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.”

Search

POST HISTORY

 January 2026 (18)
 December 2025 (18)
 November 2025 (21)
 October 2025 (21)
 September 2025 (21)
 August 2025 (22)
 July 2025 (25)
 June 2025 (25)
 May 2025 (22)
 April 2025 (25)
 March 2025 (26)
 February 2025 (24)
 January 2025 (21)
 December 2024 (23)
 November 2024 (21)
 October 2024 (26)
 September 2024 (23)
 August 2024 (26)
 July 2024 (25)
 June 2024 (25)
 May 2024 (21)
 April 2024 (24)
 March 2024 (20)
 February 2024 (25)
 January 2024 (26)
 December 2023 (16)
 November 2023 (8)
 October 2023 (4)
 September 2023 (5)
 August 2023 (2)
 July 2023 (2)
 June 2023 (4)
 May 2023 (8)
 April 2023 (12)
 March 2023 (13)
 February 2023 (5)
 January 2023 (9)
 December 2022 (9)
 November 2022 (14)
 October 2022 (13)
 September 2022 (8)
 August 2022 (16)
 July 2022 (13)

RECENT POSTS

Predictable Responses Are Not Guaranteed Outcomes.

JAN 24 2026

---

Bunkai Without Reaction Is Still Choreography.

JAN 23 2026

---

What Do We Mean When We Say “Original Kata”?

JAN 22 2026

---

'Take Them to the Ground' That Is The Failure.

JAN 21 2026

---

Karate Doesn’t Fail – Unclear Goals Do. The global estimate of people who practice martial arts ranges from as low as 50 million to as high as 150 million.

JAN 20 2026

---

Certificates, Curiosity, and the Disappearance of Depth in Karate.

JAN 18 2026

---

When Function Comes First – Kata as Record, Not Puzzle.

JAN 16 2026

---

Real Violence Isn’t a Fight – And That Changes Everything.

JAN 15 2026

---