In your opinion/experience...

[Shaolin]

...what characteristics does a great martial arts teacher posses?

[TenTigers]

patience, compassion, energy, passion, patience, good communication skills, patience, creativity,patience, charisma, ...did I mention patience?

[David Jamieson]

Robust knowledge of the subject.
Ability to transmit it.
Commitment to spread it.

[Drake]

Be, know, do.

[WinterPalm]

Aside from the above, a willingness to learn and grow and be a student of the arts till the very end.

[golden arhat]

silk pyjamas

[Mr Punch]

A post-count of over 7500 on KFM and at least 5000 on any other MA forum.

[uki]

a good master is defined by his students.

[Runt]

A good martial arts teacher will follow through and care for their student. A good teacher will listen and stay positive. A good martial arts teacher will want you to succeed and not fail. They will want you to be your best regardless of your sex, looks, race, weight, etc. I have had a lot of teachers and the best ones possessed humor, patience, discipline, passion and a need to want their students to go above and beyond.

[Kevin Huang]

I think it's more about finding the right MATCH between teacher and student.

[Shaolinlueb]

smokes 5 packs of cigs a day, drinks like a fish, eats whatever he wants (usually bad stuff), and has a love for women who you pay to have a good time with, forgets the names of things but teaches it, says who cares name just do it because it works. and can still kick anyones ass on a whim, because he is just that good. and all his students are that good but find his behavior not martial because he isnt like the guy from the kung fu tv show.

[peace&love]

I believe an effective teacher should have honesty, compassion, and humility. They should also have a vision for what they wish to accomplish in their teaching and development of their students.

[Lucas]

Ill list one thing. Keep in mind it is only one.

the question was; what characteristic does a great martial arts teacher posess...

Experience.

IMO to be a truly great teacher, you must have been there and done that. If you have no personal fighting experience, to put you well past novice, you cannot be truly great in regards to teaching combat. you can be good, but not a great.

[Lucas]

I think it's more about finding the right MATCH between teacher and student.

is this 'bang'?

[Kevin Huang]

Can be, depending on what student is looking for and what teacher is offering. ;)

[Lucas]

oh sorry. I used to briefly know a Kevin Huang (at least I think it was Huang) who went by the nick name of 'bang'. like the gun, bang bang....fast punches and kicks got him the name before I met him.

was just wondering if that was you.

[Kevin Huang]

No, it's definitely not me.

Calling me "fast" is a compliment I can't handle. I'm actually quite slow moving, particularly when it comes to CMA.

I do my forms, sparring, and reactions with the slowest/laziest physical motion I can get away with. Sometimes I have to call on speed in order to survive, but I try to limit those.

My body moves slow, but my MIND moves fast.

[Lucas]

cool cool.

I thought it was a longshot but figured I would check.

A quick mind is oft times better than a quick hand.

[Shaolinlueb]

hmm put this question a hundred years ago. most of the great kung fu masters were people who either killed people or used their kung fu to hurt people. i am sure compassion, patients, and sharing were not in their resume'

[Kevin Huang]

100 years ago wasn't that long ago.

In those days, men like Du Xing Wu, Guo Yun Shen, Cheng Ting Hua, Yin Fu, Kuo Yu Cheong, Sun Lu Tang, and other famous kung fu masters were alive and well. Virtually all of them were honorable upright citizens who preached compassion, patience, sharing, and other MANLY virtues.

These great masters would not have lived as long and been as influential had they not been good people first. I would go so far to say that they wouldn't even have been ALLOWED to learn their arts had they not been upstanding citizens.

Back then, offending others often resulted in death to the offender. So being a bad guy resulted in a shorter lifespan.

[SteveLau]

Good knowledge and teaching skill in general and the subject he teaches. Willing ness to teach. Willingness to correct his student's mistake. Being a decent fellow is also kind of a must.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

he shouldn't be havin sexual relations with farm animals under 50lbs. ill tell you that much.

[Lucas]

he shouldn't be havin sexual relations with farm animals under 50lbs. ill tell you that much.

but what if they are over 50lbs. ?