How did you end up with the right instructor for you?

[Fu_Bag]

Hi All,

Just wanted to ask how people found the right instructor for them? I'm talking about that "homecoming" kind of experience where you know you're where you should be. How many instructors did you have to train with before you got "home"? Any funny stories?

I'm a wandering soul at the moment so, while I'm wandering, I thought this might be a fun thread.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I moved to Indiana from ohio in Oct. of 92 and was looking for a new dojo to train at. A waitress we had at a local restaurant the day I got to Indiana told us about her friend who has been in Karate a long time and was teaching at a local church. We went and met him and I joined that night. Some of the hardest workouts I have ever experienced but he taught us all very well and cared about us. I am going to try to get my shodan with him even though he is 7 hours away from me sicne I moved back to ohio but if I never do he will always be "Sensei"

 

[stickarts]

I has just joined a school, and while I was enjoying the training, I did not expect that I would make it a long term experience. I didn't think some of the techniques taught were very practical and I didn't find the head teacher very inspiring.
Then one day the sparring teacher came in to teach class and I knew almost instantly that he was destined to be my teacher. He carried himself in a quiet but confident manner, and when he stepped in the sparring ring he was amazing to watch. He also had an explaination behind everything that he did and taught.
Whether it was pure luck, or fate, either way he made all of the difference in my training and future.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Frank,
Thats kinda the way my Sensei in Indiana was.

 

[Kacey]

I ended up with the right instructor through happenstance. I started TKD because the guy I was dating at the time had gotten to blue belt in high school, mostly dropped it while in the Air Force, and wanted to start up again. Since we were looking for something we could do that was organized exercise, he talked me into it trying it when he went back; since we were both in college, we were looking for somewhere to go that wasn't expensive, so we went to a class at the local YMCA, where there happened to be a very good instructor - just how good, I didn't realize until I started visiting other classes. It's been 19 years, and he's still my sahbum.

 

[stickarts]

Frank,
Thats kinda the way my Sensei in Indiana was.

Cool! How did you find / meet your Sensei?

 

[Carol]

Hi All,

Just wanted to ask how people found the right instructor for them?

He invited me to his school in Connecticut. :asian:

 

[tshadowchaser]

I was studying MDK and knew it was not the art or instructor for me. I had been to many tournament and had seen 2 instructors that everyone seemed to respect and say had much knowledge. I changed jobs taking me out of the area I lived in and close to the instructor I kept for 30 years.

 

[Xue Sheng]

As for CMA apparently I haven't found one yet, but there is hope on the horizon.

 

[Paul B]

The Dojang opened up a block from where I work so I'd end up driving past it at least three times a day.

Being an *Admittedly Nosy about New MA* person drove me to finally,having never heard of "Hapkido", stop in to see what all the fuss was about. Coming from an Aikido and Kempo background when I saw a class it was like my *perfect* ideal art..and that was it.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

After I met my wife, she inspired me to get back into martial arts. At first I didn't want to study under her instructors. I wanted to "find my own path". But after searching for comparable instruction, I found that that the Kenpo Jitsu that she studied/taught suited me the best, so I started studying alongside her.

Jeff

 

[Xue Sheng]

Sorry I was short on time for my last post.

I found my first instructor, Jujitsu, entirely by accident. I was in the Liberty Tree Mall with my parents (this was the early 70s by the way) and came across a Jujitsu demonstration and a friend of mine just happened to be in the demonstration and I had no idea he was in Martial arts. I have been in MA ever since.

 

[Fu_Bag]

Brandon,

That's awesome to hear. Something I'm curious about with regards to the teacher-student relationship is whether or not there's usually a feeling of finding a kindred spirit? Earning a shodan from someone you respect deeply would be well worth the 7 hour drive. I hope you're able to do that someday. Good luck!


stickarts,

It's interesting how things can happen like that in life. That's definitely a tribute to the idea of "just keep going, no matter what". I was just going about my life one day, not really looking for anything (consciously at least), and then * BIP * I meet my future wife and mother of my child. I'm thankful everyday for that * BIP * as it helped to save me from myself by reminding me regularly how much further I need to go in life.


Kacey,

Yours is the second story of a great instructor teaching outside of a mainstream dojo. It sounds like you've definitely found "home". 19 years with the same instructor is awesome. I'm not sure if it says something about the instructor when they teach outside of mainstream dojos but maybe it means something afterall. A similar experience I've had while travelling is always finding the best meal at the hole-in-the wall looking place that wouldn't normally attract the usual tourist. This will definitely help broaden my search when I go looking. Thanks!


