Filipino martial arts
Filipino martial arts (FMA) are martial arts
that originated in the Philippines. They integrate a
“system-of-systems” approach to combat readiness.
Filipinos have made significant sacrifices to
develop their arts. Throughout the ages
multi-cultural, multi-national invaders of the
Philippines imposed new dynamics for human conflict
and combat. FMA, the “system-of-systems” transformed
itself as a direct result of an appreciation of
their ever changing environment and circumstance.
The Filipinos' intrinsic need for self-preservation
was the evolutionary genesis of these analogous
systems. They learned often out of necessity how to
prioritize, allocate and utilize common resources in
combative situations. Filipinos have been heavily
influenced by the phenomenon of cultural and
language mixture. The multitude of languages spoken
in the 7,107 islands have not only diverged into
dialects, but they have been constantly mixing with
one another on all levels: vocabulary, grammar,
syntax, and usage. As a result, Filipino martial
arts and its homogeneous systems comprise a
vocabulary of heterogeneous terms. Change is the
norm. Some of the specific mechanisms responsible
for cultural and martial change extend from
phenomena such as war, political systems, social
systems, technology and trade. For over three
hundred years the Spanish had control over much of
the Philippines. The Spanish regime often enforced
royal laws and decrees limiting and prohibiting
weapons use by the indigenous people. These
restrictions of use were partly responsible for
secretive and underground nature of FMA. Spaniards
often employed Filipino warriors for various battles
and wars. The Filipinos' battle-tested tactics
proved strategically effective from angle of old
world weaponry and hand to hand conflict. Highly
skilled Filipino martial artists are often
characterized by a state of "flow" that is
decisively responsive, deployable, agile, versatile,
lethal, survivable, and sustainable. In 1972, the
Philippine government included Filipino martial arts
into the "Palarong Pambansa" or National Sports
arena. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports
also included it as part of the physical education
curriculum for high school and college students.
Knowledge of the Filipino martial arts is mandatory
in the Philippine military and police. Today, the
traditional Filipino martial systems continue to
grow, new ones emerge, and new transitional FMA
stylists continue to arrive on the martial arts
scene.
Practitioners of these arts are noted for their
ability to fight with weapons or empty hands
interchangeably. Filipino martial arts include
tactics for a wide variety of weaponry and combative
situations. The weapons vary in design, size,
weight, materials and methodology.
Impact
Weapons
-
-
Mano Mano, hands, open-handed, fingers,
fists, elbows, knees, sipa or kicks, locks,
blocks, and disarming
- Baston or olisi, eskrima sticks,
traditionally crafted from
rattan and
kamagong
-
Sibat,
Tongat, staff
-
Tameng, shield
Edged Weapons
-
-
Daga, dagger or knife -
balisong,
gunong,
punyal
-
Espada,
swords -
kampilan,
kris,
kalis, ginunting,
barong,
pinuti,
talibong,
golok
-
Bangkaw, spear
Flexible Weapons
-
Projectile Weapons
-
- Bow and arrow
-
Lipad-lipad, bagakays, Blowgun and darts
- Slingshot
HUMAN INTEREST STORY
Ben
Underwood plays killer foosball and is an absolute master of video
games. But so are a lot of 14-year-olds. Except Ben is blind.
Watch this video and maybe you'll see that the limitations you think
you have, really aren't limitations after all.
http://www.goals-2-go.com/videos.htm
Ben Underwood
practicing his down block
| [From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans.
Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them
to swimsuit shoots.
But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.
Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick,
26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only
pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him
2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112
miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.
Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken
him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him
across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling
look a little lame, right?
And what has Rick done for his father? Not
much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years
ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord
during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to
control his limbs.
"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick
says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was
nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''
But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way
Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was
11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts
University and asked if there was Anything to help the
boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told.
``There's nothing going on in his brain.''
"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick
laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain.
Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control
the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his
Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words?
``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was
paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a
charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To
do that.''
Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described
``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time,
going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried.
``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I
was sore For two weeks.''
That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed,
``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled
anymore!''
And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became
obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he
could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and
Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.
