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Dive into the world of Karate with our blog. Training tips, event recaps, and community stories.
Join Palm Court Karate and become part of our story
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Mario Sequeira
15 October 2025 • 6 min read
It is often said that you don't truly know yourself until you are exhausted. When your muscles burn, your breath is short, and your body screams "enough," that is when the real Karate begins.
This past October, Palm Court Karate put this philosophy to the ultimate test during our annual Gashuku with the 50/100 Round Kumite Challenge.
The format was elegantly simple yet brutally demanding: Junior students faced 50 rounds of sparring, while our Seniors and Black Belts undertook the full 100 rounds. For over two hours, the dojo reverberated with the sounds of heavy breathing, the controlled clash of technique, and the unwavering encouragement of Sensei Mario.
Somewhere around round 60 for the seniors, the physical energy reserves deplete entirely. Technique might lose a fraction of its sharpness, and speed diminishes. This is "The Wall." In sport karate, you might take a break. In traditional Goju-Ryu, you push through.
It is in these final rounds that Mushin (no mind) takes over. You stop overthinking. You stop worrying about fatigue. You simply move. You fight because your spirit refuses to surrender.
We don't endure this gruelling test to prove we are tough fighters. We do it to demonstrate to ourselves that our limits extend far beyond what we believed possible. The resilience forged in those 100 rounds translates directly to life beyond the dojo—whether it's excelling in a difficult examination, navigating a demanding work project, or facing personal challenges.
To everyone who completed the challenge: wear that exhaustion as a badge of honour. You discovered a new level of strength that day.