# Your instructor's personal style



## girlbug2

Buddha...Drill Sergeant...Dad...etc. How would you describe your instructor's personal teaching style? Aloof, familiar, intimidating, quiet, loud, formal, jokester, serious..I'm sure they run the gamut. What is the overall impression you get of him/her? Do you think that this style works well with the art being taught?

OR--if YOU are the instructor, how do you like to come across to your students? Does that change depending on what group or time you teach?

The head instructor at my school paces around the room quite restlessly while we are warming up and practicing. He speaks rapidly and clearly. Occasionally he punctuates his lessons with jokes-most of which are actually funny. He gives the impression of an abundance of energy, but under control. Overall, his manner is friendly, but not so that anybody disrespects him. I think this is a good fit for Krav Maga.


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## Ken Morgan

girlbug2 said:


> Buddha...Drill Sergeant...Dad...etc. How would you describe your instructor's personal teaching style? Aloof, familiar, intimidating, quiet, loud, formal, jokester, serious..


 
All of the above, depending on his mood, the mood of the class, and a hundred other factors. All in all? A super person and a great martial artist.


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## Omar B

The Drill Sargent.  My sensei from ages 5-16 and now again as of the past year is really serious.  I don't think he's ever even smiled in my general direction.  Which is weird because I see him and my father having  a great old time chatting it up and laughing all the time.


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## Gary Crawford

Me-the instructor. I ask my students to show up for an hour to a half hour before class to stretch and warm up. During that time I am equal to everyone in every way. We laugh, joke and just talk about whatever,get things off our minds before training. When class starts,my students give me plenty of respect and don't talk unless they have a question. I don't "drill sergeant " anyone. I instruct,they work as hard as they think they need to. I do my best to motivate them. If someone isn't giving it all they can,we talk about why they are there and sometimes when they spar, I make them spar up a little more than they are up to. That usually fixes things. I don't baby sit anybody. When class is over and all questions are answered,we are all friends again and the beer cooler comes out.


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## girlbug2

You sound a lot like a coach, Gary .


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## stone_dragone

My instructor - at least the one that I started with and whom I still consider my teacher - is a good blend of all of the above.  When I'm teaching, I try to emulate that method as well.


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## tshadowchaser

My instructor was a drill sargent.  It was his way or hit the road and don't come back.  He would just as soon punch you for doing well as hit you for screwing up.  He did not want to turn out 100 avarge black belts he would rather turn out 1 or 2 that where really top notch.  He often said that out of a hundred who entered his door about 3 would make it through the first year and maybe one out of fify that made it the first year would ever stay long enough to make black belt.
Excersises till you fell and then you got back up and continued or you did not learn that day. Fighting (and it was closer to fighting than sparring) happened every night and you might be one on one, two on one, or maybe 10 on one. You fought and you survived and never gave up.
And whatever powers in the universe that might be would be needed if you incured his rath in class
Damn I miss that man


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## Tez3

My instructor was a sergeant major in the army but has never taken this into the club, no one brings rank into a sport venue. His style is laid back, practical and hard. he believes in training hard and especially with SD believes that you should feel the pain so that when you need it you know it works. With the MMA stuff it's enough in training just to put it on till you feel it not to hurt. Nothing fazes him, he's literally been there seen it and the t-shirt he got is threadbare lol. 
He is however quite scary looking! When he was in the army I have heard him bollocking soldiers and they did cringe, it was impressive! He's not like that in the club though I guess if someone really annoyed him by hurting someone or acting the idiot they'd find out.
I've seen him fight in the street too, he's a 'cold' fighter, his face goes impassive and every move he makes is calculated and hard. He doesn't take prisoners. A good chap all round....to have on your side!


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## girlbug2

So far no Buddhas, Curmudgeons, or parental figure instructors. "undefined" seems to be in the lead, followed by Coach and Drill Sergeant.


C'mon, tell me_ somebody_ had a curmudgeon for an instructor!


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## Jenny_in_Chico

Omar B said:


> The Drill Sargent. My sensei from ages 5-16 and now again as of the past year is really serious. *I don't think he's ever even smiled in my general direction.* Which is weird because I see him and my father having a great old time chatting it up and laughing all the time.


