Karate Racists!!!

[quinteros1963]

Do you know of anyone that feels that you should only train and compete within thier own style? Whats your opinion on training or competing with various styles? Most of the people, including the chief instructor, at my club think that you should only train with those within our own style. I have even heard other style berated in favor or our own. I think this is terrible. How good are you if you are reluctant to go outside of what you know to test yourself?

[honoluludesktop]

While there is nothing wrong with exploring ideas on your own time, IMO it's counter productive to bring external ideas into your teachers structured class.

When in Rome, its smart to keep contrary opinions to yourself, or go and find another school.

[sensei8]

Imho, those practitioners, styles, schools, headquarters, chief instructors and the like feel these sorted ways because of one thing....THEY'RE TERRIBLY AFRAID OF LOSING THEIR STUDENTS to another style, to another instructor, and/or to another headquarters and the like!! Infecting their students in such a way that their students start becoming a proponent for their shared as well as their own insecurity across the board.

These type of practitioners aren't complete in their totality as martial artists. If they were, imho, they wouldn't care what their students do in this and/or these regard(s).

It doesn't bother me at all! I don't own my students and my students don't own me. And in that, what you've stated in your OP is what kills any chance of securing any betterment for their martial arts, for themselves, and/or for their headquarters across the board.

And yes, if one doesn't like whatever it might be or what it might not be...QUIT!! Find a school that doesn't propagate this type of negative mind set.

But, I guess that this type of negative mind set has always and will always permeate the pores of every type of martial arts because "MAN" in itself is a jealous and insecure creation right from birth. And in that, a few have learned how to break away from the boundaries of their old self to be reborn a new person within themselves as a true martial artist!

[quinteros1963]

I understand the respect factor and I always show respect to my seniors, as well as other MA's, but at the same time seniors should also exhibit respect as well. We are taught to respect others, to endeavor, to seek perfection of character. We say that after every training, but it does not seem to be lived by all.

If you look at the history of Shotokan, Funakoshi Sensei did not name his style, referring to it only as karate. He also encouraged his students to learn from others outside his dojo. Why should we be any different today? This is why I tell people I study Okinawan Karate; I don't want to placed in a box. Bruce lee was on to something.

[JusticeZero]

I can honestly see both sides to this.

Yes, you shouldn't be confined to your own school.

That said, it is very irritating to have newbies constantly challenging your authority because "In my joe Foo Do class they told us never to do what you're telling us to do!" Yeah, sure, but your Joe Foo Do class isn't falling onto their heel intentionally, or whatever; if you follow Joe Foo's ideas you are going to either injure yourself, or be ineffective with what we're trying to teach, or you're just not going to be able to proceed. There actually is a method to our madness, there are specific strategies and doctrines that mesh together to make the system work.

The last thing I want is to have some guy who's been there for a few days to be sticking his chin out at me challenging me like i'm some sort of quack because i'm saying something different from what a teacher of something different who is running under completely different assumptions, doctrines, and structures said to him earlier. I can explain, but the explanations are often fricking long, and the guy has very possibly already made up his mind that he knows more than I do anyways.

[sensei8]

I can honestly see both sides to this.

Yes, you shouldn't be confined to your own school.

That said, it is very irritating to have newbies constantly challenging your authority because "In my joe Foo Do class they told us never to do what you're telling us to do!" Yeah, sure, but your Joe Foo Do class isn't falling onto their heel intentionally, or whatever; if you follow Joe Foo's ideas you are going to either injure yourself, or be ineffective with what we're trying to teach, or you're just not going to be able to proceed. There actually is a method to our madness, there are specific strategies and doctrines that mesh together to make the system work.

The last thing I want is to have some guy who's been there for a few days to be sticking his chin out at me challenging me like i'm some sort of quack because i'm saying something different from what a teacher of something different who is running under completely different assumptions, doctrines, and structures said to him earlier. I can explain, but the explanations are often fricking long, and the guy has very possibly already made up his mind that he knows more than I do anyways.

A very solid post!!

[Groinstrike]

knowledge is power, and anyone trying to keep you from obtaining more or different knowledge is either an egomaniac or(as was said above) scared to death of losing their students. Remember owning a school, no matter what good intentions one may have, is still a business.

[MasterPain]

knowledge is power, and anyone trying to keep you from obtaining more or different knowledge is either an egomaniac or(as was said above) scared to death of losing their students. Remember owning a school, no matter what good intentions one may have, is still a business.

The business aspect is probably a major factor here.

But here is something that our group does not always consider..... Art preservation. For us, art is secondary to combative effectiveness. For many martial artists, the art is important.

You have a brown belt, and you research and contribute to our system from outside sources. This is great for our purposes, but if everyone did it, there would be no such thing as a traditional system.

[Zen Kamikaze]

One day while i was training with my aikido sensei he made a counter-attack with a nice karate-style mawashi geri and i was wandering why do that. This isn't aikido. I then realized when he told me ''Don't think too much, everything is Aikido''. That made me see things with another look.

Martial arts have no limits. Teachers shouldn't stop students from studying other styles or arts. It makes you more open-minded in some things and opens new horizons to your techniques. It's something that can make you better in your art. Good teachers will always urge their students to attend classes of other teachers. It's always good to have diffrent influences and new ideas from others.

[Montana]

I can honestly see both sides to this.

Yes, you shouldn't be confined to your own school.

That said, it is very irritating to have newbies constantly challenging your authority because "In my joe Foo Do class they told us never to do what you're telling us to do!" Yeah, sure, but your Joe Foo Do class isn't falling onto their heel intentionally, or whatever; if you follow Joe Foo's ideas you are going to either injure yourself, or be ineffective with what we're trying to teach, or you're just not going to be able to proceed. There actually is a method to our madness, there are specific strategies and doctrines that mesh together to make the system work.

The last thing I want is to have some guy who's been there for a few days to be sticking his chin out at me challenging me like i'm some sort of quack because i'm saying something different from what a teacher of something different who is running under completely different assumptions, doctrines, and structures said to him earlier. I can explain, but the explanations are often fricking long, and the guy has very possibly already made up his mind that he knows more than I do anyways.

A very solid post!!

Agreed!!!