Question for the teachers

[-N-]

Chisao and tuisao are really very similar when it comes to listening skills and to listen well, you must speak softly.

The real lesson his friend needs to learn

Reminds me of this lesson.

[Kellen Bassette]

If you don't do any conditioning or sparring in your class then unfortunately you'll attract and collect these types of people.

Yup, got to weed them out. It's hard to tell someone how great you are when your gasping for breath.

[GoldenBrain]

Yup, got to weed them out. It's hard to tell someone how great you are when your gasping for breath.

Indeed! I like the way you worded that.

It's really the best way to ensure you have a dedicated bunch of students. The lazy and or big ego types just never want to put in the work. Every now and then you get a stubborn one, but by month 3 to 6 they usually leave as well.

Conditioning at the beginning of class before learning forms/techniques/sparring...etc., is really a win win for all the students. Not only does it help your students build strength and endurance which is at least half of what you're trying to do, but it ensures students concentrate more on technique than strength. They have to use correct technique because if you did the conditioning part right then they should be pretty tired by the time the learning part begins.

[YouKnowWho]

Yup, got to weed them out. It's hard to tell someone how great you are when your gasping for breath.

All you need is to strike arms with them until they ask to stop. They will then realize that they are not as tough as they may think they are.

[Faux Newbie]

I find keeping people busy to be very useful when dealing with such students.

I had one who had some previous tkd experience and experience in my style (taixuquan). If he didn't see the use in something, I could tell he was enduring that section of things.

In my class, everything is paired drills, starting with mirroring footwork with one partner leading and the other always trying to land first even though they departed last. I worked hard to minimize lecture and hone demonstration in order to keep everything moving.

In that case, for me, it was a patience game combined with always keeping the class moving, especially as I don't have the class work out first, I'd rather they wear themselves out on drills and give me better effort on those. One aspect of waist work that he really did not see as useful, which is tied to virtually everything I do, after about a month and a half, he suddenly got it, in relation to one throw. It paid off well in that case.

I have a rule, and I state it outright. It doesn't matter to me if, in your own fighting, you don't do things I do. But, you are taking my class, and so are others, and my kung fu is what is taught in my class, and my rules are to give people a chance to learn what they came for and to ensure their safety, and they are the rules in my class. What you do with it from there is your business. No unnecessary talking during drills, period, discussion at other times is to be class related as much as possible in order to not waste anyone's time, mine or others. If you are okay with that, then welcome to class, if not, I understand and wish you happy training.

The above general speech has worked with friends, experienced martial artists, and new people. Wives, not so much.

The other thing I often point out is, "this move here, it's in quite a few styles, here's how we do it," which saves time of people going "hey, in moo duk kwan, we do that this way."

However, if the class is form based, without drilling the individual moves in ways to deepen their understanding, then none of the above works well, at which point I suppose you could say, "If you are trying to develop flow in your other art, spend more time flowing here, connecting it to your other art is something you should do when you know more of this style."

[-N-]

I get a 10 minute diatribe on how fantastic and without peer his Sifu is.

If you don't want him around any more, you could suggest that he ask his teacher how best to soften his WC.

Tell him you think his teacher is much more qualified than you to help, and that you don't want to waste his time.

[-N-]

One of my students mentioned that one Taiji teacher had such a strong rooting that nobody can move him, I stopped teaching him after that. I can't teach anybody who doesn't have faith in me. How can I teach anybody the wrestling skill if he believes in "strong rooting" can be used to against all throws.

You could say, "Lucky for me you are not as good as your Tai Chi teacher". Then throw him on the ground.

[mickey]

Greetings,

In this case you really need to listen to the need of your customer. He wanted to achieve three things:

1- To soften his Wing Chun

2- To soften his Wing Chun

3- To soften his Wing Chun

He said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about wanting to learn Tai Chi Chuan combatives. So why go there with him? You don't even have to teach him the form. All you have to do is teach him a few movement sequences (stationary and with stepping -- don't dump it all on him at once) that he can practice on his own and teach him push hands so he can practice with his mate. He can work on those sequences by himself while you teach his mate. Every now and then you can check in, make refinements and then go back to teaching his mate. It is that easy. There is no stress for you nor him. If anything, he will ask you for more understanding.

mickey

[PalmStriker]

Have him look into a softer style of WingChun. Why not educate him?

[YouKnowWho]

Have him look into a softer style of WingChun. Why not educate him?

A: Dear master! I want to learn soft WC.
B: Go home and make love to your wife 5 times a day everyday and come back to see me in a week.
...
A: Dear master! I'm back. Can you teach me how to get hard again?

[-N-]

A: Dear master! I want to learn soft WC.
B: Go home and make love to your wife 5 times a day everyday and come back to see me in a week.
...
A: Dear master! I'm back. Can you teach me how to get hard again?

B: I have to show you everything??? Bring your wife.

[Kellen Bassette]

All you need is to strike arms with them until they ask to stop. They will then realize that they are not as tough as they may think they are.

I enjoy that drill, especially when you can see someone clearly wants to go softer, but still has too much pride to ask...eventually the pain overrides the pride.

[SteveLau]

I agree largely with Sanjuro's words. The key of the problem is that if a student does not buy the theories and techniques of the system he is training, he should leave. That means the student should have the bottom line before join in the class or somewhere during the training period of when he should quit. The instructor of the class should also pay attention to his students to see if they are interested in the training. I quited a school a year ago. And at least one of the instructors (he is the chairman of the school) awared that I was not much interested in learning Wing Chun. They also teach Tai Kwon Dao and Thai Boxing. I joined the school only to train up free fight skill. Sure I did not mind to learn other schools of art. And I have never gone too far in disrespect what were being taught there.



Regards,


KC
Hong Kong

[bawang]

I'm looking for a little advice on a situation.

I have a couple of friends I'm teaching/sharing taiji with. They're a married couple - both great people. She is a very good friend and a student of mine in another discipline (a good one). He I'm friends with through his wife. Also an amiable fellow. He's a wing chun teacher under a well known Sifu.

Whenever I try and show an application, or try and apply a concept to his wing chun framework, I'm met with a slightly smug smile and a "but this is what we'd do", or "this is the wing chun answer to that" or (especially if an application seems to resonate with him), I get a 10 minute diatribe on how fantastic and without peer his Sifu is.

I...don't....care.....

I've tried being nice and going along with it, remarking on his Sifu's obvious abilities. I've tried saying "Look - you're here because you wanted to learn taiji, but you seem to keep showing me how superior wing chun is". I've tried saying "this is taking time away from the lesson". Last week, when I wasn't feeling especially accommodating, I just said "Why are you here?".

He's always quick to acknowledge what i say (at least verbally), but it seems as though he has a lot of trouble not being the expert in the room.

I want to maintain a friendship with these people but I'm not sure what else I can say.

Has anyone dealt with a situation like this before? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance

a) have sex with his wife.

b) look liek this

[Pipefighter]

All you need is to strike arms with them until they ask to stop. They will then realize that they are not as tough as they may think they are.

+1, from a student perspective
I didn't realize that drill could be used for that until just recently. That drill in the video is a great non confrontational way to break the ice, i think. My first SC class when we did that i though, "this guy is definitely tough! He isn't even struggling to overcome pain. This is just normal for him."
I had been using my bones throughout the drill. He had returned a few shots with bone since i was. Then at the end he explained goal was to toughen the muscles of the arm, not the bones near the wrist.
But me using bone didn't cause him to ease up, so it showed me a lot in under 2 min.

My thoughts from the student perspective.