``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The
Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't
quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and
Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then
They found a way to get into the race Officially: In
1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the
Qualifying time for Boston the following year.
Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a
triathlon?''
How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't
ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his
110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.
Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four
grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a
buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an
old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?
Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No
way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome
feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as
they run, swim and ride together.
This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished
their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more
than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40
minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record,
which, in case you don't keep track of these things,
happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another
man in a wheelchair at the Time.
``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the
Father of the Century.''
And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two
years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race.
Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged.
``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor
told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.''
So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.
Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care)
and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military
and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be
together. They give speeches around the country and
compete in some backbreaking race every weekend,
including this Father's Day.
That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the
thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never
buy.
``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my
dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''
And the video is below....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE
|
|
WORDS
OF THE WEEK
Honesty
Week #1
“Our lives improve only when we take
chances—and the first and most difficult
risk we can take is to be honest with
ourselves.”
Walter Anderson,
Editor of Parade Magazine
Translation For Adults
To be honest with yourself is to admit
your successes and failures—the latter being
the most challenging. Adults find it
particularly difficult to acknowledge
mistakes because you are supposed to know
better and serve as role models for
children. Accepting your mistakes is one
form of honesty that will help you grow. As
soon as you honestly accept your flaws, you
can begin to move forward. As you travel to
home from work this week, or during a lunch
break, assess your honesty. Create a plan to
improve your honesty, especially with
yourself.
Translation For Kids
It is easy to praise yourself for what
you do well. You may be an awesome
basketball player. You spar better than most
students in your class. You’re able to do
your homework quickly and correctly. What
you do well always adds to your
self-confidence. Knowing your faults will
really help you grow. You must be honest
with yourself to understand your faults. It
is better that you realize your faults,
instead of others. Be willing to look at
your negatives and your positives, at home,
school or your martial arts class. Once you
do, then you can improve and be more
successful.
Week #2
“A lie has speed, but
truth has endurance.”
Edgar J. Mohn
Translation for Adults
It’s natural for you to want
to fix problems, quickly. That mindset,
however, could lead to dishonesty simply
because a lie is easier than taking the time
to fix a complicated problem. The lie may be
a temporary solution, but the truth will
eventually be revealed. Your challenge is to
develop the character to tell the truth as
soon as you’re confronted with a problem.
Even though you avoid the problem today by
telling a lie, the truth will appear in the
future; and what seemed to be a complicated
problem initially will be a whopper of a
problem then. Confront the TRUE problem
immediately, and it will be quickly behind
you. Being honest proves the endurance of
your character.
Translation for Kids
Most people want quick fixes
to their problems. Isn’t it easier to lie to
your mother that you took the trash to the
curb, rather than actually doing it? Don’t
tell lies. Be honest. When you are honest
about your problems, you are better able to
fix them. It might be easier and faster to
copy a classmate’s homework, but it’s not
honest. Your lie about the trash may be an
easy and quick fix. Your mother will
discover that you didn’t take the trash to
the curb. Then you will have an even bigger
problem. It’s quick and easy to lie to avoid
hard work, but that is not a good Black Belt
attitude. Black Belts know that the fastest
way is not always the best way to fix a
problem.
Week #3
“There is no twilight
zone of honesty in business. A thing is
right or it’s wrong. It’s black or it’s
white.”
John F. Dodge,
a pioneer of the automobile industry
Translation for Adults
When you try to operate in the fictitious
zone between the truth and lies, you are
really operating in the dishonesty zone. You
only have two choices, however, not three:
Tell a lie and suffer the potential
consequences, or be honest and benefit from
your truthfulness. As much as you might
think a “white lie” is acceptable under
certain circumstances, it is still a lie,
and eventually it will reflect badly on
your character. You can’t afford to tarnish
your character in that manner, whether
you’re a business leader, a community
leader, a family member or a Black Belt.
Translation for Kids
You might think that a “white lie” is
sometimes OK. You think it is another choice
between the truth and a lie. You have only
two choices, not three. When you tell a
white lie, you are still telling a lie. The
word “lie” is even part of its name. Lying
is lying. It is wrong and its color is
black. Being honest is always right. Its
color is white, so a lie can never be white.
