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Old 11-24-2004, 01:57 PM   #1
Daniel Moore
Dojo: Bushido School of Yoshinkan Aikido
Location: Kent
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Dropping of teaching standards.

I can't say I am the most experienced martial artist, but I have definately seen a drop in the teaching standards of some so called black belts. This is a problem all too common in Kent (as some of my fellow students can attest) as the teaching of martial arts including aikido is definately leaning towards the fast pass system. Whereby with attending a few lessons and some money you recieve a certificate saying that you are now an equivilant of a 1st dan black belt. My father says that this is very much like the 'cowboy' kung-fu sifu's who popped up in the Bruce Lee boom.
Comments appreciated.

Last edited by Daniel Moore : 11-24-2004 at 02:00 PM. Reason: bad spelling
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Old 11-24-2004, 02:44 PM   #2
Noel
Location: Rochester, NY
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

I think you see that anywhere. When I did Shotokan karate back in college, our instructor always told us that black belts were 10 bucks each at the martial-arts supply store, while people with black belts were a dime a dozen.

People who are skilled in MA and have black belts are, unfortunately, a little more rare. Caveat emptor.
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Old 11-24-2004, 04:46 PM   #3
maikerus
Dojo: Roppongi Yoshinkan Aikido / Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
Location: Tokyo
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

This was actually one of the reasons the Yoshinkan Hombu and the IYAF started the International Senshusei course. They wanted to have a standardized teaching method, level and understanding for instructors that would ripple out to other countries, giving a more direct line to what is being taught at the hombu dojo.

Interestingly, only a few of the Senshusei graduates are running their own dojos. Most go back and assist at their previous dojos. Some of them have even banded together to run a dojo.

Also interestingly, the ones that do start the own dojos are, I believe, the ones who have the most experience before coming to do the course.

--Michael

Hiriki no yosei 3 - The kihon that makes your head ache instead of your legs
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Old 11-24-2004, 04:59 PM   #4
Lan Powers
Dojo: Aikido of Midland, Midland TX
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Off subject a bit....

Michael, is the international Sensushei course referring to the Sensushei course that was offered to the Tokyo "special police"? I mean is it opened up to be taught in other places than just in Hombu?
(Only knowing of it through "Angry White Pajamas)
I don't know very much about the Yoshinkan, I am afraid.
Lan

Play nice, practice hard, but remember, this is a MARTIAL art!
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Old 11-24-2004, 10:02 PM   #5
maikerus
Dojo: Roppongi Yoshinkan Aikido / Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Hi Lan,

You're right...I was referring to the one taught at Yoshinkan Hombu and represented in Angry White Pajamas. It's taught in conjunction with the Tokyo Riot Police Course.

I believe that the course came about for two reasons:

The first was that the instructors at the hombu dojo were worried about keeping the style consistent worldwide. They thought that teaching foreigners to be instructors molded in Hombu's image would be a good idea so that when they returned to their own countries they would pass on their knowledge/technique as they learned it at hombu. This added with the annual or bi-annual tours that hombu teachers make to various countries worldwide is a pretty good (I think) attempt to keep the Yoshinkan standards up.

The second reason was that too many foreigners were trying to take the riot police course with the police and it was difficult for them because the riot police train 4 times a day for 9 months. Since the riot police are paid to do the course - it's part of their training - it is no hardship for them, but visiting foreigners (and other Japanese who want to do the course) have to work sometime during the day. They decided (probably because of reason one) to offer a course that had 3 classes a day, one of which was training with the riot police. This course goes for 11 months and the last 2 months are specifically geared toward teaching them how to teach.

If you want any more details, please PM me. I did the course in 1993-94, was sewanin during the Angry White Pajamas year and taught at hombu for several years after.

--Michael

Hiriki no yosei 3 - The kihon that makes your head ache instead of your legs
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Old 11-25-2004, 02:12 AM   #6
philipsmith
Dojo: Ren Shin Kan
Location: Birmingham
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Daniel Moore wrote:
I can't say I am the most experienced martial artist, but I have definately seen a drop in the teaching standards of some so called black belts. This is a problem all too common in Kent (as some of my fellow students can attest) as the teaching of martial arts including aikido is definately leaning towards the fast pass system. Comments appreciated.
In many ways I agree. I am involved with the BAB coach accreditation system and I think that things are improving withing that organisation and its member associations.
However there are a number of "Aikido" (and other martial arts) associations who have no outside accreditation are run by one individual who needs to create both new high grades and dojos in order to maximise his income.
There is also the problem of Ego and the establishment of a cult-like association where the instructors word is literally law.

