So after teaching Karate for over twenty years I have come to a conclusion. Ok one of many but I want to share this particular one with you. You see, only in the last four years have I been teaching people that I have never met before. Ok I know every beginner that walks into your Dojo to start Karate is a stranger, well mostly, except for the odd friend or family member and we all know how that turns out, right! But I have also had the chance recently to teach experienced Karate ka, of all grades.

In the last four years I’ve had some new experiences, what with organisational changes I’ve found myself both travelling away to teach at other Dojo and strangers visiting to train at my Dojo. I find these encounters, well, different. When I say different I thinks that’s ok that it’s different. Financially it’s more rewarding but on a personal level it leaves me feeling something else, something very different. It’s necessary though I guess, to share on all levels, as an Instructor of course I want to share, to spread the ‘Word’

I believe that the whole Student/Sensei relationship is based on much more than just technical ability. Let’s face it is any relationship ever based on just the one faculty?

I believe that Karate is way too hard to just ‘drop in and learn’. Also different teachers have different characteristics in their Karate and how they teach. We know that Karate is not one size fits all. On the other hand I would say that maybe it is one size fits all depending on what elements we are considering. Making shapes or practicing principles. I believe that anyone can do Karate, Karate for all! Sound Karate principles do not favour one body type or another. Among the performance of these principles the resulting shape may differ from person to person but nevertheless the principles are there, or can be.

Anyway I digress..

Such is Karate that I believe a good teacher will be many things towards his or her Student. A good teacher will be able to demonstrate, explain and encourage and motivate the Student. Teachers all over the world in all kinds of study are doing this, Karate is no different. It’s also about nurture, massively about nurture built on mutual respect and acceptance of certain truths and this leads inevitably to both Teacher and Student showing their weaknesses.

I have had Students from other organisations ask me to help them pass their Dan grades when they have been given little or no feedback as to why they failed. Sadly there is a lack of nurture out there. Similarly I have offered Students such nurture only for it to be taken a different way and I then I do not see them for dust.

When a Student gets the better of me in Kumite a part of me say “Oi! That shouldn’t have happened, you’re the Teacher remember, you have to win” this is of course nonsense, total nonsense. In this situation we are merely having a physical conversation and both of us are in fact learning, training and trying to improve our understanding of this fascinating mixture of movement. On the other hand I know I have had the same encounter with a Student and they have got the better of me and I know it is them that had thought worse of me for letting it happen. I can recount a number of situations where this has led to a fracture of our teacher/student relationship. I guess things are never going to be perfect, perfection does not exist remember!

So now I exist in a different world I have to accept these two different scenarios. Not all will agree with me and not all will have the benefit of knowing me nor I them. The saving grace is that I always return to my Dojo of trusted family. They are hardly even extended family but they are people that know me ‘Warts and all’. We are after all on a journey together. In my Dojo I just happen to be the one who went before Osu!

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