What is your belt rank this year 2016?

[kenpokarate805]

Im Still a Green belt this year and on December ill be a 3rd degree brown

Edited June 4, 2016 by kenpokarate805

[Nidan Melbourne]

Just to get some clarification what is the Board that you are referring to?

Also what do you mean by the Shifu being really strict and hard? Is it vastly different to how your Head Instructor and other Instructors teach?

There are 3 types of instructor that I have seen; 1) Old-School (Strict, No Nonsense), 2) New School (Has Rules, but teaches according to each student), and 3) A mix of the other 2.

I am a mix of the two, strict but allow a degree of socialising and fun in the mix. All my students are aware of how I teach and what I want from them.

Also often many instructors prefer to teach only Juniors or Seniors, as such dislike teaching the other. So may I ask what type of class you're in (Juniors [6-14] or Seniors [15+])?

At my old club i had strict instructors, but everyone knew how to behave when they were there.

Also have you had this instructor previously?

[JohnASE]

What he said doesn't sound that mean to me, but I can see how it might be, depending on how he said it, and I assume it's just one of many mean things that he's said. Sometimes being "strict and hard" can be good things for an instructor, although being insulting about your vision was probably uncool.

This reminds me of a guy I used to know. This was a long time ago, so I might mis-remember some things. This guy trained under Kenpoist Cecil Peoples. Coming up through the ranks as a teenager, he said he was afraid of Cecil. Cecil was tough and mean and scary. After he had earned his black belt and became an adult, he got to know Cecil better and discovered he was a really nice guy. Cecil is actually one of the nicest guys in martial arts, but he can be strict in the dojo. I guess he's Nidan Melbourne's Type 1 or Type 3 instructor. I don't know whether the guy needed Cecil to be tough on him, but it seemed like it added to the sense of accomplishment he got from training.

Anyway, you have to decide for yourself whether this instructor is tough or just cruel and whether what you get from him is worth his harassment. Since you're avoiding his class, I guess that's your answer. In any group, there are bound to be conflicts. Sometimes, you can work them out; sometimes, it's better to just avoid the person.

Oh, and everyone correct me if I'm wrong, but unless you're warning people to avoid Sifu Mike, I don't think it's necessary or a good idea to put his name on an open forum like this. Someone he knows might see this. I don't know him, but I do know Sifu Jesus, as do a lot of people. I won't say anything, but someone might. i assume this isn't something you wanted to bring up in the dojo.

[sensei8]

To me...it doesn't sound mean at all. Beside, I've no way to know how the tone of his voice was. Was it hateful? Was it light? Was it dry? From you OP, I don't think he was mean, at all.

Over all these many years, Soke and Dai-Soke were old school; quite strict!! I, myself, well, I'm quite old school; the apple didn't fall far from the tree. After all, I was their student.

Neither of us are mean or cruel or insensitive or from another planet. Our floor is considered holy ground, and once on the floor, one best be serious or leave. Time to socialize is before and after class, or wherever that tone is permitted.

However, I've always insisted that I be called "Bob" or "Sensei Bob", albeit, I do prefer "Bob" because I believe that it has a calming affect on the student body. I set the tone, and often times, especially that I'm almost 60 years old, I will kid around and prank often times while on the floor. For the most part, I'm old school, but that doesn't mean that I'll not laugh or kid or prank while on the floor. Yes, Soke and Dai-Soke didn't like it when they'd visit my dojo, but, after all, it was my dojo, and they were my guest...they'd just shake their heads in disapproval.

New students have to learn the protocol and decorum of the dojo, while those students that've been there for a short time, already know what to do and what not to do.

As far as the kids...well...I'm old school but I'm the biggest kid on the floor...if not, I'll have NO KIDS because I've scared the crud out of them. Who wants to be around a mean loud instructor?!? I don't, and neither do kids!! They get enough of that at home. So the dojo needs to be the one place in their live where they can relax and be themselves.

You'll be fine, but you'll not avoid said instructor all of the time, and that means that you'll have to learn when or when they're not awfully strict.

[IcemanSK]

My instructor I had as a teen was strict, but never mean. The instructor I had in college was cruel and sadistic and verbally & physically abusive to people around him. I've known people who were hard on students because they didn't know any other way to relate to students. The kind of people who the only had a hammer in their toolbox, and to them, the whole world was a nail.

Being strict or a hard (not a warm person) doesn't make someone bad or cruel. Abusive or cruel, no one should put up with. But an instructor who is wise, but strict can be a tremendous benefit to a student who is willing.

[Zaine]

Still a Shodan. Not in a huge rush to get to Nidan either. My current rank is under an instructor who I have little relation with anymore. Honestly, I would be willing to start from 10th kyu under a new Shorin Ryu instructor if I find one I like.

[ashworth]

Been a Sandan for about 4 years now, quite happy where I am at the moment so no plans on looking for my next grading, at the moment I'm actually looking more to other styles to expand my base knowledge a bit more, so have put the white belt back on and trying out another style of karate.

[5thdan]

I also like kempo karate.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I also like kempo karate.

I'm assuming by your Username that your a Godan (5th Dan)?

[Nevinyrral]

I'm 1kyu in shotokan, and there will be grading for blackbelts around september.