i am a teacher of aikido , i like to think that in teaching i am allso learning , one of my own teachers?

Question

used to say to me "throw them hard " whilst teaching students , i did not agree with him then as i do not now , i think my students learn just as well without me breaking their butts .I like to think i am showing them what they can do rather than what i can do , i just wondered if anyone else has come across a similar problem . i mean now that i think of all the injuries i have accumulated , over the years , i tend to think i could have learned just as well without the no pain no gain thing ,

Answer 1

throwing hard is not necessary to learn form

Answer 2

I think you're doing just fine; especially when you consider the possibility of lawsuits and the fact that injuries never quite heal completely. Many older people are suffering from injuries they got when they were several decades younger. You often see this with common laborers and professional sports players; in their retirement age, they are paying dearly for all the strain they put on their bodies during the prime of their lives.

I don't know about you, but I like having a healthy and working body, and I want to keep it functioning as long as possible. So I try to take a long-term approach to anything I do.
If my instructor thinks that he has to crack my ribs or slam me into the ground to "teach" me a technique, then I'll just leave that school. There are plenty of other teachers who will teach me those things just as well without hurting me seriously.

On the other hand, I recognize the importance of being able to take a hit and being able to tolerate pain. I have nothing against bruises and bumps, and even the occassional sprain- those things do happen in training.
However, I think that the "no pain no gain" approach is better learned with controlled exercises and sparring, not hard throws inflicted by the instructor.

So I guess you could say it's all about balance. Don't be too soft on them, but don't bully them, either.

So I believe you're taking the correct approach.

Answer 3

People learn differently and instructors teach differently also. Today most instructors will use a variety of teaching methods and practices to impart that idea, concept, or technique to a student and if one teaching method does not do the job -they will try another or a combination of several teaching methods. Some of these teaching methods are demonstration, explanation, and combination (combination of the first two).

On the other hand some instructors are one dimensional in their teaching and know only one way to teach. They succeed best with only a certain type of student and other students have a harder time learning with them. I know both types of instructors and have tried to get a one dimensional instructor to try and develop his teaching skills and abilities. That is easier said than done. They tend to use the old traditional methods of teaching and are totally one dimensional and will never change. Others have adapted and developed their teaching and communication skills and take a wider approach to teaching and can now reach a variety of students at various ages like what you have in martial arts today as opposed to forty years ago when martial arts was primarily taught by and taken by adult males.

Answer 4

Aikido is a lifelong path.

True budo, IMO, involves the balance of gentleness and mindfulness, with martial effectiveness. The latter need not be violent, but rather also involves an attitude, when the student is ready, of seeing each attack as real and fresh, without preconceptions. Ukemi is truly an art and a very important part of the art of aikido.
As you know, pain is used in aikido, but causing injury is, I think, a result of unskillful teaching.
So attacks can be near full force (with trained Ukes), but can be delivered and taken with a smile.

Answer 5

I have been practicing martial arts for ten years now and haven't incurred any injury at all. a true practitioner doesn't only learn how to combat but also how to minimize injury. my senseis would do sparring with their students and i noticed that they are in full control of their chi thus they are not inflicting harm if they want to.

maybe what your teacher means when he said "throw them hard" is that one has to put some more more effort in the technique and learning how to be effective.

Answer 6

1) A famous Rabbi about 1800 years ago said "I learned much from my teachers, note from my colleagues but most of all from my students". You have the right attitude about this.

2) You also realize that your job is to impart knowledge, not show off.

I think you are a better teacher (& person) than your teacher could ever hope to be.

Answer 7

a sense of humour in the class is good too having a laugh now and again is fun part of training, we can also be serious to the point we forget the lessons with this oneness mentality.
yeah but pain is one of our greatest teachers and our closest friends that we will ever have our bodies will never lie to us, anytime we feel pleasure pain hurt its always there to remind us.to have pain is to be alive perhaps thats comforting to know. I believe hard training builds spirit but not the sifu bullying students this wrong always was always will be nobody should be forced to do martial arts knowbody should be forced to do these things, so I beleve hard training with a bit of a laugh makes a good class.

Answer 8

A huge part of martial arts is the ability to create balance and even avoidance of harm when possible. I think it is great that you are questioning that I have come across many teachers who feel that you have to be hard and I would say those who have been great teachers are those who were balanced... knew when we needed things hard and knew when we needed to learn grace or whatever but they always created balance. You sound like a great teacher good luck.

Answer 9

If you train without actually throwing or getting thrown, you are ripping off your students. They will think that everyone will throw them nice and soft. Do you throw fake strikes (off to the side) so as not to actually hit them ? I hope not. If you have no experience with actual situations you will be in for a rude awakening. If thats how you train your students, they won't know what to do if they are actually attacked.

Answer 10

#10 Then #s 1, 7, 8, 9,16, 18, 20 (no cats or deranged goat though), 33 Nice job MR EDIT: Midnight, I agree. There is something about a kid being on a horse that can build their confidence & self image.