You then get an insular situation where training with others is discouraged because it "contaminates" the purity of their training. That last comment was made to me by one yudansha when I asked to practise on his mat as a reason for refusing permission!

What then happens is that complacency sets in and standards fall rapidly. Quite frankly some of the Aikido I have seen is not worthy of the name.
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Old 11-25-2004, 02:17 AM   #7
happysod
Dojo: Kiburn, London, UK
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
You then get an insular situation where training with others is discouraged because it "contaminates" the purity of their training
So, did the yudansha pass the Daz whiter than white test for his gi?

Before I jump on the band-wagon of "yes, teaching was better in the old days, so were fingers, we had better fingers then..." school, does anyone have any facts to back this up or even a standard that they're measuring this against? I seem to remember quite a few threads that were less than happy about how it was done in the "good old days" - yes, good martial artists, but the implication of poor teaching came across quite heavily.
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Old 11-25-2004, 06:14 AM   #8
Peter Seth
Dojo: Zanshin. Sunderland University
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Smile Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Its a strange one this?
Acting as a devils advocate - Who sets standards, who determines that this/that technique should be done this way, who sets the examination parameters, who sets the sequence of performance of techniques (in which order they are performed) etc etc.
Aikido is a living art, should it not grow and develop in each individual and therefore should not be standardised (except for students to learn the basics untill they 'find their feet' as it were and interpret what they have learned as their aikido).
O'sensei himself was constantly changing his aikido and stated that everyone should make their own aikido.
I realise that standards have to be set, but is this only what the 'standard setters' perceive as being 'the right way' or is it a control thing. Without freedom to express ourselves as we interpret 'things' rightly or wrongly, we diminish possibilities and potential. Do we, as is obvious in many other organisations and areas of life create 'boxes' for us to sit in and so stifle creativity. I have been involved in martial arts for over 40 years - aikido well over 25 years, and find that my present Aikido is constantly evolving (a lot of the time no technique as such, just movement and leading, allowing uke to fall where he will. Is this aikido? AI - (Harmony), KI - (Energy). I of course ensure my students learn the basics and constantly revisit them. But, I also encourage them to practice 'their' aikido, to look beyond technique. How would this be viewed by others? Various views have been expressed depending on the viewer and what they wanted to see, but on the whole I have a good rep.
Maybe I could be classed as a 'traditional rebel' by some people, but look beyond what you see in everything.
Bit of a ramble - under pressure to 'switch that damned machine off'.
so must finish there - Phew!
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Old 11-25-2004, 08:35 AM   #9
Dazzler
Dojo: Bristol North Aikido Dojo
Location: Bristol
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Hi

Can't speak for the whole county but while its inevitable that there is an exception to every rule, I think that teaching standards are actually improving.

Look at Phillip Smiths post.

We have formal coaching, we also have FAETC 7306 qualifications and many many other coaching awards have come and gone...eg MADEC.

Bottom line is that general coaching/teaching is recognised as a separate skill from aikido itself and this is developing in UK.

What coaching qualifications did O'Sensei and his team have?
Some maybe but probably not all.(again there will be exceptions and no doubt someone will point out that half of them were professors...! )

This is not to question their Aikido. Merely to point out that modern teaching methods can be applied to aikido to enhance the learning process.

I think this is happening. Maybe Kent is unlucky!

Just my thoughts as I'm on a coaching course on saturday with National Aikido Federation..part of the BAB Coaching that Phillip Smith referred to.

