Heavy Lifting

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Today, at the Kowakan blog the author talked about winning the lottery and said something, actually wrote something, that meant a lot to me and toward a philosophy that is karate, i.e., “ … do the heavy lifting – to struggle and come to my own understanding.” 

I read his story, you can read it here too, and understand his philosophy - great. What I am going to express in this article is my view on heavy lifting. 

Today’s karate tends to lean toward a “Hand-holding” type attitude in teaching. It is a more commercial view that seems to exist so that people have to put out the least effort and learn the minimum to achieve goals in that type of training facility. Hand-holding is all fine and dandy for a beginner but to truly grow and prosper you really do have to, “Do the Heavy Lifting.” 

Some of the principles of karate include teachings about things like, “Shu-ha-ri and Shin-gi-tai,” where it is apparent, to my perception, that more is required to achieve higher levels of understanding in karate. Most tend to stay in that first level, of three levels, contented in the comfort that provides but if you wish to make a mark for yourself and by osmosis others you have to move beyond that comfort. I use to think this is where the rubber hit the road in karate and the why I felt applied to reasoning when a student would reach a certain point then walk away. 

If you are a weight lifter you know that progress comes from just one more pound added to the bar; one more repetition to the set; and one more work out session especially when you really and truly don’t feel like it, you do it anyway. That is heavy lifting in karate. Dig deep down within yourself, do the heavy lifting, you will never regret it. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Here, listen to this and understand what it is to lift the heavier weight, inspiring.