I have often been accused of teaching some of the most “cerebral” karate classes. I admit that I like to have my students think about what they are doing, or at least what they are supposed to be doing. But that does not mean that we use our brains instead of the rest of our bodies. I like to say that in my dojo “we train hard but we also train smart.”
Thinking about your training can help you get more out of it. It should accelerate your learning path. You still have to put in the time at the dojo, repeating movements and techniques to work the ideas into your body movements. But if you analyze your movements, you can make them better, and do that more quickly than by just repeating the movements without applying any thought to them. In fact, repeating incorrect movements over and over could make things even worse than if you had never done them at all. Repetition can create a negative muscle-memory (bad habit) which can take longer to “unlearn” than someone without any knowledge of the movement or technique could pick it up.
I usually encourage students to ask questions. But I also sometimes remind them that when there is a question, the first person to ask is oneself. Next, it would probably be a good idea to ask another student for his or her opinion; perhaps all that was needed was another viewpoint to make things clear. If these do not provide a sufficient answer, then ask an instructor. Of course if it is a question concerning how to do a certain exercise we are doing at that particular moment in the class, the question should be asked of the instructor right away.
This being said, there is a time for quiet contemplation and/or simply training for the sake of training, without any questions or explanations.
Once we sufficiently understand a given technique, we should practice it with increasing speed and tension, making sure to build the muscle-memory gradually and with enough control to maintain the proper form that we have already analyzed and proven to be correct. Even a very basic movement or technique, such as a stationary gyakuzuki (reverse-punch) can actually be quite complex when analyzed in detail. However, after we have a good understanding of the way it is to be done, repeating that movement (correctly) becomes essential if we are to really get our bodies to be able to execute it naturally and immediately when needed. There comes a time when we should repeat such a movement without thinking much about it.
There are not more than about a dozen classes each year at my dojo where I do not try to teach anything, maybe fewer than 5 some years. But, sometimes, usually when there are just advanced members for an evening or on certain special occasions, I may just line up with everyone else (not in front, in my usual position as instructor) and train for the sake of training. I go through repetition after repetition with everyone else in an effort to get my body to make sure it knows how to go into auto-pilot. The only reason I may need to use my brain actively is to push my body when it says it has had enough.
“Shut up and train” is something that is apparently still heard on a regular basis at many traditional dojo. There is a time to think and there is a time to train. Personally, I think the best is almost always a combination of the two; think about training while training. But, just as you are at this moment thinking about what you are reading, sometimes we need to just train without thinking about anything except perhaps the count (how many have been done and/or reaction to the sound of the count). We may need to convince the body to keep going after it complains about muscle soreness, for example by thinking about how good training makes us feel (or at least how good we will feel after it is over!).
Train hard. But train smart. But most importantly…keep training.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Monday, December 1, 2003
Just Shut Up and Train
I have often been accused of teaching some of the most “cerebral” karate classes. I admit that I like to have my students think about what they are doing, or at least what they are supposed to be doing. But that does not mean that we use our brains instead of the rest of our bodies. I like to say that in my dojo “we train hard but we also train smart.”
Thinking about your training can help you get more out of it. It should accelerate your learning path. You still have to put in the time at the dojo, repeating movements and techniques to work the ideas into your body movements. But if you analyze your movements, you can make them better, and do that more quickly than by just repeating the movements without applying any thought to them. In fact, repeating incorrect movements over and over could make things even worse than if you had never done them at all. Repetition can create a negative muscle-memory (bad habit) which can take longer to “unlearn” than someone without any knowledge of the movement or technique could pick it up.
I usually encourage students to ask questions. But I also sometimes remind them that when there is a question, the first person to ask is oneself. Next, it would probably be a good idea to ask another student for his or her opinion; perhaps all that was needed was another viewpoint to make things clear. If these do not provide a sufficient answer, then ask an instructor. Of course if it is a question concerning how to do a certain exercise we are doing at that particular moment in the class, the question should be asked of the instructor right away.
This being said, there is a time for quiet contemplation and/or simply training for the sake of training, without any questions or explanations.
Once we sufficiently understand a given technique, we should practice it with increasing speed and tension, making sure to build the muscle-memory gradually and with enough control to maintain the proper form that we have already analyzed and proven to be correct. Even a very basic movement or technique, such as a stationary gyakuzuki (reverse-punch) can actually be quite complex when analyzed in detail. However, after we have a good understanding of the way it is to be done, repeating that movement (correctly) becomes essential if we are to really get our bodies to be able to execute it naturally and immediately when needed. There comes a time when we should repeat such a movement without thinking much about it.
There are not more than about a dozen classes each year at my dojo where I do not try to teach anything, maybe fewer than 5 some years. But, sometimes, usually when there are just advanced members for an evening or on certain special occasions, I may just line up with everyone else (not in front, in my usual position as instructor) and train for the sake of training. I go through repetition after repetition with everyone else in an effort to get my body to make sure it knows how to go into auto-pilot. The only reason I may need to use my brain actively is to push my body when it says it has had enough.
“Shut up and train” is something that is apparently still heard on a regular basis at many traditional dojo. There is a time to think and there is a time to train. Personally, I think the best is almost always a combination of the two; think about training while training. But, just as you are at this moment thinking about what you are reading, sometimes we need to just train without thinking about anything except perhaps the count (how many have been done and/or reaction to the sound of the count). We may need to convince the body to keep going after it complains about muscle soreness, for example by thinking about how good training makes us feel (or at least how good we will feel after it is over!).
Train hard. But train smart. But most importantly…keep training.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Thinking about your training can help you get more out of it. It should accelerate your learning path. You still have to put in the time at the dojo, repeating movements and techniques to work the ideas into your body movements. But if you analyze your movements, you can make them better, and do that more quickly than by just repeating the movements without applying any thought to them. In fact, repeating incorrect movements over and over could make things even worse than if you had never done them at all. Repetition can create a negative muscle-memory (bad habit) which can take longer to “unlearn” than someone without any knowledge of the movement or technique could pick it up.
I usually encourage students to ask questions. But I also sometimes remind them that when there is a question, the first person to ask is oneself. Next, it would probably be a good idea to ask another student for his or her opinion; perhaps all that was needed was another viewpoint to make things clear. If these do not provide a sufficient answer, then ask an instructor. Of course if it is a question concerning how to do a certain exercise we are doing at that particular moment in the class, the question should be asked of the instructor right away.
This being said, there is a time for quiet contemplation and/or simply training for the sake of training, without any questions or explanations.
Once we sufficiently understand a given technique, we should practice it with increasing speed and tension, making sure to build the muscle-memory gradually and with enough control to maintain the proper form that we have already analyzed and proven to be correct. Even a very basic movement or technique, such as a stationary gyakuzuki (reverse-punch) can actually be quite complex when analyzed in detail. However, after we have a good understanding of the way it is to be done, repeating that movement (correctly) becomes essential if we are to really get our bodies to be able to execute it naturally and immediately when needed. There comes a time when we should repeat such a movement without thinking much about it.
There are not more than about a dozen classes each year at my dojo where I do not try to teach anything, maybe fewer than 5 some years. But, sometimes, usually when there are just advanced members for an evening or on certain special occasions, I may just line up with everyone else (not in front, in my usual position as instructor) and train for the sake of training. I go through repetition after repetition with everyone else in an effort to get my body to make sure it knows how to go into auto-pilot. The only reason I may need to use my brain actively is to push my body when it says it has had enough.
“Shut up and train” is something that is apparently still heard on a regular basis at many traditional dojo. There is a time to think and there is a time to train. Personally, I think the best is almost always a combination of the two; think about training while training. But, just as you are at this moment thinking about what you are reading, sometimes we need to just train without thinking about anything except perhaps the count (how many have been done and/or reaction to the sound of the count). We may need to convince the body to keep going after it complains about muscle soreness, for example by thinking about how good training makes us feel (or at least how good we will feel after it is over!).
Train hard. But train smart. But most importantly…keep training.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Just Shut Up and Train
I have often been accused of teaching some of the most “cerebral” karate classes. I admit that I like to have my students think about what they are doing, or at least what they are supposed to be doing. But that does not mean that we use our brains instead of the rest of our bodies. I like to say that in my dojo “we train hard but we also train smart.”
Thinking about your training can help you get more out of it. It should accelerate your learning path. You still have to put in the time at the dojo, repeating movements and techniques to work the ideas into your body movements. But if you analyze your movements, you can make them better, and do that more quickly than by just repeating the movements without applying any thought to them. In fact, repeating incorrect movements over and over could make things even worse than if you had never done them at all. Repetition can create a negative muscle-memory (bad habit) which can take longer to “unlearn” than someone without any knowledge of the movement or technique could pick it up.
I usually encourage students to ask questions. But I also sometimes remind them that when there is a question, the first person to ask is oneself. Next, it would probably be a good idea to ask another student for his or her opinion; perhaps all that was needed was another viewpoint to make things clear. If these do not provide a sufficient answer, then ask an instructor. Of course if it is a question concerning how to do a certain exercise we are doing at that particular moment in the class, the question should be asked of the instructor right away.
This being said, there is a time for quiet contemplation and/or simply training for the sake of training, without any questions or explanations.
Once we sufficiently understand a given technique, we should practice it with increasing speed and tension, making sure to build the muscle-memory gradually and with enough control to maintain the proper form that we have already analyzed and proven to be correct. Even a very basic movement or technique, such as a stationary gyakuzuki (reverse-punch) can actually be quite complex when analyzed in detail. However, after we have a good understanding of the way it is to be done, repeating that movement (correctly) becomes essential if we are to really get our bodies to be able to execute it naturally and immediately when needed. There comes a time when we should repeat such a movement without thinking much about it.
There are not more than about a dozen classes each year at my dojo where I do not try to teach anything, maybe fewer than 5 some years. But, sometimes, usually when there are just advanced members for an evening or on certain special occasions, I may just line up with everyone else (not in front, in my usual position as instructor) and train for the sake of training. I go through repetition after repetition with everyone else in an effort to get my body to make sure it knows how to go into auto-pilot. The only reason I may need to use my brain actively is to push my body when it says it has had enough.
