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Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Prepare to have your beliefs challenged about what karate really is.
Within these pages, you will discover traditional karate; along the way, perhaps many of your own beliefs about karate will be confronted. You might have a body capable of mastering karate's physical techniques, but do you have a mind with a level of awareness that is able to grasp the true spirit of karate?
For adults only. Regardless of how many people you can defeat in combat, the deeper aim of karate has always been to conquer your own ego, and by doing so, you increase the likelihood of avoiding conflict. When you can control your ego, you have a chance to establish peace in your this is the tradition of budo karate.
Shin Gi Tai has a literal mind–technique–body. A karate-ka's mind (shin) must be developed ahead of his technique (gi) if he is to discover a sense of balance within his body (tai). While the mental and physical aspects of karate are daunting and causes many to stop training, if you can just endure the early years, say - the first decade - then there is opportunity for real and lasting benefits.
Budo is a concept more often discussed than put into practice, and yet, as part of traditional karate training, it has the capacity to dramatically change lives for the better, but only if you are prepared to move past the obvious and strive to understand the philosophy and the morality of budo.
Your life is yours, your karate is yours, accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards.
Within these pages, you will discover traditional karate; along the way, perhaps many of your own beliefs about karate will be confronted. You might have a body capable of mastering karate's physical techniques, but do you have a mind with a level of awareness that is able to grasp the true spirit of karate?
For adults only. Regardless of how many people you can defeat in combat, the deeper aim of karate has always been to conquer your own ego, and by doing so, you increase the likelihood of avoiding conflict. When you can control your ego, you have a chance to establish peace in your this is the tradition of budo karate.
Shin Gi Tai has a literal mind–technique–body. A karate-ka's mind (shin) must be developed ahead of his technique (gi) if he is to discover a sense of balance within his body (tai). While the mental and physical aspects of karate are daunting and causes many to stop training, if you can just endure the early years, say - the first decade - then there is opportunity for real and lasting benefits.
Budo is a concept more often discussed than put into practice, and yet, as part of traditional karate training, it has the capacity to dramatically change lives for the better, but only if you are prepared to move past the obvious and strive to understand the philosophy and the morality of budo.
Your life is yours, your karate is yours, accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards.
- GenresMartial Arts
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Michael Clarke
5 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 9, 2017
Thought provoking book on what it means to be karateka. It contains Michael's personal journey and reflection being a karate disciple from his less than glorious beginning as a troubled teenager. Michael also included thoughts and stories from the Okinawan karatekas past and present - which are quite enlightening read.
A must read for student of karate.
A must read for student of karate.
September 25, 2012
"Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit" by Michael Clarke is an outstanding book for all martial artists, not only Karateka. While Clarke's background, and much of what he writes about, is in traditional karate, many of the lessons and philosophy that Clarke writes about and teaches is relevant to all traditional martial arts. However, if you study Japanese or Okinawan arts, especially Okinawan Goju-ryu, you will appreciate this text even more.
After the introduction, there are chapters on: The Dojo; Shin - Mind, Spirit; Gi - Technique; Tai - Body; The Future of Karate; Stories of Three Great Men (Kosaku Matsumora, Kanryo Higaonna, and Gichin Funakoshi); and a conclusion. There are also notes, glossary, bibliography, recommended reading and DVDs, and some on-line resources. What this list doesn't share, is just how much great information is contained in those chapters.
The fourth chapter, Gi - Technique, is the chapter that those, like me, who don't practice Karate, will find interesting if you enjoy reading about other styles and how they train, but maybe not as relevant as some of the other chapters. Chapter 5, Tai - Body, was also a bit basic, and for some who have their own warm up exercises, or for those that read Clarke's book "The Art of Hojo Undo: Power Training for Traditional Karate" (excellent book by the way) may find this chapter lacking.
The introduction, and first three chapters, especially chapter 3 Shin - Mind, Spirt, were the parts of the book I found most fascinating, enlightening, and applicable to all martial artists. I really enjoyed these chapters and found myself thinking of how Clarke's journey and mine paralleled, and how I could learn from him for my own training and teaching. I agree with Clarke when he writes, "Sincere and consistent training in the dojo cultivates the spirit, which in turn, facilitates problem solving in your life outside the dojo."
