Blog

Hand-eye co-ordination is an everyday life skill, knowing where our limbs are without having to look at them.  We don’t look at our feet as we’re walking, or our hands as we pick something up.  It’s know as Proprioception, our hidden sixth sense, and there are steps we ca...

Hand-eye co-ordination is the process of controlling our eye movement with our hand movements.  A skill we start learning from as young as 4 months, which is when babies tend to start bringing objects to their mouth so they can determine what it is.   A normal part of child developmen...

You may have heard the phrase ‘Sensei’ or ‘Senpai’ in the dojo, so what do these Japanese phrases mean?  Sensei (先生) (pronounced sen-say), translates as “one who gone before”.  Typically used when referring to teachers, from school, university and al...

Posture and Core Strength What is posture?  It’s how we hold our body, there’s two types.  Dynamic posture is how we hold ourselves when we’re moving, for example, walking, running or bending over to pick something up.  Static posture is when we’re not moving,...

What does flexibility mean? It can refer to events, such as having ‘flexibility in modifying the date’, a willingness to change or compromise ‘they showed flexibility in adapting the rules’, and it refers to physical movements ‘the quality of bending easily’. Fle...

At Red Eagle Martial Arts we practise and learn the karate style Wadō-ryū (和道流).  This is one of the four major karate styles and was founded by Hironori Ohtsuka (1892–1982) in 1938.  The four major karate styles are Shotokan, Wadō-Ryū, Shito-Ryu, and Goju-R...

The uniform we wear is called a Gi (pronounced ghee), it’s a traditional training uniform worn when practising karate and other martial arts.  They’re designed to provide comfort, and full range of motion when executing techniques. Traditionalists often refer to them as Dogi or Kei...

Walking is a skill we learn, normally as a toddler, as we grow and develop it happens without conscious thought.  The problem with this is we start to take short-cuts and develop bad habits.  We find that ‘walking’ is actually our momentum driving us forward, not a conscious t...

There are many benefits to karate training, the one I'm going to concentrate on today is 'Focus'. The ability to switch off from everything else and concentrate solely on one thing.  Not focusing completely and allowing other thoughts to come into your mind (did I send that email, what do I ne...

Feel more energised A short gentle, low-impact exercise routine, which will re-energise your body.  You don’t require much room, it can be done standing on the spot or sitting on a chair. Pop some relaxing music on and allow your mind to relax and calm, enjoying the feeling of moving me...

Kata is a term used in martial arts which refers to a structured routine consisting of different techniques and stances.  It’s a methodology that uses repeated and consistent practice, teaching us how to perform movements by creating habits, allowing us to move without conscious thought. ...

Join us for our Bonsai Chi ‘Get Active’ campaign, learning and following different exercise drills during the month.  Every Bonsai Chi drill focuses on one benefit, however often improves several of them simultaneously.  Performing it several times throughout the day improves o...

I’m sure you’ve heard karateka and martial arts ‘yelling’ during their kata and fighting.  It’s known as a ‘Kiai’, which is a Japanese term used for the sound uttered when executing a technique or move.  The words are a combination of Ki – li...

Our brain is an amazing organ, whilst it isn’t an actual muscle we’re told to treat it like one and exercise it, along with the rest of our body, to keep it healthy and functioning at its best.  So, what can we do to train our brain to focus? Set a clear plan, clarify what it is yo...

The word balance has so many meanings, it’s a noun, a verb, and is applicable within so many contexts e.g. balancing the cash book, balanced diet, balancing time demands.  It also refers to physical balance, the act of managing our body weight to allow us to move efficiently, unconsciousl...

So, you’ve become a black belt, what next?  A black belt is known as Sho-dan, literally ‘first level’.  It’s the beginning of your life long study in karate and martial arts.  It’s an achievement that you should be proud of, however nothing changes.&nbsp...

Yes, is the short answer.  As a woman who has been training for over 25 years, and achieved 4th Dan in 2020, I can confidently say that learning karate has been one of the best sports and exercise I’ve done. There are various reasons why any of us start learning a new skill, you may want...