“Shut up and train” is something that is apparently still heard on a regular basis at many traditional dojo. There is a time to think and there is a time to train. Personally, I think the best is almost always a combination of the two; think about training while training. But, just as you are at this moment thinking about what you are reading, sometimes we need to just train without thinking about anything except perhaps the count (how many have been done and/or reaction to the sound of the count). We may need to convince the body to keep going after it complains about muscle soreness, for example by thinking about how good training makes us feel (or at least how good we will feel after it is over!).
Train hard. But train smart. But most importantly…keep training.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Thinking about your training can help you get more out of it. It should accelerate your learning path. You still have to put in the time at the dojo, repeating movements and techniques to work the ideas into your body movements. But if you analyze your movements, you can make them better, and do that more quickly than by just repeating the movements without applying any thought to them. In fact, repeating incorrect movements over and over could make things even worse than if you had never done them at all. Repetition can create a negative muscle-memory (bad habit) which can take longer to “unlearn” than someone without any knowledge of the movement or technique could pick it up.
I usually encourage students to ask questions. But I also sometimes remind them that when there is a question, the first person to ask is oneself. Next, it would probably be a good idea to ask another student for his or her opinion; perhaps all that was needed was another viewpoint to make things clear. If these do not provide a sufficient answer, then ask an instructor. Of course if it is a question concerning how to do a certain exercise we are doing at that particular moment in the class, the question should be asked of the instructor right away.
This being said, there is a time for quiet contemplation and/or simply training for the sake of training, without any questions or explanations.
Once we sufficiently understand a given technique, we should practice it with increasing speed and tension, making sure to build the muscle-memory gradually and with enough control to maintain the proper form that we have already analyzed and proven to be correct. Even a very basic movement or technique, such as a stationary gyakuzuki (reverse-punch) can actually be quite complex when analyzed in detail. However, after we have a good understanding of the way it is to be done, repeating that movement (correctly) becomes essential if we are to really get our bodies to be able to execute it naturally and immediately when needed. There comes a time when we should repeat such a movement without thinking much about it.
There are not more than about a dozen classes each year at my dojo where I do not try to teach anything, maybe fewer than 5 some years. But, sometimes, usually when there are just advanced members for an evening or on certain special occasions, I may just line up with everyone else (not in front, in my usual position as instructor) and train for the sake of training. I go through repetition after repetition with everyone else in an effort to get my body to make sure it knows how to go into auto-pilot. The only reason I may need to use my brain actively is to push my body when it says it has had enough.
“Shut up and train” is something that is apparently still heard on a regular basis at many traditional dojo. There is a time to think and there is a time to train. Personally, I think the best is almost always a combination of the two; think about training while training. But, just as you are at this moment thinking about what you are reading, sometimes we need to just train without thinking about anything except perhaps the count (how many have been done and/or reaction to the sound of the count). We may need to convince the body to keep going after it complains about muscle soreness, for example by thinking about how good training makes us feel (or at least how good we will feel after it is over!).
Train hard. But train smart. But most importantly…keep training.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Saturday, November 1, 2003
Keeping Track
Some of us could use a little extra motivation sometimes. Tournament involvement, for example, can be a good sourse of motivation, whether you are participating as a competitor, spectator, judge or organizer. There are other activities outside of regular training that can also help renew interest or bring one to a higher level in training. There is also enough to training in a good dojo that perhaps nothing more is ever needed. Regardless, keeping track of your activities can help with motivation or at least encourage one to keep trying and feel good about how much has been accomplished.
If you haven’t been training very long, just keeping track of how many classes you have been to might be a good place to start. How many hours have you trained? On top of this, we can add a list of techniques learned, maybe also along with the approximate skill level attained thus far in each.
And how about kata? Or exercises in general? I have created Excel spreadsheets to help keep track of both of these. They are in the Files section of the JKASVwebsite YahooGroup. You may surprise yourself with how much you are actually doing; sometimes more, sometimes less, than what you had thought. Some of us may find ourselves doing more, simply because we are keeping track. This is of course one of the main reasons for doing this…
Here is an interesting exercise I ask all my prospective students to go through, particularly those coming in from other dojo. Total up all the HOURS you have trained. Think about it in as much detail as possible. Some people surprise themselves when they come up with the final number.
I know some people who keep a record of almost everything they did in any class, in the form of a training log. I did this for a short while when training in Japan. In hindsight, I should have done that much more. Now, I try to keep track of some of my better ideas for teaching classes as well as some of the things to avoid, that I have learned through trial and error.
Just as reading and talking about training, as well as watching videos and classes, is not a substitute for training, neither is keeping track intended to be a replacement for actual training. On the contrary, it is intended to help you train more, as well as better. I hope you can help motivate yourself to train more and train harder through keeping track of your training progress. As always, please feel free to pass on this article to others and feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
If you haven’t been training very long, just keeping track of how many classes you have been to might be a good place to start. How many hours have you trained? On top of this, we can add a list of techniques learned, maybe also along with the approximate skill level attained thus far in each.
And how about kata? Or exercises in general? I have created Excel spreadsheets to help keep track of both of these. They are in the Files section of the JKASVwebsite YahooGroup. You may surprise yourself with how much you are actually doing; sometimes more, sometimes less, than what you had thought. Some of us may find ourselves doing more, simply because we are keeping track. This is of course one of the main reasons for doing this…
Here is an interesting exercise I ask all my prospective students to go through, particularly those coming in from other dojo. Total up all the HOURS you have trained. Think about it in as much detail as possible. Some people surprise themselves when they come up with the final number.
I know some people who keep a record of almost everything they did in any class, in the form of a training log. I did this for a short while when training in Japan. In hindsight, I should have done that much more. Now, I try to keep track of some of my better ideas for teaching classes as well as some of the things to avoid, that I have learned through trial and error.
Just as reading and talking about training, as well as watching videos and classes, is not a substitute for training, neither is keeping track intended to be a replacement for actual training. On the contrary, it is intended to help you train more, as well as better. I hope you can help motivate yourself to train more and train harder through keeping track of your training progress. As always, please feel free to pass on this article to others and feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Keeping Track
Some of us could use a little extra motivation sometimes. Tournament involvement, for example, can be a good sourse of motivation, whether you are participating as a competitor, spectator, judge or organizer. There are other activities outside of regular training that can also help renew interest or bring one to a higher level in training. There is also enough to training in a good dojo that perhaps nothing more is ever needed. Regardless, keeping track of your activities can help with motivation or at least encourage one to keep trying and feel good about how much has been accomplished.
If you haven’t been training very long, just keeping track of how many classes you have been to might be a good place to start. How many hours have you trained? On top of this, we can add a list of techniques learned, maybe also along with the approximate skill level attained thus far in each.
And how about kata? Or exercises in general? I have created Excel spreadsheets to help keep track of both of these. They are in the Files section of the JKASVwebsite YahooGroup. You may surprise yourself with how much you are actually doing; sometimes more, sometimes less, than what you had thought. Some of us may find ourselves doing more, simply because we are keeping track. This is of course one of the main reasons for doing this…
Here is an interesting exercise I ask all my prospective students to go through, particularly those coming in from other dojo. Total up all the HOURS you have trained. Think about it in as much detail as possible. Some people surprise themselves when they come up with the final number.
I know some people who keep a record of almost everything they did in any class, in the form of a training log. I did this for a short while when training in Japan. In hindsight, I should have done that much more. Now, I try to keep track of some of my better ideas for teaching classes as well as some of the things to avoid, that I have learned through trial and error.
Just as reading and talking about training, as well as watching videos and classes, is not a substitute for training, neither is keeping track intended to be a replacement for actual training. On the contrary, it is intended to help you train more, as well as better. I hope you can help motivate yourself to train more and train harder through keeping track of your training progress. As always, please feel free to pass on this article to others and feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
If you haven’t been training very long, just keeping track of how many classes you have been to might be a good place to start. How many hours have you trained? On top of this, we can add a list of techniques learned, maybe also along with the approximate skill level attained thus far in each.
And how about kata? Or exercises in general? I have created Excel spreadsheets to help keep track of both of these. They are in the Files section of the JKASVwebsite YahooGroup. You may surprise yourself with how much you are actually doing; sometimes more, sometimes less, than what you had thought. Some of us may find ourselves doing more, simply because we are keeping track. This is of course one of the main reasons for doing this…
Here is an interesting exercise I ask all my prospective students to go through, particularly those coming in from other dojo. Total up all the HOURS you have trained. Think about it in as much detail as possible. Some people surprise themselves when they come up with the final number.
I know some people who keep a record of almost everything they did in any class, in the form of a training log. I did this for a short while when training in Japan. In hindsight, I should have done that much more. Now, I try to keep track of some of my better ideas for teaching classes as well as some of the things to avoid, that I have learned through trial and error.
Just as reading and talking about training, as well as watching videos and classes, is not a substitute for training, neither is keeping track intended to be a replacement for actual training. On the contrary, it is intended to help you train more, as well as better. I hope you can help motivate yourself to train more and train harder through keeping track of your training progress. As always, please feel free to pass on this article to others and feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Contingency Plans
It is important to have commitment in the techniques and strategies we practice while training. But there are cases that over-committing may be detrimental to the effectiveness of a technique, combination or strategy. We should be prepared to enact contingency plans when warranted.
Although we may practice some types of contingency plans occasionally in our training, I believe that most people would probably benefit from thinking about it a little more. At least a few times within my articles (and often in my classes) I have emphasized the links between kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring), as well as to self-defense application. The idea of contingency planning also relates to all these forms of training. But I suspect that this link is not very clearly explained by many instructors nor thoroughly understood by even some advanced Shotokan practitioners. (I think this may be one area that some other styles of karate and other martial arts, for that matter, may in a way be superior to Shotokan as taught at most dojo).
There are many examples of such contingency plans found within kata, for example. Why follow up a kick with a punch –or even two or three –as sometimes occurs in kata? If we kick the attacker, shouldn’t that be enough to do the job? Certainly if we are in fairly good shape we can at least finish the job with one punch after the kick, right? Perhaps these punches are simply training exercises. But they can also be thought of as “what-ifs”, for in case the previous technique(s) doesn’t/don’t do what was intended.
