The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What do you really know about instructors?

SB · May 13, 2000, 02:15 PM

My personal $.02:

I really don't care about trophies or newpaper clippings. In fact, I find them to be vulgar, as if the instructor is egocentric. I'm far more impressed with schools that have small gestures and personal effects that are there as a sign of respect to that style's heritage. Also, to me, it is more of a sign of humility and a sense that martial arts is here for a greater purpose than just collecting brass cups and pieces of paper.

Schools that offer multiple styles is nothing new. However, I am glad to see that this teacher has different instructors for each respective style. No matter how good someone is, I would be hard-pressed to believe that someone is capable of mastering so many various styles (that is, unless I saw it for my own eyes). Anyway, there is nothing wrong with trying to offer a more complete self defense solution in one place, since most styles have specific strengths and weaknesses. However, on a more rhetorical level, I would be highly curious to hear their explanation on how Aikido and Muay Thai can be augmented together seemlessly.

Some schools simply does not spend much time on katas. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with that, but it depends on the reasoning of the instructors. In other words, they may have good reasons for doing so, or perhaps not. What I would really be wary of is if they don't emphasize katas in Aikido. The two go hand in hand. Either that, or they butchered Aikido into some other form. In which case, it would no longer be Aikido. Morohei Ueshiba took most of his lifetime to finally attain enlightenment to know what to do to create Aikido. For someone to butcher it and, in effect, say that they have a better idea, well, they'd have to be borderline geniuses. My personal knee-jerk reaction is to wonder if they're ignorant and actually know what they're doing.

Finally, there is nothing wrong with getting "violent" with a partner if that is a) what you're looking for, and b) is what they admit to you up front. But the most important thing here is probably to realize what you really want to get out of martial arts, and then finding a school that will accomplish the goals you have in mind. If this is it, then fine. If not, look elsewhere.

[This message has been edited by SB (edited May 13, 2000).]

May 13, 2000, 02:15 PM	#2
SB Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 1998 Posts: 415	My personal $.02: I really don't care about trophies or newpaper clippings. In fact, I find them to be vulgar, as if the instructor is egocentric. I'm far more impressed with schools that have small gestures and personal effects that are there as a sign of respect to that style's heritage. Also, to me, it is more of a sign of humility and a sense that martial arts is here for a greater purpose than just collecting brass cups and pieces of paper. Schools that offer multiple styles is nothing new. However, I am glad to see that this teacher has different instructors for each respective style. No matter how good someone is, I would be hard-pressed to believe that someone is capable of mastering so many various styles (that is, unless I saw it for my own eyes). Anyway, there is nothing wrong with trying to offer a more complete self defense solution in one place, since most styles have specific strengths and weaknesses. However, on a more rhetorical level, I would be highly curious to hear their explanation on how Aikido and Muay Thai can be augmented together seemlessly. Some schools simply does not spend much time on katas. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with that, but it depends on the reasoning of the instructors. In other words, they may have good reasons for doing so, or perhaps not. What I would really be wary of is if they don't emphasize katas in Aikido. The two go hand in hand. Either that, or they butchered Aikido into some other form. In which case, it would no longer be Aikido. Morohei Ueshiba took most of his lifetime to finally attain enlightenment to know what to do to create Aikido. For someone to butcher it and, in effect, say that they have a better idea, well, they'd have to be borderline geniuses. My personal knee-jerk reaction is to wonder if they're ignorant and actually know what they're doing. Finally, there is nothing wrong with getting "violent" with a partner if that is a) what you're looking for, and b) is what they admit to you up front. But the most important thing here is probably to realize what you really want to get out of martial arts, and then finding a school that will accomplish the goals you have in mind. If this is it, then fine. If not, look elsewhere. [This message has been edited by SB (edited May 13, 2000).]