Would you change??

[chrismay101]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

 

[Aikicomp]

Higher rank does not mean better better instruction. How the teacher imparts knowledge so you can understand it is what really matters. You can have a high ranking teacher, but, if he can not relate the teaching to you then what good is the higher rank and vice versa.

Michael

 

[NPTKD]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

After seeing your profile, I see that your art is tkd. Your instructor should be at least a fourth Dan. The choice is yours but you have to understand that a 1st or 2nd Dan does not have the same experance or experances teaching as would a 6th dan or higher. You have to look at the long term. Do what to be around during the learning curve, or do you want a seasoned instuctor. All and all personality has alot to do with it.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

The number on someone's belt does little to explain the quality of the instruction. If you wanted to train with the other insinstructor would you have to make a pemanent change or would both instructors allow you to trainwith him on a drop in basis?

The idea of needing an instructor of at least XX Dan is BS. Sometimes a lower rank will be better able to identify with technical difficulties you are having and help you overcome them. Sometimes not.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

It would depend on more than rank, for me. I have met many instructors over the years and some of them are good and some of them are not. It isn't always a direct correlation with rank, either. I would also point out that the personality of the instructor would have a lot to do with my decision; I have personally met some pretty high ranking instructors who I have little desire to spend much time with.

Pax,

Chris

 

[rosworms]

I had the chance to go with a 6th degree... I ended up going with the 2nd degree teacher because he cared more about the art and not just the sport of it.
No matter the rank, different people will have different styles and they will have different priorities. You just need to figure out which works best for you at this time in your training.

 

[kaizasosei]

I don't care for rank much. I respect it for what it is, but i train in places where i feel i can learn, share or find good competition and challenges-


j

 

[granfire]

After seeing your profile, I see that your art is tkd. Your instructor should be at least a fourth Dan. The choice is yours but you have to understand that a 1st or 2nd Dan does not have the same experance or experances teaching as would a 6th dan or higher. You have to look at the long term. Do what to be around during the learning curve, or do you want a seasoned instuctor. All and all personality has alot to do with it.

Well, it all depends. The mileage varies a great deal. rank does not equal teaching abilities. In the ITA you seldom encounter high level ranks that have not gone through the instructor program at one time or the the other. But many of them have also handed over the daily teaching to the lower ranked instructors.

So I have to agree with those who say rank does not matter much, the instruction is key.

 

[miguksaram]

After seeing your profile, I see that your art is tkd. Your instructor should be at least a fourth Dan. The choice is yours but you have to understand that a 1st or 2nd Dan does not have the same experance or experances teaching as would a 6th dan or higher.

Not always true. In my case for example, I have been doing TKD for well over 20 years. However, I did not test consistently, simply because I didn't care to. However, I continued to learn forms, techniques teach and train. Just recently I was given a 3rd dan.

My point is that you have to know the background of the person who is teaching you in order to make that assesment. If it is a newbie 1st or 2nd dan then I can see your point, but don't judge simply based on rank.

 

[bluekey88]

First, from your post, it seems you are already working with a particualr instructor. For me to change instructors, I would have to be in some way disastisfied with my current instructor. Also, there would have to be a significant improvement in the teachign skill, goddness-of-fit between myself and the next instructor. I wouldn't change just based on rank.

Rank denotes a certain level of expereince (which is important). It even tends to denote a certain skillset in actual tecniques. It does not equate as well to teaching ability. Personality. Leadership. The sorts of things that may lead me to be a better practitioner. It doesn't denote valid experience outside the given art of rank. For example, I'm almost 2nd dan in TKd. That does not take into account 8 years of Aikido training, several years of traditional karate training, wreslting expereince, wing chun expereince...basically, training since I was a kid in a myriad of arts. It doesn't take into count my professional background and other teaching experience.

I like my current instructor and am happy at my school. It's not perfect, and I am well aware of where certain things could be better. What do I do? I cross train when I can. I network and do seminars with high ranked intructors to pick up things that I might not get in my day to day training. Honestly, whiel that's all well and good...at this level, it's all about me and how m,uch I'm willing to grind through extra practice, conditioniing and working the basics over and over and over again. NO magic special techniques...no secrets.

Doesn't take a 10th dan to get me to do that.

Peace,
Erik

 

[jim777]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

Probably, yeah. I would definitely check it out, absolutely.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Just a quick question.

If you were say being trained by for example 1st or 2nd degree black belt but had the chance to change and go train with 6th degree or higher would you move clubs?

Barring some already existant deficiency in my current club, I would not move, but I would at least go and watch a few classes. If the sixth dan was truly teaching at another level, I would see about training with him or her in addition to my current club if it was workable.

On the other hand, if the higher rank instructor is some burned out guy who has not had a vacation in years and is just going through the motions, then you are better off where you are.

Daniel

 

[Twin Fist]

if you like where you are now, dont leave. if your instructor now is good, dont leave.

rank means nothing.

higher rank does NOT make a better instructor. Not every time. Me getting promoted back in March didnt make me a better instructor, i got promoted because i was already a better instructor.

 

[granfire]

If the sixth dan was truly teaching at another level, I would see about training with him or her in addition to my current club if it was workable.

Hmm, excellent point: The level of instruction could actually be too high.

 

[Red Menace]

The best instructor I ever had was a second degree. I would not change schools solely based on an instructor's rank. I think what Twin Fist said was right on.

 

[jks9199]

Who actually is teaching the classes? It's very possible you could change from one school to one with a higher ranked instructor only to find that the guy you changed for rarely teaches a class, leaving them primarily in the hands of his 1st or 2nd degree black belts...

 

[terryl965]

I will echo some things and add a little more, If you like the instruction stay and if not leave. Do not leave because of a stripe, too many phoneys out there. I should be a 7th by now instead I am a 4th because for some years rank had no meaning only training. My advice would be if you feel the need for a higher rank to be teaching you than pretend your current instructor is a 6th and keep going. The mind is so powerful when it needs to be.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Daniel Sullivan
If the sixth dan was truly teaching at another level, I would see about training with him or her in addition to my current club if it was workable.

Hmm, excellent point: The level of instruction could actually be too high.

Actually, I had not even thought of that, though that is another consideration. If the sixth dan's classes go over your head and he/she is unable to help you to understand it, the student is no better off (perhaps worse off).

What I meant was that if the 6th dan teacher is clearly better, checking them out would be a good idea. My thought was to see if it would be workable to train with the 6th dan without quitting the current club (assuming the OP likes the current club).

Daniel