I've been teaching Ju Jitsu for years now as a Black Belt in Japanese Ju Jitsu. I love to instruct and teach kids and adults about Ju Jitsu and fighting. Although I haven't been teaching that long, I have developed a few quirks and have assumed my "role" as an instructor. Ernie and I kind of have these good cop, bad cop roles in class. You can guess which one I probably am, which is the bad cop. Ernie calls me the spirit breaker because I am the hammer or "enforcer" if you will. Its all in good fun, but I take my role as a Sensei seriously.
Over the past five years, I have seen a lot of good habits and people who pay attention and work hard; and I've seen some bad behaviors that "irk" me we will say.
I've compiled a list of my top 10 most irritating behaviors from students.
1. Show up late all the time
I make a point to show up on time so we can start class when its supposed to start. And almost every class, I have a few late rollers that stroll in late. Now, I don't mind the occasional late student, it happens to all of us where traffic or life makes you late. But the people that are always five to ten minutes late bother me. At the beginning of class, we bow into each other as a sign of respect and then begin warm ups. I feel like if you always miss the bow in time, then you miss out on a part of that mutual respect.
2. Talking while I am instructing
This is my number one pet peeve! To me, talking while I am instructing or teaching a move is ultimate disrespect. Don't get me wrong, questions are allowed, however, we have to go back to kindergarten here and wait until I am done or, yes raise your hand! I feel like kids are the worst for this one, sometimes they just blurt out questions about what I am doing or they are not even paying attention and then I have to repeat myself. I hate repeating myself to someone who isn't listening. If I can't get any of your attention and time, then how can you expect me to give the same attention and time? Think about it!
3. Not following or second-guessing what I am teaching.
This is probably my second biggest pet peeve! I see this a lot with kids who have been doing this for a couple years and think they know everything. For example, I show a guard sweep into a certain hold and submission. Then I go around and see a kid doing a guard sweep into the wrong hold and wrong submission because they like that one better. Now, I am all for doing what works for you; but in this case, I am teaching this for a reason. I usually want a specific hold and submission because it will lead to the next thing I will teach or its something I've noticed the students are struggling with and need more practice. When you're grappling, do what works; but when I am teaching, do what I say. That simple!
4. No respect for higher rank students
This usually comes from students who are just starting. They see me as a teacher, and then a higher rank trying to help them and they are being disrespectful to a higher rank. Now, that higher belt is not the teacher, however, they have earned their spot and they can help if I am not available. Respect your higher ranks, because they earned their spot to be there, just as you will earn yours. This leads me to my next point.
5. Higher ranks being arrogant
As I've mentioned before, yes a higher ranking student has earned their spot in class. They've earned their right to sit where they sit as I have earned mine. However, I do sometimes see some high ranks acting as if they know everything. I'm sorry, but you're not all that and a bag of potato chips and neither am I; but I am the Sensei. I don't like to see it when higher ranks act like know-it-all's and are impatient with people who are just learning.
6. Disrespect between students
I do see this quite a bit and it is a learning curve. Again, we have to go back to kindergarten and treat others the way we want to be treated. If you throw a person really hard and slam them into a choke and don't let go when they tap, imagine when someone does that to you? That kind of behaviour is unacceptable in a learning environment for kids and adults. No one wants to come to a class where they feel they are bullied and not respected. That is not what martial arts are about.
7. Horsing around
This is my other biggest pet peeve. Don't get me wrong, I want everyone to enjoy Ju Jitsu and have fun. We play games and do cool stuff so it makes it fun and engaging to the students. However, carelessness leads to injury. I remember at one point I had two boys in one of my classes that goof around constantly, then usually one of them ends up getting hurt because they are not paying attention to what they are doing. That is irritating; if you get hurt because you weren't behaving properly and goofing off, then I'm sorry but take your pity party to the side.
8. You don't try
Ju Jitsu is a hard sport, it is not something that comes easily to a lot of people. Some moves are much more complicated than others and do require knowledge and skill, I realize that. That being said, I want to see you try. If you feel like something is hard, then work on it! Practice makes perfect. I hate watching the students grapple and see them being put in a hold down or guard and totally give up. I always say "What are you doing sitting there? You know what to do!" So they try for about three seconds to get out of the hold and then they tap out! That is not what grappling is, get to work!
