Karate Politics?

[bushido_man96]

I see things differently from my instructor, as well. Its one of those things that actually keeps me going. I do what we do at class, but also try to make things my own way, too.

[Shoto4Life]

Who did you train under in Mn? Master Fusaro? I think its mostly sensei related.

[FitOrDie]

While I don't know enough about the situation to know, I have a theory.

It seems to me you are encountering a very insecure instructor. This happens a lot in martial arts, and I have found that it usually stems from a school or practitioner that is not very good. A lot of people teaching karate classes and the likes know they have no applicable skills in a real fight, and seem to fear that their students will find out. They seek to project the image of a walking weapon, like you see in the movies, but deep down they know that they are nothing. Many karate teachers in McDojos are bravado-projecting cowards. It is possible that the person you describe is one of these types, to whatever degree.

I know that the instructors I have met who are actually good at fighting, usually BJJ guys and boxers/kickboxers, but not always, who have no such qualms about a student training at a different place, cross training, or whatever he or she wants to do. These people are secure in their abilities, understand their limits, and, while knowing the pathetic nature of plenty of "fake" martial arts, will limit themselves to jokes about them, rather than acting paranoid that a student will abandon them for another school.

Remember, I said this is only a theory, but it is one that I developed quickly while reading your post because I see it happen so much.

[granitemiller]

There is nothing exotic with joining an organization like what you mentioned, just some benefits.

[granitemiller]

I don't really think it is all that important to get national/international recognition from one organization like a JKA, ISKA, WTA or the like.

My school is under the umbrella of a large group (King Cobra), however, before we joined them we were a small outfit out there on our own. Our former Sensei's Sensei was trained in an ISKA school in Baltimore, and he was killed in a car accident. Our Sensei then left and moved to Pittsburgh and never bothered with ISKA membership. He then retired, and we floated by ourselves until we came under another umbrella.

We joined because we liked the organization, they had the same goals and principals as we held, and it gave me the opportunity to advance in rank.

But was it important or necessary to do so? No. Because when you are with your peers (like at tournaments), if you are a "poser" you are exposed almost immediately. And as martial arts are an inward journey as well as out, it is more important about what you learn then any grade or ranking you get from some large organization.

[Shizentai]

>edit<

oops, sorry, I didn't realize you had 2 topics called the same thing. See the other topic.