🥋 Remembering Who We Are

Northern Karate has a history of progress.

Sometimes we forget that — but we’re remembering who we are.

Many of my colleagues will disagree.

We’ve always remained true to our mission: take in what is useful, disregard the rest.

But the truth is — for a while, that got harder.

We all had to adjust to a changing world — social media, online influence, and how any of it fits into our dojos.

We’re constantly negotiating this new space, let’s be real.

Even as one of Northern Karate’s younger seniors, it’s still hard to wrap my head around sometimes.

I can only imagine what it’s like for some of my colleagues who’ve been teaching longer than I’ve been alive.

Before COVID, we were already dealing with a shifting martial arts landscape.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was growing fast. We liked it — we respected it — but we weren’t sure if it competed with us or complemented us.

Quality martial arts, real skill, always found its way to Northern Karate.

But this was different.

We were used to being on the fringe of everything. After all, we were just the weird martial artists.

But something happened before, during, and after COVID — martial arts went mainstream.

And I don’t think we were ready for that.

We were used to controlling the messages our students received.

It was comfortable — safe.

We were in the driver’s seat.

We could test ideas in class — some would work, some wouldn’t — but at the end of the day, we were the only channel our students had into martial arts.

Now, the channel is everywhere.

And that changes everything.

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The New Landscape

It’s not enough to live in excellence anymore — people need to see you doing it.

That’s not vanity or ego.

It’s just learning to navigate a new world and deliver your message in a new way.

And I love the message we’re giving out today.

Whether it’s the daughters of Northern Karate senseis competing at the highest levels, or watching my friends and colleagues level up in other arts, I’m proud of what we’ve become.

So many NKS teachers are now proficient enough in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that they can run their own grappling programs.

Take Shihan (or maybe Kyoshi by the time this is published) Mark Manalo — he runs a full-blown BJJ program under the NKS banner.

Or my buddy Dom (sorry, no Kyoshi for you, pal — you’re too much my brother to stand on ceremony). He blends his BJJ into his karate classes naturally, quietly, and without fanfare.

For him, martial arts are martial arts — no need to separate them.

It makes you really want to train at those two dojos, doesn’t it?

But here’s the thing — you don’t have to.

You just have to train at your local Northern Karate.

Here’s why:

On any given day, our NKS Markham team is out there training with the best.

Brandon trains with Dom every Wednesday.

On Mondays, you’ll find him learning from some of the finest karate masters in the world.

Steph spends her Sundays — her day off — training with Kyoshi La Selva.

And me?

I like to take advantage of my years of experience and the position I’ve earned to just float through life — showing up where I’m needed, learning wherever I go.

Sometimes that means training in a friend’s class while paying him to teach my students.

Sometimes it’s a BJJ session. Sometimes a concert, a lecture, or any other act of self-improvement.

Achieving proficiency is great — and I’m proud of all my friends who have done it.

I have deep respect and gratitude for them.

But for me?

Just doing is enough.

I’m never going to be better than these people —

but I’ll always be better because of them.

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The Road Ahead

Northern Karate has always adapted.

It’s in our DNA. From the first dojo floor to the dozens we have today, we’ve never been afraid to take what works, refine it, and pass it forward.

But what’s happening now feels different.

We’re not just adapting techniques — we’re evolving as people.

We’re learning how to exist in a louder, faster world without losing our roots.

We’re remembering that strength doesn’t come from standing above others — it comes from standing beside them.

The world of martial arts isn’t divided anymore. It’s connected.

Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, Boxing, Kobudo — they all feed the same spirit: the pursuit of better.

And that’s the spirit Northern Karate has always stood for.

Every time one of us learns, we all get stronger.

Every time one of us levels up, the system rises with them.

That’s what it means to remember who we are.

We’re not the weird martial artists anymore.

We’re the standard.

And we’re just getting started.

Kyoshi Eric Vinagreiro, BA BEd

Northern Karate Markham