Double Trouble

[Brad Dunne]

A (2) part question directed towards senior (4th Dan and over), but all are welcomed to participate.

1). How does a senior practicioner (regardless of discipline) go about looking for training venues? Some examples of how this happens. Short term relocation (job related). You no longer have a school/teach (somewhat retired). You have been inactive, due to an injury and now you are able to return to training. I would venture an assumption, that the vast majority of school instructors, would not be very open to letting someone senior to their rank participate.

2) Second part: If you were fortunate enough to find a willing school/instructor, could you keep your mouth shut, if you observed poor/harmful/flawed training aspects?

Thanks in advance for any and all responses.

 

[Kacey]

A (2) part question directed towards senior (4th Dan and over), but all are welcomed to participate.

1). How does a senior practicioner (regardless of discipline) go about looking for training venues? Some examples of how this happens. Short term relocation (job related). You no longer have a school/teach (somewhat retired). You have been inactive, due to an injury and now you are able to return to training. I would venture an assumption, that the vast majority of school instructors, would not be very open to letting someone senior to their rank participate.

Hmm... I've been with the same sahbum for 21 years, so I've never gone looking for another instructor. If I were to do so, however, I'd follow the same suggestions I give to prospective students: find an instructor you like, find a class you feel comfortable with, and go from there. For seniors, I would add that you need to find a class that is comparable to the one you came from; if technical similarity to where you were previously is important, then that would be a factor as well.

As far as how I'd find a new instructor - it would depend on why and how I left the previous one. If I were leaving for reasons not related to my instructor's competence and/or integrity, I would start by asking my instructor; if I left for reasons related to my instructor's competence and/or integrity, I would ask other seniors whose opinion I trust. I would also research possible classes for a variety of factors that come down to the instructor's personality and methods, the feel of the class, and technical similarities and differences.

2) Second part: If you were fortunate enough to find a willing school/instructor, could you keep your mouth shut, if you observed poor/harmful/flawed training aspects?

Thanks in advance for any and all responses.

For a long-term move, I would observe the class - and if at all possible participate on a trial basis - before joining on any type of long-term basis. I would hope that I would see such things before becoming a long-term student. I would have to decide if the technique were poor/harmful/flawed, or if it was simply different. There are lots of people out there who were trained differently, and/or teach differently, than myself. That does not make them good or bad, perfect or flawed - just different, and different is not always bad. I would have to decide once I had experience a range of the training available if I wanted to stay long term; if I had been there long enough to decide to stay, I would hope I would have seen enough to already know if I considered the techniques to be poor/harmful/flawed - because if I really felt that way, that wouldn't be the class for me. Nor would I, as a newly acquired student, tell the instructor why s/he was wrong. I would, quite likely, try to find a private venue to ask about the differences, but I would attempt, at least, to withhold value judgments until I had sufficient information.

For a short-term situation, I would probably be less particular - and even less likely to tell the instructor I felt the techniques being taught to be poor/harmful/flawed. As a guest in a very short-term situation, it would be rude to return my host's courtesy with such comments, and chances are I would not have sufficient experience with the instructor's style and any technical differences between that instructor and the one I came from to make such judgments... and by the time I did, I would be in the situation described previously.

 

[terryl965]

If I had to relocate I would do what ever GM of said school ask of me. I know this sounds simple but if I decided to be there than we must be on the same page.

If I could not find the right person than I would start back in the garage and build enough to open a school that I could run my way.

If you are in rome do as the romans. in spain as a spaner, in greece the same. Why would anybody go somewhere that was not what they wanted.

 

[Miles]

I agree with Terry. If you decide to train with the new instructor, you have to "empty your cup" so to speak. Start over as a white belt-heck, it's only a belt.....One can lose their physical skills from inactivity, but you can't lose your knowledge.

Miles

 

[Brad Dunne]

Allow me to rephrase.........

1). A senior practicioner, within the same discipline, is looking to train for their own edification. Why they would be looking for a training venue, has already been given. Would you, as a school owner, be willing to allow someone senior to your rank, access to your facility and students?

The second part also now changes..........
You find a place to train and you observe instruction(s) that could either self inflict injury or worse, place the person in serious harms way, if they attempt to use a specific technique. I'm sure we have all seen such things throughout our MA's journey and have said, "how can they teach something like that"? Would you feel it's your duty as a senior instructor, to at least point out these things or would you elect to keep a closed lip, so as not to lose your training venue?

Hope this offers a clearer picture of the questions intent. Again, thanks for the reply's.........

 

[YoungMan]

Senior Instructor same organization, they are always welcome to practice, as long as they understand it's my class. Senior Instructor different organization, nope. You can practice with me one time. Your motivations might be less than admirable (spying,, kicked out, troublemaker).

I would keep my mouth shut, unless specifically asked for advice. I hate unsolicited advice. If it were a problem with technique, I'd go elsewhere or practice on my own.

 

[FieldDiscipline]

Allow me to rephrase.........

1). A senior practicioner, within the same discipline, is looking to train for their own edification. Why they would be looking for a training venue, has already been given. Would you, as a school owner, be willing to allow someone senior to your rank, access to your facility and students?

The second part also now changes..........
You find a place to train and you observe instruction(s) that could either self inflict injury or worse, place the person in serious harms way, if they attempt to use a specific technique. I'm sure we have all seen such things throughout our MA's journey and have said, "how can they teach something like that"? Would you feel it's your duty as a senior instructor, to at least point out these things or would you elect to keep a closed lip, so as not to lose your training venue?

Hope this offers a clearer picture of the questions intent. Again, thanks for the reply's.........

I recently had this conversation with my instructor. He didnt think it would happen really. I guess you'd just have to discuss it with the instructor and see how he feels. He might not care, it is after all, his club.

I can see your reasoning, if its temporary or you dont want to reopen a class. A difficult one.

Regarding point 2) As the senior instructor I'd try to be as diplomatic as possible in pointing it out.

 

[granfire]

late as ever....


poor or flawed...not that big of a deal, harmful...speak your mind or walk...

it does depend a bit on the school owner/head instructor. if he/she is open to learn, no problem, but many times ego gets the best of us.

Good luck!

 

[Bret Hinds]

Train at home if you can , save your money and train with your GM when you can once a year etc. start over in a new style if there is no other means. All the best in the arts

 

[StuartA]

You know, if I was really stumped for somewhere to train, Id train under anyone that ran a good class.. irrespective of grade.. I wouldnt be bothered. Though I dont do so on a regular basis I have trained under 'technically' lower grades, some cos they were good teachers, or gave a good work out and others simply because I wanted to train, not teach in pure training mode for a change.

If he/she was teaching bad training methods, Id offer my advice because if the instructor couldnt see the value in it, then its probibly not a school Id wanna train at anyway.

Stuart