Hermann Bayer PhD
Ph.D. and M.S. in economics and sociology; B.S. in psychology and business administration. Hermann worked at German and at U.S. universities for 18 years as research scientist, professor, campus dean, and multi-site dean. For another 12 years Hermann served as the CEO and executive coach of a German coaching & consulting firm, reporting to shareholders. In addition, he has 10 successful years of self-employment; another 9 years of working for the manufacturing industry, and 2 years of serving in the (West-) German Army's Corps of Engineers. Immigration into the USA 2005, where he later changed his life priorities to practicing and researching karate.
The author of several books and numerous articles on industrial relations and on coaching & consulting, Hermann today publishes on karate-jutsu's and karate-do's socio-cultural roles and their development. In 2021 he authored "Analysis of Genuine Karate - Misconceptions, Origin, Development, and True Purpose", in 2023 "Analysis of Genuine Karate 2 - Sociocultural Development, Commercialization, and Loss of Essential Knowledge", and 2025 "Analysis of Shu Ha Ri - When a Fighting Art Becomes a Fine Art" as well as numerous articles. All these publications shed light on the political reasons for the re-definition of a local, Okinawan, fighting art as a recreational sport and symbol of Japan's national identity, and on the loss of essential knowledge through this Japanization, through Americanization, industrialization, and commercialization and established his recognition as an expert on karate's socio-cultural developments and a distinctive voice for the preservation of genuine Okinawan karate.
Hermann started to train and to study the art in 1981―including its historical and socio-cultural development. His experience covers old-style (non-sports) Japanese Shudokan Karate-do as well as classic Okinawan Shorin Ryu karate-jutsu. To intensify and to broaden his development beyond its Japanese form, and to better understand today’s misconceptions about the art's original orientation towards protecting and preserving life, he (already holding a black belt) re-started from scratch with classic Okinawan Kobayashi Ryu karate-jutsu and kobudo and worked his way up to black belt ranks there as well. In addition, Hermann studies Suikendo, meaning "the art of fists flowing like water", one of today's most advanced karate fighting systems. Over the years he has spent considerable time with renowned Japanese, Western, and Okinawan teachers, all the while researching the socio-cultural backgrounds and the core essence of the style they represent.
Today, in his upper seventies, Hermann is still training hard, practicing daily, attending weekly empty hand & kobudo training-sessions and annual training camps in Okinawa and in the USA.
https://www.amazon.com/author/hermannbayer.phd
The author of several books and numerous articles on industrial relations and on coaching & consulting, Hermann today publishes on karate-jutsu's and karate-do's socio-cultural roles and their development. In 2021 he authored "Analysis of Genuine Karate - Misconceptions, Origin, Development, and True Purpose", in 2023 "Analysis of Genuine Karate 2 - Sociocultural Development, Commercialization, and Loss of Essential Knowledge", and 2025 "Analysis of Shu Ha Ri - When a Fighting Art Becomes a Fine Art" as well as numerous articles. All these publications shed light on the political reasons for the re-definition of a local, Okinawan, fighting art as a recreational sport and symbol of Japan's national identity, and on the loss of essential knowledge through this Japanization, through Americanization, industrialization, and commercialization and established his recognition as an expert on karate's socio-cultural developments and a distinctive voice for the preservation of genuine Okinawan karate.
Hermann started to train and to study the art in 1981―including its historical and socio-cultural development. His experience covers old-style (non-sports) Japanese Shudokan Karate-do as well as classic Okinawan Shorin Ryu karate-jutsu. To intensify and to broaden his development beyond its Japanese form, and to better understand today’s misconceptions about the art's original orientation towards protecting and preserving life, he (already holding a black belt) re-started from scratch with classic Okinawan Kobayashi Ryu karate-jutsu and kobudo and worked his way up to black belt ranks there as well. In addition, Hermann studies Suikendo, meaning "the art of fists flowing like water", one of today's most advanced karate fighting systems. Over the years he has spent considerable time with renowned Japanese, Western, and Okinawan teachers, all the while researching the socio-cultural backgrounds and the core essence of the style they represent.
Today, in his upper seventies, Hermann is still training hard, practicing daily, attending weekly empty hand & kobudo training-sessions and annual training camps in Okinawa and in the USA.
https://www.amazon.com/author/hermannbayer.phd
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Papers by Hermann Bayer PhD
Analysis of Shu Ha Ri in Karate-do: When a Fighting Art Becomes a Fine Art.
The fine arts principle Shu Ha Ri was applied into karate-do as an "invented tradition" when Okinawa’s self-protection art was re-defined into fine-art-like self-perfection. Historic, socio-cultural, political, philosophical, psychological, and commercial impacts are woven into a clear picture including the rectification of common misconceptions. The book answers all those questions and doubts about ascent or alibi, which inevitably arise when the Okinawan art of protecting oneself and others is changed into a Japanese fine art. Launch June 3, 2025, and available for pre-orders.
ISBN: 9781594399954 (hardcover) ― ISBN: 9781594399930 (paperback)
The argument is explained by the metaphor of the 100-years-old US-space program being an American and not a German project, although it was masterminded by German experts after WWII. It is American, because it embodies an American idea, philosophy, and intellectual framework, into which the expertise and skills of German rocket scientists’ were integrated.
