Spartacus Maximus

Teaching titles used in martial arts and social forms of address are two different things. Both of them should be used in the context in which they are appropriate. Unfortunately, this is not understood correctly by everyone and it is what causes the confusions, misuses and excesses discussed here. Too much informality can lead to problems in social relationships. This is the reason for the saying that “familiarity breeds contempt”. There was a time not too long ago when people where taught early(school and parents) and expected to address each other with the appropriate form or title whenever known. Now that it is not as generalized as it once was, people find it strange and awkward to call someone “Mr”, “Mrs” or “Ms”. Some even find it “old-fashioned”.

The very nature of martial arts makes training potentially dangerous and it is precisely for that reason that self-discipline and self-control/restraint are important. An impulsive, undisciplined and short-tempered person should not be doing or teaching ANY activity involving physical contact with others. Such a person is a too much of a danger and liability to themselves AND everyone else. If nothing is done immediately, such a person will injure somebody, themselves or destroy something sooner or later. Whatever happens, the cost will be high and the consequences potentially very painful. In every school there is an appropriate and acceptable manner as well as a time for students to ask questions or exchange with instructors. Students must learn this and a normally socially educated person is expected to have at least a general idea of how to be civil, polite and respectful.

The reason why there is an issue or problems with the usage of titles in martial arts is that people will misinterpret their meaning and significance. Very often the title/rank is in a language not spoken by those who hold or use it. Other times a translation is used such as “master”, which causes more issues because this is not an accurate equivalent of the original. The word also has connotations that the original(Japanese, Chinese, Korean et cetera) does not. Martial arts titles express only the knowledge of the holder and whether or not the person is teaching. It has nothing to do with having any sort of authority over others or special social status beyond what any other teacher would have. It makes more sense to compare martial arts titles/ranks with academic degrees. If A and B both have have a Doctorate, but only B teaches, B would be called Professor by students and would only have some type of authority whenever and wherever B is teaching. A’s title would be limited to formal interactions in a professional context.

The problem of people teaching something in which they are not fully competent or do no yet understand is not exclusive to “traditional martial arts”. It usually happens unintentionally when someone teaches an eclectic system or intentionally when someone wants to offer two or more “styles” to appeal to more students and for personal benefits(reputation, pride, profits). A truly dedicated instructor who has a passion for teaching will remain within their field(style) of expertise, whatever that may be. They may or may not encourage students to seek training in other techniques or styles and give reasonably good advice on this, but it would not be ethical for them to claim knowledge or skill they do not have or attempt to teach or even demonstrate it. There are many highly skilled instructors with one or two styles in which they are an expert but at the same time have been practising for long enough to have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge OF and ABOUT many others. The good and rest ones will say: “I teach X, but I have only studied/observed Y. If you want to learn some Y, then you must find a Y instructor”

Boxing has a lot in common with martial arts, but it is and still been categorized and considered a sport for most of its modern history. Everything in boxing revolves around, and is geared towards one-on-one competition in a ring. It assumes the opponent will be an even match and that the bouts will follow a clear set of rules. This isn’t to say that boxing techniques or concepts cannot be used effectively outside of the sports context, but sports and competition is the main focus of training. Very few if any boxers actually train for a purpose other than the ring. Fewer still consider what they do as anything other than a sport. The general view of boxing reflects this because wherever boxing is offered as an activity, it is always listed under “combat/contact sports” or, more commonly just “sports”.

Even the most honest and dedicated instructor can make the mistake of assuming a certain technique or concept is easy to understand. Especially the most fundamental and basic things that said instructor has been doing with ease because of years of experience. It has become second nature and no longer requires a conscious effort as it does for intermediate or beggining students. What requires constant effort,on the other hand, is breaking things down, simplifying if necessary and explaining them in a way that students can eventually reproduce. Part of doing this is natural talent, but the most of it is gained by experience and patience. “Dumbing it down” is a skill that can and must be learned by anyone interested in becoming an instructor. The greatest teachers are experts in at least two things: whatever they teach and “dumbing it down”

The solution is simple: solve the problem through reason and discussion. Address it immediately and do not allow it to interfere with training. Most such situations can be avoided by establishing rules and protocol for everyone to follow. If discussion is impossible, then the parties involved must separate and return later after taking time to calm down and think. If the problem and disagreement cannot be resolved with a cool head and rational thought and discussion it is time for each person involved to leave for good. Of course this is assuming that one is dealing with a mentally and morally sane mature adult. Unruly children and youths should simply and promptly be referred to their parents that they maybe reminded how to properly behave. Lastly, the final recourse is for one side to quit and go elsewhere(student) or the instructor can refuse to teach a student who is unable to express and discuss a difference of opinion in a socially acceptable manner at an appropriate time.

