The Basic Rules and regulations of the JKA of Manitoba; a rather incomplete guide!

The Basic Rules and regulations of the JKA of Manitoba; a rather incomplete guide!

 

                It’s been pointed out to me over the last few weeks that some people don’t know the proper etiquette in a Dojo. I mean they get that it’s a special place and you can’t act like you do in the outside world, but one of the junior instructors said that students do not understand we have some specific rules they have to follow, despite us trying our best to let them know that we have some specific rules, people ignore some, fain ignorance on some and just plain break other rules of etiquette in the clubs.

                We don’t really have a lot of rules that we cannot bend in the JKA/MB but we do have some very specific rules that should be followed. Here is my take on the rules we need to enforce and why…and which can be “bent”….

 

Going on and off the floor

                When a student enters the training area or leaves it is proper to bow towards he Kimaza to show respect for the training area, the instructors in the club and the students who will help you learn.

 

Arriving late

                If at all possible it is suggested that you don’t arrive late, but if you do you should sit in Seiza at the entrance of the training area, preferably off the floor but your instructor must be able to see you. Raise your hand to call attention to yourself. The instructor will call you to join class when he is ready to have you safely join.

 

Lining up

                When you are called to line up, do so quickly and according to rank. If students are both the same rank or the same belt color and you don’t know who is higher just fit into the line anyplace that is appropriate.  Not moving quickly makes this process take longer than it should and takes time away from training.

 

No talking in class

                Once class starts it is important to hear instructions and details on what you are doing. For safety reasons you need to know exactly what is expected of you and those around you. Talking and not paying attention could lead to issues and injury. Also you will miss out on what you are doing and the instructor may have to repeat themselves.

 

No jewelry, watches, earrings, rings. Tape those that don’t come off.

                NO jewelry when training. Any rings that cannot come up must be taped well and any Medical alert bracelets must be taped as well. NO necklaces or earrings. If earrings cannot come out they MUST be taped to support them from being caught on anything and causing injury!

                I had someone fight me on this one once; she said she had a right to keep her ear ring in when training and it was her body. It told her the two stories of people wearing ear ring in training I was part of. One was a stud earing that got imbedded in the bone behind the ear (mastoid) when a person was kicked accidentally and I had to remove the stud from the bone with a pair of needle nosed plyers. The second was an earlobe that was ripped off when an ear ring caught on a person’s Gi, if they still want to wear the earing have them wright a note saying they won’t sue and they take personal responsibility for the ear ring.

 

No chew gum or have candy or food in the mouth while training.
                Eating or chewing gum, candy while training is a great way to encourage choking. We don’t allow people to eat or have candy on the DOJO floor because of safety concerns.  Not only can someone choke on the gum or food, but if it falls out of your mouth or if you spill, drop it, we get the honor of walking in it. NOT COOL. If the “galley” for watching students is on the dojo floor as it is with one of our clubs we also don’t let people eat in the galley area.

 

Karate students must follow the instructions of their seniors and instructors, quickly and respectfully.
                When an instructor or senior asks you to do something in the club, like move to a different spot, or give a command to line up you should do so quickly and quietly. This is something I stress to student because it helps us run an efficient and effective class, however I had one student say “I am paying for this class so I will move when I want to”, I told him that was fine, and he could move out of class and come back with a better attitude or not at all. Some fail to realize that half of the orders we give are to ensure everyone has a good class and the other half is for your safety. One more thing…you are not the only one paying for the class, the other 20 people waiting for you to smarten up have paid for this class as well, so if you don’t want to listen, the door does open to let you out.

 

When changing positions in the dojo, do not walk through the rows. As much as possible, walk around the outside or between rows.

                Its funny, half of the accidents I see in the dojo are from people running “between lines” and trying to make it out of the way of oncoming traffic. When you move in the Dojo make sure you do so in a way that gets you out of harms way and not like a character in Frogger!

 

When adjusting or tidying your gi, bow and face away from the dojo shrine. Do not adjust your gi during an exercise unless told to do so.

                Its one thing to pull at the bottom of your jacket and correct a rising up issue, its another to take your belt off and fix yourself up in the middle of Kumite ext. The most extreme form of this I saw was a guy who took his Obi off and adjusted his pants right there on the Dojo floor, we saw every wrinkle and mole he had on his upper torso and while he may not have body issues, and was very open…others were uncomfortable. I have also seen ladies do a similar thing with a sport bra on, again…while you don’t have issues…most of us would feel uncomfortable to say the least.

 

Karate students must have the instructor's permission to leave class before it has ended..

                One of my pet peeves as an instructor is when people go missing during a class…..especially a very hard one! I tend to watch and see if students are looking a tad green and then if they are missing I will go looking for them. If you feel ill don’t leave class, sit next to the garbage in case of you getting sick, but don’t leave. I have had one student leave class and pass out in the girls bathroom….it was far more scary for me than her! A rule, if its just a pee break…let me know and realize if you are gone for longer than normal…someone is going to come looking for you.

 

Say OUS when asked a question

                “Ous” is a strange word that take students a while to get used to. There are many stories about what Ous means or where it came from…and none of them really matter. The use of this affirmative term shortens the use of talking in the dojo and thus adds to training time. Keep this in mind when being asked questions. If you know or will do what is asked “ous” the person….or “oos” depending on who you ask. If you do not want to answer in the affirmative then just say no…someone will ask you why no and you are good.