Applying this historic reasoning accordingly, Chinese martial arts were integrated as improvements into the existing system, idea, and intellectual framework of Okinawan Te, without sacrificing its essence, i.e. its true purpose and intention of self-protection and the protection of one’s life.
In Okinawan karate techniques were not altered for centuries; and once battle-and street-fight proven, kata remained essentially unchanged.
Kata changes, as implemented over the last few decades, may eliminate a 'hidden concept', a secret fatal technique, which was not broadly communicated by Okinawan masters to new groups of students; neither to school kids, nor to Japanese, American or other Western students.
Examples from the author's training experience show that, if the 'principle of never changing kata' is not closely safeguarded, karate loses its initial purpose and turns into competition showmanship, into something spectacular to look at, but without any merit in combat.
(i) The principle of never changing kata: Okinawan karate's battle-and street-fight-verified kata concepts were honed to lethal efficiency and render changes unnecessary, even noxious when unknowingly modifying hidden concepts.
(ii) Okinawan karate is an intangible cultural heritage: therefore only the representatives of this culture are legitimate agents to deal with questions of Okinawan karate style recognition and/or sanctioned evolvement of the art.
(iii) The main purpose of 'Japanized' and 'Americanized' sports-karate is to create business: disconnected from Okinawan karate's initial purpose of self-protection, sports-karate is as little a martial art as todays javelin or fencing is a training for lethal combat.
Purpose - General Training Approach - Kata Practice - Bunkai - Kumite - Sparring Kumite - Rank Assignment
Der Artikel behandelt die spezifische Akzentsetzung im Coaching, den Schwerpunkt auf die Ressourcen eines Klienten zu legen, auf die Entwicklung seiner Potenziale, orientiert an Chancen und Möglichkeitenin der Zukunft — orientiert an (englisch) „opportunities“. Ausgehend vom dialektischen Denkansatz des „sowohl-als-auch“: sowohl Schäwchen als auch Stärken zusammen zu sehen, sowohl Vergangenheit als auch Zukunft gemeinsam zu betrachten, sowohl Probleme als auch Chancen miteinander zu verknüpfen,
Analysis of Shu Ha Ri in Karate-do: When a Fighting Art Becomes a Fine Art.
The fine arts principle Shu Ha Ri was applied into karate-do as an "invented tradition" when Okinawa’s self-protection art was re-defined into fine-art-like self-perfection. Historic, socio-cultural, political, philosophical, psychological, and commercial impacts are woven into a clear picture including the rectification of common misconceptions. The book answers all those questions and doubts about ascent or alibi, which inevitably arise when the Okinawan art of protecting oneself and others is changed into a Japanese fine art. Launch June 3, 2025, and available for pre-orders.
ISBN: 9781594399954 (hardcover) ― ISBN: 9781594399930 (paperback)
The argument is explained by the metaphor of the 100-years-old US-space program being an American and not a German project, although it was masterminded by German experts after WWII. It is American, because it embodies an American idea, philosophy, and intellectual framework, into which the expertise and skills of German rocket scientists’ were integrated.
Applying this historic reasoning accordingly, Chinese martial arts were integrated as improvements into the existing system, idea, and intellectual framework of Okinawan Te, without sacrificing its essence, i.e. its true purpose and intention of self-protection and the protection of one’s life.
In Okinawan karate techniques were not altered for centuries; and once battle-and street-fight proven, kata remained essentially unchanged.
Kata changes, as implemented over the last few decades, may eliminate a 'hidden concept', a secret fatal technique, which was not broadly communicated by Okinawan masters to new groups of students; neither to school kids, nor to Japanese, American or other Western students.
Examples from the author's training experience show that, if the 'principle of never changing kata' is not closely safeguarded, karate loses its initial purpose and turns into competition showmanship, into something spectacular to look at, but without any merit in combat.
(i) The principle of never changing kata: Okinawan karate's battle-and street-fight-verified kata concepts were honed to lethal efficiency and render changes unnecessary, even noxious when unknowingly modifying hidden concepts.
(ii) Okinawan karate is an intangible cultural heritage: therefore only the representatives of this culture are legitimate agents to deal with questions of Okinawan karate style recognition and/or sanctioned evolvement of the art.
(iii) The main purpose of 'Japanized' and 'Americanized' sports-karate is to create business: disconnected from Okinawan karate's initial purpose of self-protection, sports-karate is as little a martial art as todays javelin or fencing is a training for lethal combat.
Purpose - General Training Approach - Kata Practice - Bunkai - Kumite - Sparring Kumite - Rank Assignment
Der Artikel behandelt die spezifische Akzentsetzung im Coaching, den Schwerpunkt auf die Ressourcen eines Klienten zu legen, auf die Entwicklung seiner Potenziale, orientiert an Chancen und Möglichkeitenin der Zukunft — orientiert an (englisch) „opportunities“. Ausgehend vom dialektischen Denkansatz des „sowohl-als-auch“: sowohl Schäwchen als auch Stärken zusammen zu sehen, sowohl Vergangenheit als auch Zukunft gemeinsam zu betrachten, sowohl Probleme als auch Chancen miteinander zu verknüpfen,