I am not sure if this topic has been discussed here before...

Do top students in your class compete for attention? Any interesting story to share?

I don't know that any have competed for attention. Competing to be better than one another, though, is not uncommon. I compete against others all the time. To spar better, to kick higher, etc. It helps drive me to improve.

I'm extremely competitive by nature. I just have to be the best (not the best mentality). However, I haven't really noticed any others that really compete with each other, 'cept maybe the little kids.

EDIT: But never envy or jealousy.

Edited March 22, 201412 yr by Do-gi

NO never have envy or jealousy because that's bad in a Martial arts world you joined martial arts to learn and to to have self discipline not to compete against each other. so what if the other is better than you just train hard and harder and you will be better than them

I don't know that any have competed for attention. Competing to be better than one another, though, is not uncommon. I compete against others all the time. To spar better, to kick higher, etc. It helps drive me to improve.

Competition between students can be a good thing if it's like this. This is how my peers and I are too;if we're sprinting or exercising we're trying to go faster than one another or do one more rep, if we're sparring we try to best each other etc. Healthy competition drives you all forward.

I suppose we do see negative competition in our school. I think this usually occurs between kids and those that are mid to high colour belt ish. As an instructor you just gotta make sure it stays toned down to a minimum.

Here's how I see it.

Students are just wanting to improve in every aspect of their MA betterment for themselves as well as for their instructor. It might appear that way on the outside, if at all, but within, it's pride. Not the type of pride that comes before a fall; no!! But to be better than the next person in a respectful manner while on the floor.

Controlling the perception isn't hard to do if all remain grounded, including the instructor. Students copy the instructor, whether it's bad or good.

Another fine line to walk!!

Train hard!! The rest, is for another time and for another place!!

No envy or jealousy among my students or those I train with. We compete against each other to improve and to have a friendly competition.

I used to train at one of the best full contact rules kickboxing gyms in the U.S. back in the 90's. We had some of the best fighters at our gym, along with folks like me, who just loved to train, but weren't at the top levels. Needles to say, we had a lot of Alpha dogs at the gym. We trained hard, & sparred hard with each other day in & day out. But there was never any jealousy or envy among us. If one won, we all won. If one lost, we all had a bad night & we tried harder the next day. We enjoyed competing with, & even against one another (if it had to happen). But we were always a family at the end of the day.

Envy...Jealousy...Competition...are these normal with top students? Imho, if so, they're not top students!! Are these mindsets due by their own design?

I have often envied talent, motivation, free time to train, finances to train, geographic closeness to high level cross training opportunities, ect.. But it's an envy totally free of spite, because I like and respect all of the senior Bujin guys and hope to grow more like them in various ways. Envy is an ugly word, but the flip side of it is when you seek to emulate the greatness you see in others. The courage of those who have used the art in a professional capacity to keep others safe, a drive to achieve in sport, huge reserves of knowledge and learning, restraint when violence would be easy, if only these things were envied more often.