What are some motivation, inspiration or life lesson speeches you discuss in your class as an instructor?

[Flashx80]

As an instructor, we should teach the students not only the basic fundamental movements such as hands, kicks, stances, but to teach them life lessons for them to build a better character.

In many schools, instructors discuss about the 5 tenants of Taekwon-Do: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit.

What are some ways you would discuss with your students about motivation, inspiration, or life lessons.

 

[tkdroamer]

As an instructor, we should teach the students not only the basic fundamental movements such as hands, kicks, stances, but to teach them life lessons for them to build a better character.

In many schools, instructors discuss about the 5 tenants of Taekwon-Do: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit.

What are some ways you would discuss with your students about motivation, inspiration, or life lessons.

I would have to say when I do this, I always use my own personal experiences and apply it to the MA's environment. I am very careful when using someone else's life-lesson so it does not come off as disingenuous. The historical figures are a great go to. Most often, it comes from a place of adversity.

 

[skribs]

I think the martial arts itself is a great vehicle for teaching these. Students learn to interact with each other, overcome obstacles, and experience personal growth through the martial art itself.

Along the same lines, a lot of the messages about things outside of school need to be salient to the lesson or the situation. If a student has overcome something in class (like struggling to break a board), then you can use this as a lesson about perseverance. If a student has been rude in class, it can be a lesson on how to treat others. Or if a student asks for advice on how to handle a certain situation.

One thing to be very careful of is the difference between instilling life lessons and imposing personal beliefs.

 

[Olde Phart]

I have been a pastor and a missionary. My wife and I have raised our own children, our own grandchildren, and are currently participating in the daily upbringing of our great-grandchildren. It has always amused me to listen to young preachers spouting off about how to raise your family . . . when they haven't even had their first baby, yet. That's not to say that the info they presented wasn't good. It just means that, without context or wisdom to back it up, it is pretty much useless.

So it is with instructors. I can tell when our instructors are physically hurting or emotionally "down." But, they still teach class and endure the never-ending physical faux pax's that are made to their bodies during class. They don't say much, but to the observant (read that as older and wiser) it speaks volumes to the Tenet of Perseverance. I recently had the crap embarrassed out of me when being presented with an intermediate belt our school offers between 1st and 2nd dan. The instructor gave this big speech about me and all the physical obstacles I have to overcome just to even be in class. It was basically a "If Mr. Kerry can do it, you can do it" speech. I later told him to never do that again.

Maybe, it's not the stories you tell, but the story you live.

 

[Olde Phart]

Something I made to give to a few students I've known.

 

[Gyakuto]

‘Watch out where the huskies go and don’t you eat that yellow snow’

I personally don’t think it’s a combat sport teacher’s role to discuss such things, but perhaps the role of school teachers and definitely parents.

 

[Dirty Dog]

‘Watch out where the huskies go and don’t you eat that yellow snow’

I personally don’t think it’s a combat sport teacher’s role to discuss such things, but perhaps the role of school teachers and definitely parents.

I mildly disagree, since few (if any) of us practice or teach arts that are purely sport.

In Koryo, there is a move that, per the description of the form, is a potentially lethal strike to the throat. Delivered at a slightly different angle, it is used to unbalance an opponent or aid in a takedown. When students reach this level, I have a talk with them. We talk about these two applications, and I encourage them to give some thought to them.

There are some people who are absolutely opposed to killing. It makes no sense for those people to train techniques that have a high lethality. I don't really care which view they take. I just want them to think about it, and practice the techniques accordingly.

 

[Gyakuto]

I mildly disagree, since few (if any) of us practice or teach arts that are purely sport.

In Koryo, there is a move that, per the description of the form, is a potentially lethal strike to the throat. Delivered at a slightly different angle, it is used to unbalance an opponent or aid in a takedown. When students reach this level, I have a talk with them. We talk about these two applications, and I encourage them to give some thought to them.

There are some people who are absolutely opposed to killing. It makes no sense for those people to train techniques that have a high lethality. I don't really care which view they take. I just want them to think about it, and practice the techniques accordingly.

I doubt that any unarmed ‘move’ will kill an uncooperative, fully-resisting, aggressive opponent.

 

[Earl Weiss]

It is better to be the warrior in the Garden, then the gardener in the war.

 

[Gyakuto]

It is better to be the warrior in the Garden, then the gardener in the war.

I have kanji scroll that alludes to this : 'Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield'

 

[tkdroamer]

‘Watch out where the huskies go and don’t you eat that yellow snow’

I personally don’t think it’s a combat sport teacher’s role to discuss such things, but perhaps the role of school teachers and definitely parents.

This is definitely a difference between TMA and sport MA's.
Not saying it is good or bad. It just, is.

 

[tkdroamer]

I mildly disagree, since few (if any) of us practice or teach arts that are purely sport.

In Koryo, there is a move that, per the description of the form, is a potentially lethal strike to the throat. Delivered at a slightly different angle, it is used to unbalance an opponent or aid in a takedown. When students reach this level, I have a talk with them. We talk about these two applications, and I encourage them to give some thought to them.

There are some people who are absolutely opposed to killing. It makes no sense for those people to train techniques that have a high lethality. I don't really care which view they take. I just want them to think about it, and practice the techniques accordingly.

That surely gives "read the room" perspective in the teaching environment.
A good instructor will take the time to assess the students. They do not teach with an iron fist or a 'one size fits all' method.

 

[tkdroamer]

I doubt that any unarmed ‘move’ will kill an uncooperative, fully-resisting, aggressive opponent.

It can definitely be an ending movement. It may not kill them 'in the blink of an eye' like a knife to the heart, but they will surely suffocate. Even if they somehow broke free, they would be in so much distress it would not matter.

