Web based instruction.

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Re: Web based instruction.

Postby Windrider » Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:43 pm

John the Monkey mind wrote:In martial arts circles you tend to meet a lot of really good people and a lot of arrogant and aggressive fools.


Isn't that the truth. Over the years I have unfortunate enough to encounter SO MANY "best there is" martial artists who study at "the ultimate school" under "the world's finest teacher" in "the ultimate super best and deadliest martial art ON EARTH!!!!!"

So I rarely talk to martial artists. Now, as you know, some would immediately say that I don't talk to other martial artists because I am "afraid, inferior, ignorant and hiding incompetence." But I really consider my time in this world to be both limited and way too precious to waste arguing with invincible ignorance and outright stupidity. Unfortunately, because I love truth and am often foolish enough to think that truth automatically overcomes lies, I too often find myself getting drawn in to yet ANOTHER verbal dispute with somebody who sacrifices his reason to his desires. Getting distracted by that kind of trash is a lifelong weakness of mine, which I absolutely MUST overcome if I am to make best use of the precious time I have left.

John the Monkey mind wrote:It seems to polarize people over time. Luckily I have a low profile so people from outside the traditional martial arts don't even know I train apart from a few. As for the few sportsmen who know I never say I am anything other than basically competent and the good ones among them leave me alone or compare notes, sadly I have had the odd word that I am wasting my time from other less enlightened sportsmen.


In that, sir, you are a far wiser man than I.

John the Monkey mind wrote:I have seen how high profile instructors can catch challenges and idiocy from big heads. I guess that's the risk of running a class. I have seen men come into a training space and then try to test out the instructor wile either playing up what they do and trying to goad them into sparing or saying they know nothing wile trying to find weakness in the instructor to mock. Sadly my home city in England has a lot of this behaviour unproductive as it is. There is also a lot of inter-gym rivalry I have once or twice been wrongly identified as being in an opposing camp when someone has mentioned to a "martial artist" that a share what should be a common interest with them (this is usually tied up with the type of gym that offers kick-boxing-kung fu and other assorted flash) and got some hostility as a result. I was never part of the local mega clubs and avoid most of the bickering.


Yep. So many people think they can exalt themselves by tearing down the reputation of another. It just doesn't work that way. Burning down another man's house does not build you a house.

Every time I encounter a person like that, I think of this great vignette from Joe Hyams:

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Lengthen Your Line
By Joe Hyams
Taken from his book 'ZEN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS'

...I will remember one of my initial sessions at his dojo in Los Angeles where I was practicing Kumite (sparring) with a more skilful opponent. To make up for my lack of knowledge and experience, I tried deceptive, tricky moves that were readily countered. I was outclassed, and Parker watched me get roundly trounced. When the match was over I was dejected. Parker invited me into his small office; a small sparsely furnished room with only a scarred desk and battered chairs. "Why are you so upset? " he asked. "Because I couldn't score."

Parker got up from behind the desk and with a piece of chalk drew a line on the floor about five feet long. "How can you make this line shorter?" he asked. "I studied the line and gave him several answers, including cutting the line in many pieces. He shook his head and drew a second line, longer than the first. "Now how does the first line look? "Shorter,'' I said. Parker nodded. "It is always better to improve and strengthen your own line or knowledge than to try and cut your opponent's line." He accompanied me to the door and added, "Think about what I have just said." I did think about it and studied hard for the next several months, developing greater skills, increasing my knowledge and ability. The next time I went on the mat with the same opponent, he, too, had improved. But I fared far better than I had previously because I had raised my level of knowledge as well as developing my skills.

Not long after, I realized I could apply the principal Parker had taught me to my tennis game. An avid weekend tennis player, I frequently found myself pitted against better players, and when things started to go badly for me on the court I often resorted to trickery - slicing the ball, trying to hit it with a spin, attempting difficult drop shots. Invariably I lost and was frustrated. Instead of trying to better my game I was trying to "cut their line.'' I recognized that I had to play to my best ability rather than to try to worsen my opponent's play. Keeping Parker's advice in my mind, my game soon improved.
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Good stuff.

Thanks again, John, for your kind words and the valuable reminder that I should stay focused on what is worthy of my time.
Windrider
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:33 am

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