Cheers

D
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Old 11-25-2004, 09:56 AM   #10
ian
 
ian's Avatar
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Yep - it does vary from club to club. However, I think the good thing about aikido is that you can feel how good someone is when you train with them, so there is no escaping a person's real ability (or inability). I think after 1st dan the grade is pretty irrelevant and you learn from people because you want something particular they are teaching.
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Old 11-25-2004, 06:30 PM   #11
maikerus
Dojo: Roppongi Yoshinkan Aikido / Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Peter Seth wrote:
Aikido is a living art, should it not grow and develop in each individual and therefore should not be standardised (except for students to learn the basics untill they 'find their feet' as it were and interpret what they have learned as their aikido).
To me, the standardization of the *teaching* of basics is what is important and what is sometimes missing in the students of instructors who are "finding their own Aikido".

As everyone knows (?) Yoshinkan has a very strict set of standards and to be considered part of the Yoshinkan umbrella you must teach your students the 6 kihon dosa as well as the dai ichi, dai ni and dai san kihon waza.

However, it seems that some students only give lip service to the understanding of the above requirements because they are more interested in doing "cool" or "flashy" techniques. If the instructor is also interested in "finding his own Aikido" they are going to - quite naturally - do more of the things the instructor is interested in exploring and these may not focus on the kihon.

So...we get a situation where an instructor has been taught the kihon but doesn't pass it on as well as it should be and then that instructor's students pass on even less. I believe that this will lead to a generation of sloppy Aikido - not a new and improved vigorous style or even something just different, but a sloppy execution of what we have now.

I think that the idea of having classes just dedicated to basics that are separate than "more advanced" classes is a good one. I would also suggest that students - of any rank - should only be able to attend the "more advanced" classes so long as they continue to attend a set number of the basic classes.

I do not argue at all with the desire to "find one's own Aikido". I find something new almost every day and more so if I happen to be on the mat. My concern is that we, as instructors, might forget to pass on the basics while we explore "our own Aikido". This is what I have seen happen and I would like it to stop.

For the record, I now find the kihon very, very interesting but it took me many years to find out that there was something deep within it to explore.

I thank my instructors for forcing me to spend all that time on something I considered "boring" when there were "cooler/flashier" techniques to do. Now I understand why they did it and I also understand how hard it must have been for them to do so.

I also understand how easy it is for students to want something "cooler/flashier" early in their training, given the time it took me to figure out that the basics were interesting in their own right.

Take all this with a grain of salt. Remember...I've been brainwashed by the best <grin>.

--Michael

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Hiriki no yosei 3 - The kihon that makes your head ache instead of your legs
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Old 11-26-2004, 05:42 AM   #12
ruthmc
Dojo: Wokingham Aikido
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

We have several different issues here.

Firstly, the "fast pass" black belt - in my experience (UK dojos with no or minimal links to their style's hombu) the speed at which a student attains the rank of shodan is generally inversely proportional to the size of the organisation within which they are graded.

Secondly, the drop in teaching standards. I don't think most of us are even in a position to judge this, as we haven't been training for long enough. Maybe those who have been training for 40+ years can offer an opinion? However, I do agree with Ian:

Quote:
Ian Hurst wrote:
I seem to remember quite a few threads that were less than happy about how it was done in the "good old days" - yes, good martial artists, but the implication of poor teaching came across quite heavily.
Safety was less on an issue "back then" from what I've heard - but then so was getting sued

The older instructors are great at teaching Aikido, but on the whole their knowledge of safe warm-ups and current coaching theory is a bit out-of-date, unless they make an effort to stay up-to-date and attend coaching seminars.

Quote:
Daniel Moore wrote:
My father says that this is very much like the 'cowboy' kung-fu sifu's who popped up in the Bruce Lee boom.
However, if you join an organisation that has a proven history and properly trained teachers, you are at less risk of cowboys. Always do your homework before joining any organisation - Aikido or stamp collecting or whatever!

Ruth
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Old 11-27-2004, 09:20 AM   #13
David Humm
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

I think my general feelings about aspects of aikido practiced in the UK are fairly well known within the Community here in my country. But I would like to answer one or two well made points in this thread.

Quote:
Peter Seth wrote:
Who sets standards, who determines that this/that technique should be done this way, who sets the examination parameters,
The Hombu Dojo of the respective styles. It should be as simple as that.

I've only studied Aikido since 1988 but I've made it my business to travel and experience the aikido of almost all the aikido organisations within the UK. And I'm still doing that. I can base any opinion I hold about the quality of the instruction given by the Principals (and their instructors) based upon my experiences of my own Principal (his instructors) and the organisation who ultimately monitor and control our standards required for each examination - The Aikikai in Japan.

