Spartacus Maximus

There are quite a few good books and references available for almost every martial art. However most of these focus primarily on the techniques, history and philosophy. Finding a good publication on teaching is more difficult. There is much more to teaching than just being able to demonstrate. Effective teaching methods apply to all martial arts, so any recommendations would be helpful. Can anyone out there recommend a good publication, especially books that go in depth and detail about the teaching aspect of martial arts?

Distance learning and online courses are possible for many different subjects. The martial arts, however are not all suited to remote lessons. Martial arts requires live, hands-on training under the close observation of a qualified instructors and on a regular basis. One should be able to train with an instructor and other students at least once a week in addition to individual practise outside of dojo hours.

Too many parents seem to forget one of the most important things about being a parent, which is learning to let go while being supportive. Especially when it comes to dealing with education or any other thing where someone other than them has the leading role. It is also unfortunate that many teachers, coaches and instructors are either too kind or lack the assurance to remind parents to accept that they must let the teacher teach. Leave the instruction to the instructor and the coaching to the coaches. That takes trust and there must be a good relationship of trust and understanding otherwise nothing can begin. If there is no trust or if the parents do not approve or find issues with the people in whose care they put their children, they must take them elsewhere to somebody whose philosophy and methods they agree with.

There is only two ways to deal with failures in martial arts and in everything else. It isn’t complicated to do and most people don’t realize it. One can either give up and quit or learn from the failure and keep trying until one is successful. instant success without effort rarely ever happens. People who are good at things got that way because they understood their failures and used them to their advantage. With anyone, but young people in particular, a good way to help them deal with failures is to encourage determination. As a teacher or senior, draw attention on what they got right and ask them where they think they fell short. Once the reason/root of the failure is clear, focus on that part until they improve. After that it is only a question of putting in enough practise to get it right.

I found this forum completely by chance and made the decision to join after a long time just reading through posts. When it became clear that it was regularly moderated and that serious discussion on martial arts were possible without interference by trolls, I registered. Almost eight years ago I held a sandan with a rather large Okinawan shorin ryu karate organization. I had trained with XYZ-kan since my teenage years and had earned two dan levels in Okinawa graded by the grandmaster himself. Despite this, I realized how little I really knew, especially the functionality of basic fundamentals and kata applications. This is what drove me to personally and independently seek out other sources to fill in the I knowledge and skill gaps I knew I had. I read books, watched DVDs and took every opportunity to learn from different instructors of my style of shorin ryu. Especially those from different associations. At the time of my first post here, my path had already diverted totally by chance and curiosity. I had finally found what I wished I had learned on a set of DVDs by an obscure instructor. From that set of videos I had tracked him down and by stroke of luck he was teaching less than two hours away from where I had moved. I finally met this old Okinawan gentleman and re-started my training from zero and have never looked back since joining his association. I re-learned the exact same kata from the exact same lineage, but with a new perspective. I can now say that in a year I learned more than I had since I started karate as an awkward teenage nerd. So I put on a crisp new white belt and gave up my sandan. As of now I have re-earned up to nidan and am close to getting sandan for the second time. This time under this new sensei’s methods I have gained so much that gradings have become secondary. A nod of approval from this new sensei is worth far more than any belt or paper. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it because my instructor and my peers honestly see more to my real abilities than I do myself. I’m also here because it’s the only place I can freely express and share my thoughts on karate and martial arts. Out there in the real world, for my own sake I would rather avoid mentioning my training or discussing it at all.

Unfortunately I have been unable to meet my sensei or commute to the dojo because of COVID-related restrictions and my own schedule. This is a matter I would prefer to discuss with him in person, so I have to wait. I already told him before that teaching and opening a dojo is something I would definitely like to do in response to his hopes that I pass on what he teaches me. It’s just that as much as I did, he probably doesn’t expect it to be as soon as it appears it will happen. There are so many things to think about and plan, but I cannot go ahead without first getting his opinion and approval because at this stage it is still his karate and I don’t yet have the experience to really put my touch to it. I will be sure to post updated whenever I get a new development on this idea. For now all I can say is that before leaving and moving away I will have the chance to have a few months of uninterrupted intensive training, possibly as soon as June or July. If all goes well I might very well start looking for a location from December or January.

Many thanks to those who have given their opinion and encouragement. Eligibility and recognition mean nothing unless I have explicit approval from my sensei. After all the idea of opening a dojo is first and foremost a way to continue my own training, research and progress. At least at this stage. I suppose this will probably change later on, but for now following and perpetuating exactly what I am being taught the way I am is what counts most.

