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Greetings, fellow Karate-ka.

     This article did write itself last month, it just did it badly!  Now  cleaned up and released, it's the beginning of an answer to a trend I'm noticing - and don't like.

    I think they refer to me as "old school."  All I can say is, if I don't leave the dojang (dojo/school) wet with sweat I feel like I got shorted on a workout.  And I usually don't feel like I learned anything (not always, but usually.)

     If this ezine was forwarded to you consider joining my mailing list.  I'll definitely need your help in figuring this bothersome trend out.

There Is No Substitute For Repetition

I'm chomping at the bit to get this one out. It'll give you a head start to either strongly agree with me, or think that I absolutely don't understand your situation (I do, and I'll address it in a minute. Keep reading.) Here we go:

“There is no substitute for repetition, for studying and practicing basics correctly, over and over again. Period.”

The martial artist who doesn't regularly and diligently study and practice basics, and who hasn't been taught how,

* From where can they be expected to develop the discipline to work through the tough times?

* Can they have the humbleness to continue learning and growing in martial arts?

* Can that student display effective leadership in your school?

Teaching students – and instructors – to slow down their minds and manage their world's noise for each class is important. They have to know exactly what's expected of them, what's right and wrong. We teach discipline when the 'right and wrong' is re-enforced and corrected. For disruptive children's behavior, obviously; “If you continue to talk during this exercise, ten push-ups!”

How, and why, do we teach discipline for the ages of about twelve and up, including adults? And, in fact, to bring the younger children's behavior along to where the negative threat is rarely needed?

To give direction to my claim-in-bold, I looked up the word discipline(1).

1 - Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.

2 - Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

I'm stating unequivocally that the study of martial arts basics through repetition is how we should foster it. (Those two definitions and my unequivocal statement apply to any discipline.) One has to practice a pattern of behavior to learn it, to repeatedly show self-control to understand and use it.

Can the student who doesn't regularly study and practice (correct) basics develop the humbleness to continue learning and growing in martial arts? Some of the drop-outs don't understand how and why to train with diligence; if they did some might still be training. I'm personally witnessing high ranked students who are not interested in looking at their basic problems, bad habits that will likely never be corrected. And, in my opinion, it has stunted some of their advanced learning potential. It's disheartening to watch.

Some of these students are very good, even with bad habits. Can these high ranked karate-ka provide the leadership needed to build a strong school? The up-and-comers in line behind them, following the bad habits because the 'right and wrong' is not re-enforced and corrected, leave your school's foundation weaker. The lower ranks, many who might not be as talented, need every bit of discipline they can get to be successful. They all know good martial arts when they see it, are taught it, and practice it. They need to be shown how discipline will carry them through those awkward beginnings; we all use discipline to “stick with it” during the tough times. So no, the improperly trained high ranks do not provide the leadership that they could, do not contribute to their school's foundation in as meaningful a way as they should.

We instructors have to learn to teach our students how to build their strong martial arts foundation through the study of basics. There is a lot of talk about repetitive practice being boring. I realize we live in a fast, noisy world. Designing and practicing new combinations is fun for instructors and students; there are infinite ways to keep the study fresh. I'm with you on all that. But unfocused worry and reaction to dealing with boredom itself is avoiding the most important point, a point with a large influence on your, and your school's, development. In learning a martial art,

“There is no substitute for repetition, for studying and practicing basics correctly, over and over again. Period.”

(1) http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=discipline

Gimme an “Amen, Brother!” Or slam me if you think I don't get it.

Here's the blog entry:
http://www.PracticeKarate.com/[the-blog-link]

My Contact Page:
http://www.practicekarate.com/blog/index.php/contact-page/