The subject of this thread opens a giant debate for many "so called" aikido clubs and organisation purely because some schools operate without any form of outside guidance or influence which sets a benchmark for standards. Very often... as Philip Smith states"the instructors word is literally law" and this should not be the case.

I would challenge ANY instructor to an open debate, who might tell me that it isn't that easy to affiliate to an organisation with direct connection to a respective Hombu, or indeed physically become a recognised Hombu affiliate in their own right if they lead an organisation with the infrastructure behind them.

If we look at the sheer number of established organisations in the UK, so such a small island we have somewhere in the region of 40 !! With only a handful of those drawing guidance from their respective Hombu.

I agree that Aikido IS a living art and it shouldn't be static but I also agree with Philip, some of the aikido practiced and taught here in the UK is absolutely rubbish; I have personally witnessed tuition for a so called 7th (now 8th dan) who stated he no longer considered either the Bokken or Jo as appropriate in "Modern" aikido. Bearing in mind that this person claims to teach "Traditional Aikido" Incidentally his 7th dan being issued for an agency in the UK that isn't specifically aikido orientated.

If I study for a degree in Biology (equating that to a 4th or 5th dan) Just because I'm awarded that accolade and have some experience it the subject, what right or authority do I have to then start issuing certification in that subject? The answer is essentially none.

Unless of course there is a reason why one would want to set up independently of any recognised organisation (Such as a Hombu) and again Philip hit the nail firmly on the head :: EGO ::

During my military service I was taught … "There are no poor students, just bad instructors" Hence IMHO, the situation raised in this thread.

Dave
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Old 11-27-2004, 02:43 PM   #14
deepsoup
Dojo: Sheffield Shodokan Dojo
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Hear hear.

I don't know anything about the dojo the original poster was talking about. But I do know of quite a few dojos for which David's points above, and Michael's excellent points about the importance of kihon dosa, go right to the heart of the matter.

Sean
x
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Old 11-29-2004, 05:20 AM   #15
David Humm
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

This thread is actually quite ironic really, yesterday I was chatting to a 5th dan in Shotokan Karate (he owns the building housing my Aikido Dojo)

He raised the very same point about instructors who "change" things within a syllabus or break away from established organisations with links/affiliations to a larger entity who monitor and maintain not only teaching standards but as a result, the standards of their membership.

It was evident to him and a number of other senior instructors, that those who leave and operate independently very often loose focus on the authenticity of their training, they don't keep up to date with information filtered down from their respective Hombu's in Japan and, unfortunately it has been seen where these instructors create entirely "new" kata and techniques which bear little resemblance to the origin.

As mentioned in my previous post, I've seen things like this myself through the course of my training with several (no names) organisations and dojo who don't "feel" they need influencing from the likes of a Governing Body, be that the BAB for teaching Quals, or a source of training such as a Hombu.

Politics aside, I can't imagine why an organisation wouldn't want association with a wider source, unless that it because they perhaps find the training too hard or, they want a fast track approach to their Yudansha as Ruth rightly mentioned.

A dojo not so many miles away from me can't perform anything other than a basic form of UKEMI because the instructor cannot ukemi correctly himself. Indeed a few years ago I visited the Dojo, trained with a so called Shodan. He was quite happy to apply dynamic technique yet when he ::Ahem:: ukemi'ed for me he complaint bitterly that I was hurting him through the techniques I applied.

His ukemi was that of a 5th Kyu's and so was his attitude.

Unfortunately I've seen this type of situation at wider scales. A summer school I attended about 4 years ago of an independent association. The technique was sankyo and myself an a friend we happily training when a Yudansha from the association informed me I was doing the technique "wrong" and pointed out that sankyo only worked "correctly" if one worked the thumb (he them applied some pressure against my thumb and he fumbled with the technique.

These are just examples of the rubbish I've personally witnessed in the name of Aikido where a picture of the founder resided in the Kamiza.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem at all if a person wants to introduce something entirely new and call it a martial art however, I do have an issue with people who teach this sort of shite to student who know no better, and then have the audacity to call it aikido.

