What's the answer?

[Escrima Jim]

I was reading some of the posts and all the same kind questions came up, whatever forum site you go to. They always seem to be, Is my Art good??, Who verses someone??? things like that.

So I thought that I would ask you a question:

Is a Martial Art only as good as it's worst student?

This may sound like a strange question, but people say that a chain is as strong as it's weakest link, I was wondering if this is also true of Martial Arts.

I don't think there is just a simple answer, so tell me what you think!!!!!!!

Thank you

[eXcessiveForce]

perhaps is worst instructor

[SamuraiGuy]

Not at all, not at all.

Lets look at it from another point of view, lets say cars.

If I go to the scrapyard, pick up an axle, a frame, and some tires, smash it with a hammer until it looks like a car, and say, there that is my car, worst car in the world.

Now lets say the frame and axle are honda makes. Does that make honda a bad car company? Surely its the worst car out there with the honda name on it.

Back to the martial art perspective, IF I took one kung fu class, and never come back, I could say I am or was a student of kung fu, I may be the worst kung fu practicioner that ever lived, because I've only ever done one class, but at one point, I was a student of Kung Fu, does that mean all Kung Fu is crap because I only went to one class.

I would say the correct statement is a martial art is only as good as its best student.

[Tant01]

Do you judge a whole crop by one rotten potato?

Is the quantity more important or the quality?

Do you fertilize with chemicals or grow organic?

Your question has no parameters...

[kuk sool won]

Martial Arts cannot be fixed down with rules and boundries, EVERY practioner is unique, therefore EVERY practioner has a different perspective, compatablity and inevitably a different outcome. With such diverse results who can say what art is effective and what art isn't?

The answer for this question is simple, no one.

[Escrima Jim]

Ok let me twist the question a bit.

If a student is bad, not as in naughty, but as in slow learning the drills, no motavation, so you are repeating it all the time etc, etc Things like this.

Who is letting who down?

The Instructor or the student or both?

Is the Instructor letting the student down by not giving him that motavation and explaining the Art and drills in a way that the student will understand.

OR

Is the student letting the Instructor down by not trying hard enough and in a can't learn, wont learn mind set.

OR

Are they both letting each other down, the Instructor can see the student isn't bothering so he isn't bothering helping him learn.

Who is worst for the Art.

The Instructor or student?

[Tant01]

Instructors of the ages...

Ok let me twist the question a bit.

If a student is bad, not as in naughty, but as in slow learning the drills, no motavation, so you are repeating it all the time etc, etc Things like this.

Who is letting who down?

The Instructor or the student or both?

Is the Instructor letting the student down by not giving him that motavation and explaining the Art and drills in a way that the student will understand.

OR

Is the student letting the Instructor down by not trying hard enough and in a can't learn, wont learn mind set.

OR

Are they both letting each other down, the Instructor can see the student isn't bothering so he isn't bothering helping him learn.

Who is worst for the Art.

The Instructor or student?

Deep thoughts....

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
-Confucius

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires".
William Arthur Ward

Or as Mark Twain famously observed: "Never try to teach a cat to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the cat."

[danfaggella]

Oh Mark Twain, your wisdom is infinite.

Obviously an art is not as bad as its worst student. Not to mention, "worst" has many meanings. Does this mean the student has no dignity or morality? That he is terrible with his technique? He puts forth no effort?

I think that if you sign up for a martial art, you aught to put forth suffictient effort, and if the instructor isn't interesting enough, knowledgable enough, nice enough, ect... then.... YOU still signed up for it, so he may not be perfect but if you wish to learn the art you can still deticate yourself, or find an establishment where you can learn what you watn to learn and have a better time doing it.

[Tant01]

Some people...

Oh Mark Twain, your wisdom is infinite.

........

Some folks are like the slinky toy, not much good for anything but still fun to push down a flight of stairs...

[Escrima Jim]

Laughed My Arse Off

Some folks are like the slinky toy, not much good for anything but still fun to push down a flight of stairs...

LMAO. Very funny

[danfaggella]

I wouldn't throw Mark down any stairs.

[Escrima Jim]

Stairs

I'd love to throw someone down the stairs again, it been a while since I last done it. They would have to be wraught iron stairs though.

[Tant01]

Throw Down...

On the boat (ship) the stairs are called ladders, made of steel and are usually painted with nonskid texture like griptape.

My Judo instructor used to say you should be ready to throw anybody down anywhere...Brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.

[Escrima Jim]

Deep

Deep thoughts....

I argee that this is quite deep, but I was sitting wondering about different things to do with Martial Arts and thought of this question.

So instead of just me sitting thinking about it, I thought I'd open it to a larger crowd of M.Artist's.

With the question, I'm sure that you can go even deeper!!!!!!!!

[Escrima Jim]

Stairs and Ladders

On the boat (ship) the stairs are called ladders, made of steel and are usually painted with nonskid texture like griptape.

My Judo instructor used to say you should be ready to throw anybody down anywhere...Brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.

When I'm not teaching, I'm a retained Fire Figther. We have some really big ladders and drill towers to throw people off, I work with a couple who could be first to be a skin full of puree.