Distance in Karate

                This past week end lots of our talk at the instructors table was about Distance in Kumite or Ma’ai in Japanese. Ma’ai is vital in doing Kumite and we learn lots about it in all forms of Kumite and even in Kata. One thing that most instructors don’t recognize however is we get our modern understanding of Ma’ai from Nakayama Sensei and before him Anko Azato as both studied different forms of martial arts, in this case it would be sword fighting.

                Aikido and other arts that have multiple distances they train at all get their distance training and understanding from the sword arts. An art like Judo or Sumo from Japan generally don’t have as many distances to work with as its all grappling ranges, but Karate, Aikido and sword fighting don’t work in such limited ranges. And not being a practitioner of Sumo I am just looking at research on line for info.

                Nakayama Sensei and Azato both studied sword fighting, Azato studied Jigen ryu. A system of Kendo and Nakayama Sensei came from a long line of Kendo-ka. They incorporated many aspects of the sword arts into their Karate development. A fact that is very interesting as those styles that came more from Itosu Sensei, such as Shito ryu and others shuri styles, would not have had this influence and thus had to adapt from Shotokan or early shuri teachings from Azato.

                Karate and Kenjutsu normally use three broad categories of Ma’ai, however there are several more that are used to clear up some cross over areas. The basic three of course are close, far and middle distance from a opponent. The Ma’ai will also dictate proper targeting and which techniques should be used to cover the distance and to keep the proper length between the two participants for safety and to avoid being taken down or being to far apart.

 

                Far distance is called To’ma or Gendo Ma’ai. In Kendo the definition means that you cannot touch your opponents Shinai and they cannot touch yours. You have to take between 1 ½ and 2 full steps to reach your opponent. This is seen as a safe distance to start your defense from. It should be noted that in Karate To’Ma or Tai-Mah are not safe areas, they are still seen as being a dangerous position as your attacker can get to you quickly and do damage despite having to clear a longer distance.

                Training in To’ma is a good way to feel out your opponent and tell how quick they are by how long it takes them to clear the distance between them and you past this open area.

 

                The medium range or Isoku Itto no Ma’ai, or Itto ma and Yodo Ma’ai are all the middle range distance. This is the distance that in Kendo you are 1 sword length away and can engage Shinai, but just the tips. In Karate it means you can reach the target in one or 1 ½ steps. In Karate I like to think of this as kicking distance, so Geri Ma’ai.

                Training in this distance is a bit dangerous if you have someone that is good at kicking and likes to use them. You have to be aware that the distance can change drastically in a short period of time at this range and be prepared to move in or out depending on the attacks. In Kenjutsu its known as the distance in which you can reach an opponent with one step or avoid an attack with one step back.

 

                Close range is called Chika Ma’ai or So-ou Ma’ai. It is literally ½ to 1 step away from an attacker and you can reach them with a punch in Karate. Not so close that you are crossing arms but close enough that you can hit your partner without having to cross to much distance. In kendo they say you can easily touch your opponent, but they can also easily touch you.

                Most Karate people make the mistake of staying in this range all the time. They think that they must use this distance to score points, meaning they are stuck in this position waiting to see if they can score a point. Some feel its much more aggressive to stay here but the truth is not only is it dangerous but it limits your flexibility in attacking and defending.

 

                In training one should train with a focus on varying the distance between your partners. This can be done in Jiyu Ippon or Jiyu Kumite or with drills to help with the distance. The idea is help you get used to adjusting distance based on the skills and ability of your partners so that you can master changing distances in Kumite to match the ability of the attacker.

                One has to practice the changing in distances to make it look natural and not to alert the opponent to your change in distance. The change in distance can be the difference between scoring on your opponent or being scored upon. The other major difference in distances is the techniques you will use during altercation. If you are a grappler you will want to be in close to grab and sweep, if you are a kicker then your distance should reflect this as well. Use the ability to change distances to your advantage when sparring and when learning for self-defense.