Dave
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Old 11-29-2004, 06:32 AM   #16
Peter Seth
Dojo: Zanshin. Sunderland University
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Smile Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Hi All.
I seem to have opened up the debate a little with my 'Devil's Advocacy'. I agree Kihon should be the bedrock upon which a student should build and it should be reinforced on a regular basis. My point was, many people/instructors are moving forward as O'sensei suggested, discovering more efficient ways of performing teachniques. As in life, 'better'?? ways usually supercede their originals, so at any one time and at many different places, for eg: sankyo can be performed in many different ways and be termed traditional. I have also seen examinations where perfectly competent and sometimes outstanding students have failed Quote - 'your foot is in the wrong place'. This has happened more than once and in my view such strict and inflexible rules imposed as traditional methods of assessment don't really fit in with what I feel is the real ethos of the art, where flow and constant movement are an imperative.
It seems to also depend upon an individuals feel for the art as to which way it is taught. I have been called a 'traditional rebel' in the past, I value tradition highly and support it unconditionally as a foundation for any art (and all foundations should be checked and maintained regularly and sometimes strengthened by newer materials) but will not close my eyes to innovation. Got to go now.
Pete
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Old 11-29-2004, 08:05 AM   #17
justinm
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

I've seen a wide range of teaching styles and skills as well, ranging from inspiring to embarrasing. A change I have seen, though, is the availability of instruction compared to 15 or 20 years ago. When I started, there was one dojo within reasonable commuting distance so little choice.

It is easier now for students to visit other instructors, and so more difficult for poor instructors to hide. This is a Good Thing.

It seems to me that there is a pretty good correlation between a good instructor and willingness to let students travel/visit. The worst (in my view) instructors I have seen have been part of very cult-like organisations.

As a professional in the adult education business, I have almost daily discussions around teaching skills vs 'product' skills. In aikido I have found we usually expect a highly skilled technician to be a better teacher. For instance, we all probably make a big effort to get to courses run by Shihan, expecting to learn more than we might at a course run by a 3rd Dan. I attended a course with a Shihan some time ago. Did he teach? I'd say no. He demonstrated and then we trained. However I have also been to a course this year where I learned a huge amount from a 6th Dan, that I still work on 6 months later.

Overall I have seen an increase in the availability of good instruction in the UK. It is likely, though, that there has also been an increase in the availability of poor instruction. My experience is that the former is pulling ahead.

Justin

Justin McCarthy
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Old 11-29-2004, 03:00 PM   #18
David Humm
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Peter Seth wrote:
Hi All.
...My point was, many people/instructors are moving forward as O'sensei suggested, discovering more efficient ways of performing teachniques. As in life, 'better'?? ways usually supercede their originals,
Hi Pete,

I agree with your sentiments entirely, Aikido IS a living art and due to the very unique attibutes of the system people will naturally look to develop, both themselves and their technical abilities.. Such are the ways of Aiki.

But, there is a world apart from legitimate development (for the "better") Something I will always support and indeed pay attention to and, that of bullshit spouted by someone disguising as 'legitimate'

The problem is that how do we know what is legitimate? I based my personal answer to that question on what extends from Hombu dojo into the UKA and eventually to me through my Shidoin, If the Doshu suddenly directed us no to use the jo, I feel sure there would be a "legitimate" reason for it (I a may not agree but.. who the hell am I to argue with the Doshu?) The same however cannot be said for a number of people in the UK who run their organisations.

Naturally their organisations are just that... "theirs" and they run their ships as they see fit. It is evident however, when one travels about and experiences the aikido of the organisations here in the UK, the standards are SO VERY diverse, almost from one extreme to another, I personally cannot help but wonder where it will eventually lead.

Kind regards as always
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Old 11-29-2004, 03:19 PM   #19
mj
Location: livingston, scotland
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Not every instructor will turn out to be a diamond. Not every club will turn out to be fertile.

Teaching standards do not drop, they disperse...they follow a bell layout....very few really bad ones at one side, very few really good ones on the other...and average/good ones filling up the middle. For every Chiba we also get a Yellow Bamboo. For every Bruce Lee we get an Eric Roberts.

When we are young all black belts look like Gods. To a beginner a black belt will always be a sort of god.

