yeah.....it escalated quickly...
Interact with quality martial artists.
- Thread starter drop bear
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yeah.....it escalated quickly...
Back to the OP!
Learning from quality instructors, having peers of quality as you are coming up and in the future having quality students is all important for your martial practice. Interacting with other people who have practiced for awhile who have exceptional skill sets will only help you develop in the long run.
One of the absolute worse decisions you can make early on is training with poor teachers who produce mediocre at best students. Unfortunately, when someone starts they usually are not in a position to know who is good and who is not. So I would advise anyone to look closely and investigate before you start training!
Learning from quality instructors, having peers of quality as you are coming up and in the future having quality students is all important for your martial practice. Interacting with other people who have practiced for awhile who have exceptional skill sets will only help you develop in the long run.
One of the absolute worse decisions you can make early on is training with poor teachers who produce mediocre at best students. Unfortunately, when someone starts they usually are not in a position to know who is good and who is not. So I would advise anyone to look closely and investigate before you start training!
This is why I always tell people, if a school or gym wont let you train anywhere else, run. You need to know the quality of your training and interact with people who can give you outside input! Sadly, we have a couple of gyms in my area that are like that. Ironically, one is a BJJ/MMA gym. Apparently the mindset is "we have Kickboxing and bjj, you dont need anything else"
I couldn't agree more.
But as I sit here thinking about it, I haven't really known many Dojos that wouldn't let you explore supplemental training. I suppose if you were training in American-Do-Te....and went to another American-Do-Te school...Master Ken would ream you a new one. But, hey, he's Master Ken.
I used to have a list on the wall of quality Dojos in our area (my opinion of what a quality dojo was) with their address, phone numbers and class schedules) I always thought that if my students didn't at least check them out, they weren't approaching Martial Arts in a serious manner.
Of course, some Dojos wouldn't let a student from another Dojo take a class. Which should tell you all you want to know about that particular Dojo.
So you saying that a biker just being in the presence of a quality martial artist, interacts with a fighter, the said biker automatically gains a SD ability without formal training?
I agree with the above regarding quality teachers and training. It is tremendously difficult to ascertain who is, or who is not, if a person lacks any in depth knowledge. Of course the only to get that is to join up and train. I think word of mouth overrides reputation to a certain degree as well. There is a local Kickboxing club near to me. Has great links to the community, has a small stable of amateur and pro's, but delve a little deeper, and the turn over of students is quite high. The reputation being marketed I guess, does not quite translate to the learning experience. Basically get them through the door on contracts.
Funny really, I find a lot of the amateur minded gyms a lot more fulfilling than what I believe you peeps call a McDojo. I know that there has to be structure to the particular art and how it is practiced, plus the tradition that has to be upheld. It's just that in my experience, one particular place I tried was very robotic. Any or all questions had to be asked at the end of the class. To me that is wrong and having to be corrected all the time, but without a little bit of time invested back to the student is not good either. Just my own personal opinion and not meant to dis anybody or art.
Funny really, I find a lot of the amateur minded gyms a lot more fulfilling than what I believe you peeps call a McDojo. I know that there has to be structure to the particular art and how it is practiced, plus the tradition that has to be upheld. It's just that in my experience, one particular place I tried was very robotic. Any or all questions had to be asked at the end of the class. To me that is wrong and having to be corrected all the time, but without a little bit of time invested back to the student is not good either. Just my own personal opinion and not meant to dis anybody or art.
Ah. Well maybe not the best method, but I do understand that. I grew up with a kid that we nicknamed "scrapper" Probably a cliche or sorts, but he was like that. In fact half the time looking back on it, he'd probably start a fight with a lamppost.
Ironbear24
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I agree. If you are winning all the time then you are not being challenged enough.
crazydiamond
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We spar in our class from time to time - with my class mates its fine as they are mostly all beginners (not all) but my instructor who has 23 years of some hard *** training and fighting (ring and street) then rotates in with us - and its a bit ...umm... of a shock. He actually keeps his hands down sometimes and I can't tag him - but he gets in more than a few moderate taps (not pain but uncomfortable for sure) from out of nowhere. There are lessons there sparing with someone so good - but at this point its just more of an emotional lesson for me - and that you never know who your going to face or how good they are going to be.
Take full advantage of this. Spar him as much as you can and make copious notes afterwards. (when you get home) Then spar him some more. Look at him more tactically than emotionally. You are in a good place, bro. Enjoy the hell out of it.
crazydiamond
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Ha - for me a big part of this is just dealing with getting hit - not smacked - but a modest bonk in the face is something to deal with emotionally. You can still kind of feel that later when your not used to it. The instructor talks about this all the time - successful self defense involves an ability to take a shot and not loose your composure.
As for taking notes yes I am trying - but sometimes he is so fast and I get tapped and its a shock - what what happened - frak ! Can I go back to my fellow beginners and feel badass instead? !
I think this is how he was getting me last time with alot of overhand rights (I am bigger/taller).
As for taking notes yes I am trying - but sometimes he is so fast and I get tapped and its a shock - what what happened - frak ! Can I go back to my fellow beginners and feel badass instead? !
I think this is how he was getting me last time with alot of overhand rights (I am bigger/taller).
Will he let you video your sparring matches? At my club we video all of the matches and I provide them to the students to go back and review what they did or didn't do well.
I've sparred lots of guys who are heavier than I am, but it's unusual for me to have a sparring partner who matches my height and reach. It's hard to imagine working with someone who was a foot taller than I am.
Any 7'4" guys out there want to come by and spar? I think I would learn a lot from the experience.
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