 

                One should also be able to note the perceived distances in Kata. Kata is a guiding tool that does not just give you insight into techniques but distance, movement and use of the techniques in real life situations. Use Bunkai training to understand the use and methods of training for distance. An example would be that Heian Shodan teaches long distance and reaching movements and Heian Nidan closer, mid-range skills. Heian Sandan teaches close range techniques and the rest of the Kata teach a variety of distances.

               

                Ma’ai training is very important in making karate work, it should be part of your normal training routine and part of your general training as well as focused on several times a week to improve and make it better.

Makiwara training…the do’s and donts! Of Makiwaras

The corner stone of most Auxiliary Shotokan training for adults should always be Makiwara training. I advocate that people jog, swim, jump rope, bike and any other kind of cardio training to keep the heart in good shape for normal training, but every Shotokan Student should do Makiwara training and use it to temper both their punching/striking/kicking and their intent and spirit.

                To most Makiwara training is just punching a post of some sort and toughening up your hands. However I have seen some really stupid things done to a Makiwara and some really bad form when punching it, even by those that should know better. The art of Makiwara training can be very dangerous and most people that do the stupid things I worry about are “self-taught” people who just watched a video or better yet…saw a picture…built one and then started smacking it.

 

Kinds of Makiwaras and covers.

                There are lots of different kinds of Makiwaras that I have seen and “played with “ in the past. I have my favorites and my “not so favorites” that I have used. The ones I tend to like are made of a solid but springy wood and have a decent pad on them to take some of the harsh impact of bone hitting wood. I LOVE the ones with the rice stalk pads that cut into your flesh just a tad while you thump away on the pad.

                My least favorite ones are the ones that are to stiff or have no give, its incredibly hard on the elbows and body when you hit something unmovable. I also don’t like the round ones, the ones that look like railway ties that have been sunk into the ground. Also the ones that have shocks or struts on them to absorb or the ones that seem to fold back on themselves when you hit time.

                A good Makiwara should have a bit of give but they should not be to soft. Like the three bears issues you have ones that are to soft, to hard and then the ones that are just right. Now, don’t get me wrong….I will hit anything and love doing so, but the truth is that some Makiwaras are a pleasure to hit, others you just hit because they are there.

                Now even with a good Makiwara I have seen them used WRONG and people get hurt. Some things are common sense but apparently common sense is not that common in the world of Karate zealot training. So, to be clear this is what you need to keep in mind when doing Makiwara training.

 

The Do’s of Makiwara training:

·         Do strike using multiple services of the hand and depending on the Makiwara, arm or leg as well. The Makiwara can be punched with a plethora of Semikata (Attacking methods) including Seiken, Shuto, Ippon Ken (it hurts but you can do it), Haito, Kentsui, Tattsui, and kicked as well. Use your imagination and strike the Makiwara.

·         Do monitor the flesh on your knuckles, especially in the beginning. When you bash your hands enough on a Makiwara two things will happen, first you lose the sensation in your knuckles for a bit, then you break the skin and start to damage the soft tissue because you don’t feel that you are hitting the post wrong. After that you get a weird springy feel in the joint and the hand is injured. Most people don’t realize that they have lost skin or caused a issue with the skin till it is to darn late. Every third strike look at your hand and make sure the skin is in good repair.

·         Do focus straight in and “push” a little when focusing for a brief second upon impact. Makiwaras are to practice good form and focus not to throw useless techniques at. Be careful but focus your striking on the pad.

·         Do know your limits and the limit of your flesh! I have seen people smashing the hell out of the pad till they weaken their wrist and cause a injury or the skin scrapes off and they bleed all over the place. Know when is when and enjoy training, this way you wont have to take time off for the injury.

