"western" martial arts.........

[Bammx2]

I used to run a class in th UK and had a person tell me I wasn't a qualified instructor because I didn't use japanese termanology.
I told them I don't teach japanese and the techniques don't change with the language.
Although I have a background in Shotokan and Shorinryu and judo.. God bless ALL traditional styles...but I do not teach them anymore.
I keep running into problems because I don't have a "traditional" name for my style...I simply refer to it as freestyle kickboxing or martial arts.
I also teach grappling,self-defence and run my own syllabus. I am a qualified fitness/weight lifting instructor and I have a specialisation in martial arts conditioning.
I have a teaching licence with the w.a.k.o and a.m.a in Britain as well.
I guess my question is....does it really matter if you teach oriental based techniques(which most are) in english?
Does it really matter if you don't have a "lineage" to trace when you can stand up and prove you know what you are talking about and how to teach it?
It seems to be not exactly easy to get "recognised" when you don't produce a "lineage" or trophies from tournaments.
What if, you as an instructor, never competed in a tourny? Does that make you less of a teacher?
Not all people fight alike...so I try to cater to the individual more than the masses. I don't mind training good fighters...but I like training better teachers as well.
I am fