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"My Student, My Teacher"
Just as in life, you never know where
your next lesson will come from. So in both life and Martial Arts,
remember your student can also be teaching you important lessons.
I'd like to say that all Martial Artists are wonderful people, who have
embraced concepts that bring harmony to their lives...but I'd be
lying.
One of the most important lessons, I believe, any Martial Artist can
learn is that of humility and respect. It's a concept that,
unfortunately, is not easy for everyone to embrace. Let's face it, we've
worked hard to gain the levels in Martial Arts we have and any acclaims
we might have earned along the way. It is okay to be proud of our
accomplishments, but do not let that pride blind you of the lessons that
you might still learn.
One of the first things that one of my instructors taught me when I was
starting to become high enough to become an assistant instructor was
training doesn't always just come from me (my teacher), it can come from
even a white belt on the
floor for the first time.
1) Being able to teach something means you understand that thing.
Knowing how to do a form or execute a technique is one aspect of Martial
Arts. Being able to convey that information is a whole other arena. When
I first started to teach, I was amazed at the types of questions I'd
get.
What am I doing with my other hand? Why did you stand that way? How
did you get from here to there? Is my angle correct... or that is it
wrong?
These questions not only spurred me to thinking but also gave me an
opportunity to go back and re-think or even re-learn what I overlooked
or taken for granted the first time. I strongly believe that a person
doesn't truly know something until they are able to teach it. Am
i'm not just talking about showing somone how to move and say "this is
how you do it"....and that's it. I'm talking about being able to explain
it as well..be able to answer questions...or even having to make subtle
changes and alter something because what if the person can't move their
body a certain way.
2) Everyone sees things differently.
Perspectives are amazing things. Each of us comes with a different set
of experiences and different ways to see and understand things.
3) Building a strong foundation and making it stronger.
As we get further along in Martial Arts, sometimes the basics are put
aside for awhile. Its these basics though that are our foundations. The
more we practice them, the better we get. As we train with the new
Martial Artist, having a chance to revisit this foundation work is a
wonderful chance for us to strengthen what we already know. I can't
count how many times I've gone through basic blocks and stances...even
to upper belts. I don't care what rank you are, it is important to take
the time to keep practicing the foundations.
4) Enthusiasm is the key to staying in Martial Arts.
It's hard to compare to the enthusiasm that a new student brings.
Everything is fresh. Everything is new and exciting. We naturally lose
that enthusiasm over time and a great way to recapture it is to be
around new students.
5) A reminder of where we came from.
There was a time, as that student kicks with a flat foot or toes rather
than the ball of the foot,doing ball kicks, that we were that student
standing out there. Clueless and in need of guidance. It's a humbling
realization as much as it is an inspiration for how far we've come. I
didn't appreciate this fact until after I became a brown belt. Now, as a
black belt, there's a lot I've learned and a lot more I STILL have to
learn. Seeing a white belt on the floor reminds me of that. That
somehow, in a higher level Martial Artist's eyes, I'm actually the one
that's kicking with a flat foot instead of the ball, the one that is
clueless and in need of guidance.
Interestingly enough, these concepts, while applied here to Martial
Arts, can be seen in almost all aspects of life. It's an important thing
to remember that my student can also be my teacher.
Respectfully,
Maurice A. Gomez Sr.
American Kenpo Black Belt
MAX Dojo American Kenpo Karate Studios
www.maxdojo.com
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