A Little Needed Humility

[Bill Mattocks]

I was getting a bit too big for my britches, and I don't mean my weight. I have been isolated for awhile now, training in my own empty-hand style of karate and a newer weapons style as well, but not training with anyone outside of my group. As I learned and advanced, I can't say I became great or even good, but I got better (with better being a relative term).

Because I accepted that I was not fastest, and that I clearly did not have the best technique, I thought I was being humble about my abilities.

Seems I was wrong.

Went to a seminar for a completely different set of martial arts skills and got schooled. My attitude was wrong going in, but my eyes were opened and I was able to humble myself enough to truly learn by the end.

I needed that. I hope to humble myself more often. And I hope I can hang on to that attitude. Humility is one of the overlooked traits of the arts. Not just a beginner's mind, but an openness to being taught. I learned by failing, hopefully I can avoid that in the future.

 

[ShortBridge]

You speak the truth. It's a hard thing, but we all need to do it now and again.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Stepping out of our comfort zone and our area of expertise is always a good thing.

 

[oftheherd1]

If you are like me Bill, there is no hope. You will fail to be humble time and time again. My hope would be that you don't go too far in between times of realizing you need the humility thing again, and that you can do it before others notice.

Sadly, I deal with that often in other aspects of my life as well. But I keep trying.

Good to see you post here again. Your insight on things and clarity of expressing yourself is something I missed.

 

[Buka]

Humble pie is a base diet staple in Martial Arts training. (to all of us sooner or later)

You say your attitude was wrong going in, but was it really? Your eyes were opened, you learned, you fed yourself some pie, you got schooled (which needs to happen to everyone in certain like situations) all sounds pretty good to me. I'd say you got a lot out of that seminar. Bet you ended up having fun, too.

I know what you're saying, though. You warm, fuzzy Teddy Bears are sometimes like that.

Good to read your thoughts again, bro.

 

[lklawson]

Went to a seminar for a completely different set of martial arts skills

Would you mind sharing what it was?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Ironbear24]

It gets very frustrating. When you think you are good or even just getting better, there comes that time where you learn how small you are.

I am speaking from personal experience.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Would you mind sharing what it was?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

It was Brian Van Crise's IRT seminar. Brian's approach is largely derived from his personal blend of FMA, Silat, Bujinkan Taijutsu, and Jiu-Jitsu, so it probably feels pretty foreign to someone from a pure Karate background.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

It was Brian Van Crise's IRT seminar. Brian's approach is largely derived from his personal blend of FMA, Silat, Bujinkan Taijutsu, and Jiu-Jitsu, so it probably feels pretty foreign to someone from a pure Karate background.

That's correct, Tony. I also learned a lot from you when we worked together. Remember I have zero background in grappling or any kind of knife skills.

One of my more humbling moments was when we were working on a 3 count knife drill. Rather than performing the exercise as described, my training (and my ego) wanted to use my own skillset, poor though that might be. I tried an overhead block, which would be a standard defense against an incoming overhand, cross, or looping punch; the idea being to isolate the arm, step in, and destroy the center. The problem is that my skillset doesn't really apply. A person throwing a punch is not going to simply turn his strike into a slashing motion, escaping the block. But with a knife? Pish, different story entirely, and I'd quickly have my entrails as my extrails, as I was shown.

I found the same effect when I tried to lock an incoming 'punch' under my armpit to apply an armbar with the other arm. Again, a fist trapped in my armpit is not going to hurt me; a knife in my armpit is kind of a bad thing.

Where my skills applied was in defending against an incoming kick; the defense against a mawashigeri is something I'm well-equipped to deal with and didn't find it a challenge, although it was interesting to defend against kicks developed in a different style, such as muay thai. The kicker's base was different, so his legs were not where I expected them to be once I isolated the kicking leg, but they were not expecting me to lift as high as I did, so they were overbalanced anyway.

However, the majority of the seminar I was entirely out of my element, a fish out of water, and once I twigged to the fact that my so-called skills were of nearly no use there, I was able to adopt a learner's attitude and I can only hope that others realized how grateful I was for the lessons.

 

[jks9199]

It's a lesson we all need periodically, I think.

One of the hardest things to do in a seminar, especially if it's focused on different materials than we ordinarily do, is to do what we're being shown, rather than what we like. The other time it's difficult is when something is similar, but the emphasis is different... Then we want to do it ^our^ way, and it's easy to miss the real emphasis.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't know what humble is. In my opinion I think trying to be humble is where the problem begins. The day that I accepted that there is always someone better and that I can always learn something new was the day that I stopped being humble and the day I stopped worrying about trying to be humble.
Things that I accept.
1. There are people better than me. I don't know who they are but they are out there and I train to be just as good as I think that person would be.
2. There is always something new that I can learn. I may not like it or I may not agree with it, but I can still learn about it. I think of it in the same light as trying new food. It's O.K. for me to think that one dish is better than another. But me trying new things has nothing to do with what is better. I just want to experience the new dish.
3. I will always have times when I'm wrong. It's only natural to be wrong at times so I accept it. I hear kids today say things like "I don't want to guess wrong, so I don't guess." For me guessing is what it's all about. Guessing is what it's all about. I can have my assumptions at the beginning, do some research and find out if I was right or wrong or both. Science is built off educated guesses.

