Beyond the Dojo - Finding Clarity in Practice

 

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a hereditary heart condition. Rather than give in to it, I chose to take action. At the time, my son was practising Karate, so I asked my doctor whether joining him might be beneficial. His advice was simple: go for it, but let the instructors know about any limitations. I did just that, and I’ve never looked back.

To support others facing similar health challenges, I began blogging about my journey and how Karate was helping me. Then, during a heart stress test, I was diagnosed with COPD — the result of many years spent smoking. I checked with my doctor once again, and he confirmed that Karate could aid with that too. So I continued, not only to improve my wellbeing but also to share quality time with my son. Naturally, I broadened the scope of the blog to include this new aspect.

Then came COVID. With two co-morbidities, I was classified as high-risk and required to work from home throughout the pandemic. Fortunately, my Dojo embraced modern tech and offered online lessons via Zoom — unlike many others. For two years, those sessions became a cornerstone of my home/work balance.

When restrictions lifted and I was expected to return to office work in the City, everything unravelled.

I suffered a breakdown at the prospect (having already been on medication for stress-related anxiety) and experienced suicidal thoughts.

I was prescribed stronger medication and referred for a course of online CBT. The concept of mindfulness in CBT immediately reminded me of "Mokuso" in Karate — the practice of clearing the mind. I worked that into my personal routine, combining awareness, controlled breathing, and the tension–release cycle. I documented it all in my blog, hoping it might help someone else, just as it helped me.

That shift got me over the mental hump, and I was offered a work-from-home role with my company. My condition was acknowledged as bordering on a disability by both my doctor and occupational health. Though my fear of travel and meeting strangers remains, Karate has remained a steady anchor.

When I was made redundant, I leaned hard on my Karate routine — especially to clear my head and decide on next steps. Ironically, I’ve always been willing (albeit uncomfortable) to travel familiar routes at off-peak times when needed.

In February, while contesting the redundancy, my 79-year-old sister in Sussex needed help. I took a train to see her — but at Upminster, a gang of suited teenagers boarded and surrounded my table. I nearly panicked. Yet thanks to Mokuso and CBT, I kept my composure. Controlled breathing got me through as they loudly bragged about assaults and unpaid gambling debts.

A week after returning from Sussex, I caught COVID — vindicating my fears about travel and exposure. Unfortunately, so did the rest of my family. 😞

That said, it passed within a week. I had the mildest symptoms thanks to being fully vaccinated. Now, the fear of COVID has eased for all of us, and we can venture out again. My fear of travel and strangers persists — but what’s top of the agenda? Returning to the Dojo with my now 18-year-old son, reconnecting with old friends, and rediscovering the life we once knew.

I’ve also resolved to blog consistently again — sharing how a strong, healthy focus can steady the mind and support you through the hardest of times.

Thank you for reading this far.

REY
16-07-2025

The Drills have it (or is it the Aches?)

 

The weather since I last wrote here has been rather hot, which places a big limitation on what I’m able to do. On particularly warm days, my son and I have shifted our training sessions from Saturday daytime to Monday evenings, to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. This has paid off to some extent — on at least one occasion, I managed to walk home from the Dojo without a break. The first time I tried that, I believe I needed four or five pauses. So getting back into training is definitely proving beneficial there.

I’ve continued making notes on drills — checking them with our Sensei — so I can remember them for practice at home (or in the open space nearby), which we do from time to time. I generally include these in my blogs to help date them for future reference, and this entry is no exception, with three drills listed below from simple to more complex.

This Monday was cooler than most of our previous sessions, and my breathing felt easier, so I decided to push myself a little. The first sparring-type exercise was introduced early in the lesson (following our warm-up, of course): one person attempted to grab the other’s Gi while the other tried to block. If a grip was made, the defender had to break free. My partner was my son, and it began well. The exercise lasted a minute; we each managed a few successful grabs and breakouts (one of mine was an arm bar, which I was quite proud of). However, during the third or fourth attempt, I struggled for breath and dropped to the ground, trying to roll out — but instead just collapsed in a heap.

I’d become so engrossed in the exercise that I ignored the warning signs of overexertion. I was completely out of breath and struggled to recover due to my COPD. It took my inhaler and around 10 to 15 minutes of slow breathing to re-centre myself. From then on, I was ultra-cautious for the rest of the lesson, taking part mainly in Kata. Still, I realised I’d managed 50 seconds in that sparring drill — not far off my pre-COVID level.

In the final third of the lesson, we started full sparring (albeit light contact), and I couldn’t resist having another go. Again, my son was my partner, and again I clocked around 50 seconds, this time pacing myself more effectively and recovering more quickly afterwards. I was then able to take part in the Kobudo segment of the session with much less downtime.

I left feeling pleased with that final sparring round. Although light, we exchanged solid shots, and I didn’t end up on the floor. Just how solid was confirmed the next day when my calf was sore from a well-placed mawashi-geri! But there were absolutely no repercussions for my breathing — so that side of things feels like a definite win 😌.

While the job hunt continues to be much tougher than expected, Karate provides structure to my week — a routine to build around — and a chance to do something positive and creative like writing this blog. If you’ve read this far, thank you for taking the time. I hope you found it of interest.

