Just what do you mean by spoon fed? If you mean that, by spoon feeding, somebody else is taking the test for you or helping you with the test than from my experience, you can't be spoon fed in the martial arts. All the places where I've trained you have to take the test yourself without help if you want to pass. If by being spoon fed you mean that a person is told that they aren't behaving properly than I can see, to some extent, that a person should know that beforehand.
I mean the latter, although I also wouldn't spoon feed people technique, for example if you are taught different types of steps and then separately taught back kick, then it is up to you to experiment and practice steps with back kick. It shouldn't just be on the instructor to spoon feed every last detail, the student has to put some experimentation and thought in too.
In lots of dojos he might not last. Students who act like that are sometimes expelled and banned. So if he was at a dojo that I was running I probably would've expelled him far before he got to the grading before first dan. As it is, though, such an attitude would probably hinder your skill progression in the martial arts. With his problems I don't see how he would've ever gotten to be at the level he was which you said was one notch below black belt. As its been posted here before, trying too hard and becoming too uptight can ruin your technique. So I don't see how he would've developed the skill level of 1st dan or anywhere close to it if he was like that.
As is often the case, he was a great physical talent, but with some issues beside that. We were willing to take him up to 1st Keup based on technique alone, and the fact that generally day to day he was fine. But the temper had to come under control for 1st dan.
Dead people can be just as influential, if not more so, than living people. Just because somebody is dead doesn't mean you should dismiss them.
Absolutely they can. I just think Bruce Lee is not particularly that relevant to the discussion. He was passionate about his training, yes, but that is not the sort of passion that I meant, which is the negative kind. The kind that drives stalkers, or causes crimes of passion, for example. Where emotion overtakes a person's actions.
As far as emotion is concerned, its fine to have emotion as long as you control it and not the other way around. When you're in control, emotion can be used to great advantage. Take for instance fear, a very strong emotion. You could say fear is a fire burning inside you, if you control it than it will make you hot, if it controls you it will burn you up. Actually it was from Rocky V that I got that but the concept is true. You mention the importance of self control and that's where controlling your emotions comes in. Strong emotions are fine as long as you have the self control to handle them.
That's my point. And if that self control is not there, one cannot expect to progress.
The problem with that is once you do become a black belt or a master than what? Black belt and master are just milestones along the journey as I said before in this thread. Also, I think a white belt focusing too much on the black belt is getting ahead of themselves, much like the parable about the student who was told the harder he worked at becoming a master swordsman the longer it would take him and was told, "When there is one eye fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the way." A white belt should be focusing on whatever belt is next up such as yellow belt as it is in my style. As for the black belt, you cross that bridge when you get to it. Its important however, that when you do get to that bridge, that you cross it.
Exactly. I almost want to say 'forget that goal. Look at this kick that we are training right now. Try to get that right. If you focus on what you are learning right now, black belt will happen. Master will happen.' This kind of person I would apply the testing brakes to, to help them realise that their training now is important, not their strutting around in a black piece of cloth later.
On a side note, how do you feel about academic students who since day 1 in school has a mantra that, "I want straight As," and/or "I want a Ph. D."? How about college students who take a heavier than usual coarse load because they want a degree sooner? I've known students that've done that.
It is different. It's not a physical set of skills being developed, and more importantly, martial arts encourages behavioural and attitude change and development as part of its core. Academic study does not.
Most of your students must be good students than. I also like to go way above and beyond the standards of the tests instead of just scraping by as some people do.
They are good. Those that aren't, don't test. Or they fail. Depending on how self aware they are, and what kind of message might get through. I strongly believe in keeping a higher standard. When you are sending 1st Keups to a national grading with 150 other 1st Keups from all over the country, you want your guys to stand out. For the right reasons.