And where will it all 'lead' Dave? Who knows...isn't that the point?

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Old 11-29-2004, 04:13 PM   #20
Aristeia
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Dave Humm wrote:
The problem is that how do we know what is legitimate? I based my personal answer to that question on what extends from Hombu dojo into the UKA and eventually to me through my Shidoin, If the Doshu suddenly directed us no to use the jo, I feel sure there would be a "legitimate" reason for it (I a may not agree but.. who the hell am I to argue with the Doshu?) The same however cannot be said for a number of people in the UK who run their organisations.
Really? How far does that rationale extend? What if Doshu said we no longer practice Ikkyo? There's a word for an organisation where you don't apply your own reason to edicts that come from the leader, but just "feel sure it must be legitimate" because it comes from them. Starts with a c ends with a ult.

"When your only tool is a hammer every problem starts to look like a nail"
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Old 11-29-2004, 04:15 PM   #21
mj
Location: livingston, scotland
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Michael Fooks wrote:
Starts with a c ends with a ult.
catapult

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Old 11-29-2004, 05:16 PM   #22
David Humm
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Michael Fooks wrote:
Really? How far does that rationale extend? What if Doshu said we no longer practice Ikkyo? There's a word for an organisation where you don't apply your own reason to edicts that come from the leader, but just "feel sure it must be legitimate" because it comes from them. Starts with a c ends with a ult.
Hmm.. so by your rational then.. The Doshu, the Aikikai to which he heads is a Cult?? I don't think so.

The point I'm attempting to make is that as far as a student of Aikikai Aikido (me) is concerned, my standards and those standards of the instructors and Principals above me are monitored to ensure STANDARDS are met. The same isn't true with respect to several organisations here in the UK. Some of those organisations teach piss poor aikido.

There is a massive difference between maintaining a benchmark standard which is essentially internationally recognised and that of an opinion of one person who operates entirely outside of any influance other than.. 'his own opinion' and that to me, sounds more cult like than following the guidance and reason of people to whom are directly responsible for the creation of and the future development of 'their' own art form.

Last edited by David Humm : 11-29-2004 at 05:20 PM.
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Old 11-29-2004, 06:05 PM   #23
mj
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Dave Humm wrote:
... If the Doshu suddenly directed us no to use the jo, I feel sure there would be a "legitimate" reason for it...
Quote:
Dave Humm wrote:
There is a massive difference between maintaining a benchmark standard which is essentially internationally recognised and that of an opinion of one person who operates entirely outside of any influance other than.. 'his own opinion' and that to me, sounds more cult like than following the guidance and reason of people to whom are directly responsible for the creation of and the future development of 'their' own art form.
......

All in the eye of the beholder then?

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Old 11-29-2004, 06:45 PM   #24
Aristeia
Location: Auckland
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 971
New Zealand
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Dave Humm wrote:
Hmm.. so by your rational then.. The Doshu, the Aikikai to which he heads is a Cult?? I don't think so.
I note that you have denied my conclusion but ignored the reasoning that got me there. I don't think that Aikikai is a cult. But if we take the approach that whatever Doshu says is legitimate just because it is Doshu saying it, it will certainly become one.
To take your example, if Doshu came out with an edict that we no longer use Jo, I'd want to know his reasonng for that decision. If I agreed with it I'd go along, if it didn't make sense to me I wouldn't. Which in an extreme case may mean splitting off from both Aikikai and potentially my local organisation, to either go it alone, or join with others who are in similar disagreement. Point being the difference between a cult and a sane organisation is that changes and edicts are judged on their merits, not on the perceived infallibility of the leader who issues them.

"When your only tool is a hammer every problem starts to look like a nail"
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Old 11-30-2004, 05:31 AM   #25
David Humm
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 269
United Kingdom
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Re: Dropping of teaching standards.

Quote:
Mark Johnston wrote:
......

All in the eye of the beholder then?
Its about understanding that his GRANDFATHER created the system and all the infrastructure around that person, his credibility and position as Doshu etc etc. Not some individual who through holding a 5th or 6th dan (very often less than this grade) sets up on his own and essentially makes things up to suit himself... as I've said before, there is a world's difference.
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