Believe into or not there were some honour duels fought by prominent political and public figures in Western Europe as recently as the 1960’s. Times have certainly changed and there is much more understanding now as there used to be towards suicide and the reasons people might do it. In general, though loss-off-face, embarrassment or questions of honour are not thought of as something to die for. Suicide is still considered as an act of desperation from a deeply troubled person with serious problems, not just because they were ashamed or caused embarrassment.

A somewhat similar concept of honour did exist in much of the Western world (Western Europe and its diaspora). Contrary to the cultural Japanese concept, it was usually associated with the military and upper classes. Generally people who attached a great deal of importance to their rank or reputation. Unlike in the traditional Japanese view, suicide(for any reason) was(and still is to some extent) considered a cowardly act or that of an extremely desperate person. Some cultures such as the English even wrote it into their laws as a crime deserving of the death penalty. Suicide carried a very strong negative stigma. Until quite recently suicides would be hidden or covered up. People who killed themsleves could not get a regular burial. The most common way to deal with loss of face or an affront to honour was to fight. It was much more acceptable to fight and possibly die in a duel than to commit suicide.

It is probably the most difficult thing to do for the average student of martial arts, too. This is why so few who take up martial arts continue to practise and train for years and even fewer keep up with it throughout their lives. The problem for a lot of people is that they depend too much on external motivation and discipline to feel like they are doing something worthwhile. The challenge gets even harder when one reaches a milestone such as a shodan and harder still when one is at the intermediate level. It’s always too easy to stay in the comfort zone instead of trying harder to do just one more thing.

The only other solution to this issue is quite obvious if unwilling or unable to tie the hair in any way. Just cut it to a more manageable length. In any physically intense activity, sport or job long hair is a disadvantage and a hazzard.

Maybe it would be wise to avoid extending this cultural phenomenon to a region as wide-ranging and diverse as the entire continent of Asia. It would not be reasonable to expect any common cultural concepts between Japan and Cambodia or Vietnam, for example. Each of these cultures have their own world-view and a concept such as “honour” or “face” will be considered in different ways. It would also be false that these cultural traits would remain among people beyond the first or second generation born and raised in a culture and country to which they immigrated. A person of Japanese decent is no longer culturally Japanese if born and raised in America. This person will most likely not think like a Japanese person in Japan. As one who has been immersed in Japanese culture and intimately tied to it, it is possible to say that “face” is taken very seriously. Culturally, being embarrassed or causing shame is about the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen to a person. In this context people will do anything to avoid or escape such a situation, up to and including suicide. Sometimes the reason to feel embarrassed or ashamed is only perceived as such. The mere possibility or the slightest risk of causing shame or embarrassment is enough to prevent any initiative. Even if said action or decision is highly important or seems like a great idea. This mentality still prevails, however the younger generations are slowly changing and starting to see that there is value in taking a chance and facing difficulties instead of avoiding action or leaving it to someone else. Suicide as a solution to a real or percieved affront to “honour” is increasingly being seen as cowardly and weak-willed. It is still not something most would readily admit to thinking and saying such a thing clearly has gotten public people a considerable amount of criticism. Which brings us to another Japanese cultural trait: facade vs true heart. The latter being shown only to one’s inner social circle and the former for everyone else. From someone who has lived, trained and worked with the Japanese and among them both in their country and elsewhere for the last two decades.

One thing that is common to both discipline and skill is that the two take time to develop. Another is that both can only be acquired through diligent training and practise. Even with natural talent, it takes considerable discipline and conscious sustained effort to improve an existing skill or learn a new one. There is no such thing as a natural master. Discipline, concentration and dedication is how experts came to be experts. Discipline can be taught in part, but most of it must eventually come from within. It must be self-discipline because the guidance of an instructor is not always available whenever one wishes. This is precisely the reason why martial arts instructors hope and expect their students to practise on their own time and not just in the training hall when the instructor is around.

One must use common sense. Different people will start with widely varying pain tolerance thresholds, but the initial differences eventually disappear with time and practise Toughness is not something that can be learned overnight. It takes time to learn to first do things correctly, and then gradually increasing intensity. How long it takes varies from one person to another and trying to do too much too soon or too quickly can lead to serious or crippling injuries.

