Orders

[Kieran-Lilith]

Why is it that we lowly belts are always being given orders? Why are we barely allowed to think for ourselves, when the higher ranks get to boss us around and give us lots of orders? Just find it odd, and hard, because I hate following orders, it doens't allow me to think for myself and make my own choices. As I can't figure it out, do any of you know?

[Northren Ogre]

If you don't like the orders that much, you can always go to a non traditional school. A MMA school or the like. I know I would'nt like taking orders from some little cheesehead 12 year old "blackbelt"

[Kieran-Lilith]

MMA I've tried. I disliked the instructor immensely. Thankfully, no twelve year old shrimp can be a black belt in my school. I only have to take orders from Sensei and anyone above me in the older class. I want to know why it's so very necessary to have people ordering us around, what's it supposed to be teaching me?

[pineapple]

Taking orders is how you learn discipline and humbleness!

 

Any "old school" is going to require you to do what you are told. If you don't like this, you should seek a fighting school that teaches strictly techniques.

[cross]

Just find it odd, and hard, because I hate following orders, it doens't allow me to think for myself and make my own choices. As I can't figure it out, do any of you know?

 

I think there needs to be a good balance of both orders and self "exploration".

 

It depends what type of orders your talking about, but generally the person telling you will only be trying to help you improve, they are not doing it to put you down.

 

One thing you need to remember is that you are going to a martial arts school and paying for lessons so that you can LEARN something, not because you already know everything and want to show it off.

 

You need to have an open mind to what you are being taught and when you advance enough at the technique you can use it how you like and develop your own interpretation(i.e. think for yourself).

 

If your instructors teaching method is giving orders then you need to deal with it. Either accept it, talk with your instructor about it, or leave.

[Kieran-Lilith]

I'm sorry if I sounded like a whiny little brat to anyone. I'm just used to doing whatever I want. I guess part of the problem is my friend taking it out of the dojo, but he's probably right that I'll never get anywhere if I don't get some sort of ordering structure at all times, simply because of what I'm like and who I am. I'm too independent, and if I'm away from what I'm supposed to be doing, and allowed to have my own thoughts start working again, I kinda really start doing the opposite of what's wanted.

[cross]

I'm too independent

 

Theres nothing wrong with being independent, i am also a very independent person.

 

You just need to remember that you go to training so you can learn new skills. You can do whatever you want when your at home.

[Hudson]

Yup. Just learn to drop everything you are at the door and let the instructor mold you into a better person - sounds cheesy, but its true.

 

Theres no room for ego, just do what your told, stick with it, and in 7-10 years, you might get to boss people around!

[AngelaG]

To be honest your sempai should not really be giving you orders unless they are actually assisting instructing the class. IMO there is nothing worse than when I am teaching and I can hear some 8th kyu mumbling on, bossing around some 10th kyu further down the line. When I am talking they should be listening or one of them may get hurt.

 

In line work (such as Kihon), kata etc. there should be no talking either, because if you find time to look around and critique other people's technique then you are not concentrating on your own technique.

 

The only time I will accept a gentle bit of guidance is during partner work, and even then it may be the lower grade telling the higher grade what to do because they have listened more!

[SloMo]

A lot of it depends on what kind of orders are being given. I think it's as important to learn to take charge as it is to let someone else take charge.

 

In our school it's usually the lower belts who get tasked with doing things like getting the equipement out, etc. But it's also not uncommon for me to ask a 1st Dan to do it as well. There is some "paying of dues" for the lower ranks but I would never ask somebody to do anything that I woudln't do myself. The more unpleasant the task, the more likely I will do it myself.

 

I'm a independant thinker myself and I always had to know the "why" behind something. It was tough for me to let go of that a little and trust in someone else that they are telling me the right thing.

 

Also, it's not always about belt level. If I ask one of the advanced belts to warm up the class. They can ask me or any of the dan's to do something to help out. For instance, if they see somebody not doing something properly they can ask me to go assist that person. When they do I say "Yes Sir/Maam" and do as they say.

 

So Kieran-Lilith what kind of things are they telling you to do?