I think it is worth recalling here a quote from the famous karate instructor Itosu Anko: “In karate training one must determine whether the interpretation of a movement is suitable for defense or for cultivating the body.” Some techniques may be performed in relatively impractical combinations that are not meant to be applied directly as-is in a self-defense situation. We should be able to mix-and-match techniques in numerous variations to best prepare for potentially unlimited scenarios.
During kihon training, we typically focus on a single technique at a time, or a combination that is predetermined. But this does not mean that we should completely forsake the idea of things not going to plan. Even a “sure thing” sometimes does not work out as planned (I can give you some analogies in my investment experience, but that may be too painful for me ). When practicing a punch, for example, we should be thinking about a) what might happen if it becomes impractical to follow through with the punch partway into the technique and b) what should be done after if the technique is not successful.
As an example of how one can examine contingency planning in action, consider a basic maegeri-oizuki (front kick, step-in punch) combination. What if the opponent moves back further than expected after the kick and the distance turns out to no longer be ideal for a basic oizuki? The attacker can add a shift during the punch, or use an additional step, or change to a longer-range attack to follow the kick. If the opponent moves to the side or does not move back as much as anticipated during/following the kick, other changes can be made, including changing the technique to a new one, abbreviating the technique, adding a technique or retreating without completing the punch. There are many possible changes that can be made to the original plan if needed. With the vast library of techniques, movements and strategies we have to choose from, the options are practically unlimited.
While I do not think that we need to spend time on this in every training session, particularly when the standard way works out fine, I do think it is worth thinking about from time to time. Total commitment to a single technique certainly has its merits. But if one is totally committed to something that does not work out, the outcome could be devastating.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Although we may practice some types of contingency plans occasionally in our training, I believe that most people would probably benefit from thinking about it a little more. At least a few times within my articles (and often in my classes) I have emphasized the links between kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring), as well as to self-defense application. The idea of contingency planning also relates to all these forms of training. But I suspect that this link is not very clearly explained by many instructors nor thoroughly understood by even some advanced Shotokan practitioners. (I think this may be one area that some other styles of karate and other martial arts, for that matter, may in a way be superior to Shotokan as taught at most dojo).
There are many examples of such contingency plans found within kata, for example. Why follow up a kick with a punch –or even two or three –as sometimes occurs in kata? If we kick the attacker, shouldn’t that be enough to do the job? Certainly if we are in fairly good shape we can at least finish the job with one punch after the kick, right? Perhaps these punches are simply training exercises. But they can also be thought of as “what-ifs”, for in case the previous technique(s) doesn’t/don’t do what was intended.
I think it is worth recalling here a quote from the famous karate instructor Itosu Anko: “In karate training one must determine whether the interpretation of a movement is suitable for defense or for cultivating the body.” Some techniques may be performed in relatively impractical combinations that are not meant to be applied directly as-is in a self-defense situation. We should be able to mix-and-match techniques in numerous variations to best prepare for potentially unlimited scenarios.
During kihon training, we typically focus on a single technique at a time, or a combination that is predetermined. But this does not mean that we should completely forsake the idea of things not going to plan. Even a “sure thing” sometimes does not work out as planned (I can give you some analogies in my investment experience, but that may be too painful for me ). When practicing a punch, for example, we should be thinking about a) what might happen if it becomes impractical to follow through with the punch partway into the technique and b) what should be done after if the technique is not successful.
As an example of how one can examine contingency planning in action, consider a basic maegeri-oizuki (front kick, step-in punch) combination. What if the opponent moves back further than expected after the kick and the distance turns out to no longer be ideal for a basic oizuki? The attacker can add a shift during the punch, or use an additional step, or change to a longer-range attack to follow the kick. If the opponent moves to the side or does not move back as much as anticipated during/following the kick, other changes can be made, including changing the technique to a new one, abbreviating the technique, adding a technique or retreating without completing the punch. There are many possible changes that can be made to the original plan if needed. With the vast library of techniques, movements and strategies we have to choose from, the options are practically unlimited.
While I do not think that we need to spend time on this in every training session, particularly when the standard way works out fine, I do think it is worth thinking about from time to time. Total commitment to a single technique certainly has its merits. But if one is totally committed to something that does not work out, the outcome could be devastating.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Tuesday, September 2, 2003
Book and Video Reviews
This is just a quick review of some examples of what you might find useful as supplements to your training. This list is not meant to be anything close to comprehensive and I am intentionally leaving out some of the more common examples that I expect most Shotokan enthusiasts to already know about. I am including here only reviews for what I consider quality material, but that is not to say that there are no other quality resources outside of what is on this list. As usual, I am trying to limit my article length in an attempt to be sure that the majority of readers actually read all (or at least most) of what I write.
Books
Best Karate (M. Nakayama) If you count this series as a single book, I would say this should be the one your karate library must not be without. Some books deal with fundamental techniques and principles. Others in the set deal with specific kumite strategy and/or techniques. Others include fine examples of kata performance by some of the best in the JKA.
Advanced Karate-do (E. Schmeisser) I would say that this is the finest karate technical manual ever printed in any language. If you can follow the verbage (it gets a bit technical for some and there are no photo examples) it is very valuable for the advanced practitioner. This is not for beginners.
Karate: Dynamics & Kinematics (L. Ingber) This was the best technical manual before "Advanced Karate-do" came along. Still very interesting and valuable for the advanced karateka. Out of print. If you can find one used, buy it.
Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching (C Wiley) The best book on how to teach the martial arts. Not a step-by-step guide for those first starting out. But some great insight for those who would like to bring their teaching to a higher level.
Karate the Japanese Way (M. Groenewold) This is an interesting new book that describes Shotokan training from the viewpoint of someone who has done all his training in Japan over the past 10+ years.
Some other interesting non-technical books I would recommend include Moving Zen (C.W. Nicol), Karate-Do, My Way of Life (G. Funakoshi), Kodo: Ancient Ways (K Furuya), Weaponless Warriors (R. Kim) and Perfecting Ourselves (A Hoopes).
Videos
Champ has come out with assorted instructional tapes and tournaments, much of it JKA. Most are in japanese, however. So if you do not know the language, the value you gain from these may be limited to watching the examples on the screen.
LegendTV has put together some fabulous tournament footage, along with some documentary material. Some non-stop action that will put good use to your remote control buttons as you rewind, pause and slow things down to get a better look.
Tsunami Video has come out with a variety of instructional tapes worth watching.
For reviews on specific titles, please see ShotoMag.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Books
Best Karate (M. Nakayama) If you count this series as a single book, I would say this should be the one your karate library must not be without. Some books deal with fundamental techniques and principles. Others in the set deal with specific kumite strategy and/or techniques. Others include fine examples of kata performance by some of the best in the JKA.
Advanced Karate-do (E. Schmeisser) I would say that this is the finest karate technical manual ever printed in any language. If you can follow the verbage (it gets a bit technical for some and there are no photo examples) it is very valuable for the advanced practitioner. This is not for beginners.
Karate: Dynamics & Kinematics (L. Ingber) This was the best technical manual before "Advanced Karate-do" came along. Still very interesting and valuable for the advanced karateka. Out of print. If you can find one used, buy it.
Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching (C Wiley) The best book on how to teach the martial arts. Not a step-by-step guide for those first starting out. But some great insight for those who would like to bring their teaching to a higher level.
Karate the Japanese Way (M. Groenewold) This is an interesting new book that describes Shotokan training from the viewpoint of someone who has done all his training in Japan over the past 10+ years.
Some other interesting non-technical books I would recommend include Moving Zen (C.W. Nicol), Karate-Do, My Way of Life (G. Funakoshi), Kodo: Ancient Ways (K Furuya), Weaponless Warriors (R. Kim) and Perfecting Ourselves (A Hoopes).
Videos
Champ has come out with assorted instructional tapes and tournaments, much of it JKA. Most are in japanese, however. So if you do not know the language, the value you gain from these may be limited to watching the examples on the screen.
LegendTV has put together some fabulous tournament footage, along with some documentary material. Some non-stop action that will put good use to your remote control buttons as you rewind, pause and slow things down to get a better look.
Tsunami Video has come out with a variety of instructional tapes worth watching.
For reviews on specific titles, please see ShotoMag.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Saturday, August 2, 2003
Showing Respect
How should we act toward an instructor visiting from Japan? How should we treat the main instructor of our dojo? How should we treat fellow students who are senior? Or those who are junior? What if someone else is senior in years but junior in rank?
Sometimes, in the most formal situations, knowing exactly what the best thing to do is may be difficult. But in terms of showing respect itself, I think it is fairly straightforward.
Webster defines “courteous” as well-mannered, and “polite” as having or showing good manners. “Courtesy” is a polite, helpful or considerate act or remark. “Respect”, on the other hand, is to feel or show honor or esteem for, to hold in high regard. You can communicate or display your respect (or lack thereof) through your posture, words, speaking manner and overall attitude.
How to treat other people seems to me to be common sense. Without trying to sound religious, I think it worth noting the quote “Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.” Treat other people with respect if you would like them to treat you with respect. Simple as that.
Sure, the world does not always work that way. But it is worth trying, anyway.
Another quote I like is from a movie about a military high school (I forgot the name of the movie), in which the headmaster, a combat-hardened and heavily decorated retired general, begins the school term with a speech to the students that includes something to the effect of “You don’t have to earn my respect. You already have my respect for being here. Let’s hope you don’t lose it.” The idea here is that people deserve to be treated with respect, at least until they do something that should cause others to lose some degree of respect for them. I am not trying to make a case that everyone deserves the same amount of respect. But I suggest giving each person the benefit of the doubt, at least until he or she proves to be unworthy.
In dealing with the gradation between ranks in karate, I think the overriding theme should be that mentioned above. We should treat everyone with the respect he or she deserves. And when someone does not seem to deserve such a high level of respect, at least show courtesy.
