The Qualities Necessary To Be A Martial Art Instructor???

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

There being a wide variety of martial art systems and styles in the world, also age difference, are their qualities that all instructors have in common necessary to teach others?

Are their or are their not universal teaching methods in martial arts to go by?

Wherby a martial art class or seminar can consist of hundreds of students, or just on a one to one basis, would the qualities needed for the instructor to do both be the same?

Would teaching children as compared to adults, the need to get the most out of both groups will require different qualities from the instructor?

Which groups or one to one do you prefer and what age groups do you feel more comfortable with teaching?

Would you be happy teaching students with disabilities or would it be a problem for you or perhaps a challenging experience?

As to be called the CI in one way or another holds a lot of responsibilities, perhaps also some wisdom through tried and tested experience, then at what age in your mind is too young to be called the teacher in martial arts?

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

The first and foremost requirement to teach martial arts or anything else is knowledge. One cannot teach what one doesn’t know. Teaching experience is great, but it is it necessary. Many teachers began teaching and improved their teaching skills over time. As far as martial arts are concerned, the instructor is more important than the style.

A good instructor must have a thorough understanding of the style, and most importantly of how to get other people to develop skills and retain knowledge. To do that, the instructor must be able to put themselves in their students place. To see things from their point of view and remember what they themselves went through when they were a student. As far as age, there can be no definitive answer; except maybe a reasonable degree of life experience and maturity are certainly required. Said maturity doesn’t depend on age.

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Simply stating...Knowledge and experience and patience. Even then, not all black belts can teach.

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**Proof is on the floor!!!

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

What makes a great martial arts teacher?
https://youtu.be/dOtDtNGs43c

Can you relate to this instructors views and why or perhaps not?

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

Agree with you sensei8 with the beginning of this video link.

Something I complain constantly about to the younger boxing coaches that expects students to follow along with stretched out boxing combinations that makes for a frustrating experience for most.

As the younger boxing coaches (that I associate with) just seem not to grasp the concept that it takes time to achieve the level that they are expecting from students, wanting too much too soon, where as if the most important thing is remembering long complicated boxing combinations.

Focusing on my own personal position in teaching others, for me would be perhaps considered as a type of Martial Art Tutor, as having a one to one teacher student relation with most.

Whereas I'm not teaching a martial art system or style but am focussing on the student's weaknesses that need special attention, outside of any type of classroom environment.

Aslo not working with newbies or youngsters, as those I am constantly in contact with already have plenty of martial arts or boxing experience.

Tutoring
Coaching
Instructing
Educating
Schooling
Training
Mentoring

As they are all teaching, transferring knowledge from one person to another.

Whereas I firmly belive that teaching others, is also an important aspect of learning martial arts in all of its forms instead of relentlessly focusing on only one's self.

Where their is alot of pleasure and satisfaction in sharing, being part of another person's martial art journey as sharing journeys are more pleasant than otherwise on the contrary when constantly travelling alone.

IMHO

Another different perspective on teaching martial arts, do you agree?
https://youtu.be/vksWtbe9yfQ

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

First and foremost, knowledge and application of the material in the curriculum is required. After that, as Bob mentioned, not all black belts can teach. Each person learns things a little differently than the next, and being able to be flexible enough to recognize this and address it is a skill learned over the course of a career.
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Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

Putting knowledge and application to one side, the style or system dictates the teaching methods and attitudes in classes, due to the mould making process a student experiences during being educated in any particular martial art system.

This is the most notable takeaway from experiencing different martial art systems from which I draw my conclusions and teaching experiences from.

None having superior teaching methods than another just different perspectives that work particularly well for each martial art system.

Where some systems are seemingly taught at a slow pace with plenty of repetition whilst others being taught at a fast overwhelming level, where it is either sink or swim, both very challenging in their own ways.

Where looking back in to my own experiences, all of the teachers behaved and taught accordingly to their respective martial art systems.

As it never occurred to me to learn a system to be able to eventually teach it, as my reasons or intent for practing wasn't for passing on knowledge but to gain it.

Where my advice to those that want to gain favour with the teacher, is to tell them that you also want to be a teacher, is this not true?

Also teaching Knowing something but doing it with humility is a good strategy, do you agree?

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Alan Armstrong wrote:

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

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