Relationships

Relationships are important. Especially when it comes to survival instincts. This is why we like groups, tribes and communities. We band together not just for solidarities sake but as a group we band together for strength and security let alone for survival. Relationships are also extremely important in the dojo. Especially when the dojo practices traditional/classical arts with emphasis on self-defense.

The relationships you find in most training facilities is of a hierarchical nature. You have the boss and you have all the practitioners or employees. Within the employees you have various levels of authority that is driven by time, training and experience, etc. This is often as far as it goes. In those climates you will find in some cases a more dictatorship or militaristic model that requires blind following simply because someone assumes a power role while others assume a more submissive role - at least in that dojo or training hall environment. 

Is this the best way or even the right way regarding traditional training to promote maximum learning, training and application of SDMA (Self-defense Martial Arts)? It has its value but this model is missing way to much to reach maximum potential of all parties. You find in this model winners and losers with the winners being the few dominant participants and others simply following the line. Sometimes, to maximize learning and learning potential, you have to step out of that line and make inroads of your own while maintaing the cohesive properties of the tribe called the dojo.

It is the responsibility, no the obligation of all participants to foster an environment that means all learn, train, and practice to their absolute maximum potential. We call this relationship the sensei-n-deshi/sempai-n-kohai/tori-n-uke relationships. Each individual participant has a moral obligation and a martial obligation to work diligently to increase the knowledge, proficiency and ability of everyone including themselves without limitations. 

These relationships rely on a give and take process where it stays fluid so that we can learn and yet teach all at one time. How this works is easy to visualize but hard to implement since human nature wants to fill the ego's requirement to be the best of the best, to dominate or to become the alpha dog. Those traits must remain present to utilize properly when outside the dojo and encountering violence/conflicts in life but the dojo is a neutral zone. It is the Switzerland of he SDMA world. Neutral yet capable when outside the Swiss zone.

As an example when training in kumite or SD tactics you have to allow enough room for a person to learn, encode and practice within a set routine until it is learned. Then you have to stress that model in as many realistic ways as possible so the mind-set allows deviation and innovation on the fly. After all, an adversary is going to have a plan and that plan is to take advantage of every opening, pause and opportunity to do something the changes the dynamics of the attack to their advantage. The type of relationship I speak of must allow for both the learning process that may involve do this when someone does that yet it must move up to the level where someone does this and the other does something unique and unexpected. It also means escalating the pressure of the attack. Moving up the pressure, speed, and chaos of the type of attack to stress the learned tactics. It is a means to develop intuitive processes that allow a shift from the learned process to some unique new combination to overcome and destroy the adversary. Make sense?

Relationships are far more important in the dojo than most imagine. It takes honor and strong effort for the individual to let go of the ego and pride, to allow for winning and losing as one whole way to achieve higher levels of ability. It warrants more consideration. It is a hallmark of the enlightened person. It is what makes a black belt a true black belt. It is true leadership.

Another example is to remove the dictatorship model and allow for questioning regardless of status, rank or level of knowledge. To make it work you have to step up and ask the questions and those who come before must allow for answers, real answers and not the wizened old man at the top of the mountain sound bits that seem cool but mean nothing. It means answers and questions that make sense and make things work. It means letting go of egoistic pride when you hear a question that you have no answer for, to say let me get back to you with that one - I don't know. Saying "I don't know" is maybe the hardest thing anyone can do but it is necessary. 

Do I make sense? Is this clear? I think so but only you can answer those questions for yourself and your dojo - or training facility.