Martial Arts Schools with "Sloppy Techniques"
Martial Arts Schools with "Sloppy Techniques"
By Keith Pascal
Martial Arts At The Talent Show
When my daughter was in third grade, she performed in a talent show.
She was in the opening dance number with the entire cast, she sang in a quartet, and she was one of the two Double-Dutch Jumpers (2 ropes, 4 people) in the act that closed out the show (proud pop, here).
Anyway, one of the acts was a sword kata, complete with music, flying kicks, etc.
This Tae Kwon Do demonstration was performed by an 11 yr. old boy, complete in gi, with the name of his school emblazoned in big letters on the back and sleeves of the uniform. This kid was a brown belt with black bars.
And ... he sucked!
I don't mean that he was not up to adult standards, but good ... for a kid. I am also not referring to the choreography of the martial arts with the music -- which was also "not good."
I mean he was awful as a martial artist of any kind. (Poor kid.)
And I don't feel it was his fault.
When Martial Arts Gets "Watered Down"
Blame his Tae Kwon Do school and instructors.
Compare any two of this eleven-year-old's blocks, and they looked different -- even when they were supposed to be the same block. In other words, they were sloppy -- all over the place.
His knees didn't lift for the kicks. He needed a teacher to remind him to "Raise those knees, raise those knees!"
His elbow strikes barely cleared his back. How would he be able to connect in a real attack?
This kid had obviously been taught a complicated kata. And he knew it by heart. No doubt about it.
But this performance smelled of a school that "promotes on schedule." I wonder if their philosophy is "if you can memorize it, you pass ... you'll gain proficiency ... uh ... later."
Choosing a Good School
This could lead us into entire discussions of whether a child should be held to a standard of mastery, how children should be promoted, and even if on an adult level, how well you should master a move before you move on ... or perform it on stage.
Before you write me complaining of my tae kwon do criticism, let me assure you, I wasn't criticizing all schools. If you are searching for a Tae Kwon Do School, you need to be careful. Choose a good one. There are a lot of weak ones out there -- a few really good ones, too.
Look for a school that teaches precision. Look for teachers who work with the students, but still hold the students to a high standard. And look for a place that seems more interested in good martial arts than in belt promotion.
Note: Also, look for a personality fit. You'll be there a long time, if you stick with the art. Are these teachers you could respect? Would you like "to belong" in this group?
Some schools only promote when you are ready. Lots of practice is what's required in the good schools. Thousands of repetitions, not thousands of dollars for belt promotion.
May all your moves look crisp and clean, and may you avoid looking the fool in a talent show ... or on a video clip site, like YouTube.
