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.