9. Crying over everything!
This is obviously more of a problem with kids then adults. I find that a lot of this stems from not paying attention and more interested in horseplay (see #7). They are goofing around and not paying attention and they get caught in an arm bar and don't tap and next thing I know I have a kid holding their arm crying because they didn't tap and they were not behaving. I usually give them the tough love and remind them that we have rules in Ju Jitsu for a reason and if they don't follow them, then they are the ones to get hurt. Most of kids within about a minute are back on the mat and doing the same thing over again. So, obviously they weren't hurt that bad!
I've even asked kids if they are really hurt or are their feelings just hurt. When something happens like getting thrown hard, most kids just get scared and their reaction is to cry of course. I had a little girl who fell on her own accord, and proceeded to run to her mom and cry. She would cry hard for about 20 seconds while her mom held her, then her mom would let go and she would sit for another 20 seconds and seem to get over it and then looked at her mom and started to cry again so her mom would hold her. She did this for about five minutes! Was she really hurt, probably not since she joined in our game ten minutes later *eyeroll*.
10. "My child needs discipline so please discipline them"
This one is more irritating then people think. Usually while the parents are saying this to me, little Timmy is in the background climbing the walls or trying to punch another kid in the head.
Maybe if little Timmy got some discipline at home, maybe I wouldn't have to. Yes, martial arts are very disciplined sports. They can help kids with attention and authority problems. However, I am not a behavioural therapist nor the parent of this child, it is not my job to raise them. I teach them Ju Jitsu and yes I am hard on them and yes I have certain expectations I hold my students to. But I only see them for a few hours each week, they are with their parents or at school the other hours of the week. What I do will help, but I am not the only place they should be getting discipline from!
And a bonus one!
11. Bullying and fighting outside of class
I think I speak on behalf of all martial arts instructors when I say that if I hear of a student of mine bullying or fighting other kids, it makes me sick to my stomach. Martial arts are NOT a license to pick on other people! That is not the image of Ju Jitsu I want out in the world. I want the image of a humble, respectable person who would never use their training for anywhere other than in class or in an self defense scenario. I have seen kids be demoted of their ranks because of fighting and bullying issues. It is something that we NEVER tolerate or condone.
I feel like this list is on behalf of all martial art instructors out there. I don't expect a lot as a Sensei. I expect you to show up on time, in uniform, quiet and pay attention, work hard and respect others. I hold to those expectations for all students no matter age.
Over the past five years, I have seen a lot of good habits and people who pay attention and work hard; and I've seen some bad behaviors that "irk" me we will say.
I've compiled a list of my top 10 most irritating behaviors from students.
1. Show up late all the time
I make a point to show up on time so we can start class when its supposed to start. And almost every class, I have a few late rollers that stroll in late. Now, I don't mind the occasional late student, it happens to all of us where traffic or life makes you late. But the people that are always five to ten minutes late bother me. At the beginning of class, we bow into each other as a sign of respect and then begin warm ups. I feel like if you always miss the bow in time, then you miss out on a part of that mutual respect.
2. Talking while I am instructing
This is my number one pet peeve! To me, talking while I am instructing or teaching a move is ultimate disrespect. Don't get me wrong, questions are allowed, however, we have to go back to kindergarten here and wait until I am done or, yes raise your hand! I feel like kids are the worst for this one, sometimes they just blurt out questions about what I am doing or they are not even paying attention and then I have to repeat myself. I hate repeating myself to someone who isn't listening. If I can't get any of your attention and time, then how can you expect me to give the same attention and time? Think about it!
3. Not following or second-guessing what I am teaching.
This is probably my second biggest pet peeve! I see this a lot with kids who have been doing this for a couple years and think they know everything. For example, I show a guard sweep into a certain hold and submission. Then I go around and see a kid doing a guard sweep into the wrong hold and wrong submission because they like that one better. Now, I am all for doing what works for you; but in this case, I am teaching this for a reason. I usually want a specific hold and submission because it will lead to the next thing I will teach or its something I've noticed the students are struggling with and need more practice. When you're grappling, do what works; but when I am teaching, do what I say. That simple!
4. No respect for higher rank students
This usually comes from students who are just starting. They see me as a teacher, and then a higher rank trying to help them and they are being disrespectful to a higher rank. Now, that higher belt is not the teacher, however, they have earned their spot and they can help if I am not available. Respect your higher ranks, because they earned their spot to be there, just as you will earn yours. This leads me to my next point.
