Do you need an instructor?

[Montana]

Well, let me put my response this way...

Have you ever actually watched someone that is "self-taught" (learned only from books and videos)?

I have....

[tallgeese]

Well put. We've probibly all see "that guy" a time or two.

Still, there are some mighty good brawlers I've ran across that have just been beaten down in thier lives so much that it's almost a way of life for them. Technically, they are horrible. However, there is a strong advantage that comes from a high level of comfort with violent behavior and a willingness to hurt others.

[Throwdown0850]

Well, let me put my response this way...

Have you ever actually watched someone that is "self-taught" (learned only from books and videos)?

I have....

I agree. However, I have a friend of mine here that I have seen him take down guys like i have never seen and he has never stepped foot in a dojo.. when I asked him he told me him bought a empty hand Kali video series years ago and has been training in that since???

[humble monk]

I heard somewhere that Evan Tanner, former UFC champ got his Jiu Jitsu from videos.

[TraditionalDan]

We, our instructors, and students are all people, and people know and experience thier own things.

Therefore we can all benefit from eachother's input. In today's world, where martial arts are alot more open, I feel that students shouldn't feel afraid to share thier knowledge with thier instructor.

Likewise, instructors shouldn't be afraid to take input from thier students.

[Zanshin]

We, our instructors, and students are all people, and people know and experience thier own things.

Therefore we can all benefit from eachother's input. In today's world, where martial arts are alot more open, I feel that students shouldn't feel afraid to share thier knowledge with thier instructor.

Likewise, instructors shouldn't be afraid to take input from thier students.

I don't entirely disagree with you Dan however, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing sometimes, and perhaps it takes an experienced instructor to recognise this in a student.

After I was graded to Shodan, I thought I was the "business" and knew all the answers.

Furthermore I was absolutely convinced that my instructors were dinosaurs who were completely out of touch with good karate, and modern training etc.

Now, I don't think thats a bad thing, as it made me look around me and see what other systems / schools had.

It made me look very deeply into my karate particularly as a had started a small club at the time and was conscious that i wanted to reach the right things.

Deep down though I consider loyalty a very important value, so I stayed with my group and progressed through my Dan gradings etc., but most importantly I came to realise that actually these guys that had been me teachers for over two decades had already given me all the answers.

I just didn't know it at the time because I wasn't ready to understand.

Z

[bushido_man96]

We, our instructors, and students are all people, and people know and experience thier own things.

Therefore we can all benefit from eachother's input. In today's world, where martial arts are alot more open, I feel that students shouldn't feel afraid to share thier knowledge with thier instructor.

Likewise, instructors shouldn't be afraid to take input from thier students.

I agree with your outlook here. I think that many times as teachers, that our students have nothing to offer us. Many times, this is not the case.

[Tiger1962]

I believe we do need instructors and our instructors need instructors to stay fresh and to keep up to snuff with what they know.

[tori]

I think if someone is just interested in fighting and not learning the hows, whys, and inner aspects of a style, then sure. I guess you can learn from books, peers, dvd's. But if you want to keep true to a style, then of course you need an instructor.

Doesnt a boxer always have a trainer? Doesnt a football, baseball, basketball, olympian... always have a coach or trainer? Someone to guide you in your journey and help you to be a better student of your art is a must in my eyes.

I think the most dangerous fighter, is the untrained fighter.

[bushido_man96]

I think the most dangerous fighter, is the untrained fighter.

Dangerous, how? In what ways do you mean? Just curious.