Telling the truth shows that you have Black
Belt character and respect for others. Your
character is what makes you a leader,
successful in school and a help to your
family. The best solution to your problem is
always the truth—the Black Belt truth.
Week #4
“A liar will not be
believed, even when he speaks the truth.”
Aesop,
ancient Greek philosopher and author
Translation for Adults
Telling an immediate lie to fix a problem
usually causes a bigger problem: Your
dishonesty also immediately identifies you
as a liar. Now, your character is tarnished;
your credibility is weakened or destroyed;
your closest business associates, friends
and family members will start to
second-guess everything you tell them. Now
you will have to spend more time and effort
to regain your reputation as a honest
person—and you may never totally regain
their trust. The bigger problem caused by
lying is just as solvable as the little
problem that you tried to fix with a lie.
TELL THE TRUTH. Be honest. It is not always
the easiest choice, but it is, without a
doubt, always the right choice.
Translation for Kids
You have probably heard the story of the boy
who cried wolf. People believed him when he
first said that the wolf was coming. He said
it again and again, but the wolf did not
come. People then began to think the boy was
a liar. Everyone ignored him the next time
he said the wolf was coming. Then, one day
the wolf really did come. By the time, the
villagers knew the wolf was there, it had
already stolen a number of chickens and
disappeared. Don’t act like the boy in the
story. When you lie, repeatedly, people will
think you are liar. They will not trust you
again. You will have to work very hard to
prove that you can be trusted in the future.
Be the kind of person and Black Belt who is
valued for his honesty. You will never be
like “the boy who cried wolf.”
|
|
I
VIP Program
Our
Student Creed and Principles of a Black Belt
School Protocol
What to Expect on Your
First Test
Member Only
Focus on
Philosophy
"Keep
away from people who try to belittle your ambition. Small people
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too,
can become great."
Mark Twain
Ambition: 1a.
An eager or strong desire to achieve something, such as fame or
power. b. The object or goal desired. 2. Desire for
exertion or activity; energy.
Ambition.
A word that describes what drives a human being into or out of
action. It is what makes a person settle for nothing but the best.
It is what allows one to reach beyond what others can imagine.
Ambition is best described in a story by the famed writer and
motivator, Jim Rohn...
"Each of us has
two distinct choices to make about what we will do with our lives.
The first choice we can make is to be less than we have the
capacity to be. To earn less. To have less. To read less and to
think less. To try less and discipline ourselves less. These are
the choices that lead to an empty life. These are the choices
that, once made, lead to a life of constant apprehension instead
of a life of wondrous anticipation.
And the second
choice? To do it all! to become all that we can possibly be. To
read every book that we possibly can. To earn as much as we
possibly can. To give and share as much as we possibly can.
To strive and produce and accomplish as much as we possibly can.
All of us have a choice. To do or not to do. To be or not to be.
To be all or to be less or to be nothing at all."
Four Weeks
Worth of Words on Ambition
Week One
"Without ambition one starts nothing. Without
work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You
have to win it."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
It starts from within. In order to live out your
dreams and goals, you have to look within to find what matters to
you the most. Let this dream be the driving passion behind your
effort towards achieving your goals.
Think of a martial art goal that you want to
achieve, and then focus on that the whole class (ex. punching with
more speed, being louder, etc.)
Week Two
"If you have great ambition, take as big a
step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may
only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one
possible for now."
Mildred McAfee
Are you doing what it takes? Look at your daily
actions. You should be in a constant effort to work towards what
you desire. Plan your actions and review your progress. Each
little step you take toward your goal could push you closer to it
by leaps and bounds.
Week Three
"The men who succeed are the efficient few. They
are the few who have the ambition and will power to develop
themselves."
Herbert N. Casson
Streamline yourself. Focus on the things that will
get you to your goals. At times we can get sidetracked from what we
should be doing. Your ambition and desire for achieving your goals
will require a great amount of focus and energy.
What are some of the things you do to "waste time,"
thing that take away from your ambition (ex. good grades succeeding
in sports or hobbies, etc.) What ways can you make better use of
your time (ex. allowing yourself only 1/2 hour to play video games,
or learning not to procrastinate cleaning your room.)?
Week Four
Ready For your next Challenge?
Ask your instructor to sign you up for the
Presidents Challenge Physical Fitness Test
www.presidentschallenge.org
(Back)
Invite a Friend for a
FREE Week!
and get a Free
Karate Uniform
Use a
VIP Card to invite a friend to try our school. At the end of
the free week, they’ll receive a Free Karate T-shirt as our
thanks for trying our program.
Here’s Why
Our Gold Card Sponsorship program allows us to attract quality
people such as yourself, to our school. It also allows our valued
students to share their Martial Arts experience with friends and
family. In appreciation for your support, you will receive a FREE
T-shirt for each qualified guest who qualifies for the FREE
week. (They must attend at least three classes)
Here’s How it Works
Choose a friend or family member whom you think would enjoy and
benefit from our program. Be sure to put your name on the back of
the card to receive your free gift. Remind your friend to call in
advance to schedule their classes
* These cards are good for both our regular Karate Program and
Jeet Kune Do Programs
The greatest compliment our students
can ever make to us is to sponsor a Guest!
(Back)
Our Student
Creed and
Principles of Black Belt
We always tell our students that in order for you to become a
Black Belt on the outside...You first must become a Black Belt on
the inside. Therefore we always recite the Student Creed at the
beginning of each class and the Principals of Black Belt at the end
of each class. It’s imperative that all of our students maintain a
positive state of mind and possess a high moral and ethical
standard.
Perhaps one of the worst things we could ever do is share the
secrets and the power of Martial Arts with someone not mentally
prepared to handle the awesome responsibility required to do so.
Junior
Student Creed
I
promise to keep my room clean.
I
promise to obey my parents and teachers.
I
promise to always be polite and respectful.
I
promise to tell the truth and honor my word.
I
promise not to fight with my brothers and sisters.
I promise to always do my best and never give up.
Student Creed
Line 1
I
intend to develop myself in a positive manner and to avoid anything
that could reduce my mental growth and my physical health.
Line 2
I
intend to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in
myself and others.
Line 3
I
intend to use what I learn in class constructively and defensively
to help myself and my fellow man and never be abusive or offensive.
The
Principles of Black Belt
As a dedicated student of the
Martial Arts, I will live by the Principals of Black Belt:
Courtesy
Modesty
Integrity
Perseverance
Courage
&
Indomitable Spirit
Please take
the time to memorize the Student Creed and the Principals of Black
Belt. Martial Artists are people who hold themselves to a higher
standard. This is the major difference between Martial Arts and any
other activity you or your family may ever become involved in.
Martial Arts truly is a way of life.
The Three Rules of Concentration
1.
Focus Your Eyes
2.
Focus Your Mind
3. Focus Your Body
The Three Keys to Physical and Mental Health
1. Proper
diet ---- Proper Diet of Words of Wisdom
2. Proper
Exercise ---- Exercising Your Creativity
3. Proper Rest ---- Mental relaxation through
concentrated focus (meditation)
The Black Belt Success
System (accompanied by hand signals)
1.
Know what you want
2. Have
a plan –and a success coach
3. Take
consistent action
4. Review your progress; renew your goals.
(Back)
School Protocol
-
Please
arrive 10-15 min. prior to class time.
-
Quietly
prepare for your class.
-
Remain off
the mat in proper warm-up area until your class begins.
-
Keep your
uniform/work-out apparel clean and wrinkle free.
-
Practice
good hygiene, bathe before each class.
-
Remove all
jewelry prior to class.
-
Wear a
complete and approved school uniform. No exceptions please.
-
Come to
classes designated to your belt color only.
-
Take one
class per day only. No double classes please. BBC may take one
regular and one BBC daily.
-
Sparring
gear is required for sparring classes.
-
Learn to tie
your belt properly.
-
Place shoes
in under the bench.
-
Introduce
yourself to fellow students whom you do not know and make them
feel welcome.
-
If you bring
a guest, introduce them to your instructors.
