Does it matter where your instructor grew up?

[SloMo]

This is a bit personal for me but I could never understand how it is that if a Martial Artist grew up in "The slums of { fill in name of city here}" that it makes them more qualified or better qualified to teach Martial Arts.

 

It just seems like so much Hollywood to me. Just about everybody ( myself included ) puts their instructor on a bit of a pedestal. I don't see what it is about how they grew up that makes them a better teacher.

[Red J]

I tend to agree with you unless it has a direct influence on how it makes up your instructor's experience and character. If you have "beat the streets", not only physically, emotionally, and most important, intellectually, you probably have something to offer over someone who had a relatively stable upbringing. Certain skills are acquired in overcoming major life obstacles.

 

I recently met a senior instructor who was involved in a real life and death situation. It lasted several minutes and he ultimately won and survived the whole ordeal (knife stand-off in an elevator). He had been training for a while when it happened and when his instructor heard of it he said that his student gained twenty years worth of experience in a few short minutes. I think you get the concept.

[The Saint]

I have notice one thing about where someone comes form, if you have nothing growing up, you have nothing to lose, if you have everything growing up, you have everything to lose. The reason why people believe that growing up in the "bad part" of town is better because it shows a person has had enough self modivation to overcome poverty. If you had two atheletes that were fighting for there lives and they were the same size, weight, strength, but the only differance is one lives in a poor part of town and one lives in a rich part of town, who would have more modivation?

 

My anwser is the guy from the ruff part of town because he has nothing to lose. It happens all around the world, sports, musicians, business people, self made people....etc.

 

I do train in a bad part of town. We have less equipment which makes us work on basic technics. In the past 4 yrs of competitions every person competing has won (top 3) in sparring. It ultametly comes down how well you learn from somebody and how well that person trains you.

[iolair]

Of course, the most motivated/able martial artist is not necessarily the best instructor... Once the instructor knows their stuff to a certain level, surely the ability to communicate their skill is more important than additional skill.

[The Saint]

I can see that, I'm a good fighter....but when it comes to teaching...eeak, I'm not comfortable with it.

[Grenadier]

Where the martial artist lived previously doesn't necessarily have an impact on the quality of the teaching, but if someone were forced to deal with real-life encounters on a more frequent basis, he might indeed, have a better mental edge when it comes to dealing with such matters.

 

Such an individual may also have a better insight when it comes to dealing with kids who are "off the streets," and might be able to better connect with them than someone who doesn't have the same amount of "street-wise." In the end, this could help him get a few more students that might not have felt comfortable at other schools.

 

While such experience can give an edge to the instructor, it still does not override the teaching abilities overall. A teacher who is good at teaching, yet didn't come from "the streets," is certainly better than the bad teacher with a good amount of "street-wise."

[pineapple]

People who grew up in rough neighborhoods can generally handle tougher training and therefore become better martial artists as far as physical capabilities. (There are always exceptions) Some people grew up in nice communities but suffered emotional hardships and they normally become tough too.

 

Here in Hawaii, I noticed that the dojos in the lower income areas teach more rough and tumble style arts while the higher income areas concentrate a lot on character development so if your goal is to learn practical self defense, someone from the rough side might be a better instructor for you.

 

I would rather listen to someone from the bad part of town teaching me on what to do on the streets than to someone who only had dojo experience, however Grenadier made a good point also.

 

 

A teacher who is good at teaching, yet didn't come from "the streets," is certainly better than the bad teacher with a good amount of "street-wise

 

I once knew a world class jujitsu player who no one wanted to train with because he would lose his temper and belittle people.

[Nick_UKWC]

Coming from a rough area might make you a tougher fighter but it doesn't make you a better teacher.

 

If you're a good teacher then yes this helps, but if you're a lousy teacher who cares what you know, you never impart it to anyone else.

[The Saint]

Coming from a rough area might make you a tougher fighter but it doesn't make you a better teacher.

 

If you're a good teacher then yes this helps, but if you're a lousy teacher who cares what you know, you never impart it to anyone else.

 

I agree

[BJJShotoshe]

I don't believe in the whole "I am better qualified to teach MA because I grew up in a tough neighborhood" deal, but I can see where they would think so. Because most teachers believe that MA should be taught with an application, fighting standard, they believe that they can teach you how to use your skills to fight someone that even surprises you with a punch to the back of the head. They believe this because they have more then likely been through it themselves. Whether or not they were able to defend themselves is besides the point, they just think that they can teach you from their experiences. I can see where they are coming from, but I do not believe it is right. I mean, some of the best instructors I know, and wisest, have never been in a street fight in their entire lives. I just thougt that I would add my two cents in. Oh yeah, I definately hold my karate instructor on a pedestal!! LOL