At Kodokan circa 1956. Training with a smile. I enjoyed and still enjoy training.
Now, the body is less flexible, stamina reduced and reaction slower but training is still FUN!
Most people see Martial Arts as synonymous with "discipline". Images of stern faced children lined up responding to the instructors and moving in a "disciplined" manner are certainly in people's mind. One mistaken move and the shinai comes crashing down. Children moving like robots. "Suck it up!" "Drop for push-ups" I wonder if this is what parents are seeking, not to mention the children themselves.
Growing up in Judo I never once experienced such "discipline". I grew up having fun and enjoying going to class. Was the training slack? No, it was hard especially for me growing up with equilibrium problems and a mysterious (back in 50's) heart ailment. After all who likes being thrown around squished down on the mat. But never the less, I had FUN! Somehow along the way I learned self discipline and the spirit of Jita Kyoei. The important thing was that it was not forced upon me, it was something that grew up with me. It has stayed with me for 54 years since my first day at Kodokan when I was 6 years old.
As an adult I practiced under a different sort of discipline. The kind of discipline you need because your life depended on it due the nature of your job. The kind of discipline I do not think children should have to go through. I believe children should enjoy what they do. If they enjoy what they do whether it is school, church, family and or sports they will learn discipline naturally.
Training Navy Security Police with my good friend Fukushima Sensei. We all had fun too! Especially with compliance techniques. Amazing how one finger or shin on the right spot makes you do what you are asked to do!! (^^)
Competitive spirit is healthy and serves the purpose of having a goal and mastering the discipline required to reach the goal. However, once they lose sight of the fact that they can only reach the goals due to the presence and help of others, then competition loses its value.
In addition our children must not lose track of the real purpose of Budo.
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| Different type of training! (^^) With Navy EOD getting a bird eye view in a SPIE rig circa 1990 (?) I think I am second from the bottom, frantically waving my arms ! I distinctly recall the waist harness being slightly off and provided me with immeasurable pain during the ride. Gahahahaha. |
That Kodokan and throwing leg kicks with Fukushima, Sensei all looks like great practice and FUN...now the Jumping from that aircraft....I am not so sure that would be fun....
ReplyDeleteDoes bring to light a very good Point. There are times, that I want the kids to really get this or that point of karate....something I think is SO Important, and they just want to have fun....
Tony,
ReplyDeleteThere is Japanese saying,締める時は締める,Shimeru toki wa shimeru, when it is time to tighten the belt we will tighten it.
It is just a matter of balance between fun and seriousness. You can also combine the two without the kids realizing it.
I also like to 褒め殺し, Home koroshi, Praise them to death. (^^) Any small improvement and no matter how insignificant it may seem is a golden opportunity to reinforce the kids. A simple example would be rather than criticizing by "I told you that knee has to some up!" just take the approach of "You know, if that knee came up a wee bit more then your kick will be super." (^^)
For kata practice team the kids up by three and do a group kata and compete with each other. The adults also team up and compete with the kids. Lots of laugh, but at the same time it instills the roots of discipline.
Excellent Ideas, I see teamed kata tonight at practice happening. I have finally gotten better with Tekki shodan, took me almost a year since I left Hawaii. We also did Sushiho, Kanku dai, and Garyu kata. I really need to work on these kata, at my rate with Tekki, I am all set for learning for the next 10 years or more.
ReplyDeleteOhayou gozaimasu! Another wet day in Honolulu.
ReplyDeleteThat squatting position in Garyu is a bummer. Even more so the bunkai/oyou for doing a shuto mawashi uke in that position. Hope they showed you some convincing bunkai for that (^^)! Of course the explanation that it is merely for strengthen the thighs and balance while squatting works just as well for me, since no one has shown me the application as of yet. Gahahaha.
Back to team kata. When you start off, make sure you have the student who is best of the three in front (triangle formation) as the guide point. You then switch the point man. In doing team kata the two in the back has to be in touch with the point man to coordinate their moves. When direction is changed, then naturally the point changes. Great way to build up observation skills and the spirit of Jita Kyoei.
I am a proponent of "mastering" one kata. Fufu.
What we should all be aware of is there is a difference between "dancing" the kata (know the moves) and "living" the kata. With that said, I was forced to drop out of ballroom dancing. The instructor singled me out and stuck to me like the proverbial "flies on kukai (doo doo)", clapping his hands and yelling "Dame, Dame, Motto rizumu judo jya nain dakara!" 駄目、駄目もっとリズム、柔道じゃないんだから". (**;) NO! NO! More rhythm, it’s not Judo!" Grrrrrr. I took as divine guidance that ball room dancing was not to be for me. (^^) Hai! Ichi, ni, san, shi. Ichi, ni, san, shi! Ichi, ni, go roku????