Loyalty to one's instructor. What does it look like?

[IcemanSK]

In traditional MA we talk about loyalty to one's instructor as being very important. What does that look like to you? Is it just staying at one school? Is it an active thing? Do you do something for your instructor (eg. Help out around the school? ...Take them to dinner?) Does it simply mean that you pay your dues on time & are prompt to class, stretched and ready to go?

[The Pred]

I think it can be whatever you make of it. Giving back by teaching (though not every should teach) or if not by teaching, showing your face as much as possible.

[JR 137]

I think it's a little bit of everything. Doesn't mean you can't cross-train though.

My previous teacher left the organization we were in about 1 week before another student and I were to test for our 1st dan at our (then) honbu under the head of the organization. For many reasons, he felt it was the right time to leave. He told us he'd have no hard feelings if we went to test at the honbu or left permanently. He said he'd definitely miss us, but he'd understand.

The first thing I thought and said was "You're my teacher. I came here because of you, and I stayed here because of you." He tested us both for shodan on the date we were scheduled to test at the honbu.

Not a single student left. I didn't leave until I went away to graduate school. I stayed when I went away to college, which was an hour and a half drive each way, 3 nights a week.

I guess that's what loyalty to your instructor looks like. Had he not closed the dojo near me (his other dojo is about an hour away, and I can't consistantly make classes at his times), I'd have gone back.

If my current CI decides to leave, I'll stay with him. I don't foresee it happening (he's been with Tadashi Nakamura before Nakamura left Kyokushin and started Seido in '76), but stranger things have happened.

[Titanium]

Cross training is fine; I cannot see any reason why not.

I think a basic rule to our instructors is this:

"Don't lie to them". Be honest and respect them as your (or one of your) instructors.

[sensei8]

In traditional MA we talk about loyalty to one's instructor as being very important. What does that look like to you? Is it just staying at one school? Is it an active thing? Do you do something for your instructor (eg. Help out around the school? ...Take them to dinner?) Does it simply mean that you pay your dues on time & are prompt to class, stretched and ready to go?

Great topic; thank you for it!!

All of your questions in your OP, except the last question, is what loyalty looks like to me.

My Dai-Soke was like a father to me. My own father divorced my mom when I was very young, and he was a part of my life, but not a central part of my life. I've asked my mom and dad point blank...was I a mistake...not planned? They assured me that I was!!

Dai-Soke is everything to me: Father, friend, mentor, advisor, trainer, educator, supporter, provider, and so much, much more. So, yes, I'm loyal to him, and if this is wrong, I don't ever want to be right!! I love you, Dai-Soke, now and forever. I miss you so, so much; you're always on my mind!!

He wasn't just my Sensei...he was my everything on and off the floor. He accepted me, when no one else would, not even my mom and dad. I'm nothing...I'm nobody...and at times, I wish I had never been born; it's hard to not be loved by ones own mom and dad.

I'm totally loyal to Yoshinobu Takahashi!! Thank you, Sensei...Thank you, Dai-Soke!!

[IcemanSK]

My Dai-Soke was like a father to me. My own father divorced my mom when I was very young, and he was a part of my life, but not a central part of my life. I've asked my mom and dad point blank...was I a mistake...not planned? They assured me that I was!!

Dai-Soke is everything to me: Father, friend, mentor, advisor, trainer, educator, supporter, provider, and so much, much more. So, yes, I'm loyal to him, and if this is wrong, I don't ever want to be right!! I love you, Dai-Soke, now and forever. I miss you so, so much; you're always on my mind!!

He wasn't just my Sensei...he was my everything on and off the floor. He accepted me, when no one else would, not even my mom and dad. I'm nothing...I'm nobody...and at times, I wish I had never been born; it's hard to not be loved by ones own mom and dad.

I'm totally loyal to Yoshinobu Takahashi!! Thank you, Sensei...Thank you, Dai-Soke!!

This certainly exceeds loyalty to one's instructor and became famial bonds. Very rare in MA. Very nice, Sir.

For me, loyalty has looked different with different instructors. I trained under a man who got an inopperable brain tumor while I trained under him. I took him to radiation treatments after our morning class. At first, it was because everyone else had to go to work right after class & I didn't start until later. I had the time to help him. We became very close friends during that time. I was with him when he died. The SK in my name stands for Superkick: his ring name & the name of that gym. I named my school after him. The bond there cannot be overstated.

With my current instructor, I came into the organization well-seasoned. I try to go back to where she is once a year. The coast to coast distance (about 3000 miles) makes it hard to connect. We haven't had the kind of one-on-one time that either of us would like to create a strong bond. I realized that with the time I spend on forums learning things & talking to people, I can pass along the things I learn about politics & other news of our Art that may be useful to to her. A few of the items actually have been helpful. Its a small thing, but if it helps, great.

[Nidan Melbourne]

It can mean absolutely anything. I am loyal to my instructor because he has himself earnt my trust, respect and admiration. So it wasn't a given thing immediately upon me starting to train in karate.

But he always tells us to not restrict ourselves so go learn from other instructors so we can become better as karateka but also as people.

I have many friends that are instructors in their own right and run their own schools and i'm loyal to them because of that friendship but also because i know i can always learn something from them.

[Titanium]

It can mean absolutely anything. I am loyal to my instructor because he has himself earnt my trust, respect and admiration. So it wasn't a given thing immediately upon me starting to train in karate.

But he always tells us to not restrict ourselves so go learn from other instructors so we can become better as karateka but also as people.

I have many friends that are instructors in their own right and run their own schools and i'm loyal to them because of that friendship but also because i know i can always learn something from them.

Your sensei is a very wise person; why should be stop at one but not learn from others in the spirit of the art?

[vantheman]

Loyalty to your instructor is simply making sure you and he/she are on the same page with your participation in the martial arts.

[ShotokanMaster]

I'm loyal to my instructor I have a lot of respect for him and his like a friend a brother to me and when he teach he gives 100$ on it he would give his knowledge to his student when he teaches and when he teach he give it step by step and by detail its like Poetry in Motion and i know my instructor is loyal to me to he trust me 100 and i would give it my all