Armchair Instructors!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

I find the motivations of armchair instructors difficult to understand. I can hardly imagine myself going to offer advice to someone without being asked. Helping a fellow in the dojo is where I draw the line and when outside of that environment, a martial arts practitioner is just another person.

[Sapper Woody]

Along those same lines, the internet itself can be an "Armchair Instructor". I was teaching a student in private lessons, and he took some initiative to look up the next belt's form and start memorizing it. I am ok with that.

But, when it came to the performance of the techniques, he was performing them differently than I had taught him, because "That's how they did it on YouTube". Now, it wasn't necessarily wrong, but it wasn't the way I teach that it should be done.

Fortunately, so far, all my students have been adults in private lessons, so I haven't had to interact with the other Armchair Instructors talked about here. I am laying the groundwork for opening up a school here, though, so I am interested in topics such as these.

[sensei8]

Along those same lines, the internet itself can be an "Armchair Instructor". I was teaching a student in private lessons, and he took some initiative to look up the next belt's form and start memorizing it. I am ok with that.

But, when it came to the performance of the techniques, he was performing them differently than I had taught him, because "That's how they did it on YouTube". Now, it wasn't necessarily wrong, but it wasn't the way I teach that it should be done.

Fortunately, so far, all my students have been adults in private lessons, so I haven't had to interact with the other Armchair Instructors talked about here. I am laying the groundwork for opening up a school here, though, so I am interested in topics such as these.

Solid post!!

That's an excellent point, and one that I hadn't spoke towards in my OP! Thank you for bringing that up.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Nobody is ever taught without asking to learn. In martial arts students choose their instructor and by doing so students must have respect and trust for this agreement. It is much, much more than a simple service transaction. In exchange for the instructor sharing knowledge, the student must follow the instructions.

There is no reason to train under an instructor if one is constantly doing things differently than what is being taught. Students must follow their instructor or else find another one. Research for personal interest or comparison should be encouraged, but students must avoid getting distracted and confused by information different from what is taught by their chosen instructor in their chosen system.

[Kanku65]

My father is a severe armchair instructor

Him and I are the same rank, but he has not trained in about 9 years.

Anytime he happens to see me practice/grade/compete, he has loads to say about improving. I always listen carefully, he is my father after all, and at one time out ranked me by a longshot. However, in many cases new rules or ideas/going back to old rules and ideas have been implemented into our curriculum which I must follow in order to be successful in my practice of karate.

I listen politely, and acknowledge his words always, but ultimately disregard all of what he says. My sensei keeps a very close eye on me and the other students, and lets us get away with nothing. No slopiness/laziness is permitted under his guidance, we must push ourselves always to his standards at least, and our standards of ourselves are expected to be even greater than his.

The senior senpai has drilled it into my brain on several occasions that sensei is the only one I am to listen to in regards of improvement. Learn from senior belts always, but do not change your karate based upon their observations alone. Sensei and Shihan know best always, and trust yourself before the words of others.

If I am ever asked by a junior student for assistance with a technique or kata, although I have read...more than I can quantify about karate, I only EVER use the how's and why's of what OUR sensei has TAUGHT ME about said technique or kata. Sensei does and always will know more than I do about karate, and he has chosen specific points to teach for a very good reason.

[sensei8]

My father is a severe armchair instructor

Him and I are the same rank, but he has not trained in about 9 years.

Anytime he happens to see me practice/grade/compete, he has loads to say about improving. I always listen carefully, he is my father after all, and at one time out ranked me by a longshot. However, in many cases new rules or ideas/going back to old rules and ideas have been implemented into our curriculum which I must follow in order to be successful in my practice of karate.

I listen politely, and acknowledge his words always, but ultimately disregard all of what he says. My sensei keeps a very close eye on me and the other students, and lets us get away with nothing. No slopiness/laziness is permitted under his guidance, we must push ourselves always to his standards at least, and our standards of ourselves are expected to be even greater than his.

The senior senpai has drilled it into my brain on several occasions that sensei is the only one I am to listen to in regards of improvement. Learn from senior belts always, but do not change your karate based upon their observations alone. Sensei and Shihan know best always, and trust yourself before the words of others.

If I am ever asked by a junior student for assistance with a technique or kata, although I have read...more than I can quantify about karate, I only EVER use the how's and why's of what OUR sensei has TAUGHT ME about said technique or kata. Sensei does and always will know more than I do about karate, and he has chosen specific points to teach for a very good reason.

Solid post!!