Need advice on a serious matter.

[Scott R. Brown]

If the instructor is just any other Western shmuck like me and tries to act like that then I won't have the time of day for him. Because then it's fake and posing. But if it's someone who really comes from and represents the Confucian culture......

I think of a MA instructor as no different than any other athletic coach! They should be treated with the same respect and deference as any other coach.

In the old days students had to put up with the Confucian ethics because you were privileged to have the opportunity to learn from an asian, however now days you can learn anywhere just about.

I think that if you move to another country you should accommodate to the traditions of that country. Not that you have to throw out your cultural heritage, but accommodate to the new culture as well. Respect goes both ways. I don't respect those that expect Westerners to conform to their own culture in return for learning anything. We don't bow to our college instructors and thank them for the privilege to learn at their feet. They are well paid, that is their compensation.

Due respect to all people, of course, but none of this bow down and pay homage crap for me!

[Scott R. Brown]

The same goes for Westerners learning in a foreign country though as well! If I was training in Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, China, etc., it would be my responsibility to observe the local cultural traditions of the student/teacher relationship!

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Your best answer is to just stop caring.

See, if you don't care, then you have a great facility to do your own training, plenty of people to throw around, and when YOU teach, you can still hold the standards.

If you are the guy who has the highest standards there, and you leave, then the school really does become your complaints. If you stay, you ARE the standard, and you get all the other benefits of being there.

Rather than leave, create a special 'Elite' course. Charge a bit more, and only allow those who pass a tryout to be in that class. Then train THOSE guys to be the envy of all the other students.

Leave the rest to the 'General Public' program.

[taai gihk yahn]

Your best answer is to just stop caring.

See, if you don't care, then you have a great facility to do your own training, plenty of people to throw around, and when YOU teach, you can still hold the standards.

If you are the guy who has the highest standards there, and you leave, then the school really does become your complaints. If you stay, you ARE the standard, and you get all the other benefits of being there.

Rather than leave, create a special 'Elite' course. Charge a bit more, and only allow those who pass a tryout to be in that class. Then train THOSE guys to be the envy of all the other students.

Leave the rest to the 'General Public' program.

it's a great idea, but the problem is that when one's beacon begins to burn brighter than one's teacher's, this can create a serious issue (and i've seen it happen)

[Lokhopkuen]

Your best answer is to just stop caring..

Wurd

[bawang]

people justify his teacher and defend him, saying theres nothing wron with compromising kung fu for money, then they wonder why kung fu is such a joke

insight into the martial arts can only ocur in uncompromised hard training

[Scott R. Brown]

it's a great idea, but the problem is that when one's beacon begins to burn brighter than one's teacher's, this can create a serious issue (and i've seen it happen)

When that happens I just turn on my "heart light" to "light up my life", because "I'd like to teach the world to sing" or "gimme a ticket for an aeroplane", cuz I'll be "leaving on a jet plane" in order to avoid the "rain drops falling on my head".........uh where was I?????

[xcakid]

Well I could not help it and hold it in anymore. I had serious conversation with my sifu tonight after the BB class.

I basically told him of what I have observed and what my concerns are. I have made some suggestions. We discussed the issues I put forth and he seem to finally see the importance of having an instructors class. He did say that these things cannot be fixed overnight. Not really sure how to take that.

I think I am gonna have my knee surgery (having MRI on Thurs.). Take maybe a month or two off to recoup. Come back and see if I find that passion I once had and to see if there have been some progress at changes. If not, then I really think I need to walk away.

[Ray Pina]

Running a commercial martial art gym is tough... its usually kids class that pays the bills. Then if you have 50 softy adults.... everything has to be dummied down to the softiest level.

Talk to your sifu privately.

There's your relationship. And there's his business.... there's also your time and desire to improve as a martial artists. If you're loyal and love that place/style stick it out, but maybe moonlight at a BJJ gym twice a week. It would do you good anyway. You can compare class styles.

[SteveLau]

Xcakid,

Once a country's president has said "There is a need to change, and change is coming." With all my best wishes, I hope your school will change for the better, and it is the change you want. Sure, give others a chance to make the change is good. A month time is sufficient to have some signs of change going on. So please keep us informed of the story progress.



Best regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[Kansuke]

people justify his teacher and defend him, saying theres nothing wron with compromising kung fu for money, then they wonder why kung fu is such a joke

insight into the martial arts can only ocur in uncompromised hard training

Should he defeat his teacher in single combat then break the sign above the door? (laughing in a sinister way, of course)

[Kansuke]

Xcakid,

Once a country's president has said "There is a need to change, and change is coming."

Yeah, and look how that's worked out.

[rett]

I think that if you move to another country you should accommodate to the traditions of that country....

Due respect to all people, of course, but none of this bow down and pay homage crap for me!

I was talking about training in China.

But "bow down and pay homage"??? Where did you get that from?

That was never asked of me. If they bowed down and paid homage it would only be at a grave or shrine of an ancestor. Never to a living coach. Maybe in one setting, namely formally requesting to become a disciple. But seriously, is that so hard?

As a Buddhist I am happy to bow down to a Buddhist monk or nun whatever country they're from or whatever social background they have, but that's not really about "homage" either. It's respecting the Sangha.

[Scott R. Brown]

I was talking about training in China.

But "bow down and pay homage"??? Where did you get that from?

That was never asked of me. If they bowed down and paid homage it would only be at a grave or shrine of an ancestor. Never to a living coach. Maybe in one setting, namely formally requesting to become a disciple. But seriously, is that so hard?

As a Buddhist I am happy to bow down to a Buddhist monk or nun whatever country they're from or whatever social background they have, but that's not really about "homage" either. It's respecting the Sangha.

I apologize for not being very clear. My comment was meant to be about the wannbe Americans, trying to be Asian Masters, but don’t really know the language and culture very well, cult like schools.

I bowed and what not in my Aiki-jujutsu and Aikido classes. One taught by traditional Japanese man and the other an American who learned under a traditional Japanese man.

[rett]

I apologize for not being very clear. My comment was meant to be about the wannbe Americans, trying to be Asian Masters, but don’t really know the language and culture very well, cult like schools.

I think I'm lucky not to have been exposed to that world except from seeing some ridiculous websites. People who title themselves "grandmaster" and the like don't even enter my radar as worth taking into consideration. Even if they can fight, they're such ego-tripped phonies as to be a total joke.