Where to Now?
An update to an article originally written by Peter Zehr-Sensei in 2016
So here I am on a dreary winter day, thinking, “Where to now?” I have just finished an amazing weekend of training with Peter Giffen, head of Ryusei Canada, and Matt Mannerow, one of my first students and now an accomplished karateka and sensei. When we get together for training and study, the direction is not always clear, but in the end, the results are often more than we could have even imagined.
As students, whether beginners or seniors, we should always be looking for something, that one piece of information, that one movement that will take us to a new level of understanding and keep us excited. When you first entered the dojo—last week or decades ago—you had a sense of fear, anticipation, and, of course, excitement. You may have thought, “Where to now?”
In those first few classes, you began to see that karate could have so much more for you than you initially thought. But in those classes, your where to now may have been, “I hope I do not fall on my next step.” As you developed, trained, and advanced in rank, your where to now may have changed to, “I really want to be a black belt. Then I will know something!”
Sometimes you cannot find your where to now. This can be frustrating and make going to training very hard. I have trained for 43 years. When I started at age 21, my where to now was, “I want to be like Bruce Lee. I want to do cool moves like 007. And, yes, I want to be a black belt, so I know all the moves.”
Looking back, I see some flaws in my where-to-now approach. Most of us have them, but we do not realize this at the time, and it is a good thing, too, or we might just quit. It is this process that keeps us going to class, studying on our own, practicing long and hard, and going where no person has gone before (OK, a bit Trekkie).
As I worked through the ranks, I had many where-to-now moments; we all do. Mine changed from “I must learn the next kata, kihon, bunkai, or waza” to “How can I make this move more exciting, powerful, and fluid?” The moments we embrace are usually the ones that have brought us some real insight or profound technique change. They can even be a negative experience that motivates us. Not passing a high-level dan test can make you wonder, “Where to now?”
For me, that moment was the beginning of reflection about where I was and where I was going in my karate. I wanted a karate that would be useful to me as a police officer and help me grow. So, about 23 years ago, I changed to my current style of Ryusei Karate-Do, a sister to my Chito-ryu study. In this style, I found many where-to-now moments, each bringing me to a deeper understanding of my technique and driving me to keep searching. After 43 years of doing a lot of the same stuff over and over, I am continuing to grow, become stronger, more fluid, and more excited about where to now.
That weekend, my takeaway was three things: using hip flexors to roll your hips downward, an inch or two longer stance makes the difference between being cement or willow, and never forgetting your roots. Your path has many where-to-now moments; without them, you cannot achieve a higher level. This applies not just to karate but to everything in life. One great thing about karate is that you are usually more in control of your where to now than in other parts of your life outside the dojo. Many of my recent where-to-now moments almost make me feel like a beginner again when everything was exciting. The difference now is that I can use those moments immediately and improve what I am doing.
I know I have not given you tremendous insight into advanced techniques, but sometimes, we need to feel it is OK to wonder where we are going. Is doing this 20 more times really important? Am I supposed to feel like a truck hit me (the answer is yes)?
I cannot believe that I have been doing karate for 43 years because it seems I have just started getting good at it; apparently, my body would disagree as it is falling apart. My last point is this: Currently I have a serious shoulder injury, but do I stop practicing? The answer is NO. I modify my training to accommodate the injury. I continue to train, and due in part to the injury, my where to now has been to get softer. Not soft like a blanket, but soft like a blanket wrapped around iron. To all of us, our where-to-now moments shape our lives, training, and relationships. For me, where to now means keeping training, learning, and using my injuries to elevate my technique. And above all, keep searching for those moments when you wonder where to now?
UPDATE February 16, 2025
So, since I originally wrote this, I have had both hips replaced, had open heart surgery, had a hernia fixed, had a couple of eye surgeries, experienced AFib, and faced a few other health challenges. The query where to now has taken on several different meanings for me. I have taken a bit of a back seat in the dojo; Matt Mannerow has taken on primary teaching duties, and I assist. Some classes are better than others since I also have edema (water retention), which affects mobility and breathing.
In light of these challenges, my where to now has become “what can I actually accomplish today.” I still learn what I can from my vast video training series with Sakamoto-Sensei and others. I have come to realize I need to develop mental strategies to achieve physical goals. If I cannot physically practice on a given day, I will do it in my head with imagery.
As I continue on this ever-changing course, there is some solace in knowing that though the path has been strewn with obstacles and challenges, it has also provided accomplishments and great personal satisfaction. I will continue to explore, research, learn, and teach as long as I can, but as my body fails me, I know my where to now will be nowhere at some point. With that in mind, I endeavour to make my training and in fact all that I do count for something, so that where to now can be summed up as “Here I am now.”
— Peter Zehr
Renshi, Rokudan, Grey-Bruce Ryusei Karate