Home About Blog Contact Sitemap
main header image

 

Adam Carter Hanshi image
 
Adam Carter 8th dan Hanshi

Hello & Welcome to the Open Hand Notebook.


Dedicated to Everything
Martial Arts

My name is Adam Carter, and I appreciate you taking the time to visit. I am passionate about the martial arts, particularly the classical karate of Okinawa. My goal is to help practitioners - regardless of style or experience - gain a deeper understanding of their karate.

I publish content here as often as I can while also teaching at the Shuri Dojo, located in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Our dojo was originally founded in the UK in 1986, and we continue to teach traditional Okinawan karate with a strong emphasis on self-protection, the practical applications of kata, and the discipline and etiquette that form the foundation of true martial arts training.

As part of a lineage that traces back to Okinawa, we are dedicated to preserving classical karate and its cultural traditions, ensuring that this invaluable heritage is passed on to the next generation.

If there’s anything I can help with, feel free to reach out.

I hope you enjoy your visit to my blog. Please leave a comment about any of the posts.

Thanks again for visiting.

Adam

"Ichariba chode" (行逢りば兄弟). An Okinawan expression ….. “Though we meet but once, even by chance, we are friends for life.”

Red line image
            

RECENT POSTS

A Weapon Changes Everything – Your Life Matters More Than Your Wallet. image
A Weapon Changes Everything – Your Life Matters More Than Your Wallet.

NOV 28 2025


Karate Doesn’t Need More Choreography – It Needs Honesty. image
Karate Doesn’t Need More Choreography – It Needs Honesty.

NOV 26 2025


The Art You See Isn’t Always the Art You Need: Function Over Form. image
The Art You See Isn’t Always the Art You Need: Function Over Form.

NOV 25 2025


Why Some People Seek to Learn but Never Change. image
Why Some People Seek to Learn but Never Change.

NOV 24 2025


More Than a Block: One Movement, Many Uses. image
More Than a Block: One Movement, Many Uses.

NOV 21 2025


Good Teachers Are Measured by What They Inspire, Not What They Need to Prove. image
Good Teachers Are Measured by What They Inspire, Not What They Need to Prove.

NOV 20 2025


Not Every Argument Is Worth Your Time – Experience Teaches You That. image
Not Every Argument Is Worth Your Time – Experience Teaches You That.

NOV 19 2025


Kihon Misunderstood: Where Tradition Ends and Practical Karate Begins. image
Kihon Misunderstood: Where Tradition Ends and Practical Karate Begins.

NOV 18 2025