Envy / Jealousy / Competition Among Top Students?

[jaypo]

I have seen some slight envy with younger students at our club. One, in particular, constantly feels the need to "prove himself" when training with advanced students. He's about 10 yrs old, and if we're performing, say, Naihanchi, he brags about being able to do it easily just so he's allowed to performt the kata. However, he can't, and he doesn't grasp the entire concept of the kata. But he's one of those kids that always knows everything. You know the kind, huh?

I'm ultra competitive, but I choose to compete in MA against myself. I feel that I am better than most in my club, but I don't feel the need to proclaim that to anyone! I choose to try to help them become the best that they can because it helps me to become the best that I can.

[sensei8]

If it's at all possible, and depending on the circumstances surrounding, that competitive spirit must be kept in check for it to be healthy. However, envy and jealously are not the marks, imho, of a well grounded MAist.

[lowereastside]

Envy / Jealousy / Competition Among Top Students? - It's part of human nature. I tell my students to feed off one another. One of my students is a Mixed Martial Artist - and competed in MMA events - UFC etc. When he first got on my floor only myself and my most Senior student was able to deal with him. My other senior students could either match him or he outmatched my other senior students. I told them all - to put the ego - jealousy aside and use each other to get better - to feed off one another. It's great having the MMA student in my class - he's helped and both he and my other students including myself have profited from the environment that I have set up. At 60 yrs old I am on the floor touching hands with all of my students - It keeps me sharp and I can transmit the Art to them. Sometimes blows do land by accident it part of it - but at 60 yrs of age I don't need a broken nose or missing teeth including my students. If a student(s) gets out of hand and keeps getting out of hand - I will just ask them to leave - and I have thrown students out - and there is no coming back.

[bushido_man96]

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

Martial Arts students are still human beings, and these emotions will still appear from time to time. I see how some people move and kick often, and I wish I could move and kick like them. This is normal, and it can help to push others to new levels.

Some people can thrive on the idea of competing against themselves. Others like the drive of competition against others. There are a lot of aspects of the Martial Arts that is competition against others. Tournaments, sparring, even self-defense. Some MAs were originally combative, military arts; you can bet that being better than the guy in front of you is a goal there. So, to say vehemently that these emotions have no place in a Martial Artist, I tend to disagree. Being a Martial Artist is about being human, and dealing with and using all your emotions to help you get better.

[ShotokanMaster]

Nah nah really were all the same no matter how good you are there's a person gonna be better than you so were all equal there's this guy we tested both for yellow as soon as he became orange belt he became advance that he was already purple belt and we was still in orange belt and his testing for his blue belt maybe next week and we barely got our purple belt last 3 weeks ago so yea but were all equal im in the black belt club and he aint so yea so its all good

[FangPwnsAll7]

There isn't a competition here. It's normal for a lower rank to envy the higher ranks. I often see them trying to look up to them.

[sensei8]

There isn't a competition here. It's normal for a lower rank to envy the higher ranks. I often see them trying to look up to them.

I see this not as envy, but as a sign of respect and admiration for what they've accomplished.

[bushido_man96]

Nah nah really were all the same no matter how good you are there's a person gonna be better than you so were all equal there's this guy we tested both for yellow as soon as he became orange belt he became advance that he was already purple belt and we was still in orange belt and his testing for his blue belt maybe next week and we barely got our purple belt last 3 weeks ago so yea but were all equal im in the black belt club and he aint so yea so its all good

Well, no, not really. We aren't all equal. If that was the case, we'd all be the same rank all the time. But we're not. We all have the same opportunities, but that's not the same as being equal. All men (and women) may be created equal, but some work harder, some have more natural talent, and some are born into better situations than others. But not all are the same.