-
Small
children should be supervised and not allowed to climb, run or
play loudly.
-
No gum
chewing or candy in the school.
-
Come to
class with a level 10 energy and enthusiasm.
-
Don't let
anyone be better than you.
-
Enter each
class with spirit and energy for learning.
-
Remember:
“He who is afraid to do too much...always does too little.”
-
Work hard
and encourage your team-mates to work hard as well.
-
Notify staff
if you will be away for more than 3 days.
-
As a member
of our team we’re counting on your enthusiasm and contribution
each and every day, train at least twice a week and make up missed
classes immediately.
-
Never miss
belt exams, get extra help to stay on schedule. (Martial Arts
Students)
- Never forget your goal; Black Belt
Excellence!
(Back)
TESTING
Testing takes
place during the last week of every month. Students will be expected
to demonstrate the appropriate level of competency in all techniques
required for their belt level and will also be required to complete
the required physical fitness test during Power Night.
Lindenhurst School Spotlight will be held on
the last Saturday of every month.
Deer Park School Spotlight will be held
the last Friday of every month.
IT'S
NOT WHAT YOU KNOW,
IT'S
WHAT YOU DO THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Your First Test
Congratulations...You’ve made it to your first Belt Test. Here are
some tips to help you understand the Advancement Process better and
to be your very best at the exam.
“Repetition is the Mother of Skill” Practice as much as
possible the week of the test. You may be nervous when your time
comes to perform. You should know your requirements without having
to even think. Check with an instructor to verify what you’ll be
asked to do and practice, practice, practice!
Eat properly and get lots of water. Along with your test you
typically must do a warm-up and execute basic kicking and punching
technique. Keep your energy high by eating and drinking healthfully
the day of your exam.
Better to be thirty minutes early than one minute late. Find
out the exact time of your exam and get there early. If you’re early
you’ll be more relaxed and have the opportunity to cheer for your
classmates as they take their exams.
Dress for success. Show you’re serious about your Martial
Arts by dressing in your best, cleanest uniform. A shower and a nice
hairstyle is a bonus too. Remember, people will more than likely be
taking photos!
If you have a test forms, be sure to bring them along. It
will make the process go much smoother.
When you get out there, Breathe! When we’re nervous we tend
to hold our breath. Learn to breathe...It will help you on your
test, it will help you in any stressful situation.
Be a Lead Clapper. A lead clapper is a person who is first to
clap, cheer and support their classmates. Show people how much you
care. Encourage success amongst your team and they’re sure to do the
same for you!
(Back)
Members Only Section
Welcome
Welcome Information
School Policies
Requirements
Adult JKD
Requirements
Intent to Promote Forms
Little
Dragons
Junior
Dragons
Adults
Testing
Qualification Code
The
Art of Breaking
The
art of breaking is a time-tested teaching tool that inspires,
motivates and helps people grow as martial artists. Many lessons
learned from breaking apply directly to the physical and mental
aspects of training. Breaking can identify weaknesses and
strengths in speed, accuracy and technique.
The
art of breaking is not limited to only physical improvement. It
also identifies strengths and weaknesses in mind and character.
Those
respected or viewed as heroes in society earned that position
through self-discipline. They learned to work through the mental
barriers or fears that hinder others in reaching their goals.
Breaking is a tool that will teach you to do the same… face your
fears and overcome them.
The
Extreme Breaking Challenge provides you the path for breaking
success. Take the challenge and accomplish the first step of
reaching your life goals…self-confidence.
The
Program
The
Extreme Breaking Challenge is custom designed for each student
based on individual goals and needs. Your goals will be derived
through age and weight ratios allowing for the most individualized
and appropriate course of study. Our qualified instructors will
guide you through the process of selecting your goals ensuring
they are on track. In addition, they are with you every step of
the way charting your success and assisting you in breaking
achievement.
Competing With Your Instructor
by
Diana Rathborne
Martial artists develop in an infinite number of ways. Our
instructors are there to inspire, motivate and give us information.
After that, our work begins. There are a few students who, because
of their physical and mental gifts and their life circumstances,
have gained a high level of skill in a short period of time.