 

Care for your Gi and obi

                I cannot state how important it is enough to keep your Gi clean. Obi’s will fall apart, but dirty, torn up Gis should be cleaned or replaced. Not only is it gross to have to smell someone else’s stench, especially if its week old pizza sauce that is molding on your Gi pants, or to spar with someone that is filthy…but holes in gis and ripped parts are weak and can be torn more or lead to injury…or over exposure. It also shows a complete lack of pride to have a Gi that is so filthy that its horrible to be near that person.

 

What can I put on my gi/Obi

                A patch over your left chest, nothing more unless its your name written on the pants and jacket….lower down on the jacket and up high on the pants. The point being that it’s as clear of stuff as possible. I have seen some pretty funny Gi’s with patches all over the place in my time, they look cluttered and horrible to me. I have seen Gi pants so done up with patches that the pants barely bend! JKA rules are basically to be as minimalistic as possible.

 

Sensei, sempai or what?

                Perhaps the most confusing part for new students, but should be the most clear cut for seniors. When you first join you only really need to know who the instructor is…that’s “Sensei”…the rest are “Sempai” but we forgive you if you call us by our first names or Mr/Mrs., and personally I don’t mind if you call me anything that is not an insult right off. However as you go up in levels you realize who is who and you should use that title in any environment that is appropriate unless corrected not to.

                My rule of thumb is similar to my bowing rule of thumb, when in doubt…use the title you think they are (I always call black belts Sensei unless I find out they are lower rank or equal to me…or not an instructor). Respect is key…that’s the most important part.

 

Who to bow to?Bow to Sensei!

                Much like the use of titles in the Dojo, bow to EVERYONE. It’s not rude to bow to a junior, try to figure out who you are to bow to can be insane and difficult. Remember that bowing is much like hand shaking, one is enough per person and make sure you just bow when you feel it would be polite, when you think it appropriate…oh, heck just bow and everyone will know you are trying.

                It is especially important to bow to Dingman Sensei and the seniors in the association. They have created the format and frame work that you are training in. its only respectful to bow to them and let them know you appreciate it.

 

Cleaning up

                Cleaning up after a workout normally means running a wet rag across the floor to clean it of perspiration and any other fluids (I mean blood) that may be on the floor. Over the years it has become less and less understood. To put it plane it basically is a way of showing respect to the next class that comes along. If you note a senior is not doing the floor, chances are they will be mopping up, dusting or vacuuming the club after you leave, don’t worry as you get up in rank your responsibility grows, it does not diminish.

 

What if you don’t show up for a while?

                Okay, here is the deal….some instructors will say its horrible because they rely on your funds to keep the doors open, For me I say that’s crap. Yes they do rely on your funds to keep the doors open and to earn a wage, but its also their responsibility to draw in more students so they can afford to keep the doors open. For me it’s the lack of upward mobility you get when you are off for a while. We care, or should care about you and your progress in Karate, time off means lost learning time and a slide back in what you retain. Just think of just about getting to a rank, taking three weeks off and starting from scratch. My only concern if you are off for a while or planning a vacation from the Dojo, let me know so I am not worried you got hurt or something.

 

Use of inappropriate Language

                I swear A LOT…ask my wife and mom…I swear to much…ask my sister and Dad….And when I swear its often ear burning and can be offensive at times…ask any of my friends or extended family…but to be frank…I don’t think I have ever sworn in a Dojo in my life! The Dojo is not the right place to use swears or inappropriate language. I recall one senior making comments about a student and commenting on his thoughts on her “physique”…..TOTALLY in what you should be doing in the club. The Dojo to me is much like church, behave the way you would think acceptable in a Church and be on your best behavior. Don’t comment on inappropriate things and don’t swear or use any kind of language that may be offensive. I try my best, but the odd “Damn” will slip out…but nothing to blue! Oh, and I get embarrassed saying Butt or bumb!

 

No fighting in the dojo,

                I would love to say that this is a no brainer, but in the last 37 years I have seen at least 6 real fights in the dojo from meat heads that don’t realize its not a Testosterone match!  If you start to take it personally walk away, if the person won’t stop, go to the instructor.

 

No spitting or No lying about

                Again, some may say that this is a no brainer, but I have seen people laying around the club…kids mostly…a lot, and on the odd occasion I have seen people spit on the floor. Its GROSS and it happens. Treat the Dojo well and you can learn their, learn respect and proper attitude. Treat it poorly and you are showing you are not learning anything.

 

Keep your nails short and trimmed, CLEAN feet ext

                I have had two times were NAIL CLAWS have racked me up and damaged my shins or almost cut my wrists….its not pretty and strangely its not the ladies that have done this…no they generally just stomp my big toe and rip my own nails off. It’s the men! They don’t cut their toe claws and then I get shin scrapes and cuts and I HATE THAT.  Cut your nails.

                Also, stinky, dirty feet gross me out, and Im not alone. If I cannot stand next to you for fear my eyes may water…wash them! Also, when you lift your feet up and they are dirty before you come on the floor…you better…wait…you guessed it…wash them. Same goes for other hygiene things. Clean hair, nails trimmed, not smelling like you have not changed your Gi or washed it in a month…not helping your cause to stay on the floor.

