How do your Students grow?

 

In my previous blog Kata, what is it Good for, I contrasted how kata are taught and used between "Traditional" and what I would call "Modern" dojos, such as the one in which I learnt.  Now I want to contrast how students develop in the different environments.

Traditional

In traditional dojos, students start off with the basics, improving their understanding of these and honing their techniques as they progress. Kata or forms are not introduced until the higher grades, when basics have been mastered.  Techniques are practiced at full speed, not slowly.

There are no separate Children's or Cadet classes, however from the age of around 8 upwards, children can take part.   They do exactly the same syllabus as the adults, and grade in exactly the same way.   Concessions are not made for the age of the student in what they have to learn.

Regular grading examinations are held, with students choosing when to participate, not instructors. Students are allowed to succeed or fail on their own merits.

Concessions are not generally made for a student's medical or physical limitations, but might be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Modern

In modern dojos, as with traditional, students start off with the basics.  However, Kata are introduced at an early stage, along with their interpretation.    Paired and solo drills, along with pad work and light sparring are also included in lessons.

There are separate Children's and Adult classes.  A typical split might be Shisa (4-6 years). Junior (7-12 years) and Senior (13 years upwards).   Where I was taught, the Shisa had grades of a kind, but these did not carry over into Junior.  The proper grades started from Junior classes onward.

As with Traditional dojos, regular grading examinations are held, but these are by invitation only, when the instructors believe you are ready to grade.

 Concessions are made for medical or physical limitations, including adaptations of drills or kata where necessary.   Some dojos run classes specifically for people with disabilities and limitations,

Since Covid-19 especially, some dojos now offer online training to students as well.  

Comparison

It can be argued that the traditional methods are more rigorous, and certainly would only allow technically proficient students to progress.  They probably produce good physical conditioning for those that stay the course, and their training methods and results will be more satisfactory to the purists of the martial arts world.  However, such dojos may not offer much in the way of financial reward to the dojo owners, and the wastage rate among students is possibly quite high, due to the demanding standards expected.

The more modern dojos tend to be more inclusive and attuned to the differing ages and level of ability of the students, if well run.  However, the risk of more dubious practices is higher than with the traditional dojos, as has been evidenced in the past with exceptionally young "black belts" being produced and more than a few, myself included, have scepticism about training that is non-contact that professes to be a form of karate for example (I personally exclude the likes of tai-chi from this categorisation where is non-contact expressly taught for physical well-being, relaxation and meditation).

That said, anyone who has seen or invested time in working with handicapped students for example, cannot doubt the efficacy of the confidence building and improvement in physical well-being that it can offer.  Here I would cite the works of John Johnston’s Adaptive Karate and Les Bubka.  But this is specifically tailored and makes no outrageous promises about what is being delivered.

In the middle of this sit most modern dojos, who offer some tailoring to meet the needs of their students and are not aggressive in their gradings.  Some traditionalists may look down on these dojos, citing their lack of rigour, and money orientation.  However, for the likes of myself, who would never have taken an interest in martial arts otherwise, they open a preciously closed door to a level of personal development we would otherwise have never experienced.

Thank you if you have taken the time to read this.

REY 29/01/2023