Taking orders from a higher but MUCH younger grade.

[Bushido58266]

well if they are qualified to instruct then i guess its ok but i can see where u r coming from. there is an issue at my school about making an age limit to receive black belt, cuz we have 9-15 year olds with black belt some of which were received in no more than 4 years when this schools testing schedule says it should be obtained in no less than 6 years. a lot of people here think the age limit to receive ur black belt should be 16

[Tiger1962]

..........a lot of people here think the age limit to receive ur black belt should be 16

Not a bad idea in my opinion.

[bushido_man96]

I'd have a tough time taking sd instruction from him. A 13 yo kid just dosn't have the life experiance and probilby not the adult triaining required to adaquately present that kind of material.

It's that kind of situation that keeps us from awarding bb rank in the combatives of our art until at least 16. Even with that, I think the youngest to ever reach bb status was 19 or so.

I can understand this situation.

What I wouldn't really have a problem with is any kind of technical instruction; any age can have good technique, and if they know how to help others get it, then that is a pretty special talent. And everyone learns differently, too.

With that said, in response to Kez's original post, I can see where the problem lies; adults don't really like to be placed in the charge of children. I know that in the dojo it is important to set aside ego, like sensei8 said, but at times, our upbringing makes it tough for us to do so.

If it were me, I imagine I would just go through the class, listen, and try to learn. Some of it would depend on the attitude the 13 year old was taking with me, too. If he was having a rank-pulling power trip, then I would have a serious issue with that. If not, then I think I could manage just fine.

[bushido_man96]

..........a lot of people here think the age limit to receive ur black belt should be 16

Not a bad idea in my opinion.

The more I see and here about this, the more I tend to lean toward favoring the idea, as well.

[white owl]

I actually do not have a problem taking orders from some one who is younger than me and holds a higher rank since my sensei is 23 and I'm 34.

Bushido-man: Some of it would depend on the attitude the 13 year old was taking with me, too. If he was having a rank-pulling power trip, then I would have a serious issue with that. If not, then I think I could manage just fine.

I actually had this happen to me at my old school the person was 14 and I was 32 at the time the 14 y/o was just award there bb. This person actually tryed to pull a power trip on me it was before class (childerens).

This person was told to move up to adult class since they were a bb. I was able to put this person in there place win we were ask to point spar against each other well this person end up scared to death of me and they could not hang in adult class, this person whined during drills and they end up moving them self back down to childerens class. Well I know this sounds kind of childish but it is true. When the person pulled the power trip I went to my sensei at the time and told him about it I got told it was a kid thing.

bushido_man96

Tiger1962 wrote:

Bushido58266 wrote:

..........a lot of people here think the age limit to receive ur black belt should be 16

Not a bad idea in my opinion.

The more I see and here about this, the more I tend to lean toward favoring the idea, as well.

I am feeling the same way, also. I feel there should be a distinction between adults and children holding bb.

[Ranpu]

well, I don't think it would really be easy for me to explain because I'm 15 but I wouldn't mind because if a person yunger than me is soppose to intruct, the main sensei must know wha he/she is doing

[Shotokan-kez]

Yes sorry everyone i should have made things much clearer at the beginning. It was just the warm up and the instructor was in the room.

I don't think she would ever get to teach an entire class, as she isn't very mature.

I was wondering how people would feel about it, because throughout the whole warm up it was silliness and giggles and it irritated me. When she is being serious and concentrating she is very good at karate.

She does teach the youngsters at the kids class (as do i) and they just play around and cling on to her.

This where i like the rule that she has to be 21 to be able to take her 3rd dan.

[tallgeese]

In this scenario I think it's fine. You have to develop people along. Everyone's first command isn't necissarily the smoothest. This is the kind of thing you can to as an instuctor to bring people along.

As to the giggles and such, I'd let it go as long as it wasn't over the top. Then, as an instructor, you have a talk with her later and go over some teaching points on how to best work crowd control. Next time it should be better.

[MMA_Jim]

I'd have a tough time taking sd instruction from him. A 13 yo kid just dosn't have the life experiance and probilby not the adult triaining required to adaquately present that kind of material.

It's that kind of situation that keeps us from awarding bb rank in the combatives of our art until at least 16. Even with that, I think the youngest to ever reach bb status was 19 or so.

Tallgeese is spot on here

A 13 year old CHILD does not have the intuition and know how to teach (effective) martial arts. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you cant get your black belt until you're 18, and you cant even get your blue belt (1 step up from white) until 16 (15 for exceptional students). It is precisely because of this. A child is far from mastery, and far from knowing how to teach himself. Hes not even old enough to be in high school.

Theres a difference between not having an ego and just being plain naiive.

[Truestar]

I'd have a tough time taking sd instruction from him. A 13 yo kid just dosn't have the life experiance and probilby not the adult triaining required to adaquately present that kind of material.

It's that kind of situation that keeps us from awarding bb rank in the combatives of our art until at least 16. Even with that, I think the youngest to ever reach bb status was 19 or so.

Tallgeese is spot on here

A 13 year old CHILD does not have the intuition and know how to teach (effective) martial arts. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you cant get your black belt until you're 18, and you cant even get your blue belt (1 step up from white) until 16 (15 for exceptional students). It is precisely because of this. A child is far from mastery, and far from knowing how to teach himself. Hes not even old enough to be in high school.

Theres a difference between not having an ego and just being plain naiive.

So even though age restrictions weren't the primary focus of this topic, it seems that age restrictions would help prevent the situation Shotokan-kex was discussing.

Even if it was just a warm up what if this instructor decides to rely on her in the future? This could be a potential problem.