wtKempostudent

This is the approach that my dojo took with me. I started teaching kids classes when I was about 14 (I had been assisting for two years before that) and was observed closely by my Sensei. I hit a few bumps in the road, mostly due to the fact that when I was a kid my school was run in a bit of a more "old-school" way and I was seen as too strict at times for trying to recreate my own learning experience. However, after a while students and parents began raving about my abilities as an instructor and my Sensei and Grandmaster took notice. By the time I was 16 I was teaching adult classes sporadically and eventually I regularly taught one adult class every week, in fact while acting as the highest ranking instructor at the school on Sundays. I believe I'm the only student under 18 within the last 4 or 5 years to regularly teach adult classes at my dojo, and I view it as a huge honor. I think a set rule would be a mistake, because there are those of us out there that will surprise you. I know that sounds like I'm letting a bit of ego show right there, but there are certain things I know I do really well. There are very few areas of my life where I have any right to talk about being good at something, but I've learned through my experiences in the martial arts both from my own epiphanies and some extremely flattering words form my Sensei and even our Grandmaster himself, as well as students from 6 to 60 years old, that I'm a very good teacher. As a result, I'm in college right now pursuing a teaching certification. I know I will teach for a living, most likely in public schools for a while until I open up a dojo. This is what I love to do; it is part of who I am. So yes, I think certain black belts under 18 should be allowed to teach adults, if they have proven their abilities in the past and continue to do so once granted the honor and privilege of teaching adult classes.

That is the one advantage my 5-8, 135 lb frame gives me: if I am ever forced to fight (up until this point in my young life I have never had to use physical martial arts skills to fight, I've avoided a couple of conflicts with words and swallowing my ego), it is most likely going to be someone bigger, stronger, and more threatening looking than myself who picks a fight with me. Seriously though, I see what you're saying. That's another reason why martial arts training is so much more than just learning physical skills for fighting. You have to learn how to assess situations and make quick decisions while using as little actual thought as possible. When confronted with a situation in which one's physical skills may need to be used, like you said, one would have to consider all factors, including possible ramifications, if they are given the opportunity. )many times there may be little to no time to think of consequences beyond making it out of the situation uninjured or not though) However, as I said, if I'm approached by someone smaller than me but it looks like he's got three buddies standing around ready to give him a hand, or if I spot a clip on his pocket that could be a knife, then I very well may throw a preemptive strike once I feel the tension of the situation hit a certain point.

Funny, but sad because it's true: A younger student who was moved up to the adult class decided he was going to kick one of the pieces of workout equipment (a large ball) when we assumed the push-up position one day in class. The workout was going to be 50 plank-ups, but because he decided that he was going to touch what wasn't his when not directed to do so, he was required to do 25 plank-ups, with his feet and legs elevated on the ball, and he had to start over from 1 every time his feet fell off the ball. After having to restart (no joke) over 20 times, each time my Sensei smiling and asking him in a loud voice "What number are you on?" this student finally answered with "I think I've answered enough..." The entire class took a collective gasp and just looked right down at the floor while we were stretching...

I look at it this way: I don't want to throw the first punch, but I will if I'm in a situation which I perceive as threatening and inevitably ending in a fight. However, while I may not want to throw the first strike, I certainly want to hit first. If that means parrying and attacking or blocking my opponent's attack (I train with the mentality that a block is a strike -- a block should cause pain), it doesn't matter, so long as I hit first. Preemptive striking? Yes, a big part of my training. If I've used my words to avoid the altercation and my opponent's hands are up and he's ready to fight, I very well may throw the first strike, especially if he or she has friends ready to jump in or a clip visible in his/her pocket...

What we seem to be examining here is a mindset. The "one hit kill" principle can be trained in different mindsets. I know that I personally train to attempt to knock out with most strikes, though I train with the understanding that I will likely be required to use more than one or two strikes to end a fight. In fact, most of my no mind techniques usually utilize 8, 10, 12, or even 15 or 16 strikes before I move to finish. I also train with the mentality that I never know who has my opponent's back or what they have in their pocket, and so I do not train to strike and run; I train to put my opponent to the floor and finish him/her. A "finish" in my mindset of training means that my attacker can physically no longer fight or chase after me. If this means that they threw one punch and I threw 8, took them to the floor, and broke their knee, that's ok with me, because I now know that they can't fight with me anymore. If I have a legitimate reason to believe my attacker has a gun, then I will not stop until I have it in my controlled possession or they are knocked out. Back to the "one hit kill." I do believe, though I've never witnessed, that there exists the possibility to kill an opponent with one hit. I know from experience that one hit can end a fight and knock someone out if it's in the right spot or the striker is a bit lucky. As I said though, I don't train with the expectation that this will happen, and I think it is very dangerous to train with any kind of expectations like that. I do, however, train with the mentality that I should be using my power strikes to attempt to end the fight, and of course my mentality is to never start a fight, but to always finish a fight.