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.”

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POST HISTORY

 January 2026 (3)
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 December 2022 (9)
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RECENT POSTS

The Syllabus Is a Guide, Not a Cage – Learning Beyond the Wall Chart.

JAN 04 2026

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Understanding Without Permission, Discomfort With Independent Thought.

JAN 03 2026

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Waiting for the Lightbulb Moment – When Patience Becomes an Excuse.

JAN 02 2026

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Repetition Without Understanding Is Just Practice in Error.

DEC 31 2025

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Kata Must Survive Failure, Not Choreography.

DEC 29 2025

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Karate, Context, and the Problem With Certainty.

DEC 28 2025

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When or how does one know when a particular sequence in a kata has actually finished and when the next sequence starts?

DEC 27 2025

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From Power to Position: Training Smarter With Age.

DEC 24 2025

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