There are, however, certain situations that may require extra consideration. For example, older, more traditional instructors may be used to longer, slower bows than many of us are used to at the beginning and end of class. The key point to bear in mind is that the students should wait until the instructor is finished bowing first. For those on the junior end of the line, it is usually best to follow the lead of the senior members in the line, waiting for them to begin their rise from the bowing position as well.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when training with a high-ranking Japanese instructor:
• Be at the dojo on time and ready to begin class as soon as he gives the signal.
• Do not make any assumptions about how long each part of the class will take or if/when any water breaks might occur.
• Do not ask questions unless he offers to take questions, at least not during the class, and limit the questions to the subject matter of the class (unless the instructor has indicated that all types of questions are welcome).
• Remember that “actions speak louder than words.” Bow deeply and try hard to follow directions and show good technique and spirit.
Now that I reread the above, I realize that what I wrote should apply to any instructor. Please reread with this thought in mind and try to see if you are treating your regular instructor(s) the way he/she/they should be treated.
Outside the dojo setting, the instructor may expect the same level of formality as in the dojo, that students should bow down to them (at least figuratively) as if they were in class. For a visiting instructor who rarely visits, it is probably worth putting the extra effort forward to accommodate. As stated above, I believe that people should be treated with the respect they deserve. For an older, very experienced individual, he most likely deserves some extra attention and courtesy regardless of his abilities as a martial artist. Also bear in mind that many older people in general have been brought up with more formality and courtesy in their daily lives than many of us are used to today.
I have a friend who has been teaching karate at a very high level for quite some time, regarded internationally as a top-rate instructor. He once made a point of telling me that he had such great respect for the students in his small dojo, since all of them were such specialists in their respective fields that he felt that he was at best their equal, all things considered. It was quite humbling to hear this.
Many instructors of children's classes make a point of teaching their students to be courteous and polite. Respect is a word used often by some teachers. I think that this can be one of the most important things a young student learns in so-called karate classes. They may not really understand the finer technical points (if any are even taught, understanding that many "karate classes" for kids have very little to do with authentic karate) and most likely will forget most of what they learned soon after they quit their class (hopefully, of course, they will stick with it for the long term, but that is rare). The emphasis on respect and courtesy, however, tend to result in longer term character improvements. Perhaps there is a lesson for the adults in this, too.
The main idea is that we should try to show people the respect they deserve. When in doubt, assume they deserve a high level of respect and downgrade accordingly only after they have proven themselves deserving of such.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Sometimes, in the most formal situations, knowing exactly what the best thing to do is may be difficult. But in terms of showing respect itself, I think it is fairly straightforward.
Webster defines “courteous” as well-mannered, and “polite” as having or showing good manners. “Courtesy” is a polite, helpful or considerate act or remark. “Respect”, on the other hand, is to feel or show honor or esteem for, to hold in high regard. You can communicate or display your respect (or lack thereof) through your posture, words, speaking manner and overall attitude.
How to treat other people seems to me to be common sense. Without trying to sound religious, I think it worth noting the quote “Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.” Treat other people with respect if you would like them to treat you with respect. Simple as that.
Sure, the world does not always work that way. But it is worth trying, anyway.
Another quote I like is from a movie about a military high school (I forgot the name of the movie), in which the headmaster, a combat-hardened and heavily decorated retired general, begins the school term with a speech to the students that includes something to the effect of “You don’t have to earn my respect. You already have my respect for being here. Let’s hope you don’t lose it.” The idea here is that people deserve to be treated with respect, at least until they do something that should cause others to lose some degree of respect for them. I am not trying to make a case that everyone deserves the same amount of respect. But I suggest giving each person the benefit of the doubt, at least until he or she proves to be unworthy.
In dealing with the gradation between ranks in karate, I think the overriding theme should be that mentioned above. We should treat everyone with the respect he or she deserves. And when someone does not seem to deserve such a high level of respect, at least show courtesy.
There are, however, certain situations that may require extra consideration. For example, older, more traditional instructors may be used to longer, slower bows than many of us are used to at the beginning and end of class. The key point to bear in mind is that the students should wait until the instructor is finished bowing first. For those on the junior end of the line, it is usually best to follow the lead of the senior members in the line, waiting for them to begin their rise from the bowing position as well.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when training with a high-ranking Japanese instructor:
• Be at the dojo on time and ready to begin class as soon as he gives the signal.
• Do not make any assumptions about how long each part of the class will take or if/when any water breaks might occur.
• Do not ask questions unless he offers to take questions, at least not during the class, and limit the questions to the subject matter of the class (unless the instructor has indicated that all types of questions are welcome).
• Remember that “actions speak louder than words.” Bow deeply and try hard to follow directions and show good technique and spirit.
Now that I reread the above, I realize that what I wrote should apply to any instructor. Please reread with this thought in mind and try to see if you are treating your regular instructor(s) the way he/she/they should be treated.
Outside the dojo setting, the instructor may expect the same level of formality as in the dojo, that students should bow down to them (at least figuratively) as if they were in class. For a visiting instructor who rarely visits, it is probably worth putting the extra effort forward to accommodate. As stated above, I believe that people should be treated with the respect they deserve. For an older, very experienced individual, he most likely deserves some extra attention and courtesy regardless of his abilities as a martial artist. Also bear in mind that many older people in general have been brought up with more formality and courtesy in their daily lives than many of us are used to today.
I have a friend who has been teaching karate at a very high level for quite some time, regarded internationally as a top-rate instructor. He once made a point of telling me that he had such great respect for the students in his small dojo, since all of them were such specialists in their respective fields that he felt that he was at best their equal, all things considered. It was quite humbling to hear this.
Many instructors of children's classes make a point of teaching their students to be courteous and polite. Respect is a word used often by some teachers. I think that this can be one of the most important things a young student learns in so-called karate classes. They may not really understand the finer technical points (if any are even taught, understanding that many "karate classes" for kids have very little to do with authentic karate) and most likely will forget most of what they learned soon after they quit their class (hopefully, of course, they will stick with it for the long term, but that is rare). The emphasis on respect and courtesy, however, tend to result in longer term character improvements. Perhaps there is a lesson for the adults in this, too.
The main idea is that we should try to show people the respect they deserve. When in doubt, assume they deserve a high level of respect and downgrade accordingly only after they have proven themselves deserving of such.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Showing Respect
How should we act toward an instructor visiting from Japan? How should we treat the main instructor of our dojo? How should we treat fellow students who are senior? Or those who are junior? What if someone else is senior in years but junior in rank?
Sometimes, in the most formal situations, knowing exactly what the best thing to do is may be difficult. But in terms of showing respect itself, I think it is fairly straightforward.
Webster defines “courteous” as well-mannered, and “polite” as having or showing good manners. “Courtesy” is a polite, helpful or considerate act or remark. “Respect”, on the other hand, is to feel or show honor or esteem for, to hold in high regard. You can communicate or display your respect (or lack thereof) through your posture, words, speaking manner and overall attitude.
How to treat other people seems to me to be common sense. Without trying to sound religious, I think it worth noting the quote “Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.” Treat other people with respect if you would like them to treat you with respect. Simple as that.
Sure, the world does not always work that way. But it is worth trying, anyway.
Another quote I like is from a movie about a military high school (I forgot the name of the movie), in which the headmaster, a combat-hardened and heavily decorated retired general, begins the school term with a speech to the students that includes something to the effect of “You don’t have to earn my respect. You already have my respect for being here. Let’s hope you don’t lose it.” The idea here is that people deserve to be treated with respect, at least until they do something that should cause others to lose some degree of respect for them. I am not trying to make a case that everyone deserves the same amount of respect. But I suggest giving each person the benefit of the doubt, at least until he or she proves to be unworthy.
In dealing with the gradation between ranks in karate, I think the overriding theme should be that mentioned above. We should treat everyone with the respect he or she deserves. And when someone does not seem to deserve such a high level of respect, at least show courtesy.
There are, however, certain situations that may require extra consideration. For example, older, more traditional instructors may be used to longer, slower bows than many of us are used to at the beginning and end of class. The key point to bear in mind is that the students should wait until the instructor is finished bowing first. For those on the junior end of the line, it is usually best to follow the lead of the senior members in the line, waiting for them to begin their rise from the bowing position as well.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when training with a high-ranking Japanese instructor:
• Be at the dojo on time and ready to begin class as soon as he gives the signal.
• Do not make any assumptions about how long each part of the class will take or if/when any water breaks might occur.
• Do not ask questions unless he offers to take questions, at least not during the class, and limit the questions to the subject matter of the class (unless the instructor has indicated that all types of questions are welcome).
• Remember that “actions speak louder than words.” Bow deeply and try hard to follow directions and show good technique and spirit.
Now that I reread the above, I realize that what I wrote should apply to any instructor. Please reread with this thought in mind and try to see if you are treating your regular instructor(s) the way he/she/they should be treated.
Outside the dojo setting, the instructor may expect the same level of formality as in the dojo, that students should bow down to them (at least figuratively) as if they were in class. For a visiting instructor who rarely visits, it is probably worth putting the extra effort forward to accommodate. As stated above, I believe that people should be treated with the respect they deserve. For an older, very experienced individual, he most likely deserves some extra attention and courtesy regardless of his abilities as a martial artist. Also bear in mind that many older people in general have been brought up with more formality and courtesy in their daily lives than many of us are used to today.
I have a friend who has been teaching karate at a very high level for quite some time, regarded internationally as a top-rate instructor. He once made a point of telling me that he had such great respect for the students in his small dojo, since all of them were such specialists in their respective fields that he felt that he was at best their equal, all things considered. It was quite humbling to hear this.
Many instructors of children's classes make a point of teaching their students to be courteous and polite. Respect is a word used often by some teachers. I think that this can be one of the most important things a young student learns in so-called karate classes. They may not really understand the finer technical points (if any are even taught, understanding that many "karate classes" for kids have very little to do with authentic karate) and most likely will forget most of what they learned soon after they quit their class (hopefully, of course, they will stick with it for the long term, but that is rare). The emphasis on respect and courtesy, however, tend to result in longer term character improvements. Perhaps there is a lesson for the adults in this, too.
