Questioning a master, what would you ask?

[Bob Hubbard]

Out of curiosity,

If you have the chance to ask questions of a martial arts master, what would you ask?



Lets keep em serious and respectful.

:asian:

 

[moromoro]

well that would depend on his style.


but universaly and in particularly if you are a high level yourself you would ask about strategy. this is the most important thing........................


terry

 

[grimfang]

first question i would ask a master, if given the opportunity: "Is there anything I can get for you? A chair? Coffee?"
After that, I would be content to keep my mouth shut, listen, and learn.
In the grand scheme of things, my specific questions would be pretty irrelevant, almost petty. And the odds are that if i paid attention and listened long enough, most of them will be answered in one form or another.

 

[RCastillo]

Once they reached a level within their own system, that there was no more to learn, how did they feel about themselves? Especially someone like Master Al Tracy who is 64, and has seen. and been through so much. :asian:

 

[moromoro]

some of us on this forum are fortunate enough to already be the presonal pupils of our styles Grandmasters. I guess we are the lucky ones....

 

[RyuShiKan]

Not to single anyone out but I am always curious as to why westerners go into “grovel mode” when they encounter a “master”. This seems to be some sort of western affliction that must have been caused by watching too many bad chop socky kung fu movies.
I have met many “masters” in Asia and have found the ones that really get into having the groveling students more often than not don’t know jack, and the ones that are down to earth and know their stuff treat everyone equally and don’t expect students to grovel before them……….in fact I know a few that despise it and think those kinds of students are brown nosers.
I am by no means a “master” but have had people try to kiss my back side………unfortunately for those unknowing folks that do this it really ticks me off and they find themselves being the crash dummy during technique demo time



The only question I would ask would be if it was alright if I trained with them……….then I would keep my cake hole shut and listen to what I was told to do and not do.

 

[moromoro]

I am always curious as to why westerners go into “grovel mode” when they encounter a “master”. This seems to be some sort of western affliction that must have been caused by watching too many bad chop socky kung fu movies.

i think it is because of the fact that many people dont train with their styles GM all that often yet alone on a weekly basis...
the groveling i think is too over the top..... look at some of the responses here.

 

[grimfang]

there is a big difference between groveling and showing respect and courtesy. If somebody has achieved the status of master (or grandmaster, or whatever...) and that person has chosen to take a few moments to share some knowledge with me, then the least i can do is try to make that person comfortable. Also, i feel it would be rather arrogant of me to interrogate this individual, or press him/her for specific information. This person would know what needs to be said, would know what information would be benificial to my current and future development.
Would i be willing to shine his shoes? Hell no. But I would certainly be polite and try to provide basic comforts, such as a chair and a beverage. Although I have not spent much time around a grandmaster, I can tell you from experience that a seat and a drink are things that they do enjoy on occasion. And they are less likely to tell me what I want to know if they are ucomforatble. Make the person comfortable, and that person will be more likely to spend a longer time speaking.
There are individuals who grovel. Odds are, they have watched too many movies, or are simply misguided.

 

[chufeng]

Once they reached a level within their own system, that there was no more to learn, how did they feel about themselves?

I doubt that a "master" believes there is no more to learn...


I don't think I'd have any questions...I'd just watch, listen, and feel.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Elfan]

so how do you make a fist?

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

What is true about your art and what is nonsense?

Trying to avoid life's potholes,
Randy Strausbaugh

 

[tshadowchaser]

there is a big difference between groveling and showing respect and courtesy. If somebody has achieved the status of master (or grandmaster, or whatever...) and that person has chosen to take a few moments to share some knowledge with me, then the least i can do is try to make that person comfortable.

To me this is acceptable.Why not show some common decencey and be polite to them.

moromoro some of us on this forum are fortunate enough to already be the presonal pupils of our styles Grandmasters. I guess we are the lucky ones....

How verry true some of us have had the pleasure of being the student of more than one Gradmaster in different styles That dose not mean that we where their best friend or that we called them by their fist name. Yes they where only human like us but some of us respect our elders in life and in the arts.

Sitting back and listening is a way of gaining knowledge. The arts are not completly about distroying something.
I am not sure what I would ask . Perhaphs I would ask what training was like when HE/She started and/or if he would tell me of those whom he traned with and what they relayed to him of their early training days. History comes to us in many ways.

Cultural and ethnic differences may relate how we answere in this thread but the attitue of being correct or not thinking the other person has a right to there ideas is the wrong way to go about haveing a friendly disscussion

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
I am by no means a “master” but have had people try to kiss my back side………unfortunately for those unknowing folks that do this it really ticks me off and they find themselves being the crash dummy during technique demo time

In kenpo, with the seniors (most don't like to be called "Masters")
it's a privilege to be "the crash test dummy".

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by grimfang
there is a big difference between groveling and showing respect and courtesy. If somebody has achieved the status of master (or grandmaster, or whatever...) and that person has chosen to take a few moments to share some knowledge with me, then the least i can do is try to make that person comfortable.