I don't know if any of those 3 things will help cure anyone's humble problem but it works well for me.

Train as if everyone can beat you up. Learn as if you are an ancient "name your martial arts" spy trying to find out your enemy's secret that you'll eventually use that knowledge to defeat your enemy.

 

[wingchun100]

I think the problem may be that some people, like me, confuse being humble with not giving themselves enough credit. This has caused me many problems, the worst of which is me not being sure of myself. For example, under my previous Sifu, I felt like I was ages away from being able to teach effectively. That was a combination of me being humble, and him being...well, not so great. Now, under my current Sifu, he tells me, "You have the skill to teach. Don't ever doubt your own ability."

The thing is, that's something that *I* have to learn to do, and it does not come naturally to me (the not doubting part). No amount of other people telling me I am good will convince me; I need to know it in my own mind/heart/soul.

I'm not saying that this confusion is what happened to Bill, but his post made me think of it.

 

[Buka]

I don't know what humble is.
I think it would be a great benefit to find out.

In my opinion I think trying to be humble is where the problem begins.
Humble isn't really problem, it is an attribute.


The day that I accepted that there is always someone better and that I can always learn something new was the day that I stopped being humble and the day I stopped worrying about trying to be humble.
Things that I accept.
1. There are people better than me. I don't know who they are but they are out there and I train to be just as good as I think that person would be.
You don't know? You should get out more, maybe?

2. There is always something new that I can learn. I may not like it or I may not agree with it, but I can still learn about it.

I don't think you really mean you may not like that, it is the single most, absolutely awesome thing about the Martial Arts world.


I think of it in the same light as trying new food. It's O.K. for me to think that one dish is better than another. But me trying new things has nothing to do with what is better. I just want to experience the new dish.
Which is kind of contradictory to previous statements.


3. I will always have times when I'm wrong. It's only natural to be wrong at times so I accept it. I hear kids today say things like "I don't want to guess wrong, so I don't guess." For me guessing is what it's all about. Guessing is what it's all about. I can have my assumptions at the beginning, do some research and find out if I was right or wrong or both. Science is built off educated guesses.
Guessing? In what way?

I don't know if any of those 3 things will help cure anyone's humble problem but it works well for me.
Again, humble isn't a problem. It's an attribute needed in Martial Arts, especially in teaching Martial Arts.

 

[drop bear]

I don't know what humble is.
I think it would be a great benefit to find out.

In my opinion I think trying to be humble is where the problem begins.
Humble isn't really problem, it is an attribute.


The day that I accepted that there is always someone better and that I can always learn something new was the day that I stopped being humble and the day I stopped worrying about trying to be humble.
Things that I accept.
1. There are people better than me. I don't know who they are but they are out there and I train to be just as good as I think that person would be.
You don't know? You should get out more, maybe?

2. There is always something new that I can learn. I may not like it or I may not agree with it, but I can still learn about it.

I don't think you really mean you may not like that, it is the single most, absolutely awesome thing about the Martial Arts world.


I think of it in the same light as trying new food. It's O.K. for me to think that one dish is better than another. But me trying new things has nothing to do with what is better. I just want to experience the new dish.
Which is kind of contradictory to previous statements.


3. I will always have times when I'm wrong. It's only natural to be wrong at times so I accept it. I hear kids today say things like "I don't want to guess wrong, so I don't guess." For me guessing is what it's all about. Guessing is what it's all about. I can have my assumptions at the beginning, do some research and find out if I was right or wrong or both. Science is built off educated guesses.
Guessing? In what way?

I don't know if any of those 3 things will help cure anyone's humble problem but it works well for me.
Again, humble isn't a problem. It's an attribute needed in Martial Arts, especially in teaching Martial Arts.

In jow gars defence there. people overcook the humble nonsense.

And start taking pride in being humble.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

In jow gars defence there. people overcook the humble nonsense.

And start taking pride in being humble.

My humility is one of my greatest attributes. I bet I'm a hundred times more humble than the rest of you.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

My humility is one of my greatest attributes. I bet I'm a hundred times more humble than the rest of you.

No, I am far more humble than you. I have the best humility.

 

[drop bear]

My humility is one of my greatest attributes. I bet I'm a hundred times more humble than the rest of you.

What is that thing where you are kind of pretending to have a fault but you are actually using it to compliment yourself?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

What is that thing where you are kind of pretending to have a fault but you are actually using it to compliment yourself?

It's a humblebrag. I suppose it's kind of silly the way I have a word for every situation.

 

[drop bear]

It's a humblebrag. I suppose it's kind of silly the way I have a word for every situation.

Thanks I was killing myself trying to google that.

 

[Ironbear24]

Many martial artists are like "hey everybody! Look how humble I am! I am more humble than you and you and you and you over there! Get on my humble level scrubs!"