Do we need to ask permission?

[Elky]

I, like many others on this thread, don't believe that we should apply to rules of the ancient times to now, but still should maintain the same amount of respect for our own dojo. When I went to go try out another dojo, the sensei there told me to ask my teacher. When I actually asked my teacher, he got a quizzical look on his face and asked "umm...sure. You don't have to ask me."

Ha ha, yeah, my intructor would give me such a funny look if I asked him what I was allowed to do in my free time.

He'd be like this ->

[stejitsu]

Our instructor and various students like myself at one time train in various styles also. It makes for a rich environment of martial ability and can only be a positive influence on our club. Our sifu says do what you like its our free time you only live once enjoy your time whilst here

[The BB of C]

I don't believe you should have to ask a sensei for permission to train anywhere else. He/she is your sensei and you obviously have some respect for them if he's good but he/she does not have much right to deny you training in another style. Of course there are some exeptions but I'm not sure if those exeptions happen often enough to be considered too seriously.

[Cormoran]

I've noticed everyone talking about respect for the sensei, but what about respect for the student? Shouldn't respect go both ways?

If I found that I had to ask permission i'd feel I was being disrespected.

For me it comes down to more modern thinking i guess, I'm paying my sensei for a service. If i also want a different service and he tells me i can't do it then he'd damn well better be able to offer the exact same service i'd get from the other place for the same or lower price.

As for advice, sure, that's exactly what your sensei is there for. That's part and parcel with the service you're paying for so whynot utilize it.

[Marine]

I dont think that you have to ask permission. But I think you should tell your sensei just to let him know what is going on and to let him know that you are quitting or not going to be around as much.

I know i went through this over a year ago and I just told my sensei that i was going to go train else where because i wasnt learning much at his gym, mostly because he was never there and i was teaching classes.

[marie curie]

When I was young, I took karate. We met for 3 hrs every Saturday, and I wanted to improve my skills by training at our local TKD school. I asked if it would be ok, and my sensei said that I really shouldn't. They had different goals than we did.

Later on I found out that the TKD school was a total McDojo. I had a friend who's little sister got her shodan after 2 years of training and at the age of 9, which wasn't crazy uncommon.

In the end I'm really glad that I listened to my sensei, and respect him for not bashing the school to me, but making a recommendation to not go.

[boyo1991]

no, its your respect for the art...

[harmoniouswarrior]

I think I'd rather ask advice than permission, I would ask for advice, but I won't ask for permission. I'd probably follow the advice however.

This says it all. Asking for advice gives your instructor a chance for input, and if he really has your best interest at heart, how can he say No?

[Chuilli, Kyo Sah Nim]

Well after being in tang soo do for an extended period of time i decided to go back to my childhood martial art of chinese kempo. so i asked my master first and i believe that it was the right thing to do and secondly the professor im training under asked me if i did the second i stepped in his dojo. but my instructor does not care, well i wont say care because he loves that im broadening my horizons i suppose you could say but i would want my students to ask because some of my students i would not want at other schools, i would tell them to wait to acquire more rank and knowledge because the other school is going to ask you questions and things and to be honest, and unfortuantely, some of them, i would not trust them to remember all their materials for both arts and the respect thing of another school is so huge. so it takes a special person to cross train i think. but thats just what i would want my students to do, and i think others appreciate it.

in tang soo, k.chuilli

[HongKongFooey]

It is pretty funny how some people become totally subservient to their martial arts instructor, like they are some kind of demigod. This isn't feudal Japan. What you do in your free time is your business. No one should have to ask permission, nor should anyone expect groveling, just because they happen to teach a martial art.