Unfortunately, some of these talented students have missed the
attributes of character that every martial artist should develop:
humility, respect and gratitude to name just three. As they approach
the level of their instructor, (perhaps gaining instructor status
themselves) they believe their instructor has nothing left to teach
them. The physical ability, time and availability to train with your
instructor, and the personal closeness that comes from that time,
can lead to destructive ideas, including: you are no longer a
student of your instructor, you are both a better martial artist and
a better person. I think it is arrogance, a lack of respect and
delusion that lead a student to the belief that his instructor is a
competitor against whom he is on a level to compete. Not only does
this seem to limit time in the art, but it is also damaging to the
student, the school, and by extension, the instructor. It seems,
however, to be a phenomenon that every school owner experiences.
I have seen many people transform their lives through the lessons
that training in the martial arts can bring. A student who gets
started on the path of development, only to detour onto this false
path of comparing himself to, and competing with, his instructor, is
wasting his talent when he could be doing much, much more for
himself, his art and his fellow students. Luckily, I am not burdened
with the kind of talent that would enable me to physically compete
with any of my instructors, so for me as a student, the point is
moot. As an instructor, however, I do run into it from time to time.
In my opinion, all things being equal, if an athletic student who’s
put in some training time can’t outperform me (a short female on the
wrong side of 35) in a training drill, there’s something wrong. It
has absolutely nothing to do with my capability, or my ability to
instruct, guide, motivate or add technical information to his base.
Over the years, I have had the benefit of watching my instructors
handle many weird situations, questions and possible challenges.
They have always done it with grace and amazing variety of the
most “appropriate” responses imaginable. I am lucky to now have
their answers in my arsenal to pull from. The new guy walking in the
door, giving the instructor the once over and all but saying, “I
could kick your butt,” the student who “fights” a technique in a
demo, and the student who interrupts a class or seminar to
say, “That wouldn’t work,” or “What would you do If I….” are a few
examples of scenarios I’ve had the opportunity to watch. Had those
situations been mine to solve, they certainly would not have been
handled so well.
My primary instructor, Sifu Rick Faye of the Minnesota Kali Group in
Minneapolis, has a humorous perspective on the dynamic of students
competing with him. He finds the fact that some of his students have
seen fit to compete with him both sad and annoying. “If they want to
compete with me, they can compete with me at 7:00 on a Saturday
morning when I’m mopping the weight room,” he comments. Those who
enter the martial arts and end up in the role of an instructor, do
so to impart many of the personal qualities that martial arts bring
to others: humility, respect, honesty, loyalty, dedication,
kindness, etc. These are people who have chosen their profession
because of their passion for it, their belief that it can improve
the lives of those involved, and as a way to support their families.
They have put in an enormous amount of time and energy into their
students’ development as martial artists and as decent human beings.
I don’t see where the desire or ability to kick your instructor’s
butt falls into this equation. Sifu Pete Hetrick’s staple answer to
a student who challenges him and says that he could kick his butt
always is, “Yes, but I can teach you to kick my butt faster and more
efficiently.”
Each and every instructor I have learned from is excited by the acco-
mplishments of his students. Each one has handed us his art and as a
result, we are already starting ahead of where he started. I believe
that the number of times Guro Dan Inosanto was hit on the head by
his instructors to bring us his art (without the contact) should
speak for itself. I was recently reading a book on an aspect of the
Filipino martial arts, and the author took the time in the first two
pages to put down one of the greatest instructors in the Filipino
martial arts. Why? Because he got his ego in a bind. Big deal. Isn’t
there room for more than one authority on the art? What is your
purpose for training in the martial arts? To be the biggest bad ass?
To be a killer? Enlist—they’re hiring. You can go see what it is to
fight “for real.” In fact, now is probably a great time for that.
For the rest of us, martial arts are a self-development vehicle. For
your instructor, it is also his livelihood and that of his family.
The “my instructor can beat up your instructor” mindset has no place
outside of kindergarten. I’m sure most boxers could beat the tar outof their trainers, but you don’t see most of them wasting their
training time and mental energies on that focus.
