Ever Witness a Teacher having a Falling out with his Student

[magikchiongson]

I saw this occur twice, first was when my Northern Kung Fu Sifu lured this really skilled Hung Gar practioner from his Sifu, who I knew but didn't study under. Anyways it all culminated into the student shouting challenges at his Hung Gar teacher, and they ended up fighting to a draw.

 

So the student left his Hung Gar School and went on to teach at the Northern Kung Fu school I was in. So that was that, however one of the top Instructors at the Northern School (different guy) had a grievance with my then Sifu, leading to challenges and they ended up fighting with the instructor almost having his back broken by Sifu.

 

That kinda made me rethink about staying at that School, and I left. But that just sounds weird to me. I wonder if this is a common occurence in your Schools? Whether they are TKD, Kung Fu, Karate, BJJ ect.. Is it normal for a long time student to turn on their teachers like that?

[Kensai]

I think sadly challenges still occur but never really solve anything, especially in this modern age.

 

Fighting your Sensei is probably the most disgraceful thing that can be done in the dojo. If you leave then you leave, and thats fine, but attacking your Sensei is a no no.

 

Yours in Aiki.

[MantisWarrior]

i agree kensai

 

thankfully all the ppl at my school get along but i dout anyone of my kung fu brothers or sisters would challenge our sifu because i know they wouln't win and they know that too

[Tombstone]

where i train is completely different. we all get a chance at the trainers. its not in a disrespectful manner, but fighting the trainers lets us know where we stand. when a student gets good enough, sometimes a trainer will challenge him. but like i said, its not disrespectful. just part of the training.

[G95champ]

YeI saw a student challege my teacher once. He went on with class and did not pay them any mind. IMO thats how it should be done.

[Kyle-san]

I've had a falling out twice in my life in martial arts. The first was when I left my Karate dojo because I wasn't enjoying the experience anymore or learning. Neither of the sensei's that taught there will speak to me with anything more than the barest civility.

 

The other was with my Taekwon Do instructor who has turned a good club into a McDojo. I can't speak to him with any more than the barest civility anymore and often laugh at his "new innovations" for his class. The latest being taking techniques from the Aki Jujitsu dojo I was at and using them as "Taekwon Do self defence".

 

So there are two different cases, neither of which have come to blows, with both teacher and student in the wrong.

[CheekyMusician]

Everyone gets to spar with the trainers at our club from when they're white belts.

 

I think that's a pretty good system, because it teaches you from the word go that the Sensei is just anpther person in the club who you can learn from and go to for help with things.

 

Its not like he's some devine being who resides over the club and then picks and chooses who he thinks is "good enough to fight with him".

 

I sparred with him once when I'd only been going to the club a few weeks and sparring with him gave me so much confidence because he knew how to keep the fight going and make me look good. He was making me look like I was giving him a run for his money (even though I know I wasn't) and he wasn't showing off and trying to show me that "he was boss". Even though I knew he was giving me loads of easy shots etc. it still built up my confidence a lot knowing I'd sparred with my Sensei and hadn't got killed!

 

I don't think anyone in my club would "challenge" our sensei as such, because they know they have plenty of chances to spar with him in normal training sessions and show him their wares.

Edited January 11, 2003 by CheekyMusician

[ZeRo]

i dont think anyone would be stupid enough to challange any of my senseis. and i dont think its a good thing to do. if your gonna leave then do it.

[kchenault]

i dont think anyone would be stupid enough to challange any of my senseis. and i dont think its a good thing to do. if your gonna leave then do it.

The only reason I could see for a "falling out" would be if a student of high enough skill and rank wanted to open his or her own school. Most instructors I think might feel their business threatened and tell them no, causing the problem. Any time the student can fight the teacher to a draw, it's time to move on anyway. Always check the circumstances. I have a friend from my old school that was stripped of rank and kicked from the school because she wouldn't let the instructor come over and do his laundry anytime he wanted. Poor judgement onhis part. If he knew I had said this about him, he would do the same to me.

[Freestyler]

Yeh, I have witnessed a falling out.

 

The instructor told the student to do something and she was cheeky in the way she replied. He told her to take her belt off and leave the class. She wouldn't go at fist, but eventually she left. He told her to come back in and got her to hold the bag since we were doing kicks. He was kicking the bag extremely hard, then we got up to head height kicks and I assume he kicked her in the face - she was crying afterwards and wouldn't talk about it with me.

 

Then, outside in the parking lot. She was leaving in a hurry, he came running out and caught her as she got in his car. They were arguing, then she drove off and he threw the box which contains all the students' card at her car as she was driving off.