Melau

Dear all, All feedback is welcome. Currently I'm training for Sandan, and while it is possible to find instructors (and I'm training with them, no worries!), extra feedback is always welcome. Wanshu will be added shortly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQllc7eXRlk

This is probably something every instructed experiences somewhere in their career. These are the students (often young children / young teens) that are inherently disrespectful. Towards "authority", towards fellow students, peers, etc. Often we, as instructors, only see them about 1 to 3 hours a week. My question is, how do you deal with these cases? It can hardly be expected of instructors to correct flawed upbringing in such a short timespan. Or can it?

The most inspirational and advanced martial artists that I've had the pleasure to meet, didn't really care about title. Some were even perfectly fine with just being adressed by their first name. Some were registered in the national budo hall of fame in recent years, some were promoted to Hachi-dan. But always they were approachable, kind, open for discussion and different points of view. Even though I've been instructing Karate for the past 8 years (and training for 21), I've never asked students to call me 'sensei' or the like. Somehow it doesn't really feel comfortable, for I'm still a student of the art. I still train, learn and practise, just like I've always done ever since a white belt. In no way I have the idea that I have 'mastered' even the most basic punches, there is always room for improvement, and I still train the basics with enthusiasm. If someone wants to be called 'master' or 'grandmaster', that's fine. A title doesn't make a teacher or martial artists. A teacher or martial artist can deserve or have a title, no doubt. But that is not really what a martial artist should strife for, it's not what MA is about in my opinion.

So this happened in my country last year: http://www.l1.nl/video/zwarte-band-voor-karate-oma-uit-blerick-12-jun-2014 78 year old got her black belt. Very inspirational.

Simple sparring session Karate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NKOvNjDVLA I'm the smaller guy. This is a video from about 4 years ago? I'll post some more recent stuff soon!

Learning from video's can be both good and bad, depending on how it is used. For beginners I would say, learn / train your kata in the Dojo. If you want to practise at home, practise what you have learned in the Dojo and don't try to learn new techniques. Rehearse what you've learned. It is far easier to correctly learn something that way. Also, have to 'un-learn' something you've trained on your own that wasn't entirely correct is time consuming . I notice that I'm at a point where the old video's are necessery. In Wado, there are different excecutions of techniques and kata's depending on the lineage. So there are differences between Hironori Ōtsuka, Tatsuo Suzuki sensei, Jiro Otsuka sensei, Fukazawa sensei to name but a few. Knowing what the differences are and why they are done in such a way gives greater insight in your own karate. But this is too deep in details for a beginning martial artists IMHO!

As a teacher, you hope they learn to enjoy martial arts, learn gross and fine motor skills, respect for each other. Different kids have different skill, different learning curves, etc. So not all kids will learn this to perfection of course. However, what I notice here in the Netherlands is that childres do not really have any strict upbringing (there are plenty exceptions though!). So often respect has to be taught from 0, which is a shame (and difficult to achieve given only 1 or 2 hours a week).

Haven't had that problem yet, but I can imagine it happening. But if you explain it well, in a respectful manner, most individuals will see reason.

I explain exactly that. Show me that you train seriously consistantly, and I have no problem letting them go to the other group. Just telling me that you feel you should be in that class without actually showing serious training mentality during class doesn't get you there.

While split beginners / advanced is often done, I've had somewhat of a different approach in my classes. I have 2 classes, not divided on kyu grades necessarily but more on working / training ethics. Most of the time higher kyu grades have more 'serious' working ethic because of experience, hence that there are more higher kyu grades in the second class. But for 'beginners' (low kyu) that train serious and work hard, I'll put them in the second group. The first group are mostly the younger age, those that have trouble focussing for long periods of time, etc. It makes it easier to 'design' a work-out when the mentality of the group is more uniform. For me, grouping based on workin / training mentality works well.

My question is about the first technique performed (block or punch with right arm). Performed by Hironori Otsuka: Here it is performed sort of like a punch downward. Performed in bunkai by Hiroji Fukuzawa: Here it is explained as a gyakuzuki no tsukomi The same can be said as to how Tatsuo Suzuki performed it, as for the variation of Jiro Otsuka. However, I've also been told that it is perfomed as a block, such as performed in kihon kumite 2. Any thought?

Is it really that bad where you are from? People taking up legal recourse when getting hurt (accidently, mind you!) during training? Here everybody is aware that they are doing a martial art, with all the respect and control possible. But accidents happen, whether doing MA or football or whatever. Sueing someone because of what happens during a hobby, by accident? I find that strange. Guess there are differences in culture here.

I understand that in today's society, automatic grading becomes more the norm. A Dojo needs to take into account the financial aspect of running a business. If you are very strict, something that would be beneficial for the overall quality, it would also demotivate many students. This will probably result in such a low number of students left that it is not financially viable to continue the dojo, thus no dojo eventually. Personally I believe that if you become demotivated to such a level that you quit a Dojo because you weren't promoted, there is more to learn for you in life than just martial arts. For the martial arts as a whole, being strict would be very important. Progress is not made by complacency but by hard work and humbleness, something not often enough found in people nowadays. So it comes down to finding the balance. Not auto grading just for the heck of it. Not being so strict that you have too few students to continue your business. But somewhere in between.