·         Do Use different pads and find one you like. I laugh when I see people smashing the wood on a Makiwara trying to look all tough because their knuckles can take the abuse. Its not just about your knuckles. Using a Makiwara properly will train the whole body, but only if you can use it for an extended period so use a pad or find an alternative to straight knuckles to wood.

·         Do clean any cuts or abrasions that you may get right away after hitting the Makiwara. Don’t be a moron and a tough guy, if you get cut, wear the skin off your knuckles or hurt your hand in anyway…clean it up at the least. I have done some really dumb things in the past and not taken care of my had after. My instructor once put my hand in warm water after training…with Salt….Dumbest move pretty much ever and it took me years to convince him that was a bad idea. I have seen people get whole swaths of skin removed from infections, just do yourself a favor and wash it out and bandage it.

·         Do listen to your body, sometimes you just have to know when enough is enough. Yes, hitting things is fun. But you have to listen to your body. You cannot pound on hard surfaces all day and expect your body to bounce back for training the next day and go back at it. Just relax and follow what your body is telling you. Start off slow and work your way up. Also, if you are injured take time off from hitting it. It will be their when you get back!

·         Do other strengthening exercises to help with your wrist strength. Striking the Makiwara is fun and great, but you have to build up your body to be able to avoid injury. Push-ups and wrist rolls will help your hands and wrists and upper body, you have to make sure you have a solid punch and strength in it so you don’t hurt your wrists when punching. Nothing worse than a weak wrist bending on impact to remind you that you have some work to do.

·         Do have a Makiwara pad of your own to use if there is not one or if the one on the board looks wet or bloody. Last but not least is that you should bring your own pad, or at least a towel to wrap around the pad. Sometimes meat heads like me pound until they leave marks of blood on the board or they go at it with a blister and fluid leaks onto the pad. GROSS right, well putting a barrier on the pad to ensure you don’t get someone else’s blood on your hand is a smart move. If you cant afford your own pad bring a cheap towel, double it up and smack that in front of the pad.

 

The Don’ts of Makiwara training

·         Don’t hit the damn thing till you break the skin on your hands. This may seem like a no brainer but back when I started using the Makiwara in the club we used to thump it till we bled. Not smart and I can tell you that blood and such does not come out of a white Makiwara pad.

·         Don’t jab at the board like it’s a hot potato!  The Makiwara is used to train the body and it is used to focus and contract muscles, if you snap your hand into it and allow it to bounce off you don’t learn penetrating power. When you hit it…. focus.

·         Don’t punch from strange angles and hit the side of the board. Much like using a punching bag, if you land a punch funny and hit the side of the board…you are in for some pain! Keep this in mind and focus on hitting the center of the pad. Going off mark can damage your knuckles and delay your training on the post by weeks or even months.

·         Don’t use inappropriate parts of your body to strike the board…this is not a good time or gear to use for head butt training. I have seen some WEIRD uses for a Makiwara. The most important thing is to remember that your using the “STRIKING POST” to punch, not head butt, knee or hit with some other part of the body. Shuto yes, head strikes no!

·         Don’t start striking the board to young! 16 is my magic number. When I see kids earlier than this hitting it I cringe. There are to soft boned for this and it can lead to some very serious injuries. I don’t like seeing them hit bags or shields for that matter but the softer the better. I normally suggest a bucket over the Makiwara when not being used by adults to discourage children from hitting it.

·         Don’t listen to the morons and strike a tree! If I had a dime for every time I read a story about some moron that hit a tree to condition their hands I have probably a really stupid ten bucks in my pocket!  Really people don’t hit trees…first they never did anything to you and second…your skin and tissue is going to lose that battle. Just relax and use a proper Makiwara and stop showing off!

·         Don’t build a Makiwara on a beam in the basement or other structures. First, yes I did this in an old home of mine and second, yes it did break some dishes upstairs. Remember that structural things like tele-posts and beams are there for the house, not for you to hit.  Also put a heavy bag up on  support beam and I swear that it shifted my house a bit. Be respectful and smart about where you put the Makiwaras or things you strike. I almost knocked over a old Garage once striking a post that was a tad rotten.