The main idea is that we should try to show people the respect they deserve. When in doubt, assume they deserve a high level of respect and downgrade accordingly only after they have proven themselves deserving of such.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Sometimes, in the most formal situations, knowing exactly what the best thing to do is may be difficult. But in terms of showing respect itself, I think it is fairly straightforward.
Webster defines “courteous” as well-mannered, and “polite” as having or showing good manners. “Courtesy” is a polite, helpful or considerate act or remark. “Respect”, on the other hand, is to feel or show honor or esteem for, to hold in high regard. You can communicate or display your respect (or lack thereof) through your posture, words, speaking manner and overall attitude.
How to treat other people seems to me to be common sense. Without trying to sound religious, I think it worth noting the quote “Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.” Treat other people with respect if you would like them to treat you with respect. Simple as that.
Sure, the world does not always work that way. But it is worth trying, anyway.
Another quote I like is from a movie about a military high school (I forgot the name of the movie), in which the headmaster, a combat-hardened and heavily decorated retired general, begins the school term with a speech to the students that includes something to the effect of “You don’t have to earn my respect. You already have my respect for being here. Let’s hope you don’t lose it.” The idea here is that people deserve to be treated with respect, at least until they do something that should cause others to lose some degree of respect for them. I am not trying to make a case that everyone deserves the same amount of respect. But I suggest giving each person the benefit of the doubt, at least until he or she proves to be unworthy.
In dealing with the gradation between ranks in karate, I think the overriding theme should be that mentioned above. We should treat everyone with the respect he or she deserves. And when someone does not seem to deserve such a high level of respect, at least show courtesy.
There are, however, certain situations that may require extra consideration. For example, older, more traditional instructors may be used to longer, slower bows than many of us are used to at the beginning and end of class. The key point to bear in mind is that the students should wait until the instructor is finished bowing first. For those on the junior end of the line, it is usually best to follow the lead of the senior members in the line, waiting for them to begin their rise from the bowing position as well.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when training with a high-ranking Japanese instructor:
• Be at the dojo on time and ready to begin class as soon as he gives the signal.
• Do not make any assumptions about how long each part of the class will take or if/when any water breaks might occur.
• Do not ask questions unless he offers to take questions, at least not during the class, and limit the questions to the subject matter of the class (unless the instructor has indicated that all types of questions are welcome).
• Remember that “actions speak louder than words.” Bow deeply and try hard to follow directions and show good technique and spirit.
Now that I reread the above, I realize that what I wrote should apply to any instructor. Please reread with this thought in mind and try to see if you are treating your regular instructor(s) the way he/she/they should be treated.
Outside the dojo setting, the instructor may expect the same level of formality as in the dojo, that students should bow down to them (at least figuratively) as if they were in class. For a visiting instructor who rarely visits, it is probably worth putting the extra effort forward to accommodate. As stated above, I believe that people should be treated with the respect they deserve. For an older, very experienced individual, he most likely deserves some extra attention and courtesy regardless of his abilities as a martial artist. Also bear in mind that many older people in general have been brought up with more formality and courtesy in their daily lives than many of us are used to today.
I have a friend who has been teaching karate at a very high level for quite some time, regarded internationally as a top-rate instructor. He once made a point of telling me that he had such great respect for the students in his small dojo, since all of them were such specialists in their respective fields that he felt that he was at best their equal, all things considered. It was quite humbling to hear this.
Many instructors of children's classes make a point of teaching their students to be courteous and polite. Respect is a word used often by some teachers. I think that this can be one of the most important things a young student learns in so-called karate classes. They may not really understand the finer technical points (if any are even taught, understanding that many "karate classes" for kids have very little to do with authentic karate) and most likely will forget most of what they learned soon after they quit their class (hopefully, of course, they will stick with it for the long term, but that is rare). The emphasis on respect and courtesy, however, tend to result in longer term character improvements. Perhaps there is a lesson for the adults in this, too.
The main idea is that we should try to show people the respect they deserve. When in doubt, assume they deserve a high level of respect and downgrade accordingly only after they have proven themselves deserving of such.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Wednesday, July 2, 2003
The 5+ Senses
Most people are familiar with the “Five Senses”:
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
The 5+ Senses
Most people are familiar with the “Five Senses”:
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
The 5+ Senses
Most people are familiar with the “Five Senses”:
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Some people also believe that there exists a “Sixth Sense” that involves a heightened mental state. In this article, I have chosen to avoid discussion of the esoteric “Sixth Sense.” But I would like to focus on all the senses, including those beyond the common five listed above.
Some people may already be familiar with these “new senses” that are now generally considered to deserve the right to expand the list of senses to eight. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with these additions, I will review them here:
• Balance – Controlled by vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (which senses vertical movements through the inner ear), balance is the sense of how the body is aligned, most commonly vertically.
• Proprioception – Involves the measurement of the degree of tension in the muscles.
• Direction – Largely controlled by the sense of vision and also related to balance, the sense of direction is what helps guide us where we want to go.
Here is a brief description of how we can use and test the various senses in our karate training:
• Sight – We watch for movements of our partners to try to assess when and how they are going to move. We watch ourselves for errors as we perform our solo practice, especially while in front of a mirror. We can test how much we rely on the sense of sight by closing our eyes while we practice (preferably not while sparring). This obviously can greatly affect our senses of balance and direction as well.
• Hearing – We can sometimes hear movement of the opponent’s feet shuffling or breath getting heavy when he or she is getting ready to attack. We also listen for the command to begin a movement in practice. We can test our sense of hearing by listening closely for the command to begin and reacting immediately.
• Touch – This sense is very useful when in close contact with a sparring partner, particularly during wrestling or ground-fighting. We can also use the sense of touch to help us understand our proper positioning when an instructor helps position us into a correct stance or technique. We can test our sense of touch by having someone touch our elbow from behind to signal us to step forward with a punch.
• Smell – Do not use in karate, except perhaps to remind us when to wash our uniforms...
• Taste – Do not use, at least I would hope...
• Proprioception – In the application of what is commonly referred to as “kime”, we should be aware of how much tension is in the muscles. To focus on this sense, a good practice is to stand in a stance using a particular technique and close your eyes. Feeling the amount of tension in each body part in a static position as well as while moving are both important.
• Balance – The sense of balance is relied upon when stepping and shifting. Whenever the weight of the body is transferred from one leg to the other, the sense of balance tells us how to compensate. The sense of balance and the part that vision plays in it can be easily tested by standing on one foot and closing the eyes. This gets difficult quickly, due to the inability to use the sense of vision to make minor positioning corrections.
• Direction – The sense of direction, in combination with several other of the abovementioned senses, is used when turning during basic repetitions and kata, as well as when sparring with more than one person. The sense of direction (as well as its relationship with other senses) can be tested by spinning around several times and then trying to walk in a straight line. This sense also helps us when sparring with multiple opponents.
The above information is meant as an introduction or review (depending on how much you already knew about this subject). There are many additional examples of how the various senses can be used and tested in karate practice. The first step, however, is simply being aware of the different senses, how they are used and how they relate to each other.
Reference: Black Belt Magazine, Oct 2002, pp 72-76, “Sixth Sense”, by Stefan Verstappen.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Monday, June 2, 2003
Who Should Teach Whom?
Do you have more than one instructor in your club? Do you think this is a good thing? While having different types of instructors can be very valuable for creating a more less routine variety and working on different points or training in different ways, it could be less than ideal if not all those teaching are good teachers.
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
| Question | Junior Instructor | Senior Instructor |
| Is the intention of the session just to work out? | Leading a workout can be done by just about anyone. This is a good chance for a junior instructor to gain confidence with leading the class. | Is this a waste of time for the senior instructor? Perhaps, if done frequently. More importantly, it may be a waste of time (and money) for the students. |
| Is the intention to teach something? | A junior instructor may be able to teach a basic technique or tactic well. But supervision or guidance from a senior instructor is usually very beneficial, as junior instructors may find themselves going off on tangents, incorporating more advanced techniques than is suitable, or over-explaining/over-correcting as a side-effect of their enthusiasm. | Senior instructors should make a point of actually teaching what they intend to teach. There should be a lesson plan in mind, even if the class progresses in such a way that this plan needs to be altered midway through. |
| What if there is a mix of student levels in the same class? | A junior instructor may be overwhelmed if trying to lead everyone at once. But the junior instructor could probably be a great benefit (for himself and the students in the class) if leading a subset of the group. | A senior instructor should realize that he could be helped by a junior instructor, especially when there is a new student or a wide divergence in experience of the students. |
| If there are many classes each week in the dojo, who should teach how often, what or when? | A junior instructor should plan to fill in for the senior instructor. At some dojo, there may be so many classes that a junior instructor ends up teaching often. Some other dojo may have enough senior instructors and so few classes that there is rarely a need for a junior instructor to do much more than help out a beginner for a few minutes every few months. | The senior instructors should keep in mind that they have skills that should be utilized. If an instructor has a knack for kumite strategy, teaching classes dealing with this subject probably makes a lot of sense, leaving basics, for example, to others who can do a better job. Senior instructors should remember to actually teach during their classes, especially if there are a lot of workouts (not much teaching) with others during the week. |
| Who should teach beginners? | A junior instructor could probably do a good job at introducing a beginner to the techniques and ideas of karate. But if the person is too junior (a senior student as opposed to an actual instructor), he may not really know how to teach and should be monitored carefully. | A senior instructor should make every possible effort, within reason, to at least monitor the progress of the beginners. He may not have the time to actually teach every introductory class. But he should at least be ready to step in whenever there is a question. This is one of the most important periods in a karate student's development. It should be treated as such. With seniority comes greater responsibility. |
| Who should teach advanced classes? | The more advanced the class participants are, the easier it is to lead them in a workout, because there is little, if any, teaching actually required. If there is teaching involved, however, the junior instructor should try to keep it simple and discuss things rationally if there is a valid question. If he does not know the answer, he should defer to the senior instructor, even if that means that the question remains unanswered during the course of that particular training session. | Actually teaching advanced classes takes experience and ability. The advanced instructor must keep in mind that the advanced participants are almost always interested in learning. Also, they may have questions that are difficult to answer. Debate can be good, but must be kept under control and not detract from the workout, either in terms of time or focus. |
| How to act in each other’s classes. | A junior instructor should expect to just train with everyone else while the senior instructor is teaching, but be ready to help out when asked. | A senior instructor should have the choice of training with everyone else while the junior instructor is teaching, or to help out if there is a need or desire. |
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Who Should Teach Whom?
