The Way

Kyokushin means ultimate truth. Here is what that name really asks of you, how the style trains, and why kumite sits at the center of it.

Why we don't punch to the face bare-knuckle, why head kicks are allowed, when to pad up, and what it takes to keep training for decades.

Where The Phoenix Way's Kyokushin comes from: Kancho Dan Soller and Phoenix Karate, plus the teachers in other arts who shaped how we train.

We help people find their voice. Here is what that means in a martial arts school, how we train it, and why confidence starts with being uncomfortable.

A 140-pound student stopped a 200-pound head instructor cold. What that taught me about ego, respect, and how a good dojo trains.

A question shouted from the side of a kumite round, and what it teaches about the never-quit spirit: resetting, staying in the process, and training smart.

Thinking about starting karate as an adult? What your first class feels like, why sparring is optional, and how to train so you last.

Slow it down so people get it right. Let them make it their own. Don't wait. Accept being beaten. Leadership lessons from the mat that carry home and to work.

Osu is the word you hear most in a Kyokushin dojo. Here is its commonly cited meaning, why the origin is debated, and how to use it with respect.

There's no messing up in a drill. Here is how real martial arts progress happens: slow reps, honest feedback from the bag, and training hard and often.