REY
16-07-2025

Below is a key to the abbreviations and the exercise listings.

a) = attacker d) = defender Rh = right hand Lh = left hand

1) Both in fighting stance. a) Jabs d) Lh counter with outside block, controlling the arm d) Steps past on outside with right leg d) Rh back-fist to face, then pushing a) down over right leg

2)

a) Wrist grab d) Sweep grabbed arm up as in outward block d) Sweep other arm under and outward, as in matching outside block, grabbing attackers raised wrist d) Continue sweeping motion to extend arm and open opponents back d) Hook punch to ear/neck area with free hand d) Added extra drop elbow onto back of attackers extended arm d) Perform arm bar and turn to throw opponent to ground

3) Both in clinch, left arm behind neck, head down to prevent head butt a) Pushes rh up inside clinch for eye gouge (simulate) a) Locks rh behind head, left leg knee strike to abdomen/groin a) Releases grips, sweeps left arm under and round d) right arm a) Grabs left wrist with lh and pulls d) across a) Right arm raises to perform arm bar, right elbow goes on top of left elbow of d) a) Extension of arm continues to complete arm bar and lower head a) Right hammer-fist to l side of d) head under ear, push hand past head and pull up (chin, nose, eyes) a) Right leg back to complete pull up. a) Release both hands and lh punch to exposed throat, chin, etc

Karate: A Family Affair

OK, the title might be a little misleading — but to me, the dojo members are like extended family, and my son is family, so you could say Karate is a family affair for us. 🙂

This week we were lucky enough to train with — tongue in cheek — the “Granddad” of our dojo: Sensei Nohara (10th Dan), President of the Ryukyukan International Karate and Kobudo Federation. He came to give a seminar, and I think he brought the Okinawan weather with him, as the dojo was distinctly hot and humid! Due to my condition, I couldn't train nearly as much as I wanted — but opportunities like this don’t come around often, and they’re not to be missed. 🙂

We trained again on Saturday, marking the first time in five years that both my son and I had been to the dojo twice in one week. That session was a bit of a struggle, thanks to the after-effects of a rather large and spicy pizza the night before! Still, I managed much more of the lesson than I expected, and my son picked up a few more drills than I did — which led us nicely into a Father’s Day follow-up.

My Father’s Day suggestion to him was:

“Go beat me up — then I can do the same back.”

Given that he's bigger than me and a higher grade, it felt like a fair challenge! 🤣

We began with a drill I wrote down two weeks ago (see below), then moved on to material from our previous session — before I inevitably ran out of steam. We practiced kata up to Pinan Shodan, and I shared a few ideas I’d been exploring from a White Crane form I’ve been working on. Honestly, it was some of the best father-son work we’ve ever done. We both finished soaked in sweat, and with grins to match.

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Starting Drill

1. Attacker (with pads) advances toward defender
→ Defender: verbal command + fence stance

2. Attacker strikes pads to sides of defender’s head
→ Defender: backhand palm strike to pads (head)

3. Attacker throws a roundhouse punch
→ Defender: triangular frame block, protecting head

4. Attacker drops pads to simulate a knee strike
→ Defender: bridges onto attacker’s shoulder and pushes down
→ Then: two knee strikes, followed by release

5. Attacker raises pads for an elbow strike
→ Defender: bridges to pads, delivers two elbow strikes
→ Then: releases bridging hand

6. Defender grabs attacker's wrist (opposite side of bridge)
→ Former bridging hand slaps attacker’s head
→ Body rotates in direction of pull, extending and rotating attacker's arm
→ Slapping hand moves to attacker’s elbow, forcing it downward
→ Rotation continues into an arm bar

7. Attacker is taken to the ground

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To all the dads out there — Happy Father’s Day, and I hope you get time with your loved ones to sweat, laugh, and share a few bruises in good spirit.  And to all the mums, thank you for putting up with us.

Thanks as always to those of you who read this.
– REY, 15/06/2025

Remembering drills, Aches and Pains....

Going back to the dojo after a long time was a major shock to the system.  Much as I had kept practicing my kata as part of my mindfulness and breathing exercise, it was no preperation for the loss of stamina, and having to learn again how to pace myself to last a lesson given my health issues.  Along with such exercise also come the aches and pains of using muscles vigourously for the first time in ages.

Nontheless it was a great feeling to be back amost friends, and now in the same class as my son.  Before Covid he was a cadet, and now he's 18 and was even keener than me to get back into the swing of things than me😊.  We've just finished the third lesson back, and of course the biggest realisation after practicing solo for so long, is how much I missed the pairs work.  Some of it was familiar as basics never change, but a fair bit of the drill work was new to me.

Some of it I remember from the online lessons during Covid, but of course ultimately it's no real substitute for practicing with a partner.  It's one thing to think you've grasped the dynamics involved, it's another to actually get to practice them on a person, rather than on a pad or thin air.  Especially with a willing partner to practice with at home!

The drill I want to practice to get the dynamics right is the one I've documented below.  One habit I intend to keep up from previous blogs is to document some key elements of practice to act as an aide-memoire, once I've checked them with my Sensei.

Response to grab (single handed)

1)    Place nearest hand on grabbing hand, open handed slap to the side of the head with opposite hand.
2)    Move slapping hand across to other side of the neck and hook it round the neck.
3)    Release grabbing hand and slide your other hand over the grabbing arm and under the armpit
4)    Hook hand under the shoulder to break the grip, then step back with leg on slapping side.
5)    As you take a step back, push the head down and lift the shoulder up
6)    This should put the head below chest level and give enough space to get in a knee strike

That's so I can practice with my son later 😊

Thanks for reading 

REY 17/05/2025