It is the purpose of an instructor to get students to develop skills and help them practise effectively so that they can improve said skills. Communication is essential to teaching and anything in about an instructor’s attitude or methods that makes it difficult to communicate will have an effect on how is learned if anything at all. Ideally this means that an instructor must find the best way to get each student to understand. With a larger number of students it may not be possible, so the only solution is for a teacher to teach in a way that a majority of students will understand....eventually. Even the best students will not catch on to everything the very first time it is shown or explained. This is certainly not limited to karate or even physical skills. The ability to do this is what makes the difference between a mediocre instructor and a great one. Not all karate experts are masters, the same as not everyone with a Doctorate degree is a professor or able to be one. Plenty of highly skilled people out there couldn’t teach a monkey to climb a tree.

There does not seem to be much of a purpose to attempting to number the fundamentals or basics. Maybe it is something that some instructors do to break down their curriculum to make it easier to teach. It is probably better to just remember that the simplest things are usually the most important and that in order to improve one’s skills it is important to have a good grasp of these before starting something else.

“Chinkuchi” along with the associated concepts of “gamaku” and “muchimi” are not usually known outside Okinawan karate. Even in Okinawa few sensei go into detail on these concepts except for a few seniors. They cannot be blamed though, because explaining these concepts is not easy and requires an advanced knowledge and understanding of physical anatomy(musculature and skeleton) as well as body-mechanics. After a mere 5 years of training it in under an Okinawan sensei who insists on it, all attempts to put it into a coherent explanation are simplistic at best. All that can be said with this level of understanding is that “chinkuchi” is a method of power generation that involves simultaneous use of “dynamic tension” in stabilizing muscles of the body’s core; and optimal structural alignment.

The initial impression this video gives is that it is utter nonsense. Further consideration makes one wonder what exactly was the point and the purpose of this match-up. One was clearly a classically trained point-fighter and the other didn’t seem too sure what he was supposed to do. Perhaps some of it can be explained by the fact that he was against a woman.

There are certain parts of karate philosophical/moral concepts that are often misunderstood and misinterpreted. “Sente nashi” translated as “no first strike” is one of these. The problems often comes from a combination of mistranslation from Okinawan/Japanese to other languages; but more importantly a misunderstanding of the cultural and historical contexts in which the people who formulated these ideas lived, trained and taught.

Any serious karateka will spend a long time training the fundamentals and practising basics to refine them continuously. Why 27 movments and how was this number determined? What exactly is counted as 1 movement? One could reasonably argue that this will slightly differ depending on the karateka and the karate concerned.

There are but a few things that can completely and utterly destroy a long-term friendship. Most disagreements can be overcome if there is enough time and a will to do it. When the only possible thing to do is to move on, it should be without any negative feelings like anger or resentment. It can be hard to accept that someone is somehow different in attitude, priorities or other ways. If one truly believes in the other’s quality of character, it ought to be possible to part ways but remain open to catching up and renewing the friendship whenever and if ever it becomes possible again no matter how far each party drifts away.

A thought that often comes to mind is this: A teacher may make every effort to teach everything possible, but the student may or may not be able, or ready to fully understand what is being taught at the time it is taught. This, despite the teacher’s intention to give full and complete knowledge. A student may not be able to “know” a concept until much longer after being taught and only “get it” later. This is why many practise for years and then one day realize “so, this is what sensei meant”.

One of the differences between now and a few generations ago is how much exposure to martial arts and access to information and media about the subject an average student has. For good or bad this has an important influence on student’s attitude towards training, their goals and motivations.

There is a quote somewhere(a translation of a book about the man or by himself) from Motobu Chōki where the notorious karate expert explains the “no first strike in karate maxim”. The anecdote involves Motobu being repeatedly pestered and threatened by a very aggressive and belligerent man at a social gathering. Motobu ignores him and keeps on partying until the man shows up armed with a large blade. At the point Motobu tells the man to step outside and when he does, Motobu kicks him in the back. This could sound extreme, but the Motobu’s point specifically states that “no first strike” does not mean that one should wait to be struck before responding. It means that the best defense can be a pre-emptive strike when an attacker’s hostile action is clear and imminent. This is where a good sense of observation and reading body language plays an important part. The problem is that few ordinary folks learn and train to recognize the signs of an imminent attack.

The original question was about martial arts students in general. It is interesting to note that many a contributor’s post describes issues with children or youths. Maybe this can be attributed to the number of children/youths involved in martial arts compared to adults. How are things similar or different with adult martial arts students?