does a sambunim be a superfighter?

[Manny]

When I was a teen I did compete in some tournaments most of them regionals or state, don-t recall how many competitions I was in but maybe not more then 8 or 10.

A few wekks ago I found a nice cloth pouch and inside were some medals there were 5 or 6 .

Well I never was a competitor per se however I think one has not to be a top competitor or national champion to be a good sambonim and I am asking you cause I want to teach but my curriculum is limited but I´ve been told I am a good instructor, who takes care of the kids and always willing to teach.

Manny

 

[ATC]

You do not have to be a super fighter in tournament sparring to be a good teacher. I myself only have a few tournament fights under my belt. My GM was not a person that did many tournaments either and he was mine and my Sabumnim's Master.

My Sabumnim however is an awesome tournament fighter but also a great teacher as well.

I am only an instructor but many of the parents and students really love what and how I teach. It is all about the knowledge and if you can pass that knowledge. You students will use and apply that knowledge as needed by them.

 

[IcemanSK]

It depends on how you want to teach. If you want your students to be powerhouses in tournaments, then I'd think a background of competing in tournaments would be a must. If you don't feel that is the direction you want to go, then no, you wouldn't need to be a champion fighter.

As important as the techniques we teach are, we teach students, not techniques. Techniques are the tool that we use to teach people. I've seen plenty of great fighters who cannot teach their way out of paper bag. And I've seen folks who are not great fighters who can teach very well.

 

[Gorilla]

The best coaches are usually not the best athletes. The best coach is usually the one who had to work very hard with very little talent and was not able to achieve star status. That constant drive to improve is what makes o good coach...The top athlete often times can't relate to the lessor athlete because most people don't get it as quickly as they do...

 

[terryl965]

Here is my take on the subject, lets leave TKD for a minute. So many of out Managers in Baseball and head coaches in Basketball or Football was never the best they simply was better at teaching and motivating. Now TKD is different like alot of you know but the same principle are intack. Not every great instructor or coach was the best in there respective fields except where it matter in coaching and teaching.

 

[granfire]

It takes a good teacher to be a good teacher.

I don't think a lot of the leading coaches in pro sports have the 'been there, done that' on their resume.

You have to have an understanding of the subject and the tools to convey that knowledge.

 

[IcemanSK]

Arguably the best boxing trainer today is Freddie Roach. Freddie was never a great fighter, but he was tough as nails! He is, first & foremost, a student of the sport & a student of people & how they learn. Those are qualities that make a good Taekwondo instructor, too.

 

[dancingalone]

Good question. I agree that a good teacher doesn't have to also be an excellent martial artist or fighter. I would argue however that the BEST teachers have great teaching skills AND they have (had) the physical skills too.

Many students are visual learners. How do they learn to execute a technique unless you show them? How do they learn to fight unless you show them? In large schools, it's likely that an older teacher might have a senior student who is capable of doing the demonstrations. In small schools, the teacher does everything, so he'd better have the goods.

 

[Earl Weiss]

In may 1998 I had an article printed in TKD Times about the ideal instructor. You may want to check it out:
http://371078645507472465-a-1802744...Fz3OAyJHSCuxaPWB81Khh4IluTh1Q=&attredirects=0

As stated above, many great coaches were never great at the sport. Some did not do it at all. Bella Koroly (Phonetic Spelling) trained several female Olympic Gymnast gold medalists and coached teams as well. I shudder to even think of him doing those events.

 

[MSUTKD]

A

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

When I was a teen I did compete in some tournaments most of them regionals or state, don-t recall how many competitions I was in but maybe not more then 8 or 10.

A few wekks ago I found a nice cloth pouch and inside were some medals there were 5 or 6 .

Well I never was a competitor per se however I think one has not to be a top competitor or national champion to be a good sambonim and I am asking you cause I want to teach but my curriculum is limited but I´ve been told I am a good instructor, who takes care of the kids and always willing to teach.

Manny

IMO, being involved in this game for awhile now as a Takwondo practitioner, you don't necessarily have to a super tkd fighter, top competition fighter and movie action star to be a good saubumnim. What's important is to be a patient, good and competent teacher of our art.

 

[MasterWright]

A

It's EH , Get it right!

 

[Twin Fist]

i always sucked as a tourny fighter, but i can teach people to do it

 

[xfighter88]

I don't think you have to be a super fighter with a ton of 1st place medals, but you should be proficient. You should first and foremost be a good technical teacher. Your students won't get better unless you have information that will help them better their technique. That being said, you should be proficient in forms, sparring, and breaking. Remeber that we as instructors should be showing students what they should be striving for. If you as an instructor are merely OK at sparring, forms, or breaking, don't expect your students to be great at them either.