 

[Gyakuto]

This is definitely a difference between TMA and sport MA's.
Not saying it is good or bad. It just, is.

Yes I'm sure there is, but I might feel uncomfortable if a martial arts teacher tried to give my kids or me advice on motivation, inspiration, or life lessons. I mean look at (****) Kresse. If I discovered they had studied philosophy/moral reasoning or perhaps had brought up well-balance delightful kids of their own, then I'd be more comfortable.

I'm just saying it's not always the place to teach these things...there are better placed people to do this like school teachers and sages with white beards sitting on mountain tops.

 

[Olde Phart]

I try to listen to each of you and respect your points of view, knowing full well that some of them should be "taken with a grain of salt." That being said, I find it difficult to believe that some of you, as instructors, can hear a comment in passing during class and can then walk away from it. There are so many times that comments made by students, expressing their mental or emotional state, can be simply ignored. I would think an MA school would develop into a family after awhile. I would hope it would be better than the penguins of Madagascar: "Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave." I'm not saying we need to sit on the mat and emote with the students, but surely it is more than taking their money and telling them to shut up and follow your lead.

All of the previous paragraph was written during the time that some of you had additionally responded. I finally noticed a word in Gyakuto's latest response that would cause me to modify what I've said: teach. What I have said probably is more suited to "counseling" than to "teaching." An encouraging word spoken at the correct time can yield tremendous results. An astute observation conveyed to a parent that knows their own child all too well can possible yield some insight as to how to relate to the student better.

Sorry if I rambled on about something that wasn't even being discussed! Happens with old people a lot.

 

[tkdroamer]

Yes I'm sure there is, but I might feel uncomfortable if a martial arts teacher tried to give my kids or me advice on motivation, inspiration, or life lessons. I mean look at (****) Kresse. If I discovered they had studied philosophy/moral reasoning or perhaps had brought up well-balance delightful kids of their own, then I'd be more comfortable.

I'm just saying it's not always the place to teach these things...there are better placed people to do this like school teachers and sages with white beards sitting on mountain tops.

I would say this is a regional difference. Leadership comes in all forms and in all places. A person can be a great fighter and a great inspirational speaker. A can also be a great teacher and a lousy inspirational speaker. It has more to do with the individual personality and their own training. The vehicle used to deliver can come in many forms.
Certainly, there should be more MA's training in a MA's class, but some people need to also learn how/what/when to use the acquired skills more in the mental component and the day-to-day.

I used my martial arts training every day when I was a LEO. Mostly the mental teaching of how to carry myself and interact/handle other people. I could "cuff and stuff" a person quicker than anyone else because of how I reasoned and handled the person. Even with resistant people I could work the problem quicker than most. This is a kind of philosophy, even though I do not subscribe such.
It is something you just do not work on in combat sports. Like I said, not right or wrong. It just is.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I doubt that any unarmed ‘move’ will kill an uncooperative, fully-resisting, aggressive opponent.

I'm guessing you've never tried to treat someone with a laryngohyoid fracture, then. It's not really a quick death, but it would tend to put a damper on the urge to fight. And an arc hand to the throat is a dandy way to cause this break.

 

[Gyakuto]

I'm guessing you've never tried to treat someone with a laryngohyoid fracture, then. It's not really a quick death, but it would tend to put a damper on the urge to fight. And an arc hand to the throat is a dandy way to cause this break.

In a road traffic accident impact, such a fracture is possible. Squeezing the neck with strong hands fulling encircling the neck, such a fracture is possible. Fighting with a sober uncooperative, fully-resisting, aggressive opponent? Nah…unless you were very, very lucky.

When removing a heads for medical school dissection classes, I used to remove all the cadaver’s neck muscles, chisel through the intervertebral disc with a masonry chisel and large wooden mallet anywhere in the cervical vertebrae, have two students hold the body still while I had the cadavers head in a head lock, and twist one way and the other as forcefully as possible for several minutes before I could break the neck…I’d be sweating. I used to get the technical staff to remove the heads every year after that… she was vicious!

A judicial execution by hanging requires a drop of several feet to sever the spinal cord which is an indication of the forces required and the required passivity of the victim.

 

[skribs]

A judicial execution by hanging requires a drop of several feet to sever the spinal cord which is an indication of the forces required and the required passivity of the victim.

That's also a different direction of force.

 

[Dirty Dog]

In a road traffic accident impact, such a fracture is possible. Squeezing the neck with strong hands fulling encircling the neck, such a fracture is possible. Fighting with a sober uncooperative, fully-resisting, aggressive opponent? Nah…unless you were very, very lucky.

When removing a heads for medical school dissection classes, I used to remove all the cadaver’s neck muscles, chisel through the intervertebral disc with a masonry chisel and large wooden mallet anywhere in the cervical vertebrae, have two students hold the body still while I had the cadavers head in a head lock, and twist one way and the other as forcefully as possible for several minutes before I could break the neck…I’d be sweating. I used to get the technical staff to remove the heads every year after that… she was vicious!

A judicial execution by hanging requires a drop of several feet to sever the spinal cord which is an indication of the forces required and the required passivity of the victim.

Cutting into a body that has been prepared for students is not at all the same to cutting into a fresh cadaver. And even less similar to one that is alive. And comparing the force needed for a vertebral fracture (an immensely strong bone) and cord dissection to a fracture of the hyoid (one of the weakest bones in the human body) is more than a little disingenuous.

Regardless, I never said it was lethal, I said it was potentially lethal, and that remains true, no matter how much you want to quibble. And it's certainly more dangerous than changing the technique slightly to use it as an unbalancing technique.