My advise to people starting a martial art: Work hard. Never neglet the basics. Improve with every technique executed. Give it your all, mind and body. Perform every technique with earnesty. A black belt is just a color, not a goal. Enjoy yourself.

Never seen that be done. Not that I would mind if that practise became more common. But it should be for the right reasons and with the right arguments!

Having to travel further and further to get the education you need. This both due to moving to another location due to work, but also because of needing increasingly experienced mentors because you yourself are getting more experienced.

The attention span of about 10 minutes is indeed something you observe in this age group, and indeed after being focussed for so long I often do some karate related partner exercises to get them warmed up again and able to release some energy in a fun way. Also ending the class with a fun game or something is always done in the classes. As for the 10 minute chat, that's not something I do in my classes. Never thought of it. Maybe something to incorporate. Also for this age group, what are you opinions on letting the parents watch during classes. I've always been instructed in classes where parents weren't allowed, but that is something that changes per sensei.

So I've been instructing 2 karate groups for the past 7 years on saturday morning, one for beginners and one for advanced. Mind you, both groups are children / adolescents, no adults. The first group now consists of about 19 children ranging in the age from 5 to about 7 or 8. While I enjoy it tremendously, it is always a challenge keeping the engaged, focussed and enjoying a hour of karate. It's mainly the difference in mental development, where one 5 year old still lives entirely in a 'fantasy world' as can be expected from that age, to 5 year old that are curious of the world around them, ask intellegent questions and have good working ethics. This makes it difficult to suit everyones needs, but a fun challenge non the less. Anybody has experience with the same age group and wishing to share their experience / insights?

It is true that many see Shodan as an endpoint rather than a starting point. There is so much yet to discover and train, reaching Shodan only shows that you've mastered the basics IMHO. I believe that you are never 'done' or 'finished' in karate or any MA.

That is a good way of doing things IMHO. If someone hasn't tested for Sandan for instance (due to whatever reasons) but kept on training / improving throughout the years, his current 'official' ranking doesn't have to reflect his actual skill.

So I started Jiu-Jitsu about 4 months ago to up my ground game (no experience in the ground game, only standing). From my experience with the stand up fight I had a biased opinion about weight / height differences. I'm 25 but light (60kg) and not very tall (1.64 m). During last training I was up against a guy around 80kg, probably 1.75m or so. To my suprise I easily chocked him out (collar choke). I did not try to get him unconcious, that was somewhat by accident because I though I had to use a bit more force due to his weight / height, plus he didn't tap out. I apologised nevertheless because it was unintentional and all was well, but it's good to realise that weight / height differences are less of a problem on the ground than in a standing fight.

As the saying goes, Rome was not build in a day. The body needs time (and lots of it) to adjust to the techniques in any martial art. As for 'being behind', I can imagine that would frustrate you. But it is important to keep in mind that in karate you should never compare yourself to others, it is a personal journey. Learn from others, yes. Be inspired by others, yes. Let others challenge you to become better, yes. But it is your progress that is important, not your progress compared to others. As a last remark, talent is important in anything that you do in life. But the students I enjoyed most working with (and who had the mentality to become great karateka's) were the ones that had the drive to keep trying. Talent only gets you so far, but if you get used to working hard in order to become proficient in karate you get more in line to what karate actually is. It is not easy. There is a lot of repetition. It is hard work. You're never done (at least I hope!). There are no shortcuts. The only way in becoming better is going to the training, be open for feedback and work hard. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon, so take your time!

- Showing disrespect to fellow students. Punching / kicking a fellow student in a way he / she cannot handle, just to prove how strong you are for example. Inducing fear. Calling names. Disrespecting people that are less skilled / weaker. - Showing clear lack of motivation. If you do not want to train, do not come to the dojo. - Showing disrespect to students that do know what they are doing. Most advanced students know what they are doing, and how to train with a lower grade in a way that is benificial for the lower grade. This is not a free card to go ballistic on the higher grade. Just because he does not hand your butt to you, does not mean he is not able to. - Shodan or higher grades that are clearly ignorant / unskilled. Obtaining your black belt is just a first step in a long journey. But it should at least indicate that you know the basics of the physical, mental en etiquette part of your (budo)sport. Often this is not the case. Most of the time these points are of no problem. I train with skilled / fun / respectful individuals that are motivated when they stand on the tatami!

1. Start doing intensive training for Sandan (wado-ryu) 2. Grading for 7th Kyu (orange) in Jiu-Jitsu 3. Getting 2 students of mine ready for their 1st Kyu grading 4. Doing matches in both Karate and Jiu-Jitsu

That's actually very helpful. Thanks for the tips!