Back in the day, warm-ups were never an afterthought. A typical karate class under Shihan Mezie-Okoye began with a simple but deliberate 15–20-minute routine — starting from the head and working all the way down to the toes. There was rhythm to it, a sense of mindfulness. Each rotation, each stretch, each controlled breath connected…
Lessons from Our Kumite Month
With our focus squarely on our kumite theme, last month proved to be a true test of endurance and grit at the Zen Budo Dojo. I commend all who held on and pushed through the aches and pains. The combination of plyometric training with our techniques—box jumps, burpees, and other agility drills—sure had its effect…
Sports Kumite – Benefits, Pitfalls, and the Zen Budo Balance
Kumite was the focus of our training this month at the Zen Budo Dojo, and as always, we try to draw that balance between what works and what’s flashy. Sports kumite has its place. It sharpens timing, distance control, and the ability to execute techniques with precision under pressure. For many karatekas, competition builds confidence,…
Explosive Strength: Beyond Kumite
During one of our kumite sessions this month, an interesting question popped into my head: what use is explosive strength outside kumite? I often get some knocks for still doing burpees and plyometric stair runs. For most people, it’s easy to understand the value of strength training and cardio as we age. These help us…
Why Martial Arts Training Matters Now More Than Ever in Nigeria
On 21st August 2025, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, made a strong call to action: he urged all Nigerians to acquire combat and self-defense skills—such as martial arts (Karate, Taekwondo, Judo)—in response to the country’s rising insecurity. At first glance, this call might seem strange coming from those saddled with the responsibility…
Shihan Charles Mezie-Okoye: The Teacher Who Started My Karate Journey
It wouldn’t be proper to conclude a series on karate masters without writing about the man who first set me on this path — Shihan Charles Mezie-Okoye, 6th Dan, Chief Instructor, ASKA. I still remember those early days in the late 1980s as a young secondary school student, lining up in the open-air dojo at…
Beyond Victory: Funakoshi and the Perfection of Character
We began this series with Miyamoto Musashi, who taught us that the mountain will not lean and the river will not wait — a call to face the challenges outside us with courage and urgency. Then we heard from Lao Tzu, who reminded us that overcoming others makes you strong, but overcoming yourself makes you…
The Hardest Opponent: Lao Tzu and the Battle Within
In our last post, we looked at Miyamoto Musashi’s challenge – to face the mountain that will not lean and the river that will not wait. That was a lesson about confronting the forces outside you. But today, we turn inward, because there is a battle even harder to win. At Zen Budo Karate, our…
The Mountain, the River, and the Path: Lessons from the Masters for Modern Society
In today’s world, a troubling trend is quietly taking root. More and more people either feel entitled to rewards they haven’t earned or have accepted the idea that it’s somehow okay to be weak. This is a sharp contrast to just a few decades ago – even as recently as the 1980s – when tenacity,…
What is Kobudo, and Where Do I Start?
With all the discussions going on about kobudo, it’s not uncommon to be frequently asked: “What is kobudō?” “How do I get started?” “What weapons do I begin with—and where do I even get them?” I tackle each of these questions in this week’s blog post. Kobudo: The Origins, the Mindset, and Getting Started When…