Carol,

Do you think it's the instructor, the style, or both? I think that the good instructors would be worth staying with no matter what it was that they were teaching. Of course, finding the right art is also a very individual thing... Thanks for the reply.



tsshadowchaser,

30 years!! Wow. Congrats! It sounds like the move really paid off!



Xue Sheng,

I thought I read that you have quite a bit of teaching experience on your own. I would think that that would influence your needs and expectations at least a little. I don't really know very much about the Chinese arts yet. Is it generally difficult to find a good instructor? Good luck on that horizon.



Paul,

I know what you mean about being nosy. I try to drive as carefully as possible while trying to sneak a peek at new dojos when I'm out and about. That sounds like an art I might look into. Thanks for the reply.



Jeff,

Thanks for the reply. I'm having a similar experience with my own wife. It's great when you have support for something that can take up a bit of the quality-time pie. I started out trying to find my own path but now it looks like we're going to walk it together as a family. I'm a very lucky guy. Congrats on finding the right path with your family.


Have a nice day/night all.

Fu Bag

 

[Xue Sheng]

Xue Sheng,

I thought I read that you have quite a bit of teaching experience on your own. I would think that that would influence your needs and expectations at least a little. I don't really know very much about the Chinese arts yet. Is it generally difficult to find a good instructor? Good luck on that horizon.

I wouldn't call it quite a bit, but I have taught for myself and for 2 of my sifus. And yes it does influence what I am looking for. I never feel like I am not a student and to me that is a good thing.

And I am still looking for the teacher for me. There have been teachers that I have learned from, but I still feel there are holes in my training.

Also in line with your post my last Tai Chi Sifu I found also through a friend that came from my previous CMA school.

Thank you for the luck with the horizon.

 

[Tarot]

Feeling frustrated at my previous school, I went off to search for a new school and instructor. I knew what I wanted in a school and what I didn't, and so I started reseaching and looking around. I found a school that I thought might work out and took some trial classes. After two weeks I was just as frustrated at that school because I felt the instructor gave out false information when I talked to him about his school and his "program" didn't really feel like training. I started my search again and stumbled on a school that taught something I wasn't familiar with. The instructor was one of the few people who didn't get on the defenisve when I asked about his school, so I signed up for some trial classes. After one class I knew that I found exactly what I was looking for. That is a great feeling.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Frank,
Here is my post from just above yours with how I found him.

I moved to Indiana from ohio in Oct. of 92 and was looking for a new dojo to train at. A waitress we had at a local restaurant the day I got to Indiana told us about her friend who has been in Karate a long time and was teaching at a local church. We went and met him and I joined that night. Some of the hardest workouts I have ever experienced but he taught us all very well and cared about us. I am going to try to get my shodan with him even though he is 7 hours away from me sicne I moved back to ohio but if I never do he will always be "Sensei"

Brandon,

That's awesome to hear. Something I'm curious about with regards to the teacher-student relationship is whether or not there's usually a feeling of finding a kindred spirit? Earning a shodan from someone you respect deeply would be well worth the 7 hour drive. I hope you're able to do that someday. Good luck!

Thanks but I am sorry I don't understand what you mean by a kindered spirit.

One good thing about is we have a go kart track that my family owns and operates just 23 miles from his dojo so that helps a little. Problem with it is getting away from my dojo often enough and the fact that I can't drive because of my eyesight. I will try to answer the kindered spirit thing later once you post again.

 

[stickarts]

Frank,
Here is my post from just above yours with how I found him.



Thanks but I am sorry I don't understand what you mean by a kindered spirit.

One good thing about is we have a go kart track that my family owns and operates just 23 miles from his dojo so that helps a little. Problem with it is getting away from my dojo often enough and the fact that I can't drive because of my eyesight. I will try to answer the kindered spirit thing later once you post again.

I saw it right after I posted. I missed it the first time. ooops! sorry!
Thanks for re-directing me!

 

[bookworm_cn317]

I was REALLY lucky! My first instructor WAS the right one for me!

 

[Brandon Fisher]

No problem I miss things all the time

 

[Carol]

Carol,

Do you think it's the instructor, the style, or both? I think that the good instructors would be worth staying with no matter what it was that they were teaching. Of course, finding the right art is also a very individual thing... Thanks for the reply.

The instructor is more important than the style. There is no art that can replace a motivating, supportive, enlightening teacher. However, to say style is less important does not mean that style is unimportant. Our common interest in Kenpo, Iaido, and the Filipino Arts certainly facilitated and strengthened the connection that we were able to make right away. :asian: