Will virtual training ever be possible?

[Koshiki]

...I'm really disappointed that no one is following the robot-fighter angle of this conversation. Surely you all take me seriously?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Not that I believe virtual training will ever take the place of traditional training, but to start a discussion, is it possible? Right now, my son is working towards his 2nd Dan. His instructor is located in another state. While he practices ITF style at one dojang, he trains WTF style "virtually" with another instructor
(We don't have WTF schools where we are located). He trains on his own and then "video's" his progress. When he is ready, we will travel to his other school and take the test. (Please understand, my son has been training with this instructor since he was a white belt so the instructor is well aware of his capabilities. We didn't just contact this guy on-line or anything. There is a long standing relationship.)

While I don't believe this training is ideal, do you think it is possible to train from white to black (or any combination) with this type of training? Can a school create a system that exists completely/partially on-line? Can it be successful?

Thanks.

A lot depends on what you want from your training. If you're training for fitness and enjoyment, it can be successful. People use Youtube in this manner all the time. A good number of organizations have been doing correspondence learning for a long time.

If you really want to learn the art, nothing takes the place of in person instruction.

 

[Koshiki]

A lot depends on what you want from your training. If you're training for fitness and enjoyment, it can be successful. People use Youtube in this manner all the time. A good number of organizations have been doing correspondence learning for a long time.

If you really want to learn the art, nothing takes the place of in person instruction.

Although, I know a good number of older martial artists with long-term stress related injuries from slight, scarcely noticeable mistakes in technique. Relying on hip flexibility rather than proper hip placement, continually twisting utilizing the knees incorrectly, etc. If you're just doing Tae Bo for a couple months to get in shape, probably no biggy, but if you're goal is health and fitness, practicing a back side kick for years can come back to bite you.

I'd be cautious of trying to learn on your own, from the ground up, any sort of movement routine that takes the body outside of it's evolutionary basics, be it martial arts, yoga, or ballet. To many ways to hurt yourself without even realizing you're doing it.

Depending on the martial art, too. Some are much more conservative than others. Win Chun I would think is fine, WTF taekwondo I would guess could mess you up, if you practiced a lot and had no one to say, "you're torquing your knee every time you throw that turning kick like that."

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

All good points, Zack. Personally, I don't endorse corresponsance training unless you have prior relevant experience, and even then, it is questionable in my opinion.