As instructors, we need to remember two things. First, that we are
still students of our instructors, and second, that a student’s urge
to compete with us is completely immaterial to our own art. It is a
pain in the rear end, but it is also an opportunity to try to find
and utilize the most appropriate response to a challenging
situation. Etched in my mind is a class where Sifu Rick Faye told
all of us that his personal martial arts ability was none of our
business. That it was between him and the mirror. At that time, I
was shocked by the statement. On further digestion, I realized he
was right. My personal capabilities have absolutely no bearing on my
ability to teach others or to help others.
Each of us has to take a hard look at why we are in the martial
arts, and where our personal defensive abilities lie. Look around
your class and ask yourself the question, “If Big John Doe flipped a
gasket and came after me, would I be able to survive it?” Gauge
where you are and where you might need to be to answer “yes” to that
question. Assess the areas you need to develop: mobility, strength,
speed, power, technical base, impact and functionality of your
techniques, etc. Then get to work. Then put it aside. There is so
much more to develop as a martial artist, and to bring longevity to
your art than looking at everyone as either a threat or a possible
attacker.
To the fighters, if your passion is training to fight and getting in
the ring, ask yourself these four questions: 1) Do I still pay my
dues? 2) Do I put away my wraps, pads and gear each and every time I
train? 3) Do I own the equipment I train with? 4) Are the other
students afraid of me? If you answered yes to any of these
questions, your instructor takes a financial loss to train you. You
are not so good that you “deserve” to follow different rules from
the other students. In fact, just having you in the school costs
your instructor money. Appreciate the fact and change our behavior!
Martial arts competitions can offer a great experience for those who
want to participate in them. Bear in mind that a martial arts
competition is just that – a competition. It offers the contact of
sparring in a more intense venue with more adrenalin. Competitions
have rules, time limits, referees, judges and a specific competition
arena. A competition is not self-defense, and it is not “for real.”
It also has absolutely no bearing on the ability of those who don’t
wish to participate in it. To mentally put our instructor in the
ring with you as your opponent is ridiculous and disrespectful. If
your instructor does get in the ring with you, depending on who youhave as an instructor, the experience may not be as pleasant, or as
successful, as you have imagined it. However, it probably will
impact you and shift your perspective significantly.
I’m certainly not saying that you don’t need to assess the
functionality of the techniques you are taught. You do. As martial
artists, we need to look at techniques and training methods with a
critical eye. We are not learning chess, and should have the ability
to fight if need be. I am saying that respect for your instructor’s
time in the art, time teaching and time with you, are essential for
your growth as a student, a person, and a martial artist. I am also
saying that your instructor has provided you with a place to train.
This fact deserves your respect and gratitude as well. Your
instructor has put in 5, 10, 20 years before you started, and just
may have something to offer because of that time. How each martial
artist develops is unique. However, there are common threads,
principles and development cycles. Our instructors have the benefit
of having worked with hundreds of students in varying stages of
development to use as a base to help our growth. He/she is not
competing with you. If you are competing with him/her, ask
yourself, “Why?” What is this going to do for me as a martial artist
and as a person? We have been given a mix of arts into which many
people have put in a great deal of time and development. We have
been given it in a comfortable, well-lit gym with protective
equipment and the benefit of our instructor’s insight. If you
honestly feel that you have nothing to learn from your instructor,
then move on. Make the effort and take the time to be polite,
respectful, courteous, kind and adult in your conversations to
others about your decision to move on.
If your physical skills have surpassed your instructor’s in an area
of the art, he/she will be happy for you, if you are respectful and
give credit where credit is due. Once you have reached this level,
unless you quit the art, you’re not done. Enhance the art by being a
part of it. The creation of divisiveness and pettiness isn’t
enhancing anyone. If you have a different approach, great. Share it,
but don’t put down every else’s approach. You may have a new twist,
or maybe you just didn’t recognize something that’s been there all
along. Either way, your instructor has guided you to where you are.
Be humble, respectful, and do something creative rather than
destructive. From time to time it may be necessary to either remind
yourself, or a fellow martial artist, that in the martial arts, even
if you do surpass your instructor, you are still his/her junior in
the art.