Do you have more than one instructor in your club? Do you think this is a good thing? While having different types of instructors can be very valuable for creating a more less routine variety and working on different points or training in different ways, it could be less than ideal if not all those teaching are good teachers.
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
| Question | Junior Instructor | Senior Instructor |
| Is the intention of the session just to work out? | Leading a workout can be done by just about anyone. This is a good chance for a junior instructor to gain confidence with leading the class. | Is this a waste of time for the senior instructor? Perhaps, if done frequently. More importantly, it may be a waste of time (and money) for the students. |
| Is the intention to teach something? | A junior instructor may be able to teach a basic technique or tactic well. But supervision or guidance from a senior instructor is usually very beneficial, as junior instructors may find themselves going off on tangents, incorporating more advanced techniques than is suitable, or over-explaining/over-correcting as a side-effect of their enthusiasm. | Senior instructors should make a point of actually teaching what they intend to teach. There should be a lesson plan in mind, even if the class progresses in such a way that this plan needs to be altered midway through. |
| What if there is a mix of student levels in the same class? | A junior instructor may be overwhelmed if trying to lead everyone at once. But the junior instructor could probably be a great benefit (for himself and the students in the class) if leading a subset of the group. | A senior instructor should realize that he could be helped by a junior instructor, especially when there is a new student or a wide divergence in experience of the students. |
| If there are many classes each week in the dojo, who should teach how often, what or when? | A junior instructor should plan to fill in for the senior instructor. At some dojo, there may be so many classes that a junior instructor ends up teaching often. Some other dojo may have enough senior instructors and so few classes that there is rarely a need for a junior instructor to do much more than help out a beginner for a few minutes every few months. | The senior instructors should keep in mind that they have skills that should be utilized. If an instructor has a knack for kumite strategy, teaching classes dealing with this subject probably makes a lot of sense, leaving basics, for example, to others who can do a better job. Senior instructors should remember to actually teach during their classes, especially if there are a lot of workouts (not much teaching) with others during the week. |
| Who should teach beginners? | A junior instructor could probably do a good job at introducing a beginner to the techniques and ideas of karate. But if the person is too junior (a senior student as opposed to an actual instructor), he may not really know how to teach and should be monitored carefully. | A senior instructor should make every possible effort, within reason, to at least monitor the progress of the beginners. He may not have the time to actually teach every introductory class. But he should at least be ready to step in whenever there is a question. This is one of the most important periods in a karate student's development. It should be treated as such. With seniority comes greater responsibility. |
| Who should teach advanced classes? | The more advanced the class participants are, the easier it is to lead them in a workout, because there is little, if any, teaching actually required. If there is teaching involved, however, the junior instructor should try to keep it simple and discuss things rationally if there is a valid question. If he does not know the answer, he should defer to the senior instructor, even if that means that the question remains unanswered during the course of that particular training session. | Actually teaching advanced classes takes experience and ability. The advanced instructor must keep in mind that the advanced participants are almost always interested in learning. Also, they may have questions that are difficult to answer. Debate can be good, but must be kept under control and not detract from the workout, either in terms of time or focus. |
| How to act in each other’s classes. | A junior instructor should expect to just train with everyone else while the senior instructor is teaching, but be ready to help out when asked. | A senior instructor should have the choice of training with everyone else while the junior instructor is teaching, or to help out if there is a need or desire. |
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Who Should Teach Whom?
Do you have more than one instructor in your club? Do you think this is a good thing? While having different types of instructors can be very valuable for creating a more less routine variety and working on different points or training in different ways, it could be less than ideal if not all those teaching are good teachers.
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
| Question | Junior Instructor | Senior Instructor |
| Is the intention of the session just to work out? | Leading a workout can be done by just about anyone. This is a good chance for a junior instructor to gain confidence with leading the class. | Is this a waste of time for the senior instructor? Perhaps, if done frequently. More importantly, it may be a waste of time (and money) for the students. |
| Is the intention to teach something? | A junior instructor may be able to teach a basic technique or tactic well. But supervision or guidance from a senior instructor is usually very beneficial, as junior instructors may find themselves going off on tangents, incorporating more advanced techniques than is suitable, or over-explaining/over-correcting as a side-effect of their enthusiasm. | Senior instructors should make a point of actually teaching what they intend to teach. There should be a lesson plan in mind, even if the class progresses in such a way that this plan needs to be altered midway through. |
| What if there is a mix of student levels in the same class? | A junior instructor may be overwhelmed if trying to lead everyone at once. But the junior instructor could probably be a great benefit (for himself and the students in the class) if leading a subset of the group. | A senior instructor should realize that he could be helped by a junior instructor, especially when there is a new student or a wide divergence in experience of the students. |
| If there are many classes each week in the dojo, who should teach how often, what or when? | A junior instructor should plan to fill in for the senior instructor. At some dojo, there may be so many classes that a junior instructor ends up teaching often. Some other dojo may have enough senior instructors and so few classes that there is rarely a need for a junior instructor to do much more than help out a beginner for a few minutes every few months. | The senior instructors should keep in mind that they have skills that should be utilized. If an instructor has a knack for kumite strategy, teaching classes dealing with this subject probably makes a lot of sense, leaving basics, for example, to others who can do a better job. Senior instructors should remember to actually teach during their classes, especially if there are a lot of workouts (not much teaching) with others during the week. |
| Who should teach beginners? | A junior instructor could probably do a good job at introducing a beginner to the techniques and ideas of karate. But if the person is too junior (a senior student as opposed to an actual instructor), he may not really know how to teach and should be monitored carefully. | A senior instructor should make every possible effort, within reason, to at least monitor the progress of the beginners. He may not have the time to actually teach every introductory class. But he should at least be ready to step in whenever there is a question. This is one of the most important periods in a karate student's development. It should be treated as such. With seniority comes greater responsibility. |
| Who should teach advanced classes? | The more advanced the class participants are, the easier it is to lead them in a workout, because there is little, if any, teaching actually required. If there is teaching involved, however, the junior instructor should try to keep it simple and discuss things rationally if there is a valid question. If he does not know the answer, he should defer to the senior instructor, even if that means that the question remains unanswered during the course of that particular training session. | Actually teaching advanced classes takes experience and ability. The advanced instructor must keep in mind that the advanced participants are almost always interested in learning. Also, they may have questions that are difficult to answer. Debate can be good, but must be kept under control and not detract from the workout, either in terms of time or focus. |
| How to act in each other’s classes. | A junior instructor should expect to just train with everyone else while the senior instructor is teaching, but be ready to help out when asked. | A senior instructor should have the choice of training with everyone else while the junior instructor is teaching, or to help out if there is a need or desire. |
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Who Should Teach Whom?
Do you have more than one instructor in your club? Do you think this is a good thing? While having different types of instructors can be very valuable for creating a more less routine variety and working on different points or training in different ways, it could be less than ideal if not all those teaching are good teachers.
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
As most instructors that I know would probably agree, I think it is a good idea to give some teaching responsibilities to others, especially if there are simply too many students and/or classes for the main instructor(s) to take care of everything. For example, if one relative beginner has never performed a certain technique or kata before, she could benefit from a more senior student helping her get accustomed to it. I think this is valuable for both the junior student (getting the one-on-one attention they might not have been able to get during that part of training if in the group with everyone else) and the senior student (forced to reevaluate the techniques and figure out how to teach them, possibly answering questions he had not previously thought of).
That being said, should junior instructors be teaching all the beginner classes? Should the senior instructor of the dojo teach all the classes? I think the ideal is somewhere between these two extremes. The table below highlights a few points to consider.
| Question | Junior Instructor | Senior Instructor |
| Is the intention of the session just to work out? | Leading a workout can be done by just about anyone. This is a good chance for a junior instructor to gain confidence with leading the class. | Is this a waste of time for the senior instructor? Perhaps, if done frequently. More importantly, it may be a waste of time (and money) for the students. |
| Is the intention to teach something? | A junior instructor may be able to teach a basic technique or tactic well. But supervision or guidance from a senior instructor is usually very beneficial, as junior instructors may find themselves going off on tangents, incorporating more advanced techniques than is suitable, or over-explaining/over-correcting as a side-effect of their enthusiasm. | Senior instructors should make a point of actually teaching what they intend to teach. There should be a lesson plan in mind, even if the class progresses in such a way that this plan needs to be altered midway through. |
| What if there is a mix of student levels in the same class? | A junior instructor may be overwhelmed if trying to lead everyone at once. But the junior instructor could probably be a great benefit (for himself and the students in the class) if leading a subset of the group. | A senior instructor should realize that he could be helped by a junior instructor, especially when there is a new student or a wide divergence in experience of the students. |
| If there are many classes each week in the dojo, who should teach how often, what or when? | A junior instructor should plan to fill in for the senior instructor. At some dojo, there may be so many classes that a junior instructor ends up teaching often. Some other dojo may have enough senior instructors and so few classes that there is rarely a need for a junior instructor to do much more than help out a beginner for a few minutes every few months. | The senior instructors should keep in mind that they have skills that should be utilized. If an instructor has a knack for kumite strategy, teaching classes dealing with this subject probably makes a lot of sense, leaving basics, for example, to others who can do a better job. Senior instructors should remember to actually teach during their classes, especially if there are a lot of workouts (not much teaching) with others during the week. |
| Who should teach beginners? | A junior instructor could probably do a good job at introducing a beginner to the techniques and ideas of karate. But if the person is too junior (a senior student as opposed to an actual instructor), he may not really know how to teach and should be monitored carefully. | A senior instructor should make every possible effort, within reason, to at least monitor the progress of the beginners. He may not have the time to actually teach every introductory class. But he should at least be ready to step in whenever there is a question. This is one of the most important periods in a karate student's development. It should be treated as such. With seniority comes greater responsibility. |
| Who should teach advanced classes? | The more advanced the class participants are, the easier it is to lead them in a workout, because there is little, if any, teaching actually required. If there is teaching involved, however, the junior instructor should try to keep it simple and discuss things rationally if there is a valid question. If he does not know the answer, he should defer to the senior instructor, even if that means that the question remains unanswered during the course of that particular training session. | Actually teaching advanced classes takes experience and ability. The advanced instructor must keep in mind that the advanced participants are almost always interested in learning. Also, they may have questions that are difficult to answer. Debate can be good, but must be kept under control and not detract from the workout, either in terms of time or focus. |
| How to act in each other’s classes. | A junior instructor should expect to just train with everyone else while the senior instructor is teaching, but be ready to help out when asked. | A senior instructor should have the choice of training with everyone else while the junior instructor is teaching, or to help out if there is a need or desire. |
There are many other points to consider. For example, if there is an excellent instructor in a dojo of otherwise mediocre/less-experienced teachers who merely lead others in workouts, the majority of the teaching should probably be done by the one who is most qualified.