·         Don’t strike rocks either…..with a fist. There are plenty of things that don’t make much sense to me as a guy who has his intellect firmly cemented in science and medical fact. Why the hell would you strike something that is so much harder than bone…like Rocks. All those stupid stories about the instructors beating on walls and them crumbling. What you don’t realize is the brick did not crumble, it was the connection in the mortar. And watching people beat their hands on rock…well that’s really extreme training and the common guys and gals should avoid this like crazy!

 

Modern replacements and are they better.

                 I get a lot of replys to my posts about loving the Makiwara and how modern replacements like the punching bag and kicking shields are way better. They have their place. But for me I just cant beat (pun intended) a Makiwara. I like hitting the heavy bag and the truth is the softer texture is nice to hit once and a while and you can wail on it with out worry of hurting yourself as much as a slip on a Makiwara, but for me, the true focus of Karate hand conditioning will always be a Makiwara.

Miken waza in Kata?

Miken waza in Kata?

                First off let me say “NO, I don’t speak Japanese at all” I do however know “Karate terms and do use them in classes and when talking about Karate. The reason I do this is that I think it very important to keep Karate in the correct context of the Japanese culture and I think that it loses some of the context when we use English to describe it. The cultural and linguistic context or FEEL should be used as often as possible in teaching and training. Okay, that’s my two cents worth on why I do that.

                Now the other day I was chatting online with a person I will call a Kuchiolzuki Bushi or “Mouth warrior”. You know the kind of person and you probably train with a few but don’t know the context of what I am saying. The Kuchiolzuki Bushi is the guy that spouts off about things they don’t know about in Karate. They exaggerate their training understanding and they push the limits of the truth in the context of what they actually know.

                Let me be clear here, some Kuchiolzuki Bushi are very talented physically and they can DO Karate well, but they over step and over reach their bounds as intellectuals, historians or technical people. See doing a perfect Mawashi geri is great, but being able to describe it in the context of useful information or breaking it down to make it better…that’s a different thing. Knowing that Shotokan came from Funakoshi Sensei is much different than understating the synthesis that he undertook to actually create his system. Knowing who his teachers were is different than understanding what they probably taught him.

                Okay, so this mouth warrior was spouting off about the Miken Waza in Kata. He was saying that the Kata has hidden meanings and techniques that can be used for different things. His “research” concluded that the masters had hidden special techniques in the Kata for use in things like removing a person’s throat or a special technique for breaking a grip and then striking the persons wrist with a downward strike.  The problem is that, of course, the whole idea is just silly…..for several reasons.

                First issue with the whole idea of Miken Waza in Kata is that the “Masters” all admitted that the original Katas were taught WITH OUT Bunkai! This means that that the masters learned the movements for the Kata and were to INTERPERATE the Kata using their knowledge of Kihon.  Also, Funakoshi has spoken a lot about how he did not get trained in Kumite as we know it, he did what we would call one step sparring. So, no Bunai…how can there be hidden techniques without any knowledge of the very masters that passed on the Kata?

                Now some would look at this lack of Bunkai training of the masters as a mistake or over sight from their masters. I don’t! I think it was shear genius to not give them the “THIS IS THIS” or “THAT IS THAT” kind of break down. It forced them to think and to dig deep to find applications. However by not giving them a step by step application guide it also left room for Kuchoilzuki bushi to step in and ruin it with crap-kata-bunkai that drives me nuts. Also, it may be that the masters thought that it was so freaking obvious what was intended that they did not think it necessary to tell the students what they were doing. OR even better, Kata is Kata…they taught it as a whole, then they took the kata and broke down the Waza and taught it as application…the way they do it in the Kata…no Miken Waza just a block is a block and a punch is a punch. But some people just NEED to know stuff that no one else knows and feel special.

