# Private lessons



## michaeledward (Aug 28, 2004)

I have been studying Kenpo now for about 4 years. I study in a 16 Technique system under a 5th degree student of Huk Planas'. During this time, I have attended regular group classes, and several seminars, but never a private lesson. I am currently a 2nd degree brown, about halfway through curriculum toward my next test. Today, my wife gave me a gift certificate for 5 private lessons with my instructor.

Question: What suggestions do you have for the focus of these private lessons? or What might you concentrate on in private lessons with someone at this stage of development?


----------



## Goldendragon7 (Aug 28, 2004)

michaeledward said:
			
		

> My wife gave me a  gift certificate for 5 private lessons with my  instructor.
> 
> *Question*: What suggestions do you have for the focus  of these private lessons? or What might you concentrate on in private lessons  with someone at this stage of development?


Are the private  lessons with Your personal Instructor or Huk?

If they are with your  personal instructor..... he/she may have a say in just what you are allowed to  go over, or what you may need most help with.  

On the other hand, they  are your private lessons..... what would YOU like to go over since you  now have his/her personal and private attention to go over anything that  pertains ONLY to you and your development, or answer questions that you may not  have had time to go over or ask in group classes.

I have had many private  lessons with several different instructors and the material covered ranged from  technique or form questions, to weapons, to breaking to well, soup to  nuts.....LOL so ask away ... it is YOUR TIME!!

 :asian:


----------



## michaeledward (Aug 29, 2004)

The privates *will not* be with Huk. (Which, I think, at this point, is good; I'm not sure I could handle it). My lessons with be with Mike Hogan.

Thank you for your thoughts.


----------



## Goldendragon7 (Aug 30, 2004)

michaeledward said:
			
		

> The privates *will not* be with Huk. (Which, I think, at this point, is good; I'm not sure I could handle it).


 LOL, why not....... he won't bite....   I'm sure he would love to help you with whatever you wanted to work on.

 :asian:


----------



## michaeledward (Aug 30, 2004)

Someday, perhaps, but for now, here is the story:

I attended a seminar with Mr. Planas on March 19 of this year. We were working on the technique Glancing Spear. During the walk through of this technique, we got to the point where we perform the first sweep, pull the body, sweep with the left foot. So, there we are, a classroom full of students Sweeping and pulling bodies. 
Mr. Planas very non-chalantly talks about the sweep moving to 6 O'Clock. We keep practicing. It feels weird, like I am moving around myself.

"Mr. Planas," I ask so the entire class can hear, "is this sweep supposed to go to 4:30 (as I learned it) or to 6:00?" 

Mr. Planas replies ... "Well, it's got to go to 6 O'Clock because you never want to go around yourself."

I'm just a 3rd Brown ... but I says to myself "Huh? How can I go from a Left Forward Bow, through a Left Sweep to 6 O'Clock without going around myself?" - *BUT *I don't say anything out loud. No one else in the class says anything, either.

I go back to my studio and discuss this with Mr. Hogan. We review where the bodies are in the technique and that to move to 6 is going around myself. 
Mr. Hogan says sometimes Huk will do that (an apparent mis-direct), just to see if anyone paying attention and / or remembers how to apply the rules of motion. But as a lowly 3rd Brown, I was a bit reluctant to step up futher in a class full of black-belts.

So, anyhow ... the Moral of this Story is ... is "*Don't question the Man with the Bull-Whip.*"


----------



## GAB (Sep 2, 2004)

Hi, Is it OK to get involved with a side bar or not? Well I will find out?

I was learning to fly an airplane in the early 70's. My instructor told me a student should be told the proper reasons and not learn by guessing,:idunno:  because you revert in times of stress and once learned, (a mistake) it might be fatal. 

The same goes here in my opinion. :asian: 

Regards, Gary


----------



## Goldendragon7 (Sep 2, 2004)

michaeledward said:
			
		

> "I'm just a 3rd Brown" ...  "But as a lowly 3rd Brown"  ........ "I was a bit reluctant to step up further in a class full of  black-belts".


 Hmmmmmm.......  well Michael, IMHO, I  don't think you should be considering yourself  "_*JUST*_" a 3rd Brown or a "_*LOWLY*_" 3rd  Brown either!   This is not an easy rank..... I'm sure you worked hard to "earn"  it and it is nothing you should look down on or be ashamed of in any regard.    I'm not saying you should not be humble of course, but not condescending to  yourself either.  No matter WHAT rank anyone is wearing, there is always room to  learn more.  As an advanced student in class, good questions should never be  frowned upon...... often times, others in the room have the same question in  mind or could have benefited from your question as well.   

 My suggestion  is to focus more on the material and question it thoroughly until YOU understand  it, and forget about what ranks everyone is wearing or what others think about  it, you are in quest of knowledge for yourself, don't waste the opportunity to  have any instructor aid you in your journey.   SO ASK AWAY!!

 This basic  philosophy is shown on the crest where the Dragon (_Advanced Students leading  the inexperienced_) is looking back at the Tiger (_Beginning  Students looking up to the advanced for knowledge_) always to remember  that we all had to start at the beginning, where true knowledge is only gained  thru the proper and legitimate "Journey" that we must all travel which  includes mental knowledge gain as well as intense physical training.  Any other  means will only result in sub-par skills and deception.

 As to the  *methods* of different teachers (such as Huk {or others}  _possibly_ teaching 'mis-directs' to see who is paying attention or  not)....... well, each teacher you experience will have their own personal  _*style of teaching*_, you may or may not like that style but  it is unique unto that teacher.   I personally have experienced many different  styles of teaching and have learned much from each and especially the study of  why each does what he/she does.

 Being a Physical Education major in  college was a true asset to me once I was afforded the opportunity to start  instructing others in our great Art of Kenpo.  As a teacher I try to understand  each student and relate to them and their individual needs, am I _always_  successful.... well no, but I try to learn from my mistakes and improve.   

 "To get students to where you want them to be... You must first start  with where they are".  Sometimes this is not always comfortable but it is  necessary to do.

 :asian:


----------



## michaeledward (Sep 2, 2004)

Thank you for the continued comments. 

They do point to one of the limitations in this medium; that it is sometimes difficult to perceive the 'tone' of what is being typed. My comments about my rank were a bit ironic, and a bit self-depricating. Truthfully, I think my understanding of Kenpo, when compared to my peers, would be on the right side of the bell curve.

Again, thank you.

Michael


----------

