Hi! 👋 Welcome to our (and now yours too) Traditional Shotokan Community! I'm thrilled to see you here! You're about to become a Shotokan Ninja! 🥷😉 Shotokan Karate is often seen as a sport like any others... ...But in fact it's far more than that! I have great respect for the many athletes who dedicate themselves to their sport and achieve sometimes impressive performances. But however, as I already told you, here you won't find red and blue gloves Karate! 😁 Competition is cool, but it can only suit a few. And like Funakoshi Gichin Sensei (one of the founding fathers of Karate), I believe that Karate is for everyone and that its regular practice can dramatically change your life. I first consider, practice and teach Karate as a way, a path to self-perfection, personal growth and fulfillment. It's what we call a Budō (which means Way of the Warrior). I believe that by drawing inspiration from the spirit of Zen and the ancient samurai, we can build for ourselves a new mindset and a new sense of center, peace and harmony that will support us in our everyday - often chaotic - lives. There are many motives why you might want to practice Shotokan Karate, including: - Health and fitness - Balance, joy and well-being - Self-improvement, personal growth and fulfillment - Self-defense and preservation - Art, expression and culture - Sport, fun and friendships And be sure that practicing Shotokan will absolutely benefit you in all of these areas, regardless of your reason for starting in the first place! - "Ok Nicolas that all sounds great, but Karate is tough, Karate is violent!" Right! It can be rough sometimes... But only for advanced dedicated practitioners... But also wrong... Because true Karate is anything but violent. Keep in mind that one of the most famous quote by Funakoshi Sensei (which is engraved on his tomb) was: "Karate ni sente nashi" => There is no first attack in Karate. Old Karate was only about defense, health, preservation and self-improvement.

Hi! 👋 Welcome to our Traditional Shotokan Community. I'm very glad you're here and I hope you'll enjoy your ride with us. Always feel free to post, comment, exchange and bring value to others, but you have to respect a few VERY IMPORTANT rules: - Whether you are a long-time practitioner or a complete beginner, you should keep in mind that we are here to honor the traditional Shotokan spirit described by Funakoshi Gichin Sensei in his Dōjō Kun (the five Dōjō principles) and Nijū Kun (The twenty Guiding Principles of Karate). So to sum up, always be polite, gentle and respect others in their being and their practice. - There is no truth in Karate like in any other art. We are all diligently practicing with our hearts and souls, but our practice is always our own interpretation of the teaching we have received, shaped by our history and experiences. We must therefore accept that we don't own the truth and we must always remain courteous (I know you're passionate, I know you think you're right, but it's YOUR vision, and most feel the same way). This way we will all learn and grow together. Additionally, this is part of the Shoshin spirit (beginner's mind) that is so important in practice. - We are not here to argue or fight, but to expand our practice and understanding, share our passion with the community, and embark on this wonderful karate journey together. - You can post anything related to our subject and that you think will help other members in their own Karate journey. And since we love so much traditional martial arts, you can also share content from other arts that may enlighten and inspire our Karate and our lives (Traditional Japanese Culture, Yoga, TaiChi, Aikido, Yi Chuan, Zen, Iai Dō, Kyu-dō, Sa-dō...). ✅ - Please, do not share modern "red and blue gloves" or "threesome Kata choregraphy"! ⚠️ - No personal, organizational or corporate promotion is permitted. 🚫 - Keep in mind that if you violate these rules, admins always have the right to ban you from the group. ⛔ - We love and respect the traditional Japanese Culture and we always try to respect the Rei (the principles of etiquette), but we may make mistakes in the language and writing of the Budō terms. Don't make a big deal out of it, and if you are a native Japanese speaker or an expert in Japanese language or culture, feel free to KINDLY make corrections and share your knowledge with others! - Finally, it's very important to say that I will share here my - sometimes controversial - opinion and interpretation about Shotokan Karate-do. I don't claim to own any kind of truth, this is just my vision based on my long time practice alongside Japanese masters. My opinion is only mine, and if it does not resonate with you or suit you, you are of course free to leave the group and find another one where you will feel more comfortable. (Sorry if this sound a little rough, but the clearer we are, the better the journey!)