To me his telling me that there was Miken Waza and he knew the MYSTERY techniques was a lot like talking to a Christian about the Bible and them saying that their particular sect knows the true meaning of what a bible verse means. They are very intent on saying that a particular meaning is present but they have not a lot of basis to make that assertion. (that will piss a few people off but so what…get over it!).

                The other issue I have with this assertion is that most of the movements he was showing or talking about had to be altered significantly to make them work as Miken Waza often do. If you have a Bunkai (application) idea for the Kata and it does not follow the Waza of the Kata then its NOT from the Kata. Period…no more debate…end of story!  I Laugh so hard at people that say a particular move is “this or that” and yet the movement does not follow the Kata at all. For instance the movement in Empi were you  are opening your hand after Age Zuki and then stepping into Kosa dachi is not a throat grab and ripping of the throat out…its just NOT.

                Now, having said all of that I use Occams Razor A LOT in my bunkai study.  What the hell is Occams Razor you ask…well if you train with me you don’t ask that at all but I will humor those that don’t train with me. Occams Razor was a problem solving principle created by William of Ockham, an English Friar and scholar around 1287-1347. Essentially the theory states that when one is considering a problem first they must limit the number of plausible answers and then limit the field again based on tighter and stricter standards.

                So, how do I use this theory of reductive reasoning by logic when doing bunkai. Well first thing I do is I ask myself if the application has to alter the Kata movements to attain the outcome that is suggested…if yes I trash the whole Idea. Next I use my knowledge of anatomy and physiology to see if the suggested outcome is even plausible. If the answer is no then its trashed…what is left is a much more plausible field of useable bunkai.

                So, when the gent suggested that the movement ripped out the throat I laughed…Knowing a thing about anatomy and physiology and that I have never met a person that could actually remove a persons throat…yah I kind of think its Bunk not bunkai. Next the whole wrist thing in Empi had to include a great deal of alteration to the Kata and that automatically removed that one from the running to.

                Point being that often we are told about these mystical and super interesting applications or Miken waza and the person that is selling you that bit of fantasy is basically full of it. Be kind, nod and leave the conversation…unless you are an instigator like me and want to just push a few buttons.

                There are no Miken Waza, the obvious things you are doing is probably what the Kata is meant to be. Some may be a bit harder to see than others but the truth is, while I always agree that there are often multiple applications for a move…none of them are hidden!

Top ten rules every sensei should follow

                I have been teaching Karate for more than 25 years now. My mom pointed out to me that I was interested in Taking Karate since I was a kid, but always taught my friends the moves I memorized in movies. I was always teaching, even if it was not in a Dojo. Over the years I have learned lots of lessons about being an instructor and a few I still need to master! Here are my top ten that I think every instructor should know or try to learn.

 

One: Don’t forget why you got into Karate!

                One of the biggest down falls I have seen in others is that they forget why they started in Martial arts in the first place and lose track of the why. They get derailed as instructors and start down different dead end paths like “Power”, “Prestige” and other useless goals. Think of why you walked into the Dojo those many years ago.

                One of my Kohai has an interesting family with two kids, one has special needs,  and a big brother with special needs and she often tells me that she got into Karate for her family. And more importantly when she teaches she thinks of family all the time.  Her whole Dojo is so family oriented that it is nice to visit and see the love and family relationship they all share. Its so different than other clubs that seem to be gyms for families to come in and out of but never connect on that level with each other.

                Another of my Juniors has a Gym like Club, but that is exactly why he got into Karate, exercise.  The club works because its focused on things he wants and she wants to encourage in the club. For me it’s the tradition and splendor of Budo that drives me. I see my Sensei at 73 still living the Budo way as best he can and it inspires me. My club, and any club I teach at will always have that feel. The Gritty reality of Showa Karate is my goal even when I am physically limited I will make sure that others train in this way.

 

Two: Never sacrifice technique or standards!

