Training as an Instructor...

[ashworth]

The point of this post is to get views on having an instructor from another club/style come along to train in your class..

I have been teaching properly on my own for about 4 years now, my instructor due to personal reasons had to leave, leaving me in charge of the classes.

There is only so much we can achieve by training on our own, we sometimes need to stand in line and just focus on being a student again and follow the instructions of another instructor...

Thankfully I do know a few other instructors that are happy to have me train in their classes, one of them being my very first instructor from about 19 years ago.

But there are some who don't like the idea at all, that will make you feel unwelcome and awkward by being there. What is up with these people? I'm not their to poach their students or anything, all I wanna do is train!!

Your thoughts on the matter?

[Oshishinobu]

I think if you are honest with your new instructor and let them know you come with an empty cup as it were they should be fine. I am a assistant with my club but I train other styles as well and I just let the instructor know my experience and just listen to them. if an instructor get an attitude with you than you know where not to train. Their ego is feeling threatened and personally i would not feel safe. As martial artist and instructors I feel it is our responsibility to understand other arts as they play into our core art. You will find so many similarities in the other arts and than be able to bring that understanding to your core art. OSU!!

[Luther unleashed]

I can imagine some instructors being a little concerned if you train there and your school is located near by? There is an organization in Phoenix I tried to teach for because my one location at the Rec center wasn't enough at the time. They had a policy about not training anywhere else because instructors in the past have taken that organizations students, basically using this organization as a funnel to direct them to their own program. It is a genuine concern. After some time though I think that reserve from an instructor should dissipate. I mean you can't punish a guy who teaches forever and allow him nowhere to train right? It's a complicated thing and I have been there.

Give it some time and the only thing that will change this is trust, once an instructor trusts you are there for the right reasons I think you will see its a non-issue.

Good luck

[sensei8]

You're there to train, and nothing else!! So do that, and nothing else, no matter what anyone might or might not think and/or like!! You've already been accepted by the CI, so, train, and train hard.

As far as the other students there that don't like this and that of the whole thing...leave that to the CI, and to the CI only!! The CI sets the tone, and not any student...if the CI is worth his/her salt!!

In time, those bothered students will see your intention are noble, and all you want to do is just train, and not to steal students or whatever else they might be thinking. You'll slowly earn their trust, and in that, their friendships.

IF NOT...JUST TRAIN!! Forget about them!! Concentrate on more important things!!

[DWx]

I can understand why people can be a bit funny about it. Either they think you're there to poach students or poach training ideas, or maybe they worry that you will show them up. As long as you are open as to your reasons for training with them and reassure them you won't do anything underhand, most don't have a problem with it.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Even Instructors need to train every now and again so you can have someone look at your technique.

I can understand why some instructors wouldn't like others coming into train. But then again this would be a small percentage of people like this.

My Sensei trains on his own but also learns from all instructors that is willing to teach him. His instructor recently retired from actively teaching, but will consult with him for advice.

[sarah]

We fairly regularly have black belts come to our club from elsewhere, but they don't last very long, maybe 3 weeks. I think it's hard when you've learnt your martial art in a particular club, to adapt to the culture of another club, and to be open to any style differences when you think you know it all already. The only guy who lasted was one who had previously been a teacher in another country. He came very open-minded and friendly, and he proved himself by being a good student who just trained. He didn't try and teach, he just trained and he got a lot of respect for that.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The same principle ought to apply to everyone, regardless of position in or outside the narrow circle of whatever martial art one has chosen. When training at another school, one must behave with courtesy and respect. Be friendly, polite and focus on training with good honest effort. If after all this one still does not feel welcome, finding somewhere else to train. However if one is there by invitation, train seriously and forget about what anyone else might think.

[ineluki]

But there are some who don't like the idea at all, that will make you feel unwelcome and awkward by being there. What is up with these people? I'm not their to poach their students or anything, all I wanna do is train!!

That's what they all say

However they may have had bad experiences with others, who (perhaps not even intentionally) could not let go of their status, habits or concepts.

[sensei8]

But there are some who don't like the idea at all, that will make you feel unwelcome and awkward by being there. What is up with these people? I'm not their to poach their students or anything, all I wanna do is train!!

That's what they all say

However they may have had bad experiences with others, who (perhaps not even intentionally) could not let go of their status, habits or concepts.

Solid post!!