proponent; Jigoro Kano (the founder of Judo). So this month we have a mix of the “jutsu” and the “do” and I hope you find it an interesting listen! Many thanks for your support of these podcasts! Please keep spreading the word to your friends and training partners and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain

In this month’s podcast we cover two topics! The first thing we cover is “The Case for Kata”. The question is often asked if kata itself plays a meaningful role in practise. If kata is nothing more than a repository for bunkai, then why not just practise the applications and do away with kata? Does keeping the solo forms, and devoting time to their practise, serve any meaningful purpose? Naturally, I think the solo form does have an important role to play; and in the first section I explain why. The second section of this podcast looks at “A Warrior’s View of Fate”. I begin by discussing my take on the character development / life-enhancing side of the martial arts before moving on to the topic of “fate”. The warriors of the past had well developed views on fate in order to ensure bravery in battle and to help deal with the precariousness of their existence. It is also my view that time in the dojo can teach us about the workings of fate, and that we can use that knowledge to help shape our future outside of the dojo. To explain how I see fate, I look at some for the ancient mythologies of Europe and see what they had to say on the subject. We also touch on history, psychology, and the “do ethos” in the martial arts as envisaged by it’s greatest proponent; Jigoro Kano (the founder of Judo). So this month we have a mix of the “jutsu” and the “do” and I hope you find it an interesting listen! Many thanks for your support of these podcasts! Please keep spreading the word to your friends and training partners and I’ll be back with more soon! All the best, Iain

This new podcast looks at the ever controversial topic of money and the martial arts. In the podcast I share my views on whether it is right to take payment for martial arts instruction; what amounts to unethical  behaviour; the different attitudes that exist to money; how people can unwittingly help unethical instructors; how to most effectively combat money hungry “McDojos”; how money can effect the teacher / student relationship; how money can further good quality martial arts; and more besides! This podcast also includes the usual news and our first ever musical section! Towards the end of the podcast we have (in full and with permission) the brilliant song “Dojo Blues” by The Aspiring Legends! It’s a brilliant song that all martial artists will be able to relate to, and once it gets into your head it will be there for days! I hope you enjoy the podcast and I’ll be back with move soon! All the best, Iain PS The direct download link for this podcast can be found underneath the player below.

This new podcast looks at the ever controversial topic of money and the martial arts. In the podcast I share my views on whether it is right to take payment for martial arts instruction; what amounts to unethical  behaviour; the different attitudes that exist to money; how people can unwittingly help unethical instructors; how to most effectively combat money hungry “McDojos”; how money can effect the teacher / student relationship; how money can further good quality martial arts; and more besides! This podcast also includes the usual news and our first ever musical section! Towards the end of the podcast we have (in full and with permission) the brilliant song “Dojo Blues” by The Aspiring Legends! It’s a brilliant song that all martial artists will be able to relate to, and once it gets into your head it will be there for days! I hope you enjoy the podcast and I’ll be back with move soon! All the best, Iain PS The direct download link for this podcast can be found underneath the player below.