Ben from JKA England here. A martial arts instructor with as much intellectual insight as Sensei Swain is extremely rare to come by, and his words were incredibly inspirational. I have posted this video onto our club's facebook page for them to watch. I will be testing for my yellow belt next month :)

I'm a Shotokan Karateka from the UK. It is refreshing to see such a genuine American Sensei who shares the traditional philosophies of Karate unlike all the egomaniacal badge and stripe plastered McDojo Senseis. Much respect and I am taught the same philosophy i as this Sensei's

Refreshing to hear that Shotokan is still being taught with this passion. Wise words Sensei Gary Swain, Oss

Few martial arts instructors understand the fundamental philosophy behind it. But this gentleman certainly does. Thanks for uploading this video, I found it very helpful. :)

I was about to dismiss Shotokan Karate because I didn't think this was what I was looking for in Martial Arts but after listening to this Sensai I thinik this is exactly what I'm looking for.

This is my favorite video for motivation. I am a 1st degree black belt in taekwondo going for my 2nd degree. I've been seeing this video when I was recommended black belt. It reminds me where I am at and where I want to go. Everything your sensei said is true. Thank you.

Sensei Swain, Excellent presentation of what karate is about and of what it offers. I wholeheartedly agree with what you have put forth in this video. I wish you all the best with your dojo and your students. Osu!

I would love to learn from sensei Swain. His words makes so much sense and I like his perspective on life and martial arts in general.

I agree with this man, most persons will never have to fight in their entire lives, those who are fighting all the time are persons without self-control. It is not a bad idea to know self defense but it shouldn´t be your goal in life to be "a great fighter" but a great human being.

i really enjoyed this video i am very new to shotokan karate but i train very hard and have been also letting my little sister come with me to my classes and i find that she has really developed a lot since she has been training with me and i am really proud at how far she has come

This is one of the best videos I`ve ever watched on KZfaq. I absoloutely agree on everything you say. I`ve just started Taekwondo and it`s probably one of the better choices I`ve done in my life. No matter what martial-arts you`re studying, it`s great for the mind,body and soul.

This is simply great. Great ideas to think upon, and great lecture material. High respect to this.

This sensei gets it. Much respect.

Positive, calm, sensible stuff. Just look at the students to see what the Sensei is about. They clearly love their karate and show their respect for him with their concentration and commitment. Great to see, all the very best to you all from Wales, U.K.

Thanks David for this fantastic and uplifting film. What a wise and wonderful man Gary Swain is. Greetings from Scotland :-)

Excellent video! Sensei Swain perfectly explained the Karate philosophy and how it can help young and old people. Congradulations.

This video has inspired me a lot, I will be starting my Shotokan Karate class on Wednesday and I cannot wait!

Absolutely inspiring. Thank you for posting!

I enjoyed listening to him and his perspective on Karate. I share the same mindset and try to educate people when they ask me why I train Karate.

Osu!! Sensei is a indeed a good teacher. Keep it up!

Brilliant and inspirational. thanks for posting!

Great interview. I can totally relate to his vision because my sensei talks like him (in his own way)... Whoever has lessons with that man ( Sensei Swain) should know how lucky they are. In nine minutes he (almost) said it all. He's one of those masters who makes karate evolve. Be proud to be his student, and whatever he says, and I mean whatever, listen. Thank you for this inspiring interview.

Very nice talk. Great Shotokan instructor.

Very well made documentary and very good perspective from the Sensei. I am testing for my green belt next week. For me karate is a challenge and earning the belt is a certain milestone to aim for. But Sensei is correct - the biggest and most important challenge is indeed the development of character. Osu!

I just watched this video again his attitude is wonderful . Very peaceful but strong looking man. OSS

the floors in your dojo are beautiful sensei

I am a 2'dan on Shito-ryu and a 6'dan on Uechi-ryu, but I admire and respect Shotokan so much. Humility is the way of the warrior.

Mr. Swain appears to be a very effective instructor. Great views on the Art of Karate as well. Thanks for posting!

At 5:40, Sensei Swain perfectly explained the essence of Budo.

Karate is amazing. You are starting to see these guys come into Mma and doing a good job.

I still have respect and miss Shotokan and my sensei from the early 2000s

Shotokan is not a Karate but a soul which connect the human with humanity & entire world with peace and harmony...OSS...

I agree very much. I also have a dangerous job and believe in being prepared for anything. Ever since I have discovered JKD and R.A.T. everything I thought and knew about traditional "Karate" has been blown away. I have never seen anything so effective and useful as I have when I was introduced to JKD and R.A.T.

This is a terrific video. This sensei seems very grounded.