Getting approval to open a dojo and teach is of the highest importance because I have immense respect for my sensei. I also hold in high esteem his skills and knowledge of karate and his evaluation of what I leaned from him so far. By opening a dojo, I would be representing not only the style, but my instructor as well.

Hopefully my reasoning and intentions will be acceptable. As mentioned before, allowing a sandan to run a branch dojo is a rare exception which requires certain special conditions. My main purpose for doing it is to have a place to practise and continue to train myself and secondly teach what I have been taught to others who are as enthusiastic about Okinawan karate as I am. Obviously I cannot do everything the same way because my sensei is a different person, but I believe that I must remain as faithful as possible to the core and curriculum. This is especially true for me as I cannot claim to know or understand be able to do what I have yet to learn. And there so much more progress to be made personally and at third dan. Perhaps later on I may develop my own expression of my style, but for now it cannot deviate and should be exactly from the mould.

Life circumstances and other important matters have made it clear that training at the present dojo regularly will be impossible. As there will be no branch schools anywhere within reasonable distance, it seems starting one myself is the only solution. Teaching what I know is something I have always enjoyed and my sensei does hope I will help spread what he teaches. The only issue is that I never thought I would be ready before another five or six years, and certainly not as just a 3rd dan. I still think I have too much to work on myself, but opening a branch dojo could make just enough profit for me to visit my teacher for training while giving my self a place to train. I’m not sure if my instructor would agree, but I’m hoping he will agree to make an exception. I don’t plan to make a living from my school, and I would be using my dojo’s income to train with him either by travelling myself or bringing him to my dojo. Opinions and ideas are welcome from anyone. Especially school owners/operators.

Generally speaking, it is possible to get a very clear idea of the criteria and requirements for a karate black belt. All karate styles have different content and specific techniques or kata, but what stays the same when compared is that a shodan level must demonstrate 3 things: 1. A solid understanding of the basic principles and techniques, their general applications and functionality. 2. Knowledge and general understanding of kata or/and drills 3. A solid grasp of the entire curriculum from the earliest teachings up to the most recently learned item. That is the easiest part and task for a prospective karate teacher. The differences and difficulty or how long between evaluations and their contents are unique to every instructor, even within the same karate style. There are slight variations from one dojo to another, but at least within a single given karate association they always fit into these 3 guidelines. Even if someone were to devise their own karate style or start an independent school, this prospective instructor would have to follow them when deciding what to teach and what a shodan in their system ought to know/apply. Specifics in the points or contents of each guideline depend on nothing but the instructor.

Would it be too far off the mark to state that everyone who has ever promoted themselves to any rank in martial arts did so for profit and because the prospect of gaining fame and fortune to were the main motives? Otherwise, who cares? If one just trains for trainings sake and polishing skills, belts stop being a priority. Especially if one isn’t an instructor or competitor. Personally the whole idea of self-evaluation and promotion in anything is pointless and just not understandable. The only thing that ever matters is trust and approval from a person who is doing his best to teach skills I believe in and want to learn.

There are quite a few people in martial arts who have made it a lifelong endeavour and to some of us it may be have become a “need” because we may have organized our lives with it as a priority for our physical and mental well-being as well our living. It’s easy to forget that for most people adult or not, martial arts training is not always easy to make time for with every other want and need at a particular stage in life. Education, work or both take up so much time in the average person’s life that making a choice to spend some of that precious free time on what is mostly considered a hobby can be difficult. Especially when there are so many choices and other obligations.

If your martial art has forms, it is always possible to practise shorter parts and sequences or individual techniques that only require a couple of steps in any direction. You can also just switch sides while remaining in place to replace/simulate a step forward or back depending on the size of the floor you have to work with. If it can be done in a tiny business hotel room, it can work practically anywhere. The idea is to pick anything from your martial art that can be done with the least amount of room to move around.

Everything seems more casual at my dojo than in other places. Maybe it is the same way in smaller schools where everyone knows everyone. We use a wooden rack with name plates with grade dividers and that is the only way to know if someone has a title. On the floor and among ourselves we just use our names. We know where we all stand and the head instructor is the chief instructor of the association with the title of Hanshi next to his name on the board. As there are no other instructors, only he is called sensei.

It would seem that the common expectation and assumptions are correct then. This would make the place I train an exception as every student is an adult except for two or three out of the number. And half of the student body has trained before in a variety of other systems from aikido to kendo. Maybe it falls into the non-profit category as most of the dojo income keep the lights on and the rent.