                One of my old seniors once lost it in a testing when three of his students failed the Shodan standard test and were told to come back in six months. The instructor knew that the students were not up to par but he let them test anyways and wanted them to pass. He argued with the testing board for an hour about why they should pass and all I kept thinking was he had changed in his standards for the relative comfort of having three new shodan to teach for him and grow his group…but he failed to see that the students did not understand Karate at that level so we were doing him a favor in failing them. Teach them properly and they will grow, then your group will grow.

                When teaching never let students grade who are not ready for fear of losing them. If they leave because you wont let them grade then it is best they leave! Harsh, maybe but the standards you put forward reflect on you. If you simply give rank every three to six months without regard for standards then you become a McDojo and fall far away from the Budo code.

 

Three: every once and a while….Start over from scratch!

                I hate going to Dojos and seeing the seniors practicing Gojushiho Sho/Dai, Unsu and Sochin but their Heian Nidan is a horrible mess or they cant really remember the Bunkai to Bassai Dai. It’s a shame that we want to race forwards so fast but we forget that the foundation, the Kihon Waza is what builds that advanced level. 

                You have to be willing to strip your techniques down to the lowest point and start from scratch to really advance. The sadness I feel when I see Nidans and Shodans abandon the basics is great. I had to tell a Nidan that they were NEVER going to get permission to grade for sandan unless they knew the first 15 Kata. They were doing Gojushiho sho and still did not know Gankaku or Empi very well.

                Don’t ever be ashamed of going back to Kihon waza and working from scratch. I once had a sempai, Rod, whom moved to Japan and on one occasion before he left I came to the Dojo and he was doing Zenkutsu dachi up and down the floor of the Dojo. He did it for a half hour with his hand on his belt and one on his lower back.  I watched for a half hour and looked at Dingman sensei and asked why he was doing that….Sensei said “he is looking to improve his advanced techniques by mastering the basics”. It struck me that day that I was rushing forwards and not looking back enough. Now I start any work out with Heian Shodan and work up the 15 before I do my selected Katas. You have to be willing and want to start from scratch to build up to the advanced stuff every once and a while.

 

Four: Respect is earned….not demanded!

                I once had a sempai that thought he could garner others respect by simply demanding it and giving reasons why others had to respect him. He took any potential disrespect like a crotchety old Samurai and tried to hack the head off the perceived infringer with insult and bravado. The thing was he lost friends, he lost respect from others and he lost students. You can not DEMAND respect, you get fear and loathing in its place…..you can only give respect, earn it with your hard work and passion and hope you get respected.

                If you are not being respected then you need to look inside first, not blame others. Look at who you are showing the world then asses if it is correct. Many people think I am scary when they first meet me, its probably because I am a tortured introvert trying to not be such a hermit. In truth my preferred two locations are in the dojo blasting a Makiwara or working on form and the other is with my daughter playing video games or watching TV. I don’t feel disrespected often because I don’t really care, I just want to train. However as a instructor I am working on my people skills, I figure if I got this far after 25 years I will be just right in another 25 or so.

                Point is I don’t demand respect and any “scary” attitude is purely accidental. I don’t go around looking for respect and I think I earn it from those that see what I have done and do now for the organization and my students. I learned a valuable lesson from the old Sempai, when you demand respect you get fear! So, don’t demand it….just be yourself and let the rest work itself out.

 

Five: Sport Karate is a short term fix!

                Essentially there are two kinds of Dojos that run; sport centric and Budo Centric. Notice the capitals, placed on purpose. The sport dojo is going to be the one that has little real spirit, they have short term spirit and focus only on athletes….Meaning that the essential focus on ALL students is missing. They put all their focus on a select few to try and build their Dojo off of. They put all their money, effort and time into making three or four people the best they can. The students compete, get burned out and leave…then when….well next two to four students are given all the attention again. The problem lies in that the other students, the majority…well, they get the table scraps.

