Creating my own style. Don't desire a higher rank. Possible?

[Kusotare]

(Kusotare's Quotations redacted by CredoTe)

I only asked as this (rightly or wrongly) could be a factor in terms how seriously people will take you.

Also - along with answers to Kuma's question - it allows us to understand the depth of your understanding of the arts you have studied.

Knowledge can be acquired fairly rapidly. Wisdom on the other hand takes a little bit longer.

K.

100% accurate... My MA journey has been going for about two-and-a-half decades, now, but because I'm less than middle-aged, some of our adult students over the years didn't take me seriously or outright ignored anything I tried to teach them. Even now, people say I look young (I'm not that young), and I think my perceived age plays a role in some of our adult students' acceptance of my experience / knowledge... I'm forced to "prove my pudding" to our adult students on a somewhat regular basis...

That's an interesting one.

So, if you are not yet middle aged but have studied for 25 years, conservatively that puts you at 14 when you started (or younger)?

Is there a perception that what you learn / do as a kid training - doesn't really count - as you were more than likely doing by rote – as opposed to a cerebral process of internalisation?

IE. You understand what you are doing and why?

I only ask as I have heard this mentioned before...

K.

[ps1]

Is there a perception that what you learn / do as a kid training - doesn't really count - as you were more than likely doing by rote – as opposed to a cerebral process of internalisation?

IE. You understand what you are doing and why?

I only ask as I have heard this mentioned before...

K.

Yes. This is exactly the perception. Further, there's alot of truth to it. While children are capable of developing high levels of physical capabilities, their intellectual capacity is much more limited. Of course that's a generality and does not apply to all children.

This is also why many adults don't like being taught classes by kids and even young adults. While they may have the physical prowess, they often lack the life experience to truly put what they're doing into the context of applying martial arts to life.

Even now, at 34 (and I look like I'm mid 20s), people sometimes wonder about my ability to do this. It isn't until I explain that I've been to war, have 2 kids, a stable career as an engineer, a wife, and 28 years in martial arts, that they usually listen to what I'm saying.

[CredoTe]

(Kusotare's Quotations redacted by CredoTe)

I only asked as this (rightly or wrongly) could be a factor in terms how seriously people will take you.

Also - along with answers to Kuma's question - it allows us to understand the depth of your understanding of the arts you have studied.

Knowledge can be acquired fairly rapidly. Wisdom on the other hand takes a little bit longer.

K.

100% accurate... My MA journey has been going for about two-and-a-half decades, now, but because I'm less than middle-aged, some of our adult students over the years didn't take me seriously or outright ignored anything I tried to teach them. Even now, people say I look young (I'm not that young), and I think my perceived age plays a role in some of our adult students' acceptance of my experience / knowledge... I'm forced to "prove my pudding" to our adult students on a somewhat regular basis...

That's an interesting one.

So, if you are not yet middle aged but have studied for 25 years, conservatively that puts you at 14 when you started (or younger)?

Is there a perception that what you learn / do as a kid training - doesn't really count - as you were more than likely doing by rote – as opposed to a cerebral process of internalisation?

IE. You understand what you are doing and why?

I only ask as I have heard this mentioned before...

K.

Yes, I was younger than 14 (I'm in my 30s now) when I started in MA. You have a point regarding rote vs. internalization. It may very well be that the adults I encounter that ignore my instruction "do not count", as you say, my kid years in MA... very insightful, thank you.

This is actually one of the primary reasons I have not ventured on my own and opened my own dojo. My instructor, who is the chief instructor at our dojo, is a business partner, as well, and we opened our dojo together. I firmly believe that if I were to open a dojo on my own, prospective adult students would take a look at me and think, "what does this guy know about fighting? He doesn't look old enough to [fill in blank]". The only reason, IMHO, they give me the time of day is because my instructor backs me and out of dojo etiquette / respect.

I'm no master, but I've understood many things in my MA for a while, now (of course, I still have much to learn ). If I only counted the years that I've understood my MA from an internalization aspect, then my "experience" maybe drops to 15 - 20 years. I include wisdom from experience in that number because it was about 16 years ago that I encountered my first real street situation.

BTW, I appreciate your directness. You won't offend me...

[Kusotare]

I think also - If you are still young - you should embrace the fact that you can still train and learn!

Why hurry?

[CredoTe]

I think also - If you are still young - you should embrace the fact that you can still train and learn!

Why hurry?

Absolutely... No hurries, no worries ...another reason I didn't venture out on my own. As Qui-Gon Jinn told Obi-Wan, "You have much to learn, my young Padawan."

CredoTe <--- Nerd! Lol...

[Kuma]

I think also - If you are still young - you should embrace the fact that you can still train and learn!

Why hurry?

Exactly. I run an informal little group on Thursdays where we train for the sport of Kudo. I actually end up teaching more than training most nights. I'd rather be a student for as long as I can.

[sensei8]

Creating your own style doesn't mean that you deserve a high(er) rank at all, imho!! Why?

The rank shouldn't ever enter into the formula, imho, because effective knowledge is what students need, not a high(er) ranking instructor/founder/etc.

I'd learn from a Jukyu before a 15th Dan if that Jukyu could teach me a thing or two. I want substance, not tangible/intangible rank!

When I first met my Dai-Soke, I didn't even know anything about his rank or what on the earth was the reason for him wearing a black belt...I didn't even know what a black belt was and for that fact, I didn't even know what a whilte belt was. I did start to learn/know that he was and I wasn't the knowledable one.

[bushido_man96]

It sounds to me like you have a pretty good plan, and you have expressed some legitimate concerns in regards to why you want to do things differently.

Good luck in your endeavors.

[bassaiguy]

I'm always a skeptic of these ideas. Funakoshi wasn't creating a style as much as he was refining a teaching method. Mabuni wasn't creating a style, he was preserving and organizing kata. Ohtsuka created his system to integrate jujutsu waza in karate, not necessarily to create his own organizational-style. Kano created his own style, but he lived in a time and place that was unique (late Meiji, modernizing Japan). I know I'm not bigger than any of these men.

Maybe your ideas are unique, however. If so, go for it. If you want feedback, put it up on youtube, or throw on the gloves and do some competition. I'm always interested in learning about new ideas.

[ps1]

I know you said you didn't want to get into qualifications and stuff. So I won't ask you that. I do have one question, more out of curiosity than anything else?

What makes your new system unique enough to be its own style?