Violence in the dojo

[Killer Miller]

Like Rob said, I use to see this all the time in team training as well. It's usually the new guy, or brown belt because they think they are better than they are, and they will try to take your head off. Everyone just ignores it for the most part - as long as it doesn't get too out of hand. Having them spar in a match is a great idea. But we use to make the "bad guy" stay up and spar with all the other black belts too and let them get worn out and degraded a bit to mellow them out for the future.

If both were out of line, you could probably have two sparring matches going on and both would spar with all the black belts. With a team training session of about 30+ black belts, that's one heck of a workout.

- Killer -

[karateone]

We had a father and two sons who were higher rannked and wanted to e rough when sparring. this continued to get rougher and rougher. we confronted them and that worked for awhile but then whered off. seeing as country folks only learn from a beating they only fought the upper ranked blackbelts and instructors and we were rougher with them. they eventually realized they were not the best thing in the world and were not as rough.

[ninjanurse]

I think the response depends on the dojo. My sensei would have told both students to hit the road and not come back as that kind of behavior sets a very bad example for what he feels a martial artist should be. I also know that he would feel that he had failed as their teacher. I tend to agree-especially at such high ranks.

[jaymac]

In our dojo, it is our responsibility to use control. If you use excessive control on another, it is your responsibility to immediately after your match do 30 push ups. If the head instructor has to tell you to do push ups for hitting someone too hard, your number of push ups increases greatly, especially if you are a dan rank.

[arran6]

1STLY: Tha brown belt should have known better doin that to a 2nd dan is suside whis is now a proven fact! lol

2NDLY: If a lower grade thinks they can pick on you they should be shot. or as the case may be with the current laws and such he should be shown the ropes (wink) but not that badly that he is shot across teh room. you tell them to stop and if they dont you worry them u no. stop ur fist 1mm b-4 u hit there nose and give them a light shot to the stomach to show them that you mean what u say!

[GATES]

just sounds like ego to me.

i guess the black belt got a ego bash because the brown belt got 1 in so he knocked the brown belt flying which resulted in his ego getting bashed seen this thing before.

let them get on with it but out side the class then know body else is involved

[Killer Miller]

Typically, if a brown belt gave me a cheap shot, which was an frequent occurance due to their inexperience, I would wait to hear an "osu" from them. This was a known aknowledgement that it wasn't on purpose and everything was cool. I would then show them what they are doing wrong. But if it continued and I didn't hear an "osu" from them, they would get blasted pretty hard.

It's just the way it is...

In a beginner or intermediate class, it would be out of line. But in an advanced class or team training, it's ok to retaliate a little to make a point.

- Killer -

[bushido_man96]

If you want to place blame, it is important to get both stories, in order to figure out who is at fault. If you just want to berate them both, that is fine, too. It is hard to tell, because these things escalate easily.

The brown belt could have been trying to get a point, so he accidently takes a technique up a notch, and makes contact. So, now, the black belt thinks the contact level has been escalated a little, so he takes it up a notch. From there, the brown belt thinks he is getting roughed up just because he scored, so he takes it up a notch, and it builds from there.

In my opinion, it is really no big deal, and it usually settles itself. Actually, it shows some gumption from the two, and can have some positive outcomes.

[Shui Tora]

IMO, when you are in the Dojo, you have all respect for others around you... When you spar, you have controlled contact... If you hit someone with no malice, you stop the fight/spar and see if they are okay....

Now, in Japan, they are very strict about this. If the situation happened there, then the Sensei would have both of them doing crunches for the rest of the lesson, and then listen to the stories.... Being that a Dan grade was going to continue to hit the brown belt makes it more disgraceful.... That shows he has no discipline, but that his training has gone out of the window.... Okay, the brown belt should've had control to him, but it still doesn't make the Dan grades' cause just.

When with a lower grade than you, your ego should be pegged down a knotch or two.... Or ask your sensei for someone near your grade...

[Sohan]

I guess I've been fortunate in my system to have higher ranking black belts who were very gracious when sparring with lower belts of above average skill. I have always remembered that for when I work with other lower belt levels that take me to the limit. It results in an environment of cooperation, rather than extreme competition, though we still have some over-aggressive hyper-competitive dimwits who still exist from time to time.

With respect,

Sohan