I also found the chapter on the future of karate to be interesting and enjoyed Clarke's take on the art and practice. Reading the stories of the three great karateka that Clarke included in chapter seven was also interesting and enlightening on the history of his art.
I highly recommend this book to all martial artists who study budo, not just to discuss, but to put into practice. Clarke has put budo into practice, and through reading this book, you will also be able to better understand the philosophy and the morality of budo. Excellent Book!
After the introduction, there are chapters on: The Dojo; Shin - Mind, Spirit; Gi - Technique; Tai - Body; The Future of Karate; Stories of Three Great Men (Kosaku Matsumora, Kanryo Higaonna, and Gichin Funakoshi); and a conclusion. There are also notes, glossary, bibliography, recommended reading and DVDs, and some on-line resources. What this list doesn't share, is just how much great information is contained in those chapters.
The fourth chapter, Gi - Technique, is the chapter that those, like me, who don't practice Karate, will find interesting if you enjoy reading about other styles and how they train, but maybe not as relevant as some of the other chapters. Chapter 5, Tai - Body, was also a bit basic, and for some who have their own warm up exercises, or for those that read Clarke's book "The Art of Hojo Undo: Power Training for Traditional Karate" (excellent book by the way) may find this chapter lacking.
The introduction, and first three chapters, especially chapter 3 Shin - Mind, Spirt, were the parts of the book I found most fascinating, enlightening, and applicable to all martial artists. I really enjoyed these chapters and found myself thinking of how Clarke's journey and mine paralleled, and how I could learn from him for my own training and teaching. I agree with Clarke when he writes, "Sincere and consistent training in the dojo cultivates the spirit, which in turn, facilitates problem solving in your life outside the dojo."
I also found the chapter on the future of karate to be interesting and enjoyed Clarke's take on the art and practice. Reading the stories of the three great karateka that Clarke included in chapter seven was also interesting and enlightening on the history of his art.
I highly recommend this book to all martial artists who study budo, not just to discuss, but to put into practice. Clarke has put budo into practice, and through reading this book, you will also be able to better understand the philosophy and the morality of budo. Excellent Book!
November 29, 2011
I received this book from its publisher YMAA for the purposes of reviewing the book.
As a fairly short-time martial artist, about 14 years as of this writing, I was excited about learning from someone like Master Michael Clarke, who has been practicing for several decades. The book promises to educate you on the body, mind and spirit of karate, knowing in Japanese as Shin Gi Tai.
While I believe the book definitely touches on each of these areas, it seemed like those concepts were secondary to a history of karate, and specifically Goju Ryu, which the author practices. The origin of karate in Okinawa certainly is important to the mindset of a career karateka, but it almost felt like it was overdone.
The only thing I really have a quibble with is the author's position that a dojo cannot be teaching true budo, or the martial way, if they are a commercial or sport dojo. While I know there are certainly McDojos out there who are looking only to make a buck without going any deeper than developing self-confidence through belt promotion and competition success, I believe it's a fallacy to portray those karate clubs as incapable of teaching anything deeper. I certainly understand the author runs a very traditional dojo, and I respect him for that, as not everyone will look for that as a student or as an instructor, but I don't believe it has to be as black and white as the author purports.
All that said, I did really enjoy the book, especially as a martial arts historian myself, albeit leaning more toward Korean arts. But knowing the arts are all intertwined and have similar origins, the history of one is important to the history of them all.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Okinawa and karate in general, especially the more traditional aspects of the art.
As a fairly short-time martial artist, about 14 years as of this writing, I was excited about learning from someone like Master Michael Clarke, who has been practicing for several decades. The book promises to educate you on the body, mind and spirit of karate, knowing in Japanese as Shin Gi Tai.
While I believe the book definitely touches on each of these areas, it seemed like those concepts were secondary to a history of karate, and specifically Goju Ryu, which the author practices. The origin of karate in Okinawa certainly is important to the mindset of a career karateka, but it almost felt like it was overdone.
The only thing I really have a quibble with is the author's position that a dojo cannot be teaching true budo, or the martial way, if they are a commercial or sport dojo. While I know there are certainly McDojos out there who are looking only to make a buck without going any deeper than developing self-confidence through belt promotion and competition success, I believe it's a fallacy to portray those karate clubs as incapable of teaching anything deeper. I certainly understand the author runs a very traditional dojo, and I respect him for that, as not everyone will look for that as a student or as an instructor, but I don't believe it has to be as black and white as the author purports.
