A Samurai warrior from 16th and 17th century Japan, Miyamoto Musashi is a real life hero who has become a legendary figure for his excellence in the art of swordsmanship. He was born in Japan in 1584 and learned the art of fighting from his father. He fought his first duel at the age of 13, and went undefeated in more than 60 duels before the age of 29. For 30 years after his last fight, Musashi traveled around Japan perfecting his art and teaching his military principles. From his early days as a warrior, Musashi believed in strategy and balance as the basis in everything he did in his life. Musashi was never an important general, but rather a solitary warrior who had a deep understanding of how to deal with people, and became a leader with his philosophy of "the Way" of life. "If you know the Way broadly" Musashi stated, "you will see it in everything." To Musashi, strategy meant "keeping inwardly calm and clear even in the midst of violent chaos," while balance meant "not forgetting the possibility of disorder in times of order."

Musashi was an avid learner, a strong believer in education, and worked hard to master many arts and skills. As he explored the world around him, he discovered martial arts to be the ultimate science. He trusted the advantage of military science, and used a combination of physical skill and psychology in his fighting.

In 1612, Musashi fought his most famous duel, with a long sword expert named Sasaki Kojiro. Musashi used a wooden sword against Sasaki's steel sword. Musashi came late to the pre-determined location of the duel and consequently subdued Sasaki in short order. Musashi's late arrival is quite controversial as it is said to have angered Sasaki to the point that the expert swordsman lost self control. This psychological outmanoeuvring was undoubtedly a key factor in Musashi's victory.

Musashi was not just a professional warrior, but also a painter and a writer. In 1632, he began work on his famous book, The Book of Five Rings, in which he laid out the technical and spiritual aspects of martial arts. The Book's five scrolls - Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Emptiness - summarize all of Musashi's beliefs. In his book, Musashi listed the nine essential attitudes and skills of a good strategist. While written almost 400 years ago, these attitudes remain so contemporary and so applicable to our everyday lives that many business schools consider Musashi's book a prerequisite reading for students.

Musashi's nine essential attitudes from "The Earth Scroll" of the "Book of Five Rings" are as follows:

1. Do not think dishonestly. Think of what is right and true.
2. The Way is in training. Practice and cultivate the sciences.
3. Become acquainted with the arts.
4. Know the Ways of all professionals.
5. Understand the harm and benefit in everything.
6. Learn to see everything accurately.
7. Become aware of what is not obvious. Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
8. Be careful and pay attention to even small matters.
9. Do not do anything useless.

While Miyamoto Musashi was predominantly known for his swordsmanship, one cannot fail to recognize the fact that he lived his life and conducted himself according to a Samurai Code. Strategy and balance formed the cornerstones of his approach to life while his nine essential attitudes provided the additional framework. Musashi Martial Arts encourages students to reach their full potential and suggests that Musashi's teachings may shed light on "the Way" to self improvement on and off the mats.