06/08/2026
This is how it is!
To have the opportunety to train with the old masters will not be possible in the near future.
As I have been training with them for more than three decades, it’s frustrating to see that people don’t take the possibility to get inspiered in a way you will never get elsewhere.
There is no comparable next generation and the moments get the one to one experience is very limited.
Don’t miss it please!
Ryusui
Useful Excuses Not to Attend a Seminar or Taikai
1. "It's too expensive."
Yes, seminars and taikai can be expensive, especially international events taught by highly respected instructors. Yes, you could spend that money on other things you need or want. And yes, sometimes money is genuinely tight.
Reality: For most people, it comes down to priorities. If you value your training, a seminar or Taikai can be seen as an investment. You invest in knowledge, skill, health, renewed motivation, lasting friendships, and experiences that can shape your martial arts journey.
"But why are seminars so expensive? The organizers must be making a lot of money."
Reality: Organizing an event, especially an international one, is expensive. Costs often include airfare, local transportation, hotels, meals, the venue, insurance, security, advertising, equipment, and many other expenses. In many cases, the invited instructor is also the organizer's own teacher, and a good host wants to provide the best possible experience for both the instructor and the attendees.
The truth is that student fees often do not cover all the costs. In many cases, the person who spends the most money is the organizer.
2. "I don't have time. I'm too busy."
You are right, you don't have time. You have work, family, school, responsibilities, and countless obligations. Free time is limited.
Reality: If something is truly important to you, you make time for it. You need to make time for yourself, for the things that make you healthier, happier, and more fulfilled. If martial arts is one of those things, then it deserves a place in your life. More often than not, the people who care about you will support that choice.
3. "It's not convenient. It's too far away."
You're right. The event is on a weekend, your only time to rest. It may require a long drive, a train ride, a flight, or even an overnight stay.
Reality: Martial arts were never meant to be convenient. Martial arts training is meant to be arduous.
Consider what the instructor has done to be there. They may have traveled halfway around the world, taken multiple flights, crossed several time zones, and arrived in an unfamiliar place to share their time and knowledge.
Consider the organizers, who may have spent months, or even years, planning every detail to create the best experience possible.
Compared to that, all you have to do is show up.
4. "I will go to the next one".
Reality: There may not be a next one. Senior teachers retire, life changes unpredictability. Every opportunity is unique and may be the last one.
In the end...
Yes, it's expensive.
Yes, you're busy.
Yes, it's inconvenient.
Yes, maybe there will be another chance later.
Or...
All you have to do is walk through the door.
It could be just another weekend. Or it could become one of the milestones in your martial arts journey.
You decide.
