"Viper"

newGuy12

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There is a white belt student at our school. He is a kid, about, oh, 12 to 14. Now, kids much younger cannot generate good power. They are not yet capable of it. But, he is at the age when he can, a little.

This kid, we will call him Viper (not his real name). He asks me, "Mr. Bobby, sir, will you show me that exercise that you did there?" He meant when I was holding on to the "katy bar" on the door and kicking and holding the side kick out, then, chambering it, then kicking and holding it out, then 20 round house kicks. Simple.

So, I showed him. I told him, "You turn the base foot good." Then, I struck the heel of the foot, reminding this white belt student that that is the weapon there, to smash the target with.

Haha, then, in sparring, I was able to "reach out and touch someone" AT&T style, I touched his head with the roundhouse kick, very lightly. But, he was then aware of that opening. Same thing, later, I kicked a front kick to the solar-plexus (lightly) and he then knew about that opening! Yes!

So, after the class, we are changing, and he asks to make sure the front stance is correct (it was not). I told him, "We will get dressed, and then on the way out, I will show you in the mirror, it will be better." But, he wished to have me look at the stance immediately, I said, "You must give more width, to be stable side to side." He got it. Then, we looked at the back stance for good measure. He was off, but we got him closer to the ideal.

Then, some kid yells, "Viper, your Mother is here." He says thank you, and Sir (which is very uncomfortable to me, but that is our custom at our school).

I told him, "If you are back here Monday, we will review these things."

Now, this is a small thing, but it is huge to me. This kid is under the impression that I can help him to learn this TKD. And, I do have a knowledge of the basics, so, yes, I can.

And, (and this is the good part), he really wishes to learn it! I told him, you know, you must have good stances if you wish to be a yellow belt student, but, FORGET THE TEST, you must learn these stances to really learn the TaeKwonDo!

So, you know what? At this point, call me a fool. I am not a psychologist, and I don't know about the inner workings of the mind, nor do I care to. Ha! You can have all of the trophies, you can have all of the movie parts.

This kid, "Viper", he lifts my soul! Its so simple, but, if this guy really wishes to learn, oh, then, My, My, My! We can flat-out rock-n-roll then! Oh!

We'll see if he sticks with it, if his interest in this TKD persists!!!!!!!

Then, we will watch his TKD techniques get better and better!!!
 

Jai

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This is a great story. If he has a true love for the art which, he seems to be expressing, It will be wonderful to see how he moves forward. Good luck helping this student!
 

exile

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I've noticed that some kids—not many!—seem to have this almost impatient drive to get to the heart of the technique. They have this sense, which they can't articulate yet, that there's a good reason why you're doing something, and/or telling them to do something, and they want to know what it is. Curiosity, plain and simple. It's a very powerful motivation for those who possess it. But it's not all that common, really, though you do run across it here and there.

I see it in my own son, who at 10 years old is obsessed with history and historical cause-and-effect; he wants to know what happened and why, he wants to know about demographic, economic and military forces that led to the formation and growth of empires, to conflicts between classical societies and `barbarian' invaders, and so on. He's insatiable that way; our breakfasts are dominated by Robert the Bruce and Culloden and Ghengis Khan... and on and on... he never stops!! And there are other kids I've met who are the same way about anything else you can think of: science, police work and crime detection... the lot. I think martial arts can offer the same kind of focus for kids' intense curiosity... if you've got one like that, you're very lucky!
 

terryl965

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Robert great story, I'm lucky my three sons are like that and I also have about 15 students that are just like that as well.

Great job and it is a warm feeling isn't it.
 
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newGuy12

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Great job and it is a warm feeling isn't it.

Yes, its something! You know, you cannot endow a young person with a desire to learn (at least, I cannot, nor do I try to). But, if he keeps having interest, then, a little pointer here, a little pointer there, before long... well, you already know!

:)
 

IcemanSK

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Robert, that is incredibly cool for both you & Viper. Congratulations, you've discovered the coolest hidden secret of the martial arts....teaching it to willing students.
 

buldog

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Robert, I'm glad you got to experience what it's like to be a real teacher! While my MA experience is nil, I do have some experience in teaching. It truly is special when you see the "light" come on over a students head when they finally truly understand. Good luck to you and Viper.
Scott
 

tkdboy81

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That's really cool sir. I hope that this kid sticks with it and I'm sure he will.
 
