Distance Ed Black Belt

[Hudson69]

I can only assume that this has been posted/started elsewhere and if so I apologize.

How do the forum members feel about schools that offer advancement through DVD/Video; distance ed classes?

I know that you can learn just about everything over the internet and through video from classical martial arts to Navy SEAL H2H and that video is a very useful tool but does black belt promotion in this way sound "legit?"

Thanks,
Hud

 

[bluekey88]

No, but I'm old fashioned.

 

[celtic_crippler]

...here we go again...

"I can learn by video!" ->:shotgun::shooter:<-"You can only learn from a live instructor!"

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Ditto the above from Celtic Crippler.

These types of programs are only a way for someone to make a buck. You have to have a live instructor to correct your mistakes and errors. It is one thing to use videos as a supplemental training tool along with an instructor in that system. However, to use it as the sole means is just throwing money away!

 

[just2kicku]

No.... It's been said many times. Vids are a great training TOOL, but will never replace a live instructor for showing you the little things that you are doing wrong. To achieve rank via video is a sham IMO.

That's like telling a new recruit that they don't have to go to boot camp, sit down and watch a video and we'll send you on your way.

 

[MJS]

This has been talked about many times before. A quick search should find many threads. However, I'll say what I have said in those threads....IMHO, no, you can't effectively learn from a DVD, book, tape or anything other than a live, breathing, standing in front of you teacher.

People will say, "What if there is no TKD school near me?" What if this, what if that?? Then I guess training TKD is out of the question. Either that, or invest the time and cash to either move or to set aside a long weekend to get some intensive, 1 on 1 training, then go back home and train your butt off on what you worked on, and do it again when time and $$ allow.

DVDs are good as a reference tool. Interestinly enough, as I type this, I'm watching a dvd set that was given to me to view. Within the first few minutes of watching this, the first thing that came to mine was....this isn't something a beginner to the martial arts would get anything out of. So if a newbie with zero training were to sit and watch this, they wouldn't have a clue. Why? Because the person who is on the tape isn't gearing it towards a newbie, and he's not teaching techniques, like you'd see on other dvd sets. Instead, he's expanding on principles and ideas, that one should already have from their training. Again, he's not giving set techs., but instead, ideas and possible solutions to a situation. But if you don't have a background, the dvd will be useless to you, because you dont even have a foundation to build from.

Bottom line....they're a great ref. tool. I own a few Kenpo, Arnis and BJJ sets, but I have teachers that I train with in those arts, so if I were to find something that caught my eye, I could simply take that back to the training hall, and work it with my teacher. That is the best thing to do.

 

[arnisador]

I'd be pretty negative about this. Even if the person can fight, I'd be suspicious of how well they knew that art.

 

[Nomad]

IMHO, it exemplifies everything bad that arises from the intersection of martial arts and marketing.

 

[Aiki Lee]

I recommend doing a search of this forum. This topic has been discussed to death.

If there is anything that you feel is not addressed in those threads then we can pick it up from there.

 

[jks9199]

Y'know...

I actually do think that there are circumstances where video testing might work. As Brian said -- what you can learn from a video (or even book/video combination) is limited.

At the lowest levels, video testing/observation might be possible. At this point, you're not looking for depth of knowledge; you're often simply looking at basic structure and sequences. In a 10-step program, this would be like only at steps 1 and 2... maybe 3. Basically, once doing things in the right order, and with something that looks about right is no longer enough -- you need to be tested in person.

And at the highest levels, a very high level teacher can probably assess high level students through video almost as well as in person. Of course, at this point, promotion is often not so much about acquiring more skills, but deeper understandings of the skills and serving the organization. Of course, the people at this sort of level are the type that probably won't need or want video testing... because the testing is as much (or more!!) about seeing good friends as the promotion!

 

[celtic_crippler]

I've trained with some folks who were really good and some folks that were really bad who trained through distance programs.

I've trained with some folks who were really good and some folks that were really bad who trained in the classic brink-n-mortar schools.

Underneath all the gobbledygook what was the one common factor?

...People.

What does that mean? Lot's of things...

One thing's for sure, you get out of something what you put in to it.

I personally don't look so much into someones lineage or necessarily where they recieved their training as much as how the perform on the mat. Know what I mean?

 

[terryl965]

All this does is make me laugh, people need to have feed back to question that will come up with different techs., I know some that have natural talent but they do not know the difference between SD and being a bully.

 

[chinto]

I can only assume that this has been posted/started elsewhere and if so I apologize.

How do the forum members feel about schools that offer advancement through DVD/Video; distance ed classes?

I know that you can learn just about everything over the internet and through video from classical martial arts to Navy SEAL H2H and that video is a very useful tool but does black belt promotion in this way sound "legit?"

Thanks,
Hud

in a word.. NO.

 

[Balrog]

Nothing replaces eyes-on feedback from an instructor. Having said that, I had a student once who did "Distance Learning", so to speak. His job required him to travel extensively, so he would take the DVD for his rank with him and train in the hotel room. When he was back in town, he'd come in for class and a private lesson. He was motivated enough to train hard and learn the material correctly.

He did that for nearly a year, then got a better job with less travel.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Provided the distance learning is backed up by classes/meetings with the instructor in question a few times a year to make certain of the material, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

But that's almost never what happens with programs like this.

 

[Cirdan]

The concept has extremely limited potential.

 

[seasoned]

All this does is make me laugh, people need to have feed back to question that will come up with different techs., I know some that have natural talent but they do not know the difference between SD and being a bully.

Very good point. There are checks and balances that only a structured class can address. One, as you have eluted to being humility. An unchecked bad attitude will only lead to trouble in the long run. "SD versus being a bully".