Please note that wherever I wrote “senior instructor” or “junior instructor”, above, I did not mean to imply that those senior in years experience in karate are always the most qualified instructors. Sometimes, it is quite drastically different. I know of some shodans who are better teachers than many, if not most, 5+ dan instructors.
So, is having many instructors at your dojo a good thing? Students and teachers should both be thinking about this and speaking with each other about it if needed. Karate training can be a great thing that can have amazing impact on our lives in general, beyond simply keeping us in good physical shape. Let’s make the most of it.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Friday, May 2, 2003
Training with Angles
Many instructors pay lip service to the idea that kihon, kata and kumite are interrelated. Many instructors do make the point that we should attempt to maintain basic form while doing kata and kumite. And some remind students that there are kumite application possibilities in the kata. But the three are actually more interrelated than this…or at least should be. For example, when someone recently asked “How much time do you spend at your dojo working on the basics,” I thought about it and realized that almost all the time at our dojo is focused on basic form to a large degree; not just while doing the “basics.” Very little of the time is spent doing mindless, repetitive “marching” up and down the dojo that most people doing Shotokan seem to consider the “basics” part of class. If all the 3 “K’s” (kihon, kata and kumite) of karate are consciously practiced with the others in mind, it should strengthen each of the parts, which of course strengthens the whole.
Are instructors actually making the connections between the three K’s clear in their classes? Are students understanding the links between the different parts of their training? I would like to discuss here one aspect of this interconnection which may not be explored often at many dojo.
Many karate practitioners and instructors appreciate the value of using different angles in kumite. And there are obviously a lot of angles worked in the kata. My main point in this article concerns the (under-)use of angles in kihon (basics). If we are to make the links clear between the three K’s, this may be one aspect of training where some instructors could make improvements.
Before examining my idea on the use of angles in kihon, let’s look at the use of angles in kata and kumite.
Angles in Kata
We obviously use a lot of angles in kata:
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 270 degrees to the left.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 270 degrees to the left.
Turn 45 degrees to the right.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 45 degrees to the left.
And that’s just Heian Shodan, considered by many to be the simplest Shotokan kata! Maybe the idea of limiting “basics” to marching straight up and down the room is that we do more than enough angle-work in the kata? The techniques, and not just the angles, in kata are generally more difficult than in kihon. Perhaps these two types of training are quite different after all? Is basic kata the crossover between kihon and "real" (more advanced) kata?
Angles in Kumite
During kihon-ippon kumite (basic one-step sparring), we are taught early on that it may be advisable to step off at an angle for some blocks. During jyuu-ippon kumite (semi-free sparring), subtle angle changes are further explored. During multi-partner kumite, angles must be more consciously explored. In self-defense, angles can be critical.
Angles in Kihon
If we use so many angles in our practice of kata and kumite, why not in kihon as well?
I know of many instructors who spend a lot of time thinking up complex combinations of techniques to have students perform in their classes. The majority of the combinations that I have observed involve almost entirely forward and backward movements.
I recall now an experience I had many years ago. I was training at a dojo here in the US for a few months between trips to Japan. It was the type of place where one could get a good workout, but there was almost no teaching done whatsoever. One night, the main instructor/coach did not show up and one of the senior black belts decided to have each of the black belts demonstrate a combination for everyone to perform in repetition. After a few quite complicated combinations that I could see the white belts struggling with, I started off with turn-to-the-rear gyakuzuki, followed by turn-back-to-the-front gyakuzuki, followed by step-in gyakuzuki. The senior black belt cut me short and asked me to come up with something less complicated. I had chosen the most basic of techniques, but simply changed the angle of execution. This was far less complicated a combination than is found in many of the basic kata. I didn’t think much of it at the time. But this situation demonstrates my point exactly. Changing angles can help stretch our physical abilities. But much more importantly it can help us to stretch our minds. Exploring a wider range of application options can provide a good workout for both the body and the mind, as well as to help us prepare for potential situations that might involve atypical application of techniques we practice.
When I teach “basics” (generally what is not included in kata and kumite categories), I often include angle changes. Examples of this include:
• Adding a sideward movement during a combination that is otherwise just forward and backward.
• Allowing the option to shift off to the side instead of straight back for some moves (such as is done in many types of kumite).
• Staying essentially in place while turning to one side or the other while executing techniques.
• Using techniques from introductory basics portion of the beginning of the class substituted for the techniques normally used in a basic kata. This can be thought of as kata-using-different-techniques or basics-using-stepping-patterns-of-kata, depending on how you look at it.
This is not to say that there is no benefit from “marching” up and down the dojo floor repeating basic techniques. But I think we should be able to add to this. Changing the angles of execution during practice helps us expand our capabilities. Thinking “outside the box” can help us be more flexible in our execution of the techniques we are practicing.
I believe that concentration on basic form is very important for training. But this does not mean that we must simply repeat movements mindlessly, always in the same way. By exploring different angles, timing, etc., we can expand our physical abilities as well as adding flexibility to our minds.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Are instructors actually making the connections between the three K’s clear in their classes? Are students understanding the links between the different parts of their training? I would like to discuss here one aspect of this interconnection which may not be explored often at many dojo.
Many karate practitioners and instructors appreciate the value of using different angles in kumite. And there are obviously a lot of angles worked in the kata. My main point in this article concerns the (under-)use of angles in kihon (basics). If we are to make the links clear between the three K’s, this may be one aspect of training where some instructors could make improvements.
Before examining my idea on the use of angles in kihon, let’s look at the use of angles in kata and kumite.
Angles in Kata
We obviously use a lot of angles in kata:
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 270 degrees to the left.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 90 degrees to the left.
Turn 270 degrees to the left.
Turn 45 degrees to the right.
Turn 180 degrees to the right.
Turn 45 degrees to the left.
And that’s just Heian Shodan, considered by many to be the simplest Shotokan kata! Maybe the idea of limiting “basics” to marching straight up and down the room is that we do more than enough angle-work in the kata? The techniques, and not just the angles, in kata are generally more difficult than in kihon. Perhaps these two types of training are quite different after all? Is basic kata the crossover between kihon and "real" (more advanced) kata?
Angles in Kumite
During kihon-ippon kumite (basic one-step sparring), we are taught early on that it may be advisable to step off at an angle for some blocks. During jyuu-ippon kumite (semi-free sparring), subtle angle changes are further explored. During multi-partner kumite, angles must be more consciously explored. In self-defense, angles can be critical.
Angles in Kihon
If we use so many angles in our practice of kata and kumite, why not in kihon as well?
I know of many instructors who spend a lot of time thinking up complex combinations of techniques to have students perform in their classes. The majority of the combinations that I have observed involve almost entirely forward and backward movements.
I recall now an experience I had many years ago. I was training at a dojo here in the US for a few months between trips to Japan. It was the type of place where one could get a good workout, but there was almost no teaching done whatsoever. One night, the main instructor/coach did not show up and one of the senior black belts decided to have each of the black belts demonstrate a combination for everyone to perform in repetition. After a few quite complicated combinations that I could see the white belts struggling with, I started off with turn-to-the-rear gyakuzuki, followed by turn-back-to-the-front gyakuzuki, followed by step-in gyakuzuki. The senior black belt cut me short and asked me to come up with something less complicated. I had chosen the most basic of techniques, but simply changed the angle of execution. This was far less complicated a combination than is found in many of the basic kata. I didn’t think much of it at the time. But this situation demonstrates my point exactly. Changing angles can help stretch our physical abilities. But much more importantly it can help us to stretch our minds. Exploring a wider range of application options can provide a good workout for both the body and the mind, as well as to help us prepare for potential situations that might involve atypical application of techniques we practice.
When I teach “basics” (generally what is not included in kata and kumite categories), I often include angle changes. Examples of this include:
• Adding a sideward movement during a combination that is otherwise just forward and backward.
• Allowing the option to shift off to the side instead of straight back for some moves (such as is done in many types of kumite).
• Staying essentially in place while turning to one side or the other while executing techniques.
• Using techniques from introductory basics portion of the beginning of the class substituted for the techniques normally used in a basic kata. This can be thought of as kata-using-different-techniques or basics-using-stepping-patterns-of-kata, depending on how you look at it.
This is not to say that there is no benefit from “marching” up and down the dojo floor repeating basic techniques. But I think we should be able to add to this. Changing the angles of execution during practice helps us expand our capabilities. Thinking “outside the box” can help us be more flexible in our execution of the techniques we are practicing.
I believe that concentration on basic form is very important for training. But this does not mean that we must simply repeat movements mindlessly, always in the same way. By exploring different angles, timing, etc., we can expand our physical abilities as well as adding flexibility to our minds.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
(Rank) Standards
Do I expect too much from my students?