In your(general) experience and opinion, if one wishes to teach and charge for instruction either privately or opening a school, is it absolutely necessary to the financial health of the business to take children and youths? Is it possible to make it with only adults (default legal age where one resides) ? Why or why not?

Having a specific instructor training programme or curriculum is not as common as it would seem to be. There are a lot of schools where everyone is expected to do some instructing when they reach shodan or whatever level/experience determined by the main instructor. Becoming an instructor and running a school is often simply a matter of getting explicit permission and approval from one’s own instructor. The traditional process in Japan/Okinawa is to show a willingness to help teach when asked. From 4th or 5th dan, one might be asked to take over some teaching duties under the guidance of the main instructor. This is where one may have a teaching title. One must have a godan to be a shihan(teaching title), but not all godan teach. Opening a dojo requires permission and approval from one’s sensei and the head of the organization/association to which one belongs. Exceptions may be made, but they are very rare and depend on each individual dojo. For example a new dojo in an area far from the main dojo and any other school. So far at my dojo there are four, maybe five people who are at that dan level and only two regularly teach as assistant/substitute within the dojo. Nobody as far as I know has opened a school, except for foreign students. The dojo is so small in number that the regulars each have known each other for two years or more. The dan holders have their own loose association(more like a counsel where they meet and discuss finer points before going to the grandmaster to settle any doubts or disagreements. These meetings are usually casual and are open to anyone sandan and above); and have mostly been acquainted since they’ve earned their shodan.

The short answer is yes, one should ideally have some knowledge of what others are doing and learn from it as much as possible. Cross-training can be useful, but to be useful it should be done with an open mind and a frame of reference The question better question to consider should be when cross-training should be done. Anyone who presently trains in an Okinawan karate dojo, probably and unknowingly cross-trains in kobudo. The two used to be separate and taught separately by different instructors. Teaching them together as part of one dojo’s curriculum has only been the norm since the early 60’s. There are in fact two or three styles of kobudo including different weapons or tools as weapons. As far as cross training in different styles or martial arts, when carefully considered, it should ideally be attempted when one has gain a firm grasp and understanding of one martial art before venturing to learn another. It wouldn’t do much good to try to begin two or more martial arts at the same time, for the beginner will most likely either burn themselves out from over-training, become confused with seemingly contradictory details and miss what a student with experience in something else would see. Lastly, there is always the exceptional case where the different martial arts in which one wishes to train are so radically different that conflict or interference is impossible such as Aikido and karate or Brazilian JJ and Taekwondo.

If memory serves me right, Miyagi had one other student that is mentioned: Julie’s father. It is mentioned in the first part of “the next karate kid”.

The lesser number of students present at one time means that the instructor will notice more details and give more feedback. More time can be spent on getting something just right, focus the bulk of teaching on one or two things to improve. In a group of 20 students if your off by an inch, you’re off by an inch. The instructor might not notice right away or have time to get to you because there 19 others. In a group of 5-10, if you’re off by an inch, you’re off by a mile. The point is that there is an ideal number of people to teach at a time. When that number is exceeded, quality teaching decreases.

Coïncidence or not, my dojo colours match the traditional colours of the rykyuan kingdom as seen on their ships from historical records: white, black and red with gold/yellow trimmings.

It depends a lot on the culture of the dojo one belongs to. Outside of Okinawa where the dojo culture is quite casual, many dojo’s have a very quasi-military style. Japan’s militarism at the time karate was introduced there and the fact that most first generation non-native instructors were also military men explains why it is so common for titles and rank to be insisted upon. Personally, using “sir” always seemed unnecessary and misplaced without being in the military. The only forms of address in and out of the dojo was whatever they were in plain English or whatever language was used. A school teacher and a martial arts instructor were called the same thing: “Mr” or “Ms”. Anyone close to one’s age, used first names. I have trained under mostly Okinawan instructors and they have always been very casual with titles except for the regular forms of address “last-name+san” in Japanese. In Japan and Okinawa it’s normal, but in other places it’s normal to use what is usually used there in the local language.

The bar is way too high! None of the original actors has anyone that could take their roles today. Remaking the original scenario and script is always possible and nerved hard to achieve. It will probably be better simply because techniques and technology has improved a lot since the 70s. Unfortunately, despite all the improvements and advancements in film production, a production is always dependent on the actors. There are a lot of remakes that are successful, it it’s almost always due the actors.

I second that, with two thumbs way up!!!. The movies are or my generation and kept me stuck on karate and Okinawa too. I don’t care if some of it is a bit off martial arts wise, I still very much enjoy the show and can’t wait until I can binge watch the new release.