Researching Your Art

[MJS]

How many of you, prior to joining up in your current art, have taken the time to make sure that you're learning under a legit instructor? Is research an impossible thing to do?

I for one, would want to make sure that I am training under someone who is not just out to make a quick buck, but instead, teach me quality martial arts.

I'm interested in hearing what everyone did prior to joining.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I took the time to look at the basis for Kosutemi before I joined. I owned Karate-do Nyumon; so, I read a little there on Funakoshi and the origins of Shotokan. I did some online work tracking down Kosutemi-specific information and I read a page or two on the systems founder, Don Madden.

Still, it took going to class and questioning Sensei and others on Kosutemi to get anything close to complete answers.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I didn't know enough about MA when I started to know anything about given arts, much less a particular instructor. So I went to a class that I could go mont-to-month on the payments, and joined message boards like this from whihc I could reflect my instructor's teaching against a wider-variety of experience and ideas (which so far as proved that I ended up with a good instructor)

 

[terryl965]

I just watched my instructor do a class and after that, since I was already a BB in Karate I knew whar I wanted and he had the whole package and that was history.
Terry

 

[Makalakumu]

I searched different arts and experienced many different things for about ten years before I settled on something that I liked. The journey was worth it and I am glad that I didn't rush it because it gave me a pretty good perspective on what is out there in my particular area.

One thing that I discovered is that I didn't necessarily pick TSD as my art...I picked the teacher. There is so much good stuff out there and you can read about it all day, but it takes a special person to make it happen. Thus, if I were to give any research advice, it would be to look at the art secondly and the teacher first.

 

[goodwrench_mc]

When I started to research the lineage at my school I couldn’t believe the hostility in the answers as I moved up just 2 generations. My instructor is a 5th generation instructor. His instructor (4th gen) confirmed this with dates and witnesses.
Then O-boy, the crap hit the fan when I tried to confirm the 4th gen lineage.
The 3rd gen denied the whole lineage, claimed he couldn’t verify anything, and tried to get me to switch schools. I got a very short but similar answer from the 2nd gen.
So I decided to send an e-mail to the 1st gen in the lineage, and guess what, he has stopped working with the 2nd & 3rd and verified his signature for the 4th gen promotion.
There are no names here for a reason, so just take it for what it says. If something doesn’t seem right, keep asking questions. Evaluate the instructor and his assistants don't depend on that lineage.

 

[Kacey]

I knew absolutely nothing about MA when I started; I was talked into trying a class by the guy I was dating at the time. He found a class at a local YMCA that was within our budget, and just by luck, found a really good instructor... 19 years later, he is still my Sahbum. Knowing what I know today, I would do a great deal more research - and, of course, there are more resources available today to do that type of research.

 

[Rich Parsons]

How many of you, prior to joining up in your current art, have taken the time to make sure that you're learning under a legit instructor? Is research an impossible thing to do?

I for one, would want to make sure that I am training under someone who is not just out to make a quick buck, but instead, teach me quality martial arts.

I'm interested in hearing what everyone did prior to joining.

Well I had a friend who took me to a class, and he was already a 2nd degree black belt in the system. The other instructor taught out of the "Flint Dojo". Most of my work had been done for me. For at the time the Owner Oshama Sensai would not allow others to rent time for the mats unless they were legit ranked through recognized instructors. I had known about the martial arts schools in the Flint area, and was not allowed to train in any martial art while I was still in High School. So I started after, and it was my first class and I always went.

I think I was lucky as I knew or had friends that were ranked in different arts, so I knew about the community even before I was a member of it.

 

[jdinca]

My school was actually recommended to me by someone else. I really didn't do any research. I was hooked 2 minutes in to my introductory lesson.

 

[Tony]

I have read a lot of books about different martial arts and how they were founded. A lot of people aren't interested and cannot really be bothered with learning about the history of the art they are studying. Thye are more concerned whether it will work for them in real life and keep them fit. I personally love History and enjoy reading about how all the differnt styles came together.


