17 - Principled Adaptation

May 24, 2026

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Kosho Chronicles Issue #17

To the Reader

I had a student once who was a top tournament fighter. One of the best. Then he started losing. He came to me and asked why. I told him the truth. Because everybody knows what you are going to do.

He asked what he should do about it. I said, change everything. Change your base. Change your stance. Change your favorite side. He told me it felt awkward. I said, good. He did it. He took Grand Champion. Because everybody else had gotten used to the old him, and the old him no longer existed.

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16 - The Politician's Art

Kosho Chronicles Issue #16 To the Reader Most martial artists train to be soldiers. They drill techniques. They condition their bodies. They prepare for the moment of contact. There is nothing wrong with that. But in Kosho Ryu, the soldier is the last resort. Not the first. And if you find yourself acting as the soldier, something has already gone wrong. The Teaching Superiority in dealing with...

15 - Natural Law

Kosho Chronicles Issue #15 To the Reader Every time I sat down with Mitose's manuscript, I hit the same wall. He was writing about God, about Christ, about Buddha, about religion. I am a martial artist. I wanted combat strategy. I wanted the keys to the art. Instead, I got philosophy wrapped in theology wrapped in a riddle. Then he explained what he meant by God, and the entire book opened up. ...

14 - Teach Him to Be a Good Coward

Kosho Chronicles Issue #14 To the Reader Nobody wants to be called a coward. You hear that word and everything in you rejects it. You want to stand and fight. You want to prove something. That reaction, that need to prove, is the most dangerous thing about you. Mitose did not see it the way you do. This post is for paying subscribers only Upgrade Already have an account? Log in

17 - Principled Adaptation

Kosho Chronicles Issue #17

This post is for paying subscribers only

The Kosho Chronicles

Each month focuses on a single Kosho principle. Once an issue closes, it doesn't return. No fluff. Only original Kosho material.

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