It is a privilege for us to share our knowledge of karate with you. We approach the study of karate with the greatest humility and deep respect for those who have gone before us in the true "way." Karate is unique. It is the most powerful of all the martial arts. However, it is so only for the serious student who practices in the proper frame of mind...no winning or losing...no friend or foe, only training...for which there is no substitute!Your training should start slowly. You will be using muscles that are rarely used. As you progress in skill and knowledge, you should demand more of yourself. Remember, there is no short cut to perfection in karate or in life. If you truly dedicate yourself to serious training, a vast wealth of knowledge, self-satisfaction and enlightenment await you. But it comes only through hard work and training it comes only as a direct result of your total effort.Karate is a fighting art. You must train with deep seriousness from the first day. Each punch, block or kick must be delivered with the power of your entire body in unison. No matter how much time you devote to training--months or years--if your training consists of no more than moving your arms and legs... you may as well be dancing, and you will never understand the true meaning of karate. When your instructor tells you to do something, do it exactly as you are taught without complaining. Only those students unwilling to face up to themselves resort to complaining. Cultivate a deep respect for courtesy, tradition, and discipline. These elements are not confined to the dojo. At home one is respectful and obedient to parents at school to teachers at work to superiors, and in the military to officers...so it is in true Karate-Do and life. Think of everyday life as karate training. Do not think of karate as belonging only in the dojo or only as a method of fighting. The spirit of karate training is applicable to each and every aspect of our daily lives. The indomitable spirit born of bearing down and gritting your teeth against the pain of a thousand kicks, or blinking sweat from your eyes from doing kata over and over will serve you well in everyday life. One whose spirit and mental strength have been forged by hard training will face any challenge with a "can do" attitude. One who has undergone long hours of hard physical training and mental agony to learn one technique can face any task...and carry it through to a successful conclusion. When you have done this, you can truly say that you have begun to understand the true "way."- Sensei Doug Perry, Hanshi-Kudan