I have been Studying Shaolin Long Fist for 7 years and i have now started Wing Chun. Both complete mirror oppposites in relation to stances, power, the focus of energy but both emphasise protecting the centre line and delivering strikes covering the centre line too. What I like about Wing Chun is you don't have to be very strong or big to do it, considering it was founded by a woman!

 

[TheBattousai]

Like most, I didn't know anything; but at that time in my life, I was having bully issues, and very serious ones (life threating kind). Being of small stature at time (I was 8 or so), I was brought to my instructor for training, since he was/is a or the family. After about 1 1/2 to 2 years we had things worked out bully wise, but like most kids, I got obsorbed into video games and being a couch potato. I later rejoined when my step-father and little brother started with him training back in 2000 or 2001, and I kick myself everyday for ever quitting. But enough about that (sort of got lost in memories), I was never concerned about lineage until it seemed that everyone one else started asking about it. I think that if they seem skilled and that there not after your money, thats whats important. It really boils down to person to person opinions and cirrcumstance.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

i guess you have to ask yourself, "what makes an art quality or legitimate?"
everyone has different criteria.....there are lots of honest teachers out there teaching "bastard" arts that they believe in wholeheartedly.

there are more than a few arts out there with a flawed story behind their history or origins.....yet people still go to those arts everyday to learn them.
there are other people out there that are snakes in the grass, unbeknownst to everyone in the organization, but plain to see for people who might not be caught up in the drama.

I, for one, study an art that has questionable origins......but i enjoy it very much. while i am not so overly concerned that the history is spot on, it can often leave a practitioner feeling orphaned.

 

[celtic_crippler]

If a school, organization, or instructor can not verify thier credentials I reccommend running!! Don't go there!!

There are too many frauds out there willing to instill false confidence and sell you a black belt. Unfortunately for some, they don't learn about this until they have to defend themselves and can't. It makes me quite ill. >:[

That's probably why I support licensing and registration legislation. Instructors have a responsibility to thier students safety and welfare and need to be held accountable.

Always ask for proof. If they are offended by your questions, then leave. Anyone that is legit should have no problem producing documents and providing proof.

IMHO =)

BTW: My schools lineage is posted on my website and can be easily verified.

 

[TheBattousai]

Bravo BlackCatBonz, I am one inclind to agree with your philosophy; but celtic_crippler does illistrate a point that newbies (and some oldies) should look out for. I notice from hearing stories and such is that if the instructor is really rapped up in the money side, there are more than likely not legit. I've even heard of people that will send info and instructional videos to follow for a certain amount of knowledge in the supposed school if you pay enough, and will be issued a kyu rank or even a BB according to how much you paid.Asking for some form of proof is good to as said earlier by celtic_crippler. Hopefully, the public can be educated to spot the real thing, over the fraudulent types.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

yeah....but if its kenpo.....its questionable.

 

[TheBattousai]

???.....Care to expand on that.....

 

[BlackCatBonz]

sure......most kenpo practiced in north america can trace it's roots to Mitose.
everyone questions the legitimacy of his art......and its questionable origins.
while it is not the first art to have been said to be learned in a dream, it is probably the most scrutinized.....simply because of the man it is attributed to.

so if it isnt legitimate......what makes all of the offshoots legitimate?

 

[TheBattousai]

Okay, thats what you meant. Just checking, but you do have point about the whole Mitose hoopla and alot of people's opinions on the matter(I may have just shot myself in the foot but o'well). But I think we are on the same side on this one.

 

[tshadowchaser]

My first official instructor was the first one to come in to my town. I did not care what his linage was but he had one and told me who he studied with and where.
After being in that art for a couple years I moved and studied with one of the 2 men that i knew where respected by other instructors as haveing knowledge and the ability to train exceptional fighters. I also knew their history and that of their arts

 

[Dalum]

Starting at 8 years old, I didn't have toom uch in terms of ability to check lineage. As I grew older, it didn't matter about lineage since the style wasn't holding me. The lineage for what I consider my core art is legit. It's only that easy since the style is roughly 50 years old and the family name is easy to track.