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Myths and Illusions

Myth 1: You must use honoring titles such as Sifu, Guru, Sensei,.... in order to maintain the proper sense of respect in school.

You must use honoring titles such as Sifu, Guru, Sensei,.... in order to maintain the proper sense of respect in school. This is one of the most pervasive habits in the martial arts, and goes back to the military style of training we will discuss later. Your students should be quiet and respectful when you are teaching because they are there to learn and genuinely respect you, not because they have to refer to you by a title from a different language. The kind of students who are impressed or motivated by these types of titles are not the kind of students we want at the gym.

Myth 2: You must teach your classes by having your students line up and grunt acknowledgments in unison.

You must teach your classes by having your students line up and grunt acknowledgments in unison.
This myth long associated with the more traditional martial arts (and is worming its way into the JKD family) steams from teaching methods derived from military. What most traditional Japanese martial arts consider to be Budo training methods, are nothing but. During the era of Samurai and warrior class of Japan, men and women trained in a very efficient, aggressive, and by today's standards what would be considered "informal" way.

When World War II broke out Japan no longer had an exclusive military class. What they were in need of was a large military force. In order to create such a force soldiers would have to be drawn from all segments of society. The Samurai who never needed to be yielded at or prodded to train for combat, were replaced by merchants, farmers and tradesmen. Budo (the warrior way) was replaced by drill sergeants, straight lines of soldiers repeating the same moves in unison, yelling, titles of rank and a military style of teaching designed for people who were thought as too inept to learn the traditional way.

It is time to throw all this away! There are better ways to teach!

"In the long history of martial arts, the instinct to follow and imitate seems to be inherent in most martial artists, instructors and students alike. This is partly due to human tendency and partly because of the steep traditions behind multiple patters of styles. Consequently, to find a refreshing, original, master teacher is a rarity. The need for a pointer of the way echoes. " -Bruce Lee

Myth 3: You must not give your students too much information, too fast, because "if you sell all the merchandise on your shelves no one will come back to the store".

You must not give your students too much information, too fast, because "if you sell all the merchandise on your shelves no one will come back to the store". This is perhaps the stupidest myth associated with "martial" arts. It may apply to a teacher of forms and techniques, but should never be a concern to a Fighter. If it is then you lack the most valuable commodity a JKD man and woman can have, Imagination.
How can you run out of an art that has no limitations?! If you believe this asinine myth, quit JKD now. You are in a wrong occupation!

Myth 4: You must teach a lot of information at once or your students will get bored.

You must teach a lot of information at once or your students will get bored.
This myth is true if you are teaching a crop of students who measure their progress by the accumulation of techniques and the size of their note books. "I was taught movements and concepts from Rickson Gracie in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu two years ago that I am just beginning to apply and use now. Imagine if I logged those movements in my notebook and then said to Rickson 'OK, I know these now .... show me more'. I am sure he would just laugh.

However, with arts such as Kali and Jun Fan students learn a double stick pattern, or trapping combination, and then quickly request more variations and techniques to add to their notebook. The attitude of 'I have 27 double stick patterns and you only have 12' becomes common. The thought 'can I apply any of this?' does not seem to even occur." Matt Thornton. When teaching people who are interested in learning how to fight, it is not necessary to teach a million techniques. teaching the basic well and showing drills for their application will always be greeted with enthusiasm. The seminars of Rickson Gracie prove this point.