 

Proper safety gear in good shape. Safety string for glasses

                My favorite conversation with students “do you have the safety gear….” , them….”yes!”….me “put it on”!!!...them “its at home!”….Me…”So you don’t have the safety gear…”. Its one thing to have the safety gear, its another to bring it with you. Each student needs to have proper hand pads and mouth guards at all time and any other safety gear that you need, like strings for glasses…especially those made with glass lenses.

 

No Shoes in the Dojo

                Again, you would think this common sense, please don’t walk on our training floors with your shoes so we get to walk on your dirty left overs with our bare feet! Common sense but I have seen people with winter boots on walk out on a beautiful hard wood floor and track muck, sand and salt onto the floor and we have had to mop it up! I have also seen dog poop tracked onto a floor in a Community center by a parent that was not careful in what they stepped then argued that they did not know…but they still walked on the gym floor with their shoes on, had they taken them off we would not have had an issue….well much of one.

 

 

Anyways, that’s pretty much the rules and I hope they make sense! As you can tell 99% of the rules we have are just common sense and the key thread in any and all of them is that respect factor.  

Implementation of Strategy…or the Tactics that fulfil a strategy

             

   So a strategy is an overall “Game Plan” for a situation, be it how to take back Europe from the Nazi’s or how to face a big Monster in a Kumite Match! So, what then is a tactic and how does it apply? Tactics are those drills, the combinations or the techniques that drive the strategy to success. 

                We train Tactics all the time in Class, in fact I would venture that not a single Karate class is run without the use of training in tactics. Step in punch, step in kick, throw a round house kick/ back fist combo and you are performing tactics. The use of physical movement to advance or counter is use of a tactic.  But it’s also not that easy. A technique is only a tactic if its used in conjunction with an overall strategy, and most of the time we are doing this subconsciously or without actually viewing it this way.

                Most students do “Flail to not fail” Karate. They don’t look for a target, they don’t think of follow up moves, they simply throw an arm or leg at an opponent and pray it lands. In sport Karate this is fine, they tend not to think beyond “Throw it and pray” kind of tactics anyways, but in Goshindo or Budo based Karate one has to think like Chess when fighting, what is the move that will flow this attack or defense….how can I draw them into doing what I want….how can I react to a particular strategy to turn it in my favor.?  All these are true Budo reactions and use of strategy. Now the implementation of  the answers is tactical applications of Karate.

                So, the tactical side of Karate is the actual use of techniques used properly against proper targets to meet the needs of the situation and enforce the strategy you have come up with. Now, practicing  good Mawashi Geri on a punching bag IS part of this. You need sharp weapons and you need to be able to “hard wire” yourself to use them at a minutes notice so you can apply them and work your strategy. Practice makes perfect after all, but you also need to have a pliable mind and be able to change tactics to adjust to situational shifting. This is often called “regrouping” Mentally.

                My favorite tactic is to counter punch with a strong Reverse punch when I am faced with a faster person and when faced with a slower or less experienced partner I tend to do my “California blitz” and go for it…if you don’t know what that is…I’m not telling because I may have to use it on you! I practice both moves a lot so I can pull them out at a seconds notice. I tend not to block to much, more just a push to the attack and blast the opponent.  I also don’t do sport Karate so Im not going for a fancy point…its ugly and not a great strategy if I want to be a model. I tend to catch a fist in the face or chest, but I know my punch has better accuracy and power and my redirection drains the power from the original punch…so in a case of power vs power…I win.

 

                Now, back to Dingman Sensei and his fight with Mr. Muller, The strategy was in place…break rhythm, use speed to win and get inside his power zone.  What tactic did Dingman Sensei use to address the Strategy?  He broke the rhythm using his “Dingman Duck” its not a real duck…its when you lead with a leg far out and sneak inside, you use hip motion with most of your weight on your back leg while your front leg sneaks forwards. Its damn Dangerous if you are facing a guy that sweeps a lot but Mr Muller did not do much of that because his size let him avoid that need. Using the up and down bouncing and the “Dingman Duck” he both got inside and broke up the rhythm of Mr. Muller. The shifting around slowed Mr. Muller down as well because he knew Sensei was faster so he kind of planted his weight and thought he would out wait the smaller foe and then just counter…now Sensei had a immobile target.

                Sensei found himself inside Mr. Mullers power zone really fast and he had established a bad rhythm for Mr. Muller and now all he had to do was use a different tactic to score the point.  Keep in mind Sensei was still about three to four feet away and Mr. Muller could rush forwards at any time….But he was sitting stable for the time being. Sensei needed a Ippon or the dance would start all over again and he would need a new strategy or set of tactics so Mr. Muller would not catch on. So, what to do?

                Sensei knew a Ippon would only come if Muller was struck (Sondom people…not a real strike but close) in a spot that he was not defending that would show his complete loss. THE FACE!  Sensei finally set his weight on the back foot, pushed off and rushed inside the three foot area and leapt up. He put his back leg on Mullers extended front leg and pushed so he was now running up Mullers leg to get the right distance and BLAM he shot out a solid straight punch that would have taken Mullers nose off  his face if he had landed it for real and he Kiai’d to show the emphasis on his success in landing the perfect punch, totally surprising the opponent and I can only imagine the ring refs surprise as well!