I worked in an office environment for over 30 years, even though I felt like I was forever up and down out of my chair it wasn’t until I wore a step tracker that I realised this movement didn’t result in me taking many steps during the day!  There have been many studies done which ...

How often do you think about your posture?  It affects our overall wellbeing in so many ways, however we unconsciously do things which results in bad posture. The increase in technology means we don’t have to move as much, who remembers having to get up out of the chair to turn the telly...

Improve hand-eye co-ordination A short gentle, low-impact exercise routine, improving hand-eye co-ordination and flexibility of your hands.  You don’t require much room, it can be done standing on the spot or sitting on a chair. Pop some relaxing music on and allow your mind to relax an...

Self-defence or Self-protection, is there a difference and does it matter what we call it?  Everyone you ask has a different view, it’s not that one person is correct and the other wrong, we just interpret it in different ways.   The self-protection courses I hold are designed t...

If someone asked you what stances you adopt in a day you’d probably answer ‘none’.  It’s not a formal term we tend to think of in our everyday movement, however we’re using them all the time. One of the first words you’ll hear when training karate or Bonsai ...

Gently flex your body A short gentle whole body, low-impact exercise routine, refreshing and re-energising yourself.  You don’t require much room, it can be done standing on the spot or sitting on a chair. Pop some relaxing music on and allow your mind to relax and calm, enjoying the fe...

Loads!  We all know the benefits gained from exercise, physically, mentally and emotionally.  Children gain the same benefits, from burning up energy to socialising with a different group; being part of a karate club offers all these plus many more. Personal development and social interac...

Bonsai Chi is gentle, low-impact, whole body exercises, designed to improve your balance, flexibility and overall wellness.  The movements are designed to develop an understanding of how to control your body movements. Understanding where our body weight is, apportioning it correctly whilst we...

Introducing an exercise regime can be challenging, at any time.  I started Wado Ryu karate training at 13, and consistently trained 2, sometimes 3 nights a week, throughout school life and when I started full-time work at 16.  Even though I maintained this regime, changing jobs and moving ...

Kata is a set series of moves, involving different techniques and stances.  Within the traditional Wado Ryu karate style there are 15 kata’s that are practised in most schools.  Kata allows us to practise fundamental techniques and stances, as well improving our physical conditioning...

Do I need previous martial arts experience? No.  Everyone is welcome, whether you have previous experience of Wado Ryu or not.  You just need to be willing to learn and practise. Do I have to be sporty and fit? No.  You will gain many fitness benefits during your training however i...

Do I need to be sporty and fit? No.  You go at your own pace and the exercises can be varied to suit you.  For example, we put our arms forward at head height, if this causes discomfort in your shoulders then you lower it and put them forward at chest height.  You’ll soon find ...

With the restrictions placed on us in March, my physical Bonsai Chi and Wado Ryu classes were instantly stopped.  Having never done any form of exercise online I was nervous about doing anything, and really wasn’t sure how to go about it. I spent a lot of time on internet search engines ...

We all know exercise is good for us, finding the right one for what we’re trying to achieve can be difficult.  Each exercise offers different benefits, we often put pressure on ourselves and think that we’re not benefiting if we don’t finish a session all sweaty and face as a ...

One of the benefits I’ve gained from my martial arts is learning the ability to switch off from everything else and concentrate solely on my training.  It’s all absorbing and as you bow into the dojo you have to leave any problems at the door. Not focusing completely and allowing o...

I was very sporty at school and did most activities, I didn't really know much about karate so it wasn't on my list of things I wanted to do.  My younger brother decided he wanted to go as his friend was doing it, so my mum told me I had to go with him! I can still remember my first class, the...

Having been karate training since I was 13 I often spoke of a dream of leaving my ‘day job’ and setting up a martial arts school.  What shape and what it would be I could never define, however I always wanted to be able to provide the enjoyment and benefits I’ve gained to othe...