5. Higher ranks being arrogant
As I've mentioned before, yes a higher ranking student has earned their spot in class. They've earned their right to sit where they sit as I have earned mine. However, I do sometimes see some high ranks acting as if they know everything. I'm sorry, but you're not all that and a bag of potato chips and neither am I; but I am the Sensei. I don't like to see it when higher ranks act like know-it-all's and are impatient with people who are just learning.
6. Disrespect between students
I do see this quite a bit and it is a learning curve. Again, we have to go back to kindergarten and treat others the way we want to be treated. If you throw a person really hard and slam them into a choke and don't let go when they tap, imagine when someone does that to you? That kind of behaviour is unacceptable in a learning environment for kids and adults. No one wants to come to a class where they feel they are bullied and not respected. That is not what martial arts are about.
7. Horsing around
This is my other biggest pet peeve. Don't get me wrong, I want everyone to enjoy Ju Jitsu and have fun. We play games and do cool stuff so it makes it fun and engaging to the students. However, carelessness leads to injury. I remember at one point I had two boys in one of my classes that goof around constantly, then usually one of them ends up getting hurt because they are not paying attention to what they are doing. That is irritating; if you get hurt because you weren't behaving properly and goofing off, then I'm sorry but take your pity party to the side.
8. You don't try
Ju Jitsu is a hard sport, it is not something that comes easily to a lot of people. Some moves are much more complicated than others and do require knowledge and skill, I realize that. That being said, I want to see you try. If you feel like something is hard, then work on it! Practice makes perfect. I hate watching the students grapple and see them being put in a hold down or guard and totally give up. I always say "What are you doing sitting there? You know what to do!" So they try for about three seconds to get out of the hold and then they tap out! That is not what grappling is, get to work!
9. Crying over everything!
This is obviously more of a problem with kids then adults. I find that a lot of this stems from not paying attention and more interested in horseplay (see #7). They are goofing around and not paying attention and they get caught in an arm bar and don't tap and next thing I know I have a kid holding their arm crying because they didn't tap and they were not behaving. I usually give them the tough love and remind them that we have rules in Ju Jitsu for a reason and if they don't follow them, then they are the ones to get hurt. Most of kids within about a minute are back on the mat and doing the same thing over again. So, obviously they weren't hurt that bad!
I've even asked kids if they are really hurt or are their feelings just hurt. When something happens like getting thrown hard, most kids just get scared and their reaction is to cry of course. I had a little girl who fell on her own accord, and proceeded to run to her mom and cry. She would cry hard for about 20 seconds while her mom held her, then her mom would let go and she would sit for another 20 seconds and seem to get over it and then looked at her mom and started to cry again so her mom would hold her. She did this for about five minutes! Was she really hurt, probably not since she joined in our game ten minutes later *eyeroll*.
10. "My child needs discipline so please discipline them"
This one is more irritating then people think. Usually while the parents are saying this to me, little Timmy is in the background climbing the walls or trying to punch another kid in the head.
Maybe if little Timmy got some discipline at home, maybe I wouldn't have to. Yes, martial arts are very disciplined sports. They can help kids with attention and authority problems. However, I am not a behavioural therapist nor the parent of this child, it is not my job to raise them. I teach them Ju Jitsu and yes I am hard on them and yes I have certain expectations I hold my students to. But I only see them for a few hours each week, they are with their parents or at school the other hours of the week. What I do will help, but I am not the only place they should be getting discipline from!
And a bonus one!
11. Bullying and fighting outside of class
I think I speak on behalf of all martial arts instructors when I say that if I hear of a student of mine bullying or fighting other kids, it makes me sick to my stomach. Martial arts are NOT a license to pick on other people! That is not the image of Ju Jitsu I want out in the world. I want the image of a humble, respectable person who would never use their training for anywhere other than in class or in an self defense scenario. I have seen kids be demoted of their ranks because of fighting and bullying issues. It is something that we NEVER tolerate or condone.
I feel like this list is on behalf of all martial art instructors out there. I don't expect a lot as a Sensei. I expect you to show up on time, in uniform, quiet and pay attention, work hard and respect others. I hold to those expectations for all students no matter age.
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