Il karate non è solamente uno sport o un hobby, ma un percorso di perfezionamento del carattere che dura una vita. In queste pagine, Dave Lowry, uno degli scrittori di arti marziali giapponesi più conosciuti, fa luce su tutto il sentiero del karate, includendo pratica, filosofia e cultura. Lowry spazia tra una moltitudine di soggetti ricchi d'interesse per i praticanti di tutte le età e i livelli.

The study of budo, or Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation, is a lifelong path toward achieving perfect balance in body, mind, and spirit. Here, Dave Lowry, who has pursued that path for over forty years, addresses the myriad issues, vagaries, and inconsistencies that arise for students of karate-do, judo, kendo, aikido, iaido and other Japanese martial arts—classical and modern—as their training develops, including:

   •  What students and teachers should expect from each other
   • The meaning of rank

   • The importance of cardiovascular fitness in the martial arts

   • How to correctly and sensitively practice with someone less experienced than yourself

   • How to practice as you age

   • The responsibilities that come with seniority and increasing skill

   • The importance of etiquette and decorum in budo

   • How to train with children



Lowry also gives practical advice on improving structural integrity in posture and movement; focusing under stress; stances and preparatory actions before engaging with an opponent; and telling a good teacher from a bad one. Both beginning and advanced students of Japanese martial arts will appreciate Lowry’s take on the real issues and experiences that they encounter in practice.

Gli studenti principianti nelle arti marziali Giapponesi come karate, judo, aikido, iaido e kendo, imparano che, quando sono nello spazio di pratica, devono indossare la loro divisa con precisione rituale, rivolgersi al maestro e agli studenti avanzati in modi specifici e seguire certi codici di comportamento non scritti ma profondamente rispettati, il tutto in modo automatico. Molto presto, però, iniziano a riflettere sui significati dietro le tradizioni, meccanismi e relazioni all'interno del dojo. Questa è una vivace e dettagliata raccolta di temi ad opera di Dave Lowry, uno dei più conosciuti e rispettati praticanti di spada Giapponese degli Stati Uniti, che ci illumina sulla storia ed il significato di rituali, allenamenti, costumi, oggetti e relazioni che hanno un significato così profondo nelle arti marziali Giapponesi.

One of America’s foremost experts on the Japanese martial arts shows that karate is not just a sport or a hobby—it’s a lifetime study toward perfection of character. Dave Lowry illuminates the culture, philosophy, and practice of this popular martial art and covers myriad subjects of interest to karate practitioners of all ages and levels including:The relationship between students and teachersCultivating the correct attitude during practiceThe differences between karate in the East and WestWhether a karate student really needs to study in Japan to perfect the artThe meaning of rank and the black beltDetailed descriptions of kicks, punches, evasions, and techniques and the philosophical concepts that they manifestWhat practice means and looks like as one agesHow the practice of karate aims toward cultivating character and spiritual development

After forty years studying karate and the budo arts, Lowry is an informative and reliable guide, highlighting aspects of the karate path that will surprise, entertain, and enlighten.

Beginning students in Japanese martial arts, such as karate, judo, aikido, iaido, kyudo, and kendo, learn that when they are in the dojo (the practice space), they must don their practice garb with ritual precision, address their teacher and senior students in a specific way, and follow certain unwritten but deeply held codes of behavior. But very soon they begin to wonder about the meaning behind the traditions, gear, and relationships in the dojo.

In this collection of lively, detailed essays, Dave Lowry, one of the most well-known and respected swordsmen in the United States, illuminates the history and meaning behind the rituals, training costumes, objects, and relationships that have such profound significance in Japanese martial arts, including

   • the dojo space itself
   • the teacher-student relationship
   • the act of bowing
   • what to expect—and what will be expected of you—when you visit a dojo
   • the training weapons
   • the hakama (ceremonial skirt) and dogi (practice uniform)
   • the Shinto shrine



Authoritative, insightful, and packed with fascinating stories from his own experience, In the Dojo provides a wealth of information that beginning students will pore over and advanced students will treasure.

Dave Lowry juxtaposes his singular experience as an adept student of kenjutsu (the art of swordsmanship) under a Japanese teacher in St. Louis with a riveting account of the samurai tradition in Japan. Intertwining tales of the masters with reflections on his own apprenticeship in the samurai's arts, he reveals in their time-honored methods a way of life with profound relevance to modern times. The result is a fascinating, singular autobiography. Lowry captures the sense of wonder and mystery that makes martial arts compelling to so many practitioners. Even those who do not practice martial arts will delight in this unusual coming-of-age story.

This moment of perfect clarity that is the force behind all the traditional Japanese arts—from archery to flower arranging—is celebrated here in Dave Lowry's exploration of the common principles shared by calligraphy and the martial arts.

Forty-two examples of Lowry's calligraphy, accompanied by his essays, show how the way of the brush reflects the strategic principles of the way of the sword. Each calligraphy represents a term from the martial arts—such as do, the way, or wa, harmony. The accompanying text amplifies our understanding of the term, what it meant to Japanese warriors, and what it means to practitioners of calligraphy and the martial arts today. What becomes clear is that these two seemingly unrelated disciplines actually partake of the same profound elemental spirit.