How did your Sensei earn your loyalty?

[cheesefrysamurai]

I was wondering how those of us lucky enough to find a good Sensei were won over by them.

When was the moment that you made that decision, what actions or words triggered that level of respect and loyalty.

I know loyalty isnt required or necessary. I know a great teacher doesnt have inspire the student in this manner I am just wondering about those of you who had that experience.

thank you

[JusticeZero]

Don't know; I try to make sure that my students are immune to that, and i've seen too many teachers who are amazing instructors and ticking time bombs as human beings. It's pretty much assumed that your instructor is one of the people that you have to always be watchful of in case they decide to stab you in the back.

[Shizentai]

Sensei was the first person who genuinely expected anything of me.

Having been a kid most people wrote off, that meant the world to me. It made me want to work as hard as I can to repay him for all that he has done for me.

[muttley]

My original Sensei who got me hooked invested a lot of time in me, transforming me from a wimpy little kid with no confidence into some one with a lot more confidence and will. Now my most recent sensei is helping me develop myself further

[Lupin1]

I started when I was eight and I think I was actually more afraid of him back then than loyal. But when I got older the fact that he's so dedicated brought me back-- he's been teaching that class for free for over 25 years now and puts all his free time (which, now being home on disability from cancer treatment, is pretty much all the time he's not at doctors or PT) to learning and studying the art and finding things to share with us and add to our repertoire. He's never satisfied with his knowledge and is always striving to grow and get better, even when his body is physically declining. He doesn't take his new physical challenges as defeat and give up, he finds a way to keep going and adapt and continues to work hard for himself and for us. And that's something I greatly respect in any person.

[bushido_man96]

The first instructor I really gained and still have a great amount of respect for did so by being genuinely interested in my journey, and helping me along and being as helpful and up front as possible with me, sometimes to the point of being very blunt. We still talk often today, and his advise still means the world to me.

[Wastelander]

When I met my current instructor, I found him to be friendly and accepting, even though I cam from a different style, and he was open to hearing what I had to say about things from that perspective. That open and relaxed atmosphere really sold me on training with him.

[Harkon72]

In the cut and thrust of our martial art community there are rivals, friends, enemies and blood brothers. My Sensei was honest and open, taught with no omissions, looked me straight in the eye and proved he could be trusted in guiding my warrior path. I am loyal to my sensei, but I am not below him in any way. He's like my brother.

[ps1]

He's just a real guy. No pomp and cicumstance. No dog and pony shows. He respects what's real and holds nothing back. He teaches us his best stuff so that he, in turn, can learn to defend it.

[Tzu-Logic]

He's just a real guy. No pomp and cicumstance. No dog and pony shows. He respects what's real and holds nothing back. He teaches us his best stuff so that he, in turn, can learn to defend it.

This this and more this.

My instructor is just a down to earth, normal guy. He tries to teach us to be better than he is.

I feel like he is a decent human being outside of class, and that is big factor about how I feel about him inside of class.