sensei8 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 What would you do if you had no Senior Dan instructors/CI to teach you??No more CI's above Godan??Most of us have a deep pool of knowledge and experience within ones Governing Body/Hombu where students of all ranks can tap into the richness of a Senior Dan instructor/CI.Often times, I'll either read or hear students deride Senior Dan instructor/CI, for one thing or another; a deepening of disrespect. Yet, whenever they need something from said Senior Dan instructor/CIIf you're in, for example, the SKIF, what would you do if Kanazawa Sensei and/or his son weren't available for a seminar?? What if the highest ranking CI within your style, weren't available for a seminar??How can you grow as a MAist without that continued teachings by those who've earned that knowledge and experience over 4 or 5 or more decades?? Taking advantage of them?! Supposing that they'll live forever?! Stagnant, isn't tasteful whatsoever!!By yourself, you can only learn so much!! Once the pool runs dry, then what??Yes, then what!? **Proof is on the floor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLLEARNER Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I don't disrespect my fellow MAist. I may have a natural distrust for big organizations, but that is the libertarian inside me. But, not the individuals involved until they earn distrust. "Those who know don't talk. Those who talk don't know." ~ Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching"Walk a single path, becoming neither cocky with victory nor broken with defeat, without forgetting caution when all is quiet or becoming frightened when danger threatens." ~ Jigaro Kano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nidan Melbourne Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 My Club consists of 2 people who are more senior than myself (1 Sandan + 1 Godan). In which the Godan is the Head of my club. But if you look at all my fellow Nidans; there are 2 who have the knowledge of at least Yondan. I'm actually forging relationships with Instructors from my own style and other styles so I am able to continue to train even if my club no longer has the senior instructors at the top. It comes down to adaptation and my willingness to make changes, if a Senior Instructor thinks I could improve and adapt something to me physically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupin1 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 We're not part of any organization. We were founded by our head instructor who is currently an 8th Dan (promoted by his instructor, who is a member of at least one big Isshinryu association (he was one of the original Marines to bring Isshinryu to the US). He's moved away recently and now the club is run by two of his students. Both started studying with him in the mid 80s and both are 6th Dan.The way I think of it-- when karate first came to the west in the 50s/60s/70s, most of the instructors were 1st-3rd Dan and their instructors were across an ocean in a world with no internet. They made it work. Karate flourished even without the grand masters. People find a way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei8 Posted July 15, 2017 Author Share Posted July 15, 2017 People DO find a way!!But...Is that way limited? Is that way correct?Can't improve if there's no improvement within the instructor pool.How fast some MAists are at putting Senior Dan's out to pasture, even if it's within their own minds, because "They've had their time; it's our time!!" **Proof is on the floor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatsuShinshii Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 People DO find a way!!But...Is that way limited? Is that way correct?Can't improve if there's no improvement within the instructor pool.How fast some MAists are at putting Senior Dan's out to pasture, even if it's within their own minds, because "They've had their time; it's our time!!" Sensei8, This boils down to ignorance and arrogance. Ego over common sense. Only a fool would consider years of knowledge and training as something to be caste aside due to age. I have said this before in another post. My Shinshii is 85 yrs old and can definitely not keep up with 20 yr olds, but he doesn't have to. Knowledge and technique trumps strength and youth. Gracie proved this in the ring with guys twice his size and with opponents of all ages. To throw away decades of knowledge based on some notion that it the next generations time is ludicrous.In fact there is a name for those that have such arrogance and ignorance... Punks.Teach and train those that are worthy students that are less concerned with how fast they can climb the rank ladder and more concerned with learning the art. If they are concerned with learning the art they will see the value of learning from those that have the knowledge. Age is just apart of life. The journey is a life time pursuit. The youth are at the beginning but without those that have decades of training to teach them, their training will stop and thus their knowledge will be limited. The art is lost at this point and you will have failed those that entrusted the art to you. Your responsibility as an instructor is to pass on the art and honor those that entrusted the art to you.This point is best made by Hohan Soken's death poem. It talks about passing on the art and demonstrates what we as instructors should aspire to achieve.I say ignore the punks and teach the worthy. One worthy student is worth a million unworthy punks. The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails-but the one who moves on in spite of failure. Charles R. Swindoll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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