A question for MA teachers

[Joab]

Why do Martial Arts teachers always want to know what martial arts systems a new student has studied? At least that has been my experience with the four I have studied. Just curious.

 

[redantstyle]

no need.

you can usually tell within five minutes or so.

even if they try to act like a 'blank slate' the old wiring shows through.

 

[terryl965]

I kinda do the opposite, I ask why they want to learn what I am teaching. This way it comes across more positive and helps me understand what they need.

 

[Twin Fist]

well, if you know what their prior experience is, you can phrase things a certain way to relate it to what they already know, to make learning something new easier

 

[Blindside]

Why do Martial Arts teachers always want to know what martial arts systems a new student has studied? At least that has been my experience with the four I have studied. Just curious.

It allows me to use reference to a familiar part of their their prior training to allow the motion to "install" faster as they already likely have it. It also allows me to anticipate likely sticking points in their training.

As an example, as a kenpo blackbelt I formed a kali study group with two of my fellow kenpo blackbelts. As a core part of training kenpo uses a number of rather lengthy self defense techniques to train different motion patterns. I can't tell you how many times we would be in a kali class, having trouble with some particular pattern or energy drill and one of would say "its like Tech X" and you could immediately see the pattern "install" as we referenced back to our years of prior training, to the motion we already had, even if the application was very different. I can show a entry into a lock or pass and explain this is just a downward block to a karate guy and he'll get it, even if he has never trained to use a downward block in that manner before. If the neural pathways are already there it seems a shame to waste them.

 

[stone_dragone]

Like Blindside and Twin Fist spoke of, the information is often useful to teach new information that is similar to what is already practiced. If I know that someone has studied TKD, I can build on the similarities in the basic techniques and focus on different strategy and spend some more time teaching falling and ground work. If they have a basis in BJJ, then I know that I won't have to spend that much time on falling and rolling, etc...

 

[dancingalone]

I'm interested if a prospective has had any sparring experience primarily and to what level of contact. I take it for granted that they'll have some habits to unlearn in my school, but if they're used to getting hit with some force, they'll be that much ahead of the game.

 

[stickarts]

I do ask that so I have an idea of what their experience level is and that helps me to know what to expect and how to approach them best. I do ask several other questions as well, however, I do pick up a lot by watching them after a class or two.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

In a Commercial setting we have all types of people come in inquiring about training. We offer Kenpo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Taichi, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, and MMA programs.

When someone comes in we try to find out what they want to get out of training, what they are looking for, and what their interests are. We have had plenty of people come in asking about kickboxing, only to find after questioning them that kenpo is a better fit. When I ask someone what arts they have studied and they give me a list, I also want to know why they left, what did not work for them, etc. This allows me to understand the person and better suggest options for their training... it also filters out problem people... for example if a person tells me they have been to 4 different places and left every one because of issues with billing, or something similar, I know to make sure there is no questions or misunderstanding about our billing at all..

from a business standpoint we want to make sure we completely understand the individuals needs, concerns, and goals, and our ability to either meet those, or suggest a better place for them to find it.

from an instructors standpoint, I want to know a persons skillset, and abilities, and how it will help or hinder their progress in what I am teaching.

I can think of very few instances where you can have too much information.

 

[Tez3]

I ask coz I don't want anyone better than me in the class lol!

No not really, we get a lot of people who have studied other arts who come to us when they've been posted in, many are high grades or with a lot of experience. Mostly we take them but sometimes we recommend they go down the road to the JKD class if we think it will suit them better, they do the same in return.
We mostly try to fit what we do to newcomers, it's the nature of what we do, MMA and also becuase it's ideal for service personnel, no grading and whatever style they've done before and will do in the future we have something for them.
Dancingalone why do you take it for granted they have habits to unlearn, is that a way of saying you think your class is better than any they are likely to have taken? what if they are good at the same techniques as you?

 

[shihansmurf]

It allows me to use reference to a familiar part of their their prior training to allow the motion to "install" faster as they already likely have it. It also allows me to anticipate likely sticking points in their training.
.

I think that this is the best answer I've ever heard for this.

Truthfully, there are so many similarities between martial arts that knowing what a new student's base of knowledgs consists of simply allows for easier reference between systems. It facilitates transition from the patterns of thought in the previous system that had been ingrained to whatever degree that they had, to the new patterns of though that are desired in the new learning enviornment. Terminology can be one og the biggest sticking points for a student with prior experience and if an instructor is familiar with their "language" , so to speak, it will be easier to translate his information into terms that the student will relate to better.

Mark

 

[dancingalone]

Dancingalone why do you take it for granted they have habits to unlearn, is that a way of saying you think your class is better than any they are likely to have taken? what if they are good at the same techniques as you?

Experience. I've never had a student with prior experience that did everything the same way I try to teach. Stance shifts, body loading, looseness in the waist, punching 'from the legs', etc. In actual practice, this means a lot of unlearning as they gradually progress with me. I actually prefer complete newbies - much easier for me to teach and correct as they likely have few preconceived notions of what a movement should look or more importantly FEEL like.

I don't mean to say the way I do things are BETTER than other methods. Better is so relative a term and hard to measure empirically. Certainly a boxer can punch effectively as can a shotokan karate stylist, but neither likely will punch exactly the way I teach. And if one wants to punch like a boxer, then one should seek out a boxing coach rather than little old me, no?

To answer your question another way, I do teach a traditional style and I mean to pass it along as best as I can. My students know this is part of the arrangement when enrolling with me.

 

[hkfuie]

Why do Martial Arts teachers always want to know what martial arts systems a new student has studied? At least that has been my experience with the four I have studied. Just curious.

b/c they want to know the answer?

 

[Joab]

Thanks for all the responses. You guys sound like more electic teachers in some ways than I have had, all of mine have been about learning the system their way, not molding it to fit my experience. Nothing wrong with my last teachers approaches, I got a lot out of them. They tended not to think much of my prior styles learned, I heard from a Wing Chun Sifu when he learned I had studied tae-kwon-do "The stupidest thing you can do in a fight is throw a high kick at someone", with an echo from American Combato "You try any of that stuff on the streets and you will get killed" At least the American Combato teacher had studied tae-kwon-do for eight years and had a black belt in it. I got a lot out of tae-kwon-do personally, although, I only practice the low kicks. The Krav Maga teacher thought a lot of Wing Chun interestingly. Thanks again for your responses.