The value of teaching...

It's not just about the person(s) being taught!

I have been training in martial arts for most of my life and a much of what I have learned has actually come from teaching others. I have learned over the years that an individual’s progression in martial arts (as well as pretty much everything) is just that: individual! And while we may not be able to tailor our teaching completely to an individual student, especially when we have a class of many to work with, recognizing that we do not all learn the same way, at the same speed will result in a much less frustrating experience for both student and teacher.

I have come to the opinion that teaching martial arts is like a being a sculptor. The medium for this analogy could be clay or stone - maybe that depends on the student you are teaching! Some are more easily molded like clay while with others you have to chip away at!

In either case, you start with a rectangular block. Hidden inside of the block is the eventual “form”. As a teacher your role is to help release the form within. Let’s use stone as the example - first you start by removing the rough excess chunks to create a form closer to the final idea. At this point, someone else would have no idea of what you are sculpting. Then you may change your tools to chip away a finer level to bring general clarity to the form. Finally, your precision tools come into play as you create the intricate details completing the work. So you start by getting the generally positioning correct, focus on form, no speed or power. As a student progresses you will correct to a finer degree; a higher expectation of precision. Finally you finish with the nuances, slight tweaks, and subtle changes to create the full form of the sculpture.

When teaching, it’s a fine line between ensuring the technique is correct and recognizing that the degree of precision takes time. The balance is important because if we fail to correct at a foundational level, then the student will practice incorrectly. We all know how hard it is to change! However, if we focus too much on precision then the student may become frustrated thus negatively affecting their ability to absorb and maintain interest. We can do this without unduly sacrificing the quality of our program. Patience and time. Don’t worry, we are STILL the best!

I always focus on stance first, to try to get that a close to right as quickly as possible. Why? If you can get the body in the right place via stance, other things come together more quickly. The student will almost assuredly get punches correct if the stance is correct.
Now let’s get back to my main point: teaching.

When we, as teachers, show, explain, or adjust a student, WE learn in a whole other way. The foundation of technique, the importance of balance, how speed fits into the power equation, it’s as if we are enforcing these concepts more deeply in ourselves. As we search for ways to explain and make the large & small adjustments on technical posture, we are teaching ourselves about technique and movement.

I teach because it provides me with a sense of satisfaction to see someone progress, improve, “get it”! Watching the confidence grow, the physical ability develop and, hopefully, the love of technical precision blossom is fulfilling to me. My feelings about the goal I have for every student is to ensure that they develop the confidence and ability to defend themselves should something happen. To have the self awareness to see a situation and get out of it safely, to have the good sense to give up the wallet or ring if needed to stay safe and to have the ability to defend themselves and others should it come to that.

Once you attain your Shodan (black belt), you carry the title sensei. Does the title make you a teacher? No, it does not. Teaching is an art that is learned with guidance, time, and experience. At Bushi, we want you to be a sensei, in the truest sense, by the time you attain the rank of Shodan. To get there, you need experience teaching. That starts with leading exercises on front of class. It continues as you help a lower belt when doing one-step, kumite (sparring), or kata. It develops as you teach beginners directly one-on-one or small group. This is the true training ground. You know more than they do; you teach what you have learned and spent hours practicing. The development extends as you are called upon in the main class to “give the next drill” or perhaps lead the next 10 minutes. Teaching full classes is both challenging and rewarding. You will be amazed by how much you can “see” across the rows of students.

For those of you starting your career, teaching experience as well as progression in the martial arts is a valuable inclusion on your college application or resume. It shows, discipline, maturity, and expertise – all support success in other areas of life.

If you think about it, almost all of us teach in some way in our life. It may be our own children (which by the way is sometimes the hardest!). It may be at work with a new employee. As a supervisor or manager, part of your responsibility is to teach and mentor. Notably, you learn about people and how they learn; you may be able to read people better, you develop flexibility in style and most importantly you develop overall personal self confidence.

Teaching is an important part of Bushi as well as an important part of life. Here we try our best to instill not only the skills of martial arts, but also teaching, in our students. I have learned so much in the past however-many years of teaching martial arts, and every time I walk into the dojo, I learn a little bit more.