Who Teaches YOU?

[sensei8]

My Dai-Soke passed away a few years ago, and in that, a huge hole was created in my life and in my training.

Kids have a way of asking things that most adults shy away from. Last time I was at the Hombu, I was teaching a class full of our JBB's. I was talking to a few parents, and in the corner opposite of where I was standing, I noticed that a small group of our JBB's kept looking at me and then talk to each other. This happened for the next several minutes, and after I finished speaking with those parents, I instructed them to remain right where they were.

"Ok boys...what's going on?" I asked.

" Nothing sir" was all they said.

"Really!? Why acting all secretive and all?" I asked, and then I explained to them what I observed.

"Oh...that...that's nothing sir" they said back to me.

"Come on boys...spit it out" I said more firmly.

"Well...since Dai-Soke has passed away...who teaches you sir?" they sheepishly said.

"You do!!" I said.

"We understand sir...thank you" was their response.

"Your welcome" and we bowed to one another.

I learn from my students. I learn from EVERYONE.

However, my formal days of learning more about Shindokan is over. Yes, the many things that I still don't know about Shindokan are located in our scrolls, but, understanding them is another thing. Self discovering about Shindokan will have to come to me in my aha moments as long as I have Kancho and the Board of Regents I should be able to evolve within Shindokan as my betterment increases.

If your instructor has died...Who teaches you? When your instructor dies...Who will teach you?

[tallgeese]

Good response, sensei8.

I've not had an instructor pass away. However, I have moved in and out of their spheres of influence. In my experience, there are no shortage of people better than me in some aspect of the arts to learn from. Sometimes it's as easy as finding something that fits your response pattern, but hasn't been a focus, and learning that.

That said, I luckily still have the occasional access to my instructors of the past and I still learn from then any chance I can.

[pittbullJudoka]

Well said both of you. I too have the situation were I can no longer train with my Kenpo instructor. We still talk whenever possible and he gets to see videos on YouTube of things going on in the dojo. So he has a visual of some of the things we are teaching. But we indeed still are learning from each of our students.

[bushido_man96]

I've had an instructor move away years ago. It sucked. I consider the guy a great Martial Artist, as well as a friend, and he is doing very well now; better than I am in a Martial sense, anyway, but he was always better. But he taught so much, and I always enjoyed it.

I'm still under an instructor now, and I hope to be so for a while yet.

[ShoriKid]

Well said both of you. I too have the situation were I can no longer train with my Kenpo instructor. We still talk whenever possible and he gets to see videos on YouTube of things going on in the dojo. So he has a visual of some of the things we are teaching. But we indeed still are learning from each of our students.

Remind me to buy a new net, we need to kidnap him soon bro.

There comes a time, where through time or geography or life, that we all lose the ability to train under our instructors. It can be a bit disconcerting, but you have to resign yourself to it at some point. The more you advance as a student, the more likely it seems to become that you will be on your own a large part of the time. Or completely really. Then it becomes as much a time to learn from your students and your compatriots as anyone else. Students ask those questions that make us re-examine our techniques and approaches. And isn't that what training is meant to do? Make us examine what we do with an eye toward improvement? With our peers we exchange ideas and ask "what if?" all the time. And they have the skill level to find the holes in what you're doing or ask the follow on of "and If that, what then?".

Edited October 13, 2012 by ShoriKid

[bushido_man96]

Great response, ShoriKid. Good points.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I learn from everyone. My sensei openly says that we shouldn't only take his word as gospel but learn from everyone.

I have learnt/learn from my students, people i train with, others from other schools. Even when i teach i learn from my students as they might do something wrong and i realize i do the exact same thing so my technique improves

[Harkon72]

I learn from everyone in the Dojo, my Wife and others at every opportunity.

[Wastelander]

I can still train with my instructor every time I go to the dojo, but I also take the time to learn from the other students at the dojo, and I cross-train with others whenever I can. My sensei's instructor is about 2000 miles away, though, so they do not get to train together very often. This means that he does what he can to make the most of their training time, but he also tries to get time training with other students of his instructor. In addition, he is constantly researching, practicing on his own, and learning from his students as a good sensei should