                The implementation of his strategy and the tactics he used won Sensei a battle in a tournament that NO ONE thought he could win against an opponent that was nearly two feet taller than him and way bigger than he was. The referee called for an Ippon as Muller had his hands low and had not moved at all as the smaller man rushed up him.

 

                Studying Karate with strategy and tactics in mind will not only make things a bit more clear but it will also make your karate more applicable in situations when you really need them. My true thoughts on this is that you must train tactics so they are second nature….use of specific moves and drills will help you in any situation if you can use them with very little thought. Then putting the use of strategy into the training will help you get ready and even asses specific situations so you can then be more effective in them.

                When teaching I am now working on implementing both these ideas and tools into training brown and black belts and putting names to them as Dingman Sensei tended to be more traditional and not name them, but he did teach us this way for years. A student should learn the whys and not just the how’s and they should not just dance in the Dojo with different techniques. They should know why they are doing something, how to do it and the bigger pictures of Strategy and Tactics.

Strategy and its development and use in Karate.

                Strategy has a broad scope and its not “Right now” or minute by minute kind of thinking. Its more along the lines of setting specific goals, without setting up how to get there. By specific goals it means a good strategy would NOT be setting a goal like “I want to win” it’s a lot more defined than this, its more “I will off win if I use explosive moves as the defender does not respond well to shifting in speeds and timing”.

                Thinking of it in military terms often helps with a basic understanding. A strategy to win WWII was to take the beaches in France. The Generals all got together and made strategies on a BIG map of Europe and they said “we need to land in France, move to the boarders and then push back the Germans while Russia kept them busy fighting in Russia. Then some lower level guys were given their order “Take the beaches then push towards Germany”. Then the lower level guys had to find tactical ways to take the beaches. As we know from history we lost a tone of hero’s on those beaches implementing the tactics to work the strategy of the Generals.

                In order to have a successful run as a Kumite Competitor or to have good skill as a fighter you need to have a few things. First you need to be strategically thinking all the time. Find the best routes to win a match or take advantage in Dojo Kumite. Is your opponent faster than you,  Maybe more powerful but slower, Doe they seem to bounce a lot on their feet or are they set firm on the floor. Do they have more experience than you or are they Raw and new to Jiyu Kumite?  All these are fantastic first steps for your strategy development. You need to assess your opponent right away. I have sparred with COUNTLES guys that all have different skill sets that I have to be aware of when doing Kumite.

                So, now you kind of know what you are facing, the guy is say slower but much more powerful and has great punching, but his kicks are slow and low. He has a tone more experience than you and better timing. So, strategy development now means that you need to find the weakness that you want to exploit and work around other barriers that will throw you off. So, in this case you want to be faster, throw off his rhythm by shifting yours around to confuse him. You don’t need to  worry to much about high kicks but you do need to keep in mind that his timing means he may have great foot sweeps. You want to keep outside his punching distance till you are ready to jut in and then out again. So the strategy is “Broken timing-Speed and distance variation-explosive moves and use of longer range fast attacks”. 

                Or, you are facing a faster fighter, he bounces a lot on his feet and his center of gravity is higher than yours and he uses a lot of high kicks. He is not as experienced as you and throws techniques without a proper target selection. Okay, so tactics will be to possibly stay inside his kicking range so he has to use his hands to fight, slow down the fighting with use of pressure on the fighter and wait till he lifts his hips/center of gravity and ashi barai the guy till he falls like a tree! Then pounce and finish him off.

                Both of these are strategies that may or may not work depending on who the other guy works his strategy but you would never do the complete opposite of these and say stay in kicking range and try to out kick a quicker longer and more explosive kicker or try and stay in the pocket with a power puncher who has better timing….unless being unconscious is your actual goal!

                Sadly we don’t do a lot of strategy work in Karate, We tend to train mostly in tactics, which I will get to shortly. We miss opportunity to “Game plan” or do some basic “how to” work, unless we are training in Goshindo style work and then its “what would you do if a big guy grabbed you from behind” or “If a guy swings a club at you this way what would you do”….even then we end up going right to tactics and miss out on strategy.

                A good strategy has a mental aspect of a big version of what and a very distinct understanding of WHY. We did not just decide that storming the beaches was a good idea because we fancied the beach  as a nice spot to land, their was a good why involved, just like we say “we will sweep at the legs and get the guy when he is off balance” because the guy will fall and be on the ground, shocked for a second so our second attack will finish him off.

                Also, because of a lack of strategy most people panic when they fight against someone they feel is bigger and stronger or faster and more athletic. I remember a story that Sensei Dingman told me about his fight with Mr. Muller. Sensei is not a big man, about five two or three and he was always about 120.So he was tiny compared to Mr. Mullers near seven feet tall and probably 250! The guy was a beast and Sensei had to face him down. The only words that Yaguchi Sensei had told Sensei Dingman was “beat him” and that was the strategy his instructor…the best Kumite coach in the world gave him for that fight!

                However, Sensei Yaguchi…being the best Kumite coach that the JKA had produced had taught sensei about Strategy. Sensei told me he knew that Muller was slower, longer, had exceptional timing and used his length to keep the attackers on the tip of his kicking and punching zone. Sensei knew to beat Muller he had to break this all down, use his speed and explosiveness to beat the distance, create a situation where Muller was uncomfortable and throw him off so his timing was off.  That was the strategy!