Why does the master rate this treatment? Do you treat everyone you meet this way? If not, why not? How does Mr. Master rate, and Joe Regular does not?

As long as you are treating Mr. Master no better nor any differently than Joe Regular, then offering a chair and a beverage is fine... But if Joe Regular gets to stand while you bow down before Mr. Master, then something is amiss...

Also, i feel it would be rather arrogant of me to interrogate this individual, or press him/her for specific information. This person would know what needs to be said, would know what information would be benificial to my current and future development.

Bull s**t. A martial arts "master" first of all would never allow someone to refer to him as such. Said "master" would never allow you to treat him/her in a manner that was better than the way other around were being treated. Nor would he/she believe that he/she was capable of determining your future destiny.

You watch too many kung fu movies, methinks.

If the person is a martial arts "master," then their advice and knowledge is restricted to their understanding of their martial techniques. They are not spiritual gurus, religious icons or some other form of enlightened being. They are people, just like you and me. Like the term sensei implies, they are those who have "gone before," and so while they may know more about some things than we are, they are not the all powerful, all knowing, all seeing mystical beings that the movies have burned into our collective unconscious.

Mr. Master wouldn't necessarily know what to say to you, nor what divine information to impart to further your future progress. Then again, maybe he/she would. He/she might just tell you to keep practicing...

Although I have not spent much time around a grandmaster, I can tell you from experience that a seat and a drink are things that they do enjoy on occasion.

Which would be so unlike anybody else...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
Why does the master rate this treatment? Do you treat everyone you meet this way? If not, why not? How does Mr. Master rate, and Joe Regular does not?

As long as you are treating Mr. Master no better nor any differently than Joe Regular, then offering a chair and a beverage is fine... But if Joe Regular gets to stand while you bow down before Mr. Master, then something is amiss...



Bull s**t. A martial arts "master" first of all would never allow someone to refer to him as such. Said "master" would never allow you to treat him/her in a manner that was better than the way other around were being treated. Nor would he/she believe that he/she was capable of determining your future destiny.

You watch too many kung fu movies, methinks.

If the person is a martial arts "master," then their advice and knowledge is restricted to their understanding of their martial techniques. They are not spiritual gurus, religious icons or some other form of enlightened being. They are people, just like you and me. Like the term sensei implies, they are those who have "gone before," and so while they may know more about some things than we are, they are not the all powerful, all knowing, all seeing mystical beings that the movies have burned into our collective unconscious.

Mr. Master wouldn't necessarily know what to say to you, nor what divine information to impart to further your future progress. Then again, maybe he/she would. He/she might just tell you to keep practicing...



Which would be so unlike anybody else...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

All that you mention, is what bothers me now about TKD. I wish it were different.:asian:

 

[Bob Hubbard]

ok, I think we're heading in the wrong direction than what I was thinking.

hmm...

Lets try a different tact here....

Think 'interview' or "Q&A" session.

:asian:

 

[chufeng]

OK...

"Sifu, why did you decide to live in Unionville, Iowa?"

"What one quality of your art do think is most important?"

"How do you establish a "standard" but allow for variation within the system?"

"Where do you see your art 10, 15, or 20 years from now?"

"How do you prevent "wannabes" from riding on your coat-tails; in other words, how do you prevent frauds from using your good name?"

"How do reconcile the philosophy of non-aggression with the deadly aspects of your art?"

That is a preliminary list...
...questions I've already asked my teacher.


:asian:
chufeng

 

[Jill666]

I'm not sure I could pull a set of questions out of my... well I would be much more interested in seeing him promote his art, expain some principles, then feel it. I'd love to be uke for the greats.

Q&A isn't my bag unless I myself have a deep understanding of the art in question, or at least a good grasp of the principles behind that art's movement.

Just my initial thoughts.

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz
ok, I think we're heading in the wrong direction than what I was thinking.

hmm...

Lets try a different tact here....

Think 'interview' or "Q&A" session.

:asian:

You should vaporize those that went against your directive. Send out Darth Maul!

 

[chufeng]

I'm not sure I could pull a set of questions out of my...

Jill,

I think Yiliquan1 said it best...the "great" masters are very uncomfortable with that recognition...they remain students in their hearts.

My teacher is the heir to BaiXingQuan...he is the founder of YiLi.

But, he is like an older brother to me, a father to others and an uncle to others, still...he is VERY approachable and always willing to answer any question, provided he has the answer. I think those who put themselves on a pedestal are fooling themselves.

Nishiyama Sensei was very approachable, but I was afraid of breaking some sort of protocol when I met him (I had just made my first black sash) and limited my questions and interaction with him...my loss, I suppose...

Oyata Sensei was approachable, but you had to be willing to suffer the pain of an "explanation." He liked to SHOW you what he meant...not a lot of talking. In fact, when he caught me watching him and my teacher working on something other than what I was supposed to be working on, he said, "What are you looking at...get back to work." He was very direct, but also easy to ask questions of.

If a "master" asks you, or your class, if there are any questions...chances are he REALLY wants to answer your questions...take advantage of that opportunity.

:asian:
chufeng