Paul A. Walker

As a karate instructor, you no doubt understand the importance of lesson planning. Developing an effective lesson plan is of vital importance, especially for new instructors. However, even for a highly experienced instructor it does not hurt to revisit some basic lesson planning principles. There are several main components that...

One of the most important elements of a martial arts school's operations is the class schedule. Deciding on an appropriate and effective schedule that matches the needs of your students and your curriculum can often be a very challenging task but if this is done right then the benefits are...

Have you ever felt like you are teaching the same thing repeatedly? Have you been frustrated by using the same old practice drills every week? Do you sometimes sense that your students are getting bored or are losing interest? Often one of the biggest challenges for a martial arts instructor...

Many of you reading this article may already be well on your way to becoming a black belt in your chosen martial art. Some of you may just be starting out on your journey and others may have reached the coveted black belt and are now working towards higher degrees...

One of the core tenets of the martial arts is humility, but unfortunately some practitioners don't seem to embrace these values and instead insist on being aggressive, arrogant and boastful. If you know someone like this you might want to show them this short story about a wise Zen Master...

The educational system often talks about the 'Three Rs' of Reading Writing and Arithmetic. To a casual observer, one might say that the education system was flawed from the very beginning by the fact that it can't spell! In Karate, however, we can spell, and the three Ks really are...

My most influential teachers always said the most important karate lesson was whatever fostered greater discipline and self control. They wisely pointed out, that with this foundation in place, everything else follows in natural order. I'm glad that people have started to ask about discipline and self control in karate, because...

A lot of people nowadays are getting into the martial arts and choosing a school without even knowing which style of martial arts the school teaches. Some schools are not totally clear on what their style is as many are practicing and teaching a hybrid mix of multiple arts. Is...

Beginner level Karate Kids seem to be getting younger and younger nowadays. What is the right age to start the martial arts? Is your little one ready to become a karate kid? Back when I started practicing martial arts in the early 1980s in England the youngest child my local karate...

With the increase in popularity of the martial arts more and more people are searching for a good karate school and a good instructor. There are many great schools and instructors out there and unfortunately there are as many not so good. How do you tell the difference? What should...