守破離: Shu Ha Ri and the Road to Mastery

Many who have been training for a period of time, may have come across certain Japanese phrases that describe the road to mastery. Japanese phrases like Shu-ha-ri and Ten-Chi-Jin are often used to describe the progression. With “守破離” Shu-ha-ri, each kanji character represents a stage of development and requirements. The “守” Shu stage of development requires diligently studying the fundamentals, learning strategies, developing the mind and body, applying the techniques and kata without deviation.