First Learn Stand Then Learn Fly

Spoken by Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) to Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid (1984), directed by John G. Avildsen. The line comes early in Daniel's training, when the young student is impatient to learn fighting techniques and resents the seemingly pointless household chores Miyagi assigns. Miyagi uses this gentle rebuke — addressed in his characteristic "Daniel-san" style — to insist that mastery cannot be rushed and that foundational skills must be built before advanced ones. The sentiment echoes traditional martial arts pedagogy, which prizes sequential, patient development over shortcuts.