                Dingman Sensei then went and created some tactics to implement, pretty much on the fly. Dingman Sensei has always been better at using and developing strategy to counter others strengths and use his own to his advantage and then implementing tactics he had been training in or making up on the fly. He is a master’s master at this as an athlete and tried to teach this to everyone he coached.

What is a Dojo!

What is a Dojo!

                The word Dojo means different things to different people and to be honest most of us don’t really realize that it means more than one thing, and it is used by more than one group of people. We think of “Dojo” as the place that martial arts are done, and that’s pretty much the extent of our understanding of a Dojo, we never really think of the less practical and more specific meaning of the term or what it represents.

                Most people see the Dojo as a “training hall” or gym. They come in, throw on whatever kind of gear they need to put on, and sweat up a storm…then they go home and think nothing more of the people they were with or the relationship that should be forming. This is a modern trend and most instructors don’t mind this. They get a minimum amount of investment into the student, they get paid and that is that.

                “Dojo” or “Place of the way” started out as places adjunct to temples. They were places of training in specific disciplines and adopted by martial arts out of necessity. Karate and the old Jujitsu styles were all trained outside or in specific areas of homes that were akin to the home gym one would have today. They had no real significance other than that was the area you worked out in.  Karate itself was trained in gardens and training areas that the military and security forces of the time used to work on weapons training and the like.

                When the world changed Okinawan and Japanese society the art went into training in peoples yards and finally in schools. At about the same time the Japanese mainland styles of fighting started moving into Dojo to train.  Originally used as a term for the practice halls used in Zen Buddhism, the Dojo or Zendo was a place that practitioners of Zen Buddhism, specifically Soto Zen, would go to practice meditation.

                Most western practitioners associate the term Dojo only with the practice of Japanese martial arts, they don’t really know how the term started, and when you think about it the term Dojo is a very Zen sounding thing. However its not just martial arts and Zen Buddhism that is practiced in a Dojo. Professional Wrestling and other physical activities that work out in a building often use this term as well. Similar to the title “Sensei” most people in the west fail to realize that its not just meant for Karate or martial arts training. A culinary school may have a training area that they set aside that they call the Dojo as well. However this is not the focus of this Blog, its martial arts practice, so let’s get back to that.

                A Dojo is a very special place and seen by some as being almost consecrated ground. It represents the blood and sweat that was spilled on its floors and the hard work and dedication that the students have in that club. The Dojo is cared for by the students and instructors very differently than any other gym type setting would be with specific rituals and exercises done to keep the club clean and in top shape.  Most clubs have some very special cleaning rituals (Soji) like washing floors after class or weekly dusting and cleaning that will keep the floors and the training area clean for everyone to train .

                The Dojo has a specific set of rules as well that all members and visitors must follow, including behavior, dress and safety practices that you don’t often see in gyms. They are also enforced very different. If you wore outside shoes in a gym you may get spoken to and escorted out of a gym, in a dojo you are more likely to get swatted with a shinai and kicked out of the building. Also the type of language that is acceptable and behavior that is seen as acceptable is different in the gym than from the Dojo. I recall going to a gym to work out and one of the weight lifters was using expletive language that caused many to look and wonder what was going on. I have never seen or heard a person swear while doing Karate! Not in a class or training, the accepted use of language would preclude this.

                A Dojo has some very specific and important components that make it recognizable to the general Martial arts community. First it has a Shomen or Front. The Shomen is the area of the club that the Kamiza or “place of honor” sits. The Kamiza used to be the front of a Shinto shrine were a sculpture would sit and special artifacts would be held. In a Dojo it is often a picture of the founder of the club and the style along with flags and other ornamental items that bring the idea of the Dojos heritage to the students. Sometimes the artifacts include scrolls, armor, weapons, pictures, a drum and perhaps the Dojo Kun or other rules.

                The club will also have a name board often to identify those in the club, weapons and gear racks that will hold the equipment so that it is not cluttering the training area and various teaching implements and training gear will be set about in appropriate places. A galley for those waiting and watching is often set up; however some schools do not allow visitors to watch or prefer that they wait in a separate area.

                 The Dojo is overseen by a “Sensei” or instructor in the way, but he is not always the owner or even head guy in the club. Often the clubs are run by foundations or groups of like-minded people who support the instructor and own the land and building. The Dojo also has one or more upper level students called Uchi Deshi or “Aside students” who do the day to day business of cleaning and running the club. All other students or Deshi are there to learn and train only, but often support the Dojo  with more than just monthly fees. Large donations are often made to support the Dojo, more modern Dojo’s do not have this practice and charge a great deal more than the Koryu Dojos or traditional Dojos.

                In university Dojo’s there may be more than one “club” or group using the Dojo, in more modern Dojo it is normally only one group using the training area for martial arts training, but diversity in use of the space helps keep the clubs open. A Dojo will often have a “Flag” or “banner” that they present at tournaments to announce their involvement and show pride in its athletes. And Dojos will have unique names that represent who they are and what they represent….like Fudoshin Dojo or Hitosugan Dojo. The point being to not only show they are different and give them a name, but one that shows the true spirit of the club and what they want to represent.

 

                But none of this lets you know what a Dojo is to me! A Dojo to me is made up of the sacred place I go to train and express myself as well as the people that are present that I consider an extended family. They help me grow as a person and train, express myself and build myself up and I return the favor by trying to help them do the same thing. It’s a special relationship that can build strength of character if you work with the right people. That’s what a Dojo is to me, a special place…and special people.

