We're always in a rush to get to the more advanced stuff, but there's no such thing.

We mustn't forget the core principles that are taught in the earlier techniques and pairworks that we are shown.

When we first learn karate just getting ourselves into the right position is an order and kata is a puzzle we are trying to complete whilst everything around us is moving.

The sooner we learn to focus on moving our centre, our body first for everything, the better our karate will be.

Someone asked the question about how to do the first movement in Pinan Sandan as they were used to reaching with the foot first and then turning as opposed to initiating the turn with the body and then the foot follows swiftly.

I won't lie, 2020 was a washout karate wise for me.

I had a really bad throat infection just before the 2020 Winter Course and didn't train, then I suffered gout, which was finally went to A&E and had it diagnosed. Thankfully I haven't suffered another bout of it again.

The church halls shut and whilst one tentatively opened up, with the changing tier levels, it's not worth opening back up again until things settle down.

Just before the Wado Academy Winter Course I annoyingly, very annoyingly, sustained another ankle injury and had to miss out on the week's training in Guildford. I also had the same kind of injury in the other foot at the back end of last year and might have to look into things.

I did manage to make it down to Guildford for some beers and the camaraderie of others. That's still important.

On the Sunday, even though I had the foot injury I took a chair and sat in the dojo to watch the second lesson. Arthur Meek sensei was taking the brown belts and below down the bottom end, which gave me a close up view of their training.