                The other Dojo will focus on Budo training and try to bring the whole Dojo up. The instructor recruits the same but the Dojo stays full and the athletes grow with the non-athletes. Granted the athletes may not become “elite” athletes, but they tend to stick around longer and learn more deeply. They don’t leave after a burn out and they build the club along with the others who are now enjoying Karate.

                Sport is a short term goal. Any instructor who focuses on just one student or group of students is destined to fail. The focus should be on ALL students not just those that show promise in Sport. Glory is short lived, Dojos cannot pay bills with trophies and students wont stick around if they see you give 90% of the effort to a few and 10% to the many.

 

Six: They are clients and customers first, students and friends second! Don’t take anything personally!

                There is a line between student and customer that instructors tend to forget. First off all students are there or should be there to learn, and there is a strong Asian tradition that students should Seek the master and pay them greatly for lessons learned…yah, that’s great in the movies but this is a few centuries removed from that.

                Students should have a right to choose what they want in an instructor and they should choose what they want in a club/Dojo. I don’t like Kickboxing and full contact but I respect that some students do want that. As a Dojo director I have to let them know that we DON’T do that here, but I am also quick to point out were they can go to get that kind of training. I don’t take it personal when they don’t want to do what we are doing, they are paying money…why should I get mad if they don’t like my teaching subject?              

                Its important not to take things personally. I also have had issues with people who don’t like my old warm ups…or lack thereof. I tell students to show up ½ hour before I teach to warm up because I feel that the old “yoga like” warm ups stole their training time. I remember one time a Giant of a man from a different club came out to train and did not like my teaching. He approached me after class and got in my face about my lack of actual Yoga warm ups…..Not its important to point out that I don’t start the class off like a nutter and go crazy with kicking to harm and hurt students. We warm up with light techniques then a quick stretch after some Kihon or Kata…then we go nutters!

                Well this gent did not like this and made it obvious to me. He tried to bully me by showing his massive frame next to my smaller frame. I am 5’6” and he was about 6’4” and much larger than me. I got a tad worked up but I basically told him that I did not appreciate being bullied, second I told him that if he did not like it he was free NOT to come out. After all this was not his Dojo in the first place. I explained that A) we do a more acceptable warm up (Scientifically speaking) and B) all the students do the Yoga like waste of time before class and if he wanted to come back he was free to do so as well.

                I did not take the complaint personally, I sat and thought about it after and basically attributed it to him not wanting to try something new or not understanding that not all clubs do things the same way and he did not know my rule about coming and warming up on your own if you want  long easy stretch out. Now I did not like his attitude and want to try and bully me, but I did not take the message personally. I had to listen and asses and not go all “IM THE SENSEI….YOU ARE A STUDENT…BOW TO YOUR SENSEI” on him. I was still the business manager/owner and he was still the customer. I also now make sure that if I am letting the students warm up in class or not I explain why and how….long before class starts.

 

Seven: the work that goes into a Dojo is NOT just that which happens on the Dojo floor!

                The work that goes into running a Dojo is NOT just getting your techniques right and learning how to deal with people on the floor. That’s about 20% of the work that goes into a club….and at the beginning its much less than 20%.  Running a club means collecting of fees (and figuring what you need to charge), getting applications filled out, paying rent and possibly utilities, cleaning supplies and making sure YOU use them, getting equipment and maintaining it, sending in application fees to the organization and buying essential equipment and office stuff for the club…..even if the office is your basement.  Marketing, getting marketing stuff printed, PR work, answering phone calls, dealing with parents, setting up testing dates, renting testing facilities, keeping up your own training, running the web site after you set it up….and probably a dozen or more other things I have forgotten.

                The point is that teaching Karate is fun, the rest probably is not. But without it you will be teaching Karate for and to yourself. Start off small and work up, get used to the Non-Karate stuff and then build a bigger club. I have seen way to many people rent a store front and close almost a month or two later because they don’t have the structure to support it.