 

How to be a good student in Karate!

How to be a good student in Karate!

                As a Karate instructor you notice your students habits, both physical and other, when they are training. Some have issues with stance, attention, aggression, lazy moments and lack of drive…and others like to teach when they should be training! I have also seen other habits that are hard to break like people who grab a lot…the grabby students can hurt someone if they grab a leg when their partner kicks and they think they should hold onto it….or those that have a habit of hitting others…habits of coming late for class…habits of talking a lot in class…habits of missing seminars and only showing up when they are going to grade….habits of being negative…overly positive and just about every other habit you can imagine!

                During a class you will see those habits come out and you will note some students have great training habits and others don’t, it’s not that the ones that don’t are not taking the class serious or not serious about training, most of the time its character habits and you have to find ways to build better habits with them, they just need more guidance in some cases. Yes, you will get students who you can talk to till you are blue in the face and they just seem to show up and go through the moves in a zombie like state and you cannot get them to interact in any meaningful way, but you will also find that some you think are not going to find that breakthrough moment do in the end…and often its despite all your effort not because of it…which is mind numbingly frustrating.

                Teaching a full class all the time is a commitment and I find that it is way more rewarding than annoying….and the reason I say this is that I had a conversation with a fellow instructor the other day and he was saying how some students (their habits not the students in the end) annoyed him, he was frustrated and did not know how to deal with them. The instructor teaches in the UK and we were chatting online and we kind of came to the same conclusion at the same time…it’s the habit not the student most of the time. This lead me to remember a book my Dad had given me about 20 years ago….7 habits of highly successful people (I am guessing at the number…but I think I am right).

                I remember a story that Yaguchi Sensei once told me about training at the JKA Hombu and how he runs his club. He told me that students are EXPECTED to drive and motivate themselves, they cannot “teach” others in class and they would never ever think of it. The job of the student was to show up and train. If they were ever asked to teach they would “change hats” and engage the class as a instructor. However, if they were training they could talk as much as they wanted…in the change room. The minute they left the change room in their Gi and entered the Dojo the only things they said was “ous” and to Kiai…that’s all! The rest was hard work and driving.

                He also told me a story about a student who was lazy, never showed up before class to do work and left immediately after class, never staying to work on weak points…for which there was many, he seemed unmotivated and almost like he did not want to be training at all. The Dojo back then was very different than it is now and the student finally got their black belt and found a new habit of correcting the juniors, all while displaying the normal lazy halfhearted effort in class, in fact they got worse. Sensei told me that the student took almost twice as long to get his black belt and almost did not get it at all, But when they did they started to get even more lazy and used teaching as an excuse to not train hard at all…and they were not even the “teacher” for the class.

                One afternoon Nakayama Sensei noticed the lack of effort and the attitude and habits and walked up to the black belt, removed the students belt and told him to go back to being a white belt till he understood how to be a good student. He was pleasant about it and not insulting to the talkative and lazy student but it had its effect and the student left the Dojo and did not return feeling insulted. The point was that he had technically gotten his Black belt but his habits were limiting his progress, it was best to start from scratch and work on good habits not continue on with the bad ones.

                Having said that, being a teacher or even getting the chance to teach is a very important part of training. It can teach you more than hours of personal training because you see your weaknesses from a different perspective and you can find answers to issues you were not even sure you had. However the act of teaching should be positive and not snipping at partners or trying to gain time to rest…or just being lazy. When you are asked to teach you have to do your very best to actually instruct, make the class somewhat fun and also give the students a good work out or at the least….TEACH THEM SOMETHING OF VALUE!  I know not all classes will be boot camp worthy work outs or technical development classes that create better form and functionality, but you have to make the class worth showing up for!

                Students on the other hand have one job…follow the leader, make the effort to learn and work on the things being presented. Its one job…with many facets and lots of details you need to follow. In the following list, because I love lists, I am going to outline good and bad habits of students. The habits that hold some back and propel others forwards. If you can see the ones that you have in one category, chances are that you have others in the other column as well. I hope it helps you move into 2016 on a high note and able to better focus on moving your training to the next level.

 

