Beating the Teacher

[marksmarkou]

When you spar with your teacher/coach/sensei, im sure there will come a time or have had experienced a time, when you get the better off him/her, weather its gaining a submission, beating them with strikes etc.

Is it wise to take these opportunities to win or is it better to show respect for your teacher, hold back and dont take advantage of winning opportunities.

[unknownstyle]

i believe it would be disrespectful not to take an opportunity such as that, most of the time a teacher exposes weak points to see if you notice them and how you go about it, its a basic teaching tool i use all the time.

[Truestar]

I think your instructor will respect you more if you legitimately pick up on a weakness and expose it. We're taking classes to train to be martial artists, not everybody will remain undefeated. If you sneak a lock in grappling or a point in sparring the best thing to do is be modest about it. If he/she compliments you respond, but definitely don't go around anywhere bragging you beat your instructor. They may have a little lesson plan set out for you afterwards.

[joesteph]

I've felt that in the few times I've sparred with my instructor, she was "testing" me, perhaps gauging me, finding out what I would do against a more experienced fighter, seeing what I was capable of, even determining how much of her fighting ability I could handle.

[Tiger1962]

i believe it would be disrespectful not to take an opportunity such as that, most of the time a teacher exposes weak points to see if you notice them and how you go about it, its a basic teaching tool i use all the time.

Exactly --- I found this true also. So if you're offered an opportunity, take it, otherwise your instructor could assume you're not picking up on it.

[tallgeese]

Always take those oppotunities. You're training, he's training, it's part of mutually helping one another.

[pittbullJudoka]

Take it by all means. You instructor will see that there training you is paying off. They may question in why you did not seize the opening that they left. Most instructors will by no means be up set if you get the better of them in a sparring match. And as others above have said it will help both of you. For you it's the ability of spotting weakness and exposing it very quickly or repeditavely. For the other they fid out what areas they need to work on and improve.

It's a win win situation for both of you.

[Wa-No-Michi]

I agree, I have been teaching for a few years now and obviously I like to make sure the students at our club get the best instruction they can (well it's my job as sensei). But I still consider myself a student first and an instructor second, so selfish as it may seem, I will jump at the chance to have a bit of "tatami action", now and then.

Unfortunately (well fortunately really) a couple of the guys in our dojo are members of the national squad, so they are a bit tasty and keep me on my toes.

They sometimes get the better of me and although I won't show it, I am secretly very proud of them.

But you are right its a good lesson for all and yes definitely grab those opportunities. If I were your instructor my opinion of you would go down if you didn't

[bushido_man96]

Yes, take it. Don't hold back, even on the instructor. You'll find yourself doing at other times, too, and that won't bode well for your training at all.

[The BB of C]

I think your instructor will respect you more if you legitimately pick up on a weakness and expose it.

I wouldn't say that quite really. When that happened to me they told me to hold back and do things on the same level as the rest of the class which eventually lead to me being kicked out of the school.

I would say it's true to an extent but ultimately it depends on weather the instructor is arrogant or not.