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Old 11-30-2007, 05:26 AM   #10
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: Etiquette and Ego

Good point Pauliina, I don't subscribe to the "shut up and train" or "just do it" paradigm. It does not work for me, nor is it a part of my culture.

I think there is a balance between respect, socialization, and questioning.

For example, I might go to a dojo, not agree with, or understand why they do certain things. I might personallly find them pretensious and feel like that they are missing the point.

However, I would still oblige them during my tenure there.

Also, in my own dojo, I might question things like this internally, not quite understanding or agreeing.

At some point though, you have to make a choice:

1. Do it and not agree-question internally and comply.
2. Do it and agree, blind compliance (faith based compliance).
3. Do it and not agree- and question externally.
4. Do it, come to understand why you do it (question), then accept it, and it disappears into the background of you subconsciousness.

One such example for me is the word OSU or the "HAY" or "HA" or "HI" that we sometimes use. I do it in the dojo without even thinking about it. In fact a few weeks ago, a new student asked me what I was saying when I said "HI". I then realized it must sound very strange. It is an old habit I picked up years ago!

We don't even use that in our dojo, but for some reason, it sticks to me!

I think blind compliance, or "shut up and train" is an incorrect training basis.

That said, I think you need to open your mind in class and "listen" and do what is being asked to be done, while looking at it with a discernful eye!

"shut up and train" is a good thing to say when you are talking doing technique from an external perspective.

Not so good internally.

Accepting anything on blind faith, IMO is just to a healthy training paradigm.

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