All that said, I did really enjoy the book, especially as a martial arts historian myself, albeit leaning more toward Korean arts. But knowing the arts are all intertwined and have similar origins, the history of one is important to the history of them all.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Okinawa and karate in general, especially the more traditional aspects of the art.
September 12, 2017
Borrowed from my Sensei’s Dojo Library, I’d put this on the list a year or so ago, not expecting to buy a copy for myself for a while, but magically, there it was.
Subtitled, “Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit” this is a bit of a deeper dive into what it means to study karate (or, potentially, any martial art).
A few tastes of things:
1. The order is important: Shin (Mind), Gi (Technique), Tai (Body). Your mind needs to be developed ahead of your technique to find strength and balance in your body.
2. There is no such thing as an advanced technique, only one you don’t know how to apply yet.
3. Frequently trips to the idea of Shuhari, cyclical learning, a culturally important concept and critical to the Okinawan way of looking at karate.
4. Reminders that the real objective is to conquer your own ego and build your own character.
We get a look at what, traditionally but seen through the author’s eyes, what skill levels the dan grades should represent, detailed discussion of the kanji that make up various key words in Japanese and Okinawan martial arts tradition, how terminology changes have affected the art, and more than a little history of karate.
Overall rating: 4 stars. Interesting and enjoyable, filled with little bits of things that give you pause for thought. “Your life is yours, your karate is yours; accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards.”
Subtitled, “Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit” this is a bit of a deeper dive into what it means to study karate (or, potentially, any martial art).
A few tastes of things:
1. The order is important: Shin (Mind), Gi (Technique), Tai (Body). Your mind needs to be developed ahead of your technique to find strength and balance in your body.
2. There is no such thing as an advanced technique, only one you don’t know how to apply yet.
3. Frequently trips to the idea of Shuhari, cyclical learning, a culturally important concept and critical to the Okinawan way of looking at karate.
4. Reminders that the real objective is to conquer your own ego and build your own character.
We get a look at what, traditionally but seen through the author’s eyes, what skill levels the dan grades should represent, detailed discussion of the kanji that make up various key words in Japanese and Okinawan martial arts tradition, how terminology changes have affected the art, and more than a little history of karate.
Overall rating: 4 stars. Interesting and enjoyable, filled with little bits of things that give you pause for thought. “Your life is yours, your karate is yours; accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards.”
November 18, 2011
When I was a beginning student sometimes high ranking black belts would come to the dojo to visit, teach, or train. I discovered that if you hung around after class and asked a few leading questions, sometimes the visiting black belt would open a new world to you: stories about his teachers or about masters now gone, techniques for strengthening a particular part of the body, martial philosophy and psychology, new ways of looking at old techniques, or challenges to think about and test yourself against. Shin Gi Tai is like having Michael Clarke visit the dojo and drop all these things and more in your lap. It is an eclectic book containing everything from training techniques to history, background on why karate-ka do what they do to commentary on modern trends in the martial arts. Mostly it is a chance to hang out with a senior martial artist and to listen to him talk about the many-facets world of karate. I will be mulling over his insights for months to come.
Susan Lynn Peterson
author of Western Herbs for Martial Artists and Contact Athletes
and Legends of the Martial Arts Masters
Susan Lynn Peterson
author of Western Herbs for Martial Artists and Contact Athletes
and Legends of the Martial Arts Masters
December 5, 2011
Very well written. Shin Gi Tai by Michael Clarke is a book not just for learning about Karate in the physical sense, but also it is a mind stretch to help examine the spirit of Karate. There is a lot of reference to budo, a concept, that is more discussed than put in actually practice. I was glad that Michael Clarke examined this aspect as it can be immensely helpful in putting things in perspective. I also enjoyed reading about the history of Okinawan Karate.
I like what he says, "Your life is yours, your karate is yours; accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards."
I like what he says, "Your life is yours, your karate is yours; accept ownership of both and reap countless rewards."
January 29, 2013
Very good book on the nature of mature Karate training. Inspirational in spirit and philosophy of training.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews