Withholding Knowledge

Shorin Ryuu · Black Belt

This is an old topic, but I've been thinking about it quite a bit, recently. I think it is important that a teacher simply does not say everything up front (regardless of the student's level). Sometimes, I feel that the student should have to find things out for themselves. It would be the difference between being handed a formula, an equation for solving some sort of a problem. If you are handed the formula, you can solve the problem pretty well and easily. If, however, you are forced to derive the formula mathematically, you have a deeper understanding of what it is you are learning. Obviously, I don't support having to derive every single formula out there. Sometimes, that would be wasted effort or too time consuming. But sometimes, I think it is necessary to learn, rather than to copy.

Anyone who's familiar with my posts knows I just LOVE sharing "knowledge" (whether it is asked for or not), and I've actually considered reining myself in. Fortunately, I don't know that much or that much well, so I probably will be okay even in if I said everything I know, since it wouldn't be revealing too much. For that matter, you've got people here that have more experience then I've got years on this good Earth (Yeah, old fogies like you, Shorinryu Sensei). And this is a forum for sharing ideas, afterall. But sometimes, I think it's good for the student to look inwards before always relying outwards for their answers and growth.

That being said, I don't plan on shutting up any time soon.

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Kempohands · Orange Belt

Shroin Ryuu, one of the best posts I've read in my little time here on KF. I agree with you, there are many times when I have been glad that my instructors didn't tell me everything they knew about a kata or technique because it gave me the opprotunity to teach myself something.

senna_trem · Green Belt

One of my sempais once would not teach me something because if I did it incorrectly against an attacker I could harm myself seriously as well as them. I understood the reasoning behind it, but by the time I am at his level I would like to know it.
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"I think therefore I am" Rene Descartes

1kickKO · Brown Belt

I think it depends...personally I think all knowledge should be passed on, but only to certain groups that the sensei feels is ready to learnt he material. If he feels they are not/ will never be ready to learn and take it in, then that sensei should have the right not to teach it.

ovine king · Brown Belt

do i care if someone thinks i am a poor instructor?
not really.
if they think i am bad then they can go somewhere else.
if anything, it would be one less person that i am responsible for and if i don't think they are worth teaching that thing i held back, then even better.
one less person to worry about.

not that i'm an instructor but you get what i mean....
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earth is the asylum of the universe where the inmates have taken over.
don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers.

krzychicano · Black Belt

Maybe if they feel you aren't ready for it or maybe some instructors just teach different hard to call on this one.
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What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. - Confucius

1kickKO · Brown Belt

Sure is.

krzychicano · Black Belt

Challenge him to a duel of knowledge?
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What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. - Confucius

pineapple · Black Belt

If a lower belt in my instructor's school tells me that I'm doing a technique wrong, I tell him Okay, since you know better than me, I'm not going to teach you anymore and I walk away.

If someone from another school tells me that he knows a technique better than me, I tell him to teach me his way. If he really knows something, then I'll learn from him. The funny thing is that more than half of these people tell me that they cannot teach me anything that I don't already know.
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What works works

chiflow · Yellow Belt

knowledge is power and in the world of martial arts there is much power. Some arts have some things that really need to be carefully considered before being taught

one of my past instructors had a saying, the learning begins at black-belt and not before.. up to that point you learn to kick and punch and after bb you learn the serious take outs and other leathal skills. He made sure the people that were passed the hard core skills were the people that would carry the knowledge as it should be carried.

i have met many people that were dangerous jerks, that should not have been taught to the level of skills they were at..
Its good some instructors watch for these guys\gals and close the door when the true colors are presented

examples of held back skills: pressure point knockouts, death strikes
some weapon skills, push hands
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