What do you want/expect from your teacher?

[Mr Punch]

I was pondering this yesterday after training.

I don't have a wing chun teacher (I've completed the unarmed part of the system from two different lineages not through choice, and have enough to concentrate and train with my partners probably to last a lifetime!), but one of my friends and training partner is probably about to be officially qualified in his lineage to teach and I will have the opportunity to continue training with him... and I was just wondering about how I stand on the idea of paying him...

especially as we do have slightly different views on MA and he's a bit more of a purist than me, plus he has a harder style that fits his bigger body but I'm not sure it suits my body type or even that it's quite what I want to develop.

And I started to think about what I wanted from a teacher.

My shooto teacher wants us to take the shooto test to qualify for shooto competition before I can really spar all out MMA. At the moment we spar stand-up with boxing and kickboxing and in a separate class wrestling and b/jjj (starting from standing). I'm not sure if I want to take it to that level: I don't have the confidence in my insurance or even having time off from work if I get injured. The test itself is basically cardio till you can't stand straight then two guys alternately beating the crap out of you. I like my teacher's skills but I'm not sure that I want to go that far to get them.

Sure I know the old proverbs about bleeding in the dojo so you don't outside and all that and I'm prepared to put in the blood, sweat and tears as I always have with my MA... just maybe not so much blood as I'm getting older! :D

I've looked all over for a good aiki teacher to continue with my aiki, but can't find one. Aikidoists seem to expect to do less and less... more and more floating around... as they get to higher grades: I want to spar with it, to get more experience with real live resistance. So far all of that experience I've had to get myself out of the dojo, by accident on the street, and in disciplines' dojo. I'm not interested in the ki stuff until I can get more proficient at the physical stuff. And most of the high grades in aiki are useless at that!

I found a good teacher of aiki/hsingyi-based internals. Phenomenal skills... really really good, so much so that I'm not going to talk about on this board cos I'll get accused of BSing! :D And he's proven in live situations having won NHB comps and had run-ins with the yakuza and whoever, and he's always willing to let people from other disciplines have a pop at him. Problem is, he's a nutter! While he can transmit his skills very well to some of his students he's arrogant and I don't believe he's safe is sparring... Again, continuing with this teacher would mean losing something of myself. I'm all for emptying my cup, but not for filling it with quite such an extreme brew. He reminds me very much of LKFDM's description of his teacher.

I'm not really looking for advice about my situation: I'll continue and the answer will present itself...

I'd just like to hear your thoughts on; what is your teacher good at and what do you want from him/her? Also, in what way is s/he better than you, do you ever see yourself surpassing this and how far would you go to do so?

Thanks for reading and TIA for answering :)

[TonyM.]

True humility is the ability to be teachable by anyone. (I really hate this so I suspect it's true.)

[EarthDragon]

Great question.

Speaking as a student. I would want honesty, integrity, guidence, and advice.

Speaking as a teacher I try my best to give, teach and share these qualities.

[Sifu Darkfist]

found a good teacher of aiki/hsingyi-based internals. Phenomenal skills... really really good, so much so that I'm not going to talk about on this board cos I'll get accused of BSing!

:)
BULLLLLLL shhhhhhhh no just kidding hehehehe
just wanted you to know we do read this stuff. :D

[David Jamieson]

I would 'hope' that a teacher of anything would have a method and a system for delivery of an effective and provably effective art.

As for expecting, well, that's a big word when it comes to learning. I guess I would only expect that they are indeed qualified to teach, beyond that, it is my hope that they would have something worthwhile to learn.

[rogue]

I would expect him to be a master at making the worlds best flan and bacon sammich.

[David Jamieson]

I would expect him to be a master at making the worlds best flan and bacon sammich.

That's asking a heck of a lot even of a kungfu master.

these arts are above and beyond any mere martial art after all.
Martial art is just floss on the mill compared to perfect flan and bacon sammiches.

that is all

[SPJ]

As with lessons of any other kind or classes of any other kind;

we all have a list to work on or "collect".

1. Tan Tui: balance and smoothness in transition of postures and ability to kick in every step or posture etc.

2. Shuai Jiao: ability to control, rooting/balance/how to regain balance, and uproot the opponent, neutralization/free you of control, and throw etc.

And the teacher is there to help us attain these goals.

During the classtime, we are working on these "skills".

Outside of the class, teachers are human, too. they eat, drink just like the rest of us.

nothing more to expect.

:D

[rogue]

What do I want in a teacher?

The down home wisdom of David Jamieson
The gentle compassion of David Ross
The sensitivity of Sifu Abel
Royal Dragons skills with the ladies.
:D

[David Jamieson]

Don't forget your world class sense of design and an eye for the finer things in life. :p

Nothing says posh like orange and wood paneling.