Great video, so many intelligent words spoken in it. Didn´t expect a video THIS awesome (not much practiced karate but so true words spoken) 5* . Osu.

Thanks, wise words and good honest sensei.

Andrew, yes he is a wonderful, committed sensei. I feel lucky to learn from him.

You are a good man and I am sure a good teacher. I agree with your philosophy. I have been training in Japan for many years in traditional Karate and Kobujutsu. Belt is not important, only your heart and training. Bravo.

Loved the bit at 7:30 where he stresses that it's about HOW you train. That it's about the mindset about how you're training and not as much WHAT you're training. Too many people want to put down one martial art and say it doesn't work or that another one's better, but that's not important. If you approach your training with the mentality that what you're doing might save your life someday, you'll get the most out of it. We could use more of this attitude in martial arts schools.

Amazing wisdom. Thank you! I wish I can bring my child to you.

@Shotokan187 Thank you for watching. I am just a 5th Kyu at this point, but karate become a very important part of my life. Sensei Swain has been a very helpful in my growth as a karateka.

Gostei Professor desse ensinamento, da explicação, dessa aula sua de Karatê! Oss

Brilliant and inspirational words from a true karate-ka. Oss! from SKIF Ireland.

Great video. Great Sensei.

Good advice .good teaching

I study Cuong Nhu, which is a mixed martial base on shotokan karate. As soon as walked into my dojo for the first time. I knew that this was the form for me and that I belonged there...! Great video.. by the way.

I am 67 and took up karate 6 months ago which I enjoy. You are right if you do not live for the moment life will simply pass you by.

Thank you very much for your response. I am glad you appreciated this video and the words of Swain Sensei.

Very informative and honest. Thanks for posting!

Hello I really enjoy this and will be sure to share

Great explanation I'm a 3rd Dan in Taekwondo, Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu, 2nd degree blue belt in Judo, black prajied in Muay Thai, and a collegian wrestler. For Gracie Tampa MMA been in it since I was 3 years of age now I'm 15.

Been practicing Karate for 11 Years now and im only 17 y. I Love it !

Having said that I like this guy very much and I like his attitude towards Karate maybe that's why he has so many advanced students. OSS!

i enjoyed the video very much

great video!

Oss! A sensei you'd wish on every student of Karate!

I moved to the Denver area several years ago. Having trained in karate for 30 years, I was very concerned about who I was going to find to train under. Despite his uncanny ability to teach both children and adults in a gentler, more modern manner than he and I were taught, he is at heart a good, old-fashioned, traditional hardass. And I mean that in the most complementary way. He would not be too far out of place in the JKA Honbu dojo in 1955. I feel very fortunate to have found him.

Well Spoken of Sensei Gary ,thnx Oss

I liked his viewpoint. I studied under a club run through the school of Lance Charles with Brent Manning as Sensei. The emphasis was not on any weapons, but on self confidence and self control. "Goofing around" and showing off in class and after was not allowed and we learned to be humble very quickly.

Thank you for your comments about kids wearing black belts. A black belt means a beginning. It does not mean they are experts, just that they've learned the basics and they're training is now beginning. I know these "kids" and they don't think that they're something that they are not. There know that there is always someone better, and even and expert is not invincible.

Always remember that some people in the world are predators, and that they live by sensing the fear in others and exploiting it. The concepts he discusses here will give you that self confidence so that you do not telegraph fear, but move rationally out of the situation, even if that means fighting at times.

Great, I found myself shaking my head, yes, yes,.over and over. I how you don't mind if I use this as a guiding life principle I have only trained 25 yrs.

I've done various martial arts, over the past thirty years, although not Shotokan, and I think he seems like a great Karate instructor.

Exsellent spirit ,keep up the great work ..oss

This is a very good video clip sensei Swain. I like it indeed. (Odd note above about Philippinos and Japanese being better at forms?) I have lived in both places for years and but don't know what the statement has to do with your video. Good job Sensei. Dwight Holley, 47 yrs Shotokan Karate training.(still very much a student)

Dear mister Swain, keep up with the good work, nice to see that there still be some decent respectful karate teachers left. Being myself an accomplish martial artist with many year of hard training (mainly karate goju ryu and krav maga ) it is a true pleasure to see this video after seen so much (excuse my language) bullshit lately. May I suggest that your top students do also some full contact sparring with protections in order to see also how to fight a "none compliant aggressor".

This guy has crazy charisma, and innate motivation. Would be fantastic having a teacher like this. Considering moving to Colorado now. Hmm...

I think both of his eyes are a different color from each other, pretty cool!