Perhaps my standards are too high. I know that there are few instructors, at least in Shotokan, with higher overall standards than I have. There are some who have certain requirements for shodan in their dojo which are more rigorous than at my dojo; for example where the students must be able to do a certain number of consecutive push-ups, sit-ups, etc. And there are other places where self-defense is tested more thoroughly or multiple kata are tested. But, overall, I think that my standards are higher than the vast majority of the dojo where instructors claim to be teaching Shotokan, at least in terms of the level of proficiency of a core set of techniques, movements and basic strategy, as well as technical knowledge and overall attitude.
Far more importantly, however, than how my standards compare specifically, there seems to be a vast discrepancy in standards from dojo to dojo; often even within a given organization. I think it would be great if we could all agree on standards. But as long as this is not the case (and it most likely will never be), I definitely prefer to be known for having higher, rather than lower, standards.
Some of the best companies in the world are the best companies precisely because their standards are so high. The same can be said of individuals. In order to be the best that we can, we should set our goals high and try to achieve them. We must, however, not forget to appreciate our relative achievements and should not be too hard on ourselves (or others) if we fail to reach our very high goals. We must be realistic. My idea has always been to aim high but be prepared for low. I have since I was quite young referred to myself as a "practical perfectionist" and try to share this attitude with those who train with me. We should consider marginal return on investment. If it would take the same amount of effort, for example, to increase the speed of a given technique by 5% or to increase the form of the technique by 50%, it would probably be a much better return on investment (effort) to focus on form.
I would not want to lower my standards by much. But when I see students from other dojo (and I know that the geographical area I am in and dojo I have seen are quite high by relative standards as compared to many other parts of the world) I feel that the standards I set for my students are often vastly different from what seems to be the norm.
Let's take as an example the time that it takes to advance a single kyu rank. The average among JKA-style dojo is typically about 50 hours of training time for someone of average athletic ability and intelligence. (*reference: Poll conducted through SRSI Yahoo Egroup (previously Shotokan Egroup), in 2002 which showed average of close to 500 hours to shodan (9 kyu ranks from pure beginner) among those who responded.) This would be approximately 6 months at 2 hours/week or 3 months at 4 hours/week. I just today read in a martial arts business magazine (the one I sometimes refer to as "How to Rip Off Your Students") that one instructor held in high regard by that magazine's editorial staff (related to the fact that the instructor subscribes to the primary product sold by the magazine's parent company?) practically guarantees 6th-grade children that they will achieve their yellow belts (full kyu rank advancement from pure beginner) at the end of their set of sessions that totals 15 hours of training. Yes, that is a TOTAL of 15 hours of training. He further explains that this is the normal amount of time it takes. And don't forget that these are kids, for whom it typically takes significantly longer for ideas and techniques to "sink in." That I consider approximately 100 hours of training the norm for a single kyu advancement is therefore very far from the standards of some. But I don't think that I should compare my standards to those of instructors that spend more time marketing their classes than teaching them.
For the kyu exams I administer at my dojo, the requirements are straightforward. We follow the official JKA rank advancement requirements for the physical portion of the test. I will sometimes include something slightly outside of the minimum requirements as laid out by the JKA. But this would be minor and would be primarily to check a certain point. The exam is videotaped. I then give each person 2 short questions that he/she is to answer in writing (take-home exam, can research however they desire but must cite references). The beginner questions are quite simple and require only a short answer. For the higher ranks, answers may be as much as one page in length. I review the video and my notes and give feedback in writing to each student on both the written and physical parts of the exam and copy the videotape for anyone who took the exam. It is clear what they did well on and what they need to work harder on for the future. Typically, my students are approximately 1-2 kyu ranks ahead of those from average JKA-style Shotokan dojo in North America, from what I have seen. There are some that I have seen from other dojo who have been better than some of my students at the same rank. But this is not at all common.
Many senior karate practitioners around the world understand and appreciate that rank within the JKA is often lower than that of their counterparts in other organizations. This does help to show that JKA standards are, at least in some respects, very high. But doesn't this in some way confuse the public, at least those who do not have enough experience to know about the different rank standards? Wouldn't it be in the JKA's best interest to lower their standards and raise the ranks of their students and instructors more quickly? This actually did happen (for senior instructor ranks) in Shotokan in the 1950's and 60's, as the JKA realized that there was too much discrepancy between their ranks and those of other karate organizations. Is it time to do this again? If they "corrected" some of their ranks, what of the places where rank is highly inflated? Would they be willing to lower their ranks? I don't think so. The problem is much more far-reaching than simply a couple of organizations disagreeing about what constitutes the skill levels of given ranks. The standards for both student grades and instructor ranks are all over the map. I suspect that this dilemma will never be resolved completely.
As for instructor rank, I feel that one step towards clarifying credentials is to get more information out there on what skills particular people have. Most importantly, this means providing detailed descriptions of various instructors as a comparison tool. Please see my Instructor Profiles Database for more on how I am trying to help accomplish this.
Although I believe that many present-day instructors can conduct better classes than many - if not most - of our predecessors, we should not lower our standards. If anything, we should raise them, for both instructors and their students. At least that is what I am trying to do...
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Perhaps my standards are too high. I know that there are few instructors, at least in Shotokan, with higher overall standards than I have. There are some who have certain requirements for shodan in their dojo which are more rigorous than at my dojo; for example where the students must be able to do a certain number of consecutive push-ups, sit-ups, etc. And there are other places where self-defense is tested more thoroughly or multiple kata are tested. But, overall, I think that my standards are higher than the vast majority of the dojo where instructors claim to be teaching Shotokan, at least in terms of the level of proficiency of a core set of techniques, movements and basic strategy, as well as technical knowledge and overall attitude.
Far more importantly, however, than how my standards compare specifically, there seems to be a vast discrepancy in standards from dojo to dojo; often even within a given organization. I think it would be great if we could all agree on standards. But as long as this is not the case (and it most likely will never be), I definitely prefer to be known for having higher, rather than lower, standards.
Some of the best companies in the world are the best companies precisely because their standards are so high. The same can be said of individuals. In order to be the best that we can, we should set our goals high and try to achieve them. We must, however, not forget to appreciate our relative achievements and should not be too hard on ourselves (or others) if we fail to reach our very high goals. We must be realistic. My idea has always been to aim high but be prepared for low. I have since I was quite young referred to myself as a "practical perfectionist" and try to share this attitude with those who train with me. We should consider marginal return on investment. If it would take the same amount of effort, for example, to increase the speed of a given technique by 5% or to increase the form of the technique by 50%, it would probably be a much better return on investment (effort) to focus on form.
I would not want to lower my standards by much. But when I see students from other dojo (and I know that the geographical area I am in and dojo I have seen are quite high by relative standards as compared to many other parts of the world) I feel that the standards I set for my students are often vastly different from what seems to be the norm.
Let's take as an example the time that it takes to advance a single kyu rank. The average among JKA-style dojo is typically about 50 hours of training time for someone of average athletic ability and intelligence. (*reference: Poll conducted through SRSI Yahoo Egroup (previously Shotokan Egroup), in 2002 which showed average of close to 500 hours to shodan (9 kyu ranks from pure beginner) among those who responded.) This would be approximately 6 months at 2 hours/week or 3 months at 4 hours/week. I just today read in a martial arts business magazine (the one I sometimes refer to as "How to Rip Off Your Students") that one instructor held in high regard by that magazine's editorial staff (related to the fact that the instructor subscribes to the primary product sold by the magazine's parent company?) practically guarantees 6th-grade children that they will achieve their yellow belts (full kyu rank advancement from pure beginner) at the end of their set of sessions that totals 15 hours of training. Yes, that is a TOTAL of 15 hours of training. He further explains that this is the normal amount of time it takes. And don't forget that these are kids, for whom it typically takes significantly longer for ideas and techniques to "sink in." That I consider approximately 100 hours of training the norm for a single kyu advancement is therefore very far from the standards of some. But I don't think that I should compare my standards to those of instructors that spend more time marketing their classes than teaching them.
For the kyu exams I administer at my dojo, the requirements are straightforward. We follow the official JKA rank advancement requirements for the physical portion of the test. I will sometimes include something slightly outside of the minimum requirements as laid out by the JKA. But this would be minor and would be primarily to check a certain point. The exam is videotaped. I then give each person 2 short questions that he/she is to answer in writing (take-home exam, can research however they desire but must cite references). The beginner questions are quite simple and require only a short answer. For the higher ranks, answers may be as much as one page in length. I review the video and my notes and give feedback in writing to each student on both the written and physical parts of the exam and copy the videotape for anyone who took the exam. It is clear what they did well on and what they need to work harder on for the future. Typically, my students are approximately 1-2 kyu ranks ahead of those from average JKA-style Shotokan dojo in North America, from what I have seen. There are some that I have seen from other dojo who have been better than some of my students at the same rank. But this is not at all common.
Many senior karate practitioners around the world understand and appreciate that rank within the JKA is often lower than that of their counterparts in other organizations. This does help to show that JKA standards are, at least in some respects, very high. But doesn't this in some way confuse the public, at least those who do not have enough experience to know about the different rank standards? Wouldn't it be in the JKA's best interest to lower their standards and raise the ranks of their students and instructors more quickly? This actually did happen (for senior instructor ranks) in Shotokan in the 1950's and 60's, as the JKA realized that there was too much discrepancy between their ranks and those of other karate organizations. Is it time to do this again? If they "corrected" some of their ranks, what of the places where rank is highly inflated? Would they be willing to lower their ranks? I don't think so. The problem is much more far-reaching than simply a couple of organizations disagreeing about what constitutes the skill levels of given ranks. The standards for both student grades and instructor ranks are all over the map. I suspect that this dilemma will never be resolved completely.
As for instructor rank, I feel that one step towards clarifying credentials is to get more information out there on what skills particular people have. Most importantly, this means providing detailed descriptions of various instructors as a comparison tool. Please see my Instructor Profiles Database for more on how I am trying to help accomplish this.
Although I believe that many present-day instructors can conduct better classes than many - if not most - of our predecessors, we should not lower our standards. If anything, we should raise them, for both instructors and their students. At least that is what I am trying to do...
Copyright © 2003, Jon Keeling
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)