[ngokfei]

1. Teach Openly
2. Teach Fairly and Equally (those who try hard get more)
3. Be honest (you suck) or (you don't fit in here so bye bye)
4. Motivate (you may suck today but if you practice this you'll suck less)
5. Keeping it Real

[MasterKiller]

Royal Dragons skills with the ladies.
:D

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I think RD had a few "ringers".

[Chanwa]

I would like to say a safe and comfortable learning enviroment. An effectively delivered knowledge.
Wow I did not know I am capable of those words. :D

[Mr Punch]

Thanks for the answers.

I was more after physical, tangible things, not just another thread on what your teacher can give you in terms of humility, honesty, integrity and all that bollocks :rolleyes: ;) :D ... I am an adult and I'm not looking for any of that from a teacher.

As such physical attributes such as sammich-making pretty are of course pretty close to the top.

But, for eg, my wing chun teacher would need to have a softness and the hard power when he needed it. He would need to be able to impart that to me, to get me to soften up. He would also need fast careful footwork. I like my footwork but it of course needs some work. I would like a wing chun teacher who can link the chi gerk and takedowns with the handiwork, as my old sifu in the UK could do.

In the internals, what my teacher has is an uncanny ability to absorb full strength kicks and strikes and at the same time an uncanny ability to issue energy from any angle. This relates to striking and locking, and also to those nasty little throws and sweeps, from which he generates a lot of power through a little movement. So, linking and stacking. I don't see myself surpassing him, as I don't have the dedication he does (fanaticism!?) and I don't think I need to become as superhuman to defend myself against the average joe-shmoe in the street ( I can do OK in that department already).

For an aiki teacher I would be looking for more like the internals teacher. Someone who has the softness but the centre to centre connection and kuzushi with a minimum of force. Also of course someone who would mix it up against combos etc. Right now, unfortunately I don't know anyone who does this.

So again, what about your teacher? What does he have? What do you want? What can you get? What's your ideal? What kind of ketchup? etc

[Mr Punch]

BTW, if I had RD's skills with the ladies I think I'd wanna be gay. He's always on here moaning about the nutters he's bagging!:eek: :D

[shaolinboxer]

I expect restraint, power, and graceful movement. And that they know how to shut up.

[Ray Pina]

Mat, sounds like you're in a great position to start internal training. You have a solid background, obviously understand technique, how to learn and test it .... you'd probabaly pick it up quick.

You don't have to bleed, or even sweat too much, to acquire knowledge. You have martial principles within you already, maybe you can find someone who can help refine them, make them more internally powerful (imrpove your mechanics as well as blood/oxygen supply) and less dependant on strenght and speed. Test a little now and then just to keep the rust off, and go about your business.

Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for.

[ngokfei]

oh so your asking about a teachers "SKills".

well when I was younger I was always looking for teachers who were in great shape and liked to mix it up. And yes I did learn alot.

But after a while I found that was all they had and my learning came to a stand still.

Skill is one thing but to have the ability to teach is another. Take Mike Tyson. In his day a great athlete and pugilist but what could really learn from him beyond a basic to middle understanding of the sport.

I guess what I'm tryin to say is that one teacher doesn't have it all or you'd have to be training with them for lets say 30 years to experience all of the different levels that they would have to go through.

[SifuAbel]

What do I want in a teacher?

The down home wisdom of David Jamieson
The gentle compassion of David Ross
The sensitivity of Sifu Abel
Royal Dragons skills with the ladies.
:D

This is quite funny. :D

[David Jamieson]

It's funny 'cause it's true. :p

[PangQuan]

what I expect from my teacher:

I expect my sifu to continually better himself, and improve his own kungfu.

I expect my sifu to continue to uphold the tradition he has thus far held, and to continue with the traditional methods with which he was trained.

I expect my sifu to incorporate any insights his mastership has given him into his students training.

I expect my sifu to continue to push me to my limits and lead me along the path to personal betterment, through continual traditional martial art training.

these are a few of my expectations.

[Mr Punch]

Mat, sounds like you're in a great position to start internal training. You have a solid background, obviously understand technique, how to learn and test it .... you'd probabaly pick it up quick... Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for.Thanks for the sensitive answer Ray. I know what I'm looking for and I know what I'd like from a teacher, and having done internals before and having a good internals teacher to go back to if I have time, I know where I stand with internals!

I should have been more clear;

I wanted to know what skills and abilities you wanted from your teacher.

Great post ngokfei.

And yes, Sifu Abel, that is very funny! :D

[joedoe]

All I want is for my teacher to be honest with me, and to teach me to the best of his ability. The rest is up to me.

[rogue]

Yeah, I still got it. :D

I feel a trolling coming on!:p