 
Probably because he can't _see_ you, Omar. You're too crazy blurry.


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## Omar B

Jenny_in_Chico said:


> Probably because he can't _see_ you, Omar. You're too crazy blurry.



Damn my blurry hide!


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## Jenny_in_Chico

Omar B said:


> Damn my blurry hide!


 
It must be difficult to find clothes that flatter your figure.


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## Omar B

Flatter my figure?  How about finding a pair that are not instantly burned off by my speed force.

Like that timeI tried to take headshots:






Like that one time I tried to get myself a new pair of boots:


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## Big Don

Everyone's brother. My sifu just has that charisma to him.


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## Stac3y

When I teach kids, I've got kind of a "mommy" persona, but a scary mommy, if need be. More of a coach with adults.


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## Drac

We use a good mixture of humor with our teaching..


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## girlbug2

So far in 24 replies, Coach seems to be the most consistent instructor style. I must say that it is surprising that there aren't more father figure instructors, as that parental quality is something I've noticed in more than one teacher not just in martial arts.


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## Big Don

Drac said:


> We use a good mixture of humor with our teaching..


My son started classes a week before I did. Sitting in the audience, I laughed an awful lot. The smartass is strong in all of us.


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## Bill Mattocks

My sensei would be 'all of the above'.  Depends on the situation.


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## Blade96

i cant choose one. My sensei's are a mixture of drill sergeant, papa figure (they've practically adopted me lol! and i've a strong almost father/daughter bond with them) and Coach. Though they have sense of humor and can entertain us as well.

My Sempai is the Buddha lol - real formal and reserved. He's also the drill seargeant...he will get on your case if someone, say disrespects by coming late and not bowing and oss like they're supposed to or talking in class. But you can still tell when he likes you. He's more friendly towards me than last year.

Our senseis do that too. If he thinks we dont crouch low enough its 'get down! bend yer bloody knees ya bunch of wusses!'

Not me though. Im never late, nor do I hardly have sensei correct me on anything pretty much. i guess i do things right.


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## AlanE

It's been a long time, but still unforgettable. He was a calm, peaceful coach. Never pushy. I had a slightly stiff right ankle that wouldn't bend fully for two months (revealed during forms). How I played sports around that for years beats me. He never pushed. I got it. 

We stuck around after class on Osan AB, S. Korea to practice because we were happy and loved it. And we always prevailed over the militaristic sister Tang Soo Do school off base in tourneys. My theory was our extra practice, all because of a having a good teacher. 

I almost feel bad in comparison, because it is not my nature to be calm all the time while teaching. We have to be ourselves, of course. We all have at least one hit song in us (capable and awesome in our own way). 

Cool I can be. Persistently calm? No chance. 

Enthusiastic, serious, thoughtful, still, illuminating, pleasant, laughing, encouraging, respectful, learner - there's the mix when I teach. My teacher, however, was the best because he was the first (while being good)! 

I guess the good instructor test is: If in Korea where there was nothing else to do most evenings, would your soldier students stick around and share sparring tips or run off immediately after class? (provided you allowed it)


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## Touch Of Death

Gary Crawford said:


> Me-the instructor. I ask my students to show up for an hour to a half hour before class to stretch and warm up. During that time I am equal to everyone in every way. We laugh, joke and just talk about whatever,get things off our minds before training. When class starts,my students give me plenty of respect and don't talk unless they have a question. I don't "drill sergeant " anyone. I instruct,they work as hard as they think they need to. I do my best to motivate them. If someone isn't giving it all they can,we talk about why they are there and sometimes when they spar, I make them spar up a little more than they are up to. That usually fixes things. I don't baby sit anybody. When class is over and all questions are answered,we are all friends again and the beer cooler comes out.


Yeah, but what about your teacher? You were taught at some point. LOL
Sean


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## Razor

I went for coach, although my instructor is a bit of a mix of coach and entertainer. He often relates techniques to some odd yet more familiar movements, and is quite often making jokes about what techniques will do to people's bodies if done properly. Especially if you see him with a coffee before training....


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## Egon

Combination of papa/mama to all and practical coach.

He served 12 years in military as some higher rank so if class becomes messy he changes to drill sergeant in a second and it lasts for two weeks.


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