I started training with Sensei Swain at 8 years old. I agree with everything he says here.

"The ultimate goal of karate lies not in victory, or, defeat. But in the perfection of the character of it's participants." - Master Gichin Funakoshi

this makes me wanna cry..

Full contact is the best way to train

BEAUTIFUL!! keep training people, osu!

it was never full contact in any country,some comps allow heavy contact but shotokan done full contact would see lots of facial injuries given the lack of hand protection.Even kyokushin has no face punches for this reason.

In addition, watch Lyoto Machida of the mma. He is a Shotokan 4th day who has adapted karate to that competition. His fater is a high ranking Japanese intructor and his brothers all out rank him. Its all timing and contriol of distance. Oh, he also studied Sumo from age 12 and has a black belt in bjj. What he does isn't traditional from an "association" viewpoint but its Shotokan.

Very Nice!!!!!!

Shotokan is meant to be full contact, it varies depending on your countries lawsuit laws.

Oss Sensei .. Shotokan too

@MrClinton19 I have forwarded your comment to Sensei Swain. Thanks for the kind words. He is a great teacher indeed. David

Goju ryu is one of the style with many grappling in it. Most Karate style does have groundfighting but most people won't realize it. It's also not the type of groundfighting people would think, like it would be BJJ. Do you know Naihanchi/Tekki Shodan? It's interesting if you try to do that on the ground.

I'm glad I take shotokan karate :3

Grate Sensei, simple and wise, of course it's up to students to behave :)

Like you said its not the art but the artist. When I first fought a Muay Thai fighter I was surprised as well but I just changed my attack and still won. I found that Muay Thai fighters to be not that hard to defeat. I grew up in TKD but my teacher trained in Japan in Shudokan. So its about how you were taught and what you were taught.

I would like to come train under you sometime. I am a 1st dan and I'm working on empi for my test in six months

I really enjoyed listening to you - you are not like most instructors.

@ethanaverelle07 I suppose that depends on the particular skills of the Japanese or Filipino people in question.

I want to start with shotokan karate in London next week, but I'm having problems with my abdominals more precisely called divarication of rectus abdominis. Is it safe to start with karate? GP said it's only in first stage of danger, so simple exercises are needed to fix it but I would love to start with karate ASAP. Please give me advice. Much appreciated.

Shijan my best wishes from South America, Colombia, Medellin, Ant.... Club shin ki do....

Sensei Swain appears to be a genuine and rational person. A fine representative of his ISKF organization.

Great spoken! Oss

I agree with everything he said. But of course martial artist need to train hard at fighting also, not just the technique, because at the moment of truth technique just disappears, unless you prepared for it. Also for those saying that a kid should not wear a black belt, it is as the Sensei said, unlike the misconception that a black belt is a master, far from it, a black belt is just someone that has learned the basics, and is now ready to begin perfection and understanding of the technique.

The philosopy of the martial arts Mr. swain speaks of is correct. The actual knowledge is less than desireable. This is Japanese university sport karate exported to the world and probably not useable for self defense. The old way of studying kata applications beyond the surface block and counter...the way it was originally done...with the hidden meanings of joint locks, grappling, thowing, chokes.strangles and pressure points and sans free sparring works better.

2:56 got to resist temptation from getting press-ups ... lol cool video

Osu from México Sensei

To all those people who are saying kids shouldn't be black belts, that's ridiculous. I'm 15 years old, and I have been a black belt for 3 years now. If you have the right attitude towards this sport, train hard and consistantly, enjoy it, and have an undestanding, and are physically ready, you're ready to grade, not matter what age.

My opinion is that you can't judge someone you don't know. You don't know this kids, you don't know the effort they made in karate. As it's says in the video, it's not about fighting with someone, it's not about how many people you can really beat. The black belt only means that the owner has mastered the basics of karate. The black belt is just the beginning of the training.

I think Mr. Swain Sensei is 100% correct. In Japanese there is a word Shin Shin which means the cultivastion of mind body and soul. In Ho Oo Ryu martial arts there is a kata(form) that is called Sanchin kata, which maybe translated into English as the Three wars Form. I believe the "Three Wars" are the unification of the mind, body and soul. The internal struggle is the true battle. Osu

Oss.👍👍

Inspiring! Osu.

Okay in that case I agree with you then. Once or twice is low. For me I just figured that's still high enough to affect how I train. I practiced for 5 years in Karate, it was great, then moved to more the modern systems like Krav Maga and Police Judo. I find MA training either involves Martial fighting, sport, or tradition and karate was more a mix of the sport & tradition which is fine depending on your goals. For me I wanted some martial training in case that once or twice fight comes.