Bad Habits

1. Always Late for Class: My first pet peeve is that I am ALWAYS early for class by at least 15 minutes and some students show up regularly 5-10 minutes late. I get it that you cant always be early or even on time…but late every class is just bad form. In my Dojo I tell people if you are not early…you are late!
2. Teaching and not training: This whole article focuses on what not to do as a student. If you are a student training, you are not a teacher…shut up and train…no excuses. If you need to work WITH someone that is one thing, do it silently and or quickly and get back to pushing yourself. If the person just cannot get it right…point that out to a instructor and get some help from them. Do not take it upon yourself to add to the class, as I said…shut up and train.
3. Taking log breaks off from training: I have several students who I see regularly…with long intervals in-between. It drives me nuts and I know that life gets in the way, but sometimes it’s just a total lack of interest and dedication…and that’s fine, you get out of Karate what you put in…but for GODS SAKE when you come back, slap on a white belt and don’t act as if you have been slaving away the whole time and know everything. One time a major change in Kata had come down from the JKA, three weeks after we were introducing it a student came back and began showing the brown belts the old way of doing it and even said “Man, that’s wrong…what are you doing, here let me show you” and then he proceeded to show the old way. I had not caught it soon enough and I had to reteach the seniors the changes all over again. When you come back…take your time to figure out if you have missed anything or if you need to work on changes. Not only that but if you have been off for several months/years there is a good chance that you have forgotten something. Shut up and train!
4. Training in only one aspect of Karate: I always see the student who loves to do Kumite or loves to do Kata, wants only to study for tournaments or HATES to study for tournaments, the guy that sits near the Makiwara and hits it but won’t do a Kata or spar. It’s funny how some people latch onto some aspect of Karate and wont dip their toes into the other areas. You need to do a bit of everything to be well rounded and not just focus on one aspect of Karate.
5. Losing your temper: I don’t care what the reason is, if you have a temper as bad as mine…take it off the floor if you get mad…count to ten, go hit something in private or whatever…don’t take it out on the other students ext watching or in class. I remember seeing an instructor melt down in a class and lose his temper for some stupid thing, he had students that did the same thing, it’s not going to help you learn karate if you don’t have control of your temper. The worst part is most people to even realize that they are losing their temper and they think it’s natural. Learn the signs and figure out how to control it or it will control you.
6. Too hard on yourself: One of my students is a classic case for this one, and this is not always a bad thing. Being hard on yourself and critical of your performance is a sure sign that you give a damn…but being so pathologically hard on yourself that you don’t see the good things is bad bad bad! I have to constantly work with this student to remind them how good they actually are, and often till I am physically red in the face. They are lucky they are worth the craziness and effort I put in because at some point you have to say that they need to figure this one out on their own. Be sensitive to the fact that we all have holes in our game and we all need work, but don’t be so hard on yourself that you stress out constantly. Relax this is the fun stuff!
7. Not supporting the group: One of my biggest beefs is the student who wants to participate in testing, come to classes and refuses to do anything…ever…to help support the group. We have done so much to make participation easy and get people working with us to grow and some people simply refuse to help out. We are all volunteers and when someone refuses to simply show up to seminars and participate with the group or hand out a business card, buy and wear a tee shirt or anything…it stinks. I know that everyone has a busy life outside the club, but I am just as busy and volunteer my time (I don’t get paid to teach) and I find time to do tones, so do others. So it sticks in my mind when a student’s wants support from us and does not do anything…you are likely to get the same kind of support back that you give out.
8. Lack of control/hitting: Before someone brings this up…yes, I like to hit and getting hit a bit does not bother me…what I am talking about is the student who has no regard or respect for others and just nails them to feel them flinch or to feel the techniques land. Karate can be very dangerous and it can cause lots of damage, which is why we are very careful watching students who have a history of hitting each other or who show a complete lack of respect when it comes to protecting their training partners. Those that hit with a complete lack of control or to prove their power will soon find out that testing and training is not as much fun as they first thought, cuz I will bury my foot up their butt!
9. Being a bully/Ego tripper (in the dojo or out): Along with hitting are those that I call the bully students, they may not always hit you but they will take great pleasure in showing you up or in hitting you, they force their aggressive nature into Kumite and its not about learning, its about making you feel bad! The Ego tripper is also part of this group. They tend to just want to bash you and then show how good they are. That’s fine, those people wont stick around when they realize as mean and bad as they think they are…there is always someone willing to show that they are meaner and more willing to serve up some humble pie.
10. The Water Camel/Bathroom breaker: Now I know that most of this comes out of not wanting to work hard so I am never fooled but those that fill up on water and drink it every break annoy me. It leads to the second part….the bath room break. First off you should have a few gulps of water before class, go to the bathroom and then get to work. You may need a bit more water after a half hour of working out and then again at the end. But every 5 minutes?  Really???? NO!  And then the student needs to leave the floor to go to the bathroom…No shocker here with a gallon of water sloshing around in you. In the old days sensei would not allow water on the training floor and we NEVER had water bottles in the Dojo EVER! The reason, he could not stop people from running over every rest and stretch period to guzzle water. Its not good for you to do this anyways but people don’t listen. It wastes our time and we also end up getting very annoyed.
11. Talking in class: Be it to teach or just screw around, I have been known to come down hard on people who talk excessively in my classes. I tell them that its fine if they want to talk, they paid for the time, but so did everyone else and the total lack of respect off puts many people. When you are in class, reserve your talking to the class and don’t teach…just train.
12. Laying around before class: Before class you can do Kata, warm up, jog around, find a partner to do Kumite with, stretch or you can do what most kids do…sit around on their butt and talk. To make positive steps forwards you need to make a commitment to doing a bit before class to improve.
13. Mrs/Mr Negativity: we all know and see them, they cant find a way to be positive about something to save their life! I think that being negative is a natural part of the eb and flow of our minds, but being negative all the time is a particular art form that some have. I know of one person that is not only negative but seems to have built in excuses for why things wont work or why something is not a good idea. You need to get past that say OUS and just roll up your sleeves and get to work on whatever it is that you are doing. I had one student so down on themselves that they said they would never learn Heian Shodan. I reminded them the other day, now that they are a black belt and know 9 Kata that they DID in fact learn Heian Shodan and they are actually pretty good at it. Just push past the negativity and get it done, it could take ten times as long as anyone else…but you can get it done.
14. The attention seeker!: The attention seeker is normally a kid, or an adult that simply must have it all about them. This can be seen in those that want to be part of every conversation, wants to go out and do a crazy Solo Kata in the middle of the floor and then looks around at everyone to make sure they were seen, or worse yet…in someone that is always getting hurt. This is not a horrible one, but it annoys me when someone always has to be the center of attention in class and I am trying to teach. Calm down…you will get your turn!