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newGuy12

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Well, he'll be testing Saturday. I will be there, of course. I am off work and all of the students should attend, testing or not.

I suspect that he will smoke the test, too! You should see his stances. Very good for a white belt student. He knows all of the terminology that he should, and he knows to answer with "Yes Sir" or "Yes Maam", and to answer loudly, not mumble!

Ha! Yes, he is a good one! Soon he will get more power, too!
 

CoryKS

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Robert, if the enthusiasm you bring to your school was only half what you bring to the forum, it wouldn't surprise me that this kid is eager to learn from you. Good job! I know you'll be a great instructor someday.
 

shesulsa

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What you're describing is what was touched upon in another thread - there are some folks who see no value in what you described and what *I* see is that this young man is learning about personal excellence, self-improvement, getting it done right. I have a hard time believing this could be seen as anything else and believe his behavior is a sign that he values himself, values learning, values the knowledge of the people around him and their efforts.

Sounds like a good kid. Let us know how his test goes. ;)
 
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newGuy12

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Thank you for your kind words, CoryKS. And, to shesulsa, he will test at a strange school, in a different city. We are all going to another branch for testing, combined with the Christmas Party.

So, you see, he will have to stand up in front of Important People (the judges table), with all of the black belt students from his school and other branch schools sitting on each side of the table. Now, he has never seen a testing before, and will become stressed by this. This is not easy for every young person to do, it makes them nervous.

But, that is okay, it is as it should be, because that is our Way. He will have to stand there and NOT mumble about, sound off loudly, in a clean, neat dobok. He cannot ask his Mommy or friends for help. He will speak for himself when addressed, in standard english.

Now, if he decides to go to school dressed in baggy pants and to mumble to the teacher there and use strange jargon, that is his choice, BUT, he has a choice. Why? Because will have at least ONCE conformed to our Way, the TKD way! He can then decide for himself whether or not to embrace this is all of his comings an goings.

Now, he may never fight in a prize fight, in some MMA event for money. He may never use some lighting fast kicks to devastate an opponent in some self-defense episode (I would greatly prefer it this way). But, you see, I know that you know this, that there is so much more to the learning of this TKD than only kicking an punching. It is becoming clear to me. Time does reveal things. As I age, you see, I see things so differently. These formal testings are important to people who are teenagers. It endows them with the confidence to "stand and deliver" to arbitrary "important people".

He will be just fine at the testing, if he just does things in a straight-ahead manner, and does not think too much. I will remind him to act in a "straight line" way. Do not be indecisive. In our Way it is preferable to give a wrong answer to a query in a confident manner, heads up, looking good, than it is to give the correct answer while acting as a child does!


I get so excited about this TKD that I loose sleep, people!
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/member.php?u=3670
 

Sukerkin

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Like Cory said earlier, that enthusiasm is a wonderful boon to those you meet :tup:.

I hope Viper follows your lead and doesn't allow the occaision to change him. The best advice I've ever been given when it comes to gradings is to have the mindset that 'it's just training'. We have a bad habit of treating them as if they're 'exams' and they're not. They're confirmations because, unlike an academic test, you wouldn't be there if you couldn't already do it.

Mind you, this is from a chap who didn't even know he was being graded for nidan a couple of months ago :lol:.
 
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newGuy12

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Let us know how his test goes. ;)

He did very well, as I expected him to. It was a good enough testing / Christmas party, as well. The Christmas party is for the children, really. To give them a good time and a good memory, with the other family members and so forth. That was certainly what we did.

I also met some people who I think I was supposed to meet, and we spoke about Martial Arts and he shared some stories with me. There are some students and Instructors in the other schools within our organization which I hope to see again, and to train with.
 

IcemanSK

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He did very well, as I expected him to. It was a good enough testing / Christmas party, as well. The Christmas party is for the children, really. To give them a good time and a good memory, with the other family members and so forth. That was certainly what we did.

I also met some people who I think I was supposed to meet, and we spoke about Martial Arts and he shared some stories with me. There are some students and Instructors in the other schools within our organization which I hope to see again, and to train with.


Excellent!
 

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