                This is the glamor less stuff that students DON’T see. The multiple midnight paper work sessions to balance books and get things set up for the next month of bills, the worries about student levels, the paying of light bills and sending in funds to the organization so you are insured. Students never see this stuff and think its all strapping on a black belt and prancing onto the Dojo floor. This is however the majority of what you have in for yourself when you open a Dojo…regardless of size.

 

Eight: its about them….not you!

                So you opened a Dojo and you think you are a big Cheese now eh….well I have news for you, you are now officially in someone’s debt and without them…you are just a goofy guy in white (I will assume) PJ’s with a fancy white belt around your waist. It’s not about you! It’s about them! Without the students we end up being alone in a very expensive club doing weird ancient dance moves with ourselves.

                You need to do two things when you set up shop….first you need to have a good product, so you need to study hard and teach with passion. Get yourself educated in Karate and not just the surface stuff, really study and make yourself an authority on your style of Karate. Learn, grow and become someone worth training under. Then you need to realize that all your hard work and high standards…well its not about you, its about giving the best to the students!

                So many instructors give back so little or when they give back anything they end up telling the students that they owe the “Master” now. Such a Joke! First off I HATE That term with a PASSION! “Master”….I don’t have a “Master” I have a Sensei….or teacher…not a master! Second we have to remember that we can teach someone, we cant master them so we need to focus on the teaching part. All your efforts and will to grow should focus on what you can pass on to others to grow the group and keep the lineage alive.

                The Dojo is only necessary to teach others, if you don’t want to work hard and teach…do Karate in your own basement or better yet…find someone that has the right attitude and go train under them.

 

Nine: surround yourself with good people!

                No one can know or do it all! Its just simple math, if you have 15 jobs and one person to do them all then only 10 will get done, of the 10…2 will be done very well, 4 will be done okay and 4 will kind of get done with no much focus. The other 5 were just as important but you don’t have time to do all that, have a family and other job and teach right!  Well, if I had 15 tasks to get done and 5 people doing them then all will get done, maybe not perfect but they will get done…and your job….manage the people doing them.

                You are busy teaching and running a club, make sure that you spread the jobs around a bit and get many hands to do the necessary paper work ext that is going to come up and get all the jobs done in the club. Your job is to manage and make sure that the club is rocking going forwards, you also need to select people that can help with this. If you had a marketing person, a office manager, a fundraiser, and a few other people to pitch in doing things like running the grading details, a technical board to help with grading and others to help with the daily things you need to do…all you need to do is help out as much as you can (should) and teach. Then the clubs get bigger.

                Also, be ready to let people know they are not doing the job you asked them to do. It’s a reality that some people want to help, and simply are not skilled in areas they are helping in. I know of a few instances where I have gotten help from people and it turned into a horrible mess because the person doing the job was not skilled with the job that needed to be done.

                My suggestion is that you find good junior instructors and develop them the way you want things to be done, find great support staff and do the same. Don’t just toss jobs at people, sit and explain it to them, monitor their progress and then…if need be…be ready to replace them on the next job. Find those that work well and keep them close, reward them and let them know that you need them.

 

Ten:  Your greatest reward, at the end of the day, is the feeling that you are passing on good Karate and that you are helping others.

                I am a big believer in the Dojo Kun, having grown up reading and reciting it day in and day out, it became my mantra for life and my Karate training. Most important to me is the “seek perfection of character” part of the five saying. As a Karate instructor we are here not just to teach physical skills but to help others be the best they can be, inside and outside the Dojo. One should realize that teaching someone to be a tournament champion is limited and a small meek goal. However teaching someone to overcome personal issues or just enjoy life a tad more…that is monumental!

                Focus your work not on the person’s potential as an athlete……. but as a human being!

 

                There is so much more…but these give you a launching pad to build yourself as a better Sensei and a to be a better friend, mentor and educator in the way of Budo!