 

Good Habits.

1. Listens in class: The best students turn off their mouth in class and open their ears. They listen, they pay attention when we are talking and they focus on their training. I hate having to repeat myself and Most students listen, but those who don’t end up dragging the class time down. Listen up and put the effort in to pay attention.
2. Keeps a note book: There is nothing nicer than seeing people take notes after class. Be it a seminar or a regular class, I am taking notes in a special series of books I keep. Every seminar I have with a senior or even classes I observe I am taking notes and going over them later. I feel not only is it good for the student but it shows the instructor that they are interested and paying attention.
3. Does not interrupt but does find time to ask questions: We, as instructors, should NEVER discourage someone from asking questions, however we have to be practical here. If you are standing around talking and asking the same question over and over or just interrupting us to ask a question it can kill the flow of the class. Wait for the right moment then ask.
4. Early to class: Being late is bad, but coming a bit early AND working on something is fantastic. I remember times when I would show up to teach and students were already on the floor doing Kata or stretching out. It was fantastic, I saw so many of them progress and get better and better. Then the ones who were late were upset because they put in the “Same amount of time” as the other students. The fact is that if you show up early you get more of my time and you get more training time in.
5. Works at home: one of the key success factors for students is the time they put in EXTRA at home. For the last 35 years I have preached that you need to do about 20 minutes a day or split it into a half hour every other day of basics and some movement skills to improve your understanding of Karate. The other thing that it does, if you do it right, is it hardwires in specific movement skills you need to improve your Karate. The work you do at home is almost, if not more, important than the classes you take at the club. Keep this in mind and when you see someone that is progressing rapidly past you its easy to see that they are doing more work at home and the club, so start a easy to follow home program and watch the results improve.
6. Drives hard all class: I don’t expect someone to push so hard in class that they collapse, well not all the time. But there is an opposite of pushing hard, that’s slacking off. If you push hard through the class and focus on working each class to the best of your ability you will be well on your way to success in your training. Be focused and push yourself as hard as you can each class, know your limits but don’t use those as a crutch! Driving hard more often than just working out will help you improve faster, test your limits and help you set new goals all the time.
7. Wants to help out anyway they can: From mopping floors to handing out fliers, from helping refurbish a new club to teaching classes! Students who volunteer for extra stuff help the club out more than they could know. The Dojo only keeps open if the students help the instructor, especially if the instructor is not a full time job for the Dojo owner. Most of us have other jobs and family so any extra help keeps the doors open. Conversely some students think that paying monthly dues is all it takes to contribute, that is only about 1/3 of the help that keeps the Dojo open. Unfortunately we end up seeing only about 4 of the 60 students we have at any time doing the extra bits that keep the doors from closing.
8. Always attends group functions, seminars and grading: Being in class is one thing, it’s actually very very important and I don’t want to underscore how important practice is….but it’s not the only part of training. Tournaments, seminars and other events are also very important. What gets me upset is when you see seniors that went through the seminars and grading and now cannot grade at smaller seminars and stop going. It shows a total lack of respect for those coming up behind you and for those that are attending who are your senior. Good student habits include attending seminars, Tournaments and other events even if you are not directly participating by grading or competing.
9. Does not take positive critiques personally: Good students listen to critiques and put their ego aside…far aside. They learn from the instructors/seniors comments and grow. We are not here to insult you and make you feel bad…well the good seniors and instructors are not. Good students listen and internalize the goals we have, the little comments and movements are important, but they don’t take it as an insult or go over board and become hard on themselves. It’s a hard balance to strike sometimes but it will help students develop and grow.
10. Respects everyone in the club!: “We are all in this together” Sensei used to say when we did team training. That kind of mentality should permeate your training. Respect everyone, no matter what skill level or rank they are. Remember that Ego and disrespect are counter to the Dojo Kun, which is our guiding theology in Karate. Focus on being respectful and making your training partners feel respected.
11. Positive attitude: When you come in and you are happy to be training, enjoy the classes, love the people you are working with and just basically in a great mood, your attitude will show and I have noticed that positive people progress and stick around a lot more than negative people do. I think this is also a reason we see so many kids in Karate. Kids are naturally positive, it takes a few years for us to ruin that and make them grow up, and they show it in how they have fun training and love classes. If you can get positive and your instructor shows he enjoys teaching…well the rest is going to be easy. Positive attitudes also make it more fun to train with you.
12. Goal oriented and hardworking:  some students work at home, some push hard and keep the goal of just one more level in their mind when training. This mentality of having the next step as a goal is one of the key success factors in students who I see progress. When you have a “terminal goal” like “I want my shodan” and that’s it…you tend to slow your progress and worse, when you hit that lofty goal…you have the feeling of “im done now” the fact is that you should be goal oriented and work hard to reach that goal…then get the next level, the next big thing, as a goal and work towards it.

 

Use the list to figure out the good habits you want to build and be determined to cut the others in half at least. The one thing I want to make sure is clear is that even if you have 10 bad habits that does not make you a bad student, it just gives you more challenges.