Worst experience ever?

[Greek Fighter]

One way or the other, there's always an unsatisfying experience in martial arts training. That one guy I had seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder. His son was nice and was helping his father run the dojo. After I stomped on his toe, that really rubbed me the wrong way when he looked at me dead in the eyes. I said I was sorry and he didn't say anything for ten seconds. I almost crapped in my pants thinking he was going to go off and kill me. He then told me that's okay. It's not like he was the violent type, but the cold personality, gruff voice, and droopy face really scared me. He just seemed miserable. It was very strange.

[bushido_man96]

One way or the other, there's always an unsatisfying experience in martial arts training.

This is true, but you will find this in about every aspect of life as well. Whether it is at a martial arts studio, or going out to eat, you will always find poor service or unprofessionalism somewhere.

[Greek Fighter]

I couldn't agree with you more. Some people just aren't happy no matter what.

[baronbvp]

Greek Fighter, your story about your sensei is a good one. Not enough dojos teach conflict deescalation. Most conflicts are about someone insecure feeling a lack of respect, or an egregious demonstration of sociopathic behavior. I would venture to say that putting one's face up to a knife blade isn't a good idea in this day and age because people are less predictable. Many have lost any sense of worth about a person's life.

My worst experience was also one of my best. A roommate in college was teaching me some JKD one on one. He told me he was going to touch my face ten times in a row and that I would be powerless to prevent it. He was right. It was my worst experience because I felt so inadequate to defend myself. It was a great experience because it taught me that I had a lot to learn.

An occasional dose of humility is a healthy thing.

[bbk2132]

when we had the grand opening for our new dojo, we invited a Kempo school to come and teach a class because our schools have been friends for a long time. The instructor was teaching a drill that tought awareness, where we had everyone stand in a cirlce and a bunch of people went inside and we had a giant rubber ball that the people making the circle rolled around. The people inside had to avoid it.

He started the class by saying when you are in a street fight you don't want a fair fight, you want it to be unfair in you favor.

So he had a little boy from our dojo, he was probably 6 or 7, stand up and the instructor was talking about the drill when all of a sudden he kicked the ball at the kid, and the poor little guy flew back three feet and fell on the ground.

He went on to say "you always have to be ready" it was a good message but the kid could have been really hurt by this. It bothered me...a lot.

but i have never personally had a bad expeirience.

[daizyblackbelt]

my worst experience was last year with a TKD "club" that some people formed in my dorm. the guy who was nominally in charge claimed to have something on par of 7 Dan ranks in different styles including a style of karate i'd never heard of, ninjustsu, several styles of kung fu, and so on.

i decided to tag along because i needed some sort of training, not having started the club i'm trying to found now.

the class began with some simple enough kicks, and then progressed onward to more and more ludicrous techniques. he continued to preach about "combat effctiveness" and then belied that with every technique he wanted us to do. spinning hook kicks, "knife" kicks, right spinning back fist to left spinning backfist (yeah...turn your back on the enemy TWICE! good plan!)

i was also a little under the weather and he didn't get the best impression of my skill-level, but i'm positive i could have taken him apart. depsite his claim of immense knowledge he was way to dependant on kicks.

His philosopies on self-defense were stilted and inconsistant and were preached at us from beginning to end. the legality of killing someone never came up, but the morality did. we were told to avoid palm strikes. he discouraged ad-libbing and innovation. the list goes on. in 3 hours this guy became one of my least favorite people on the planet.

needless to say i never went back.

[baronbvp]

I see you're from Corvallis/Eugene. Beaver or Duck? My wife's a Duck, her sister's a Beaver. They're from Albany.

[daizyblackbelt]

it's debatable. grew up in eugene, but going to school in corvallis.

duck by heritage, beaver by association.

when they play each other i just hide somewhere until everybody calms down.

[baronbvp]

What I love about Oregon is that the schools hate each other - until someone else attacks one of them. Then they're just all Oregonians and thick as thieves. Especially true when the Huskies come to town. By the way, I'm a Trojan. Go PAC-10.

[bushido_man96]

So he had a little boy from our dojo, he was probably 6 or 7, stand up and the instructor was talking about the drill when all of a sudden he kicked the ball at the kid, and the poor little guy flew back three feet and fell on the ground.

He went on to say "you always have to be ready" it was a good message but the kid could have been really hurt by this. It bothered me...a lot.

I don't think that sounds too professional. Ok with an adult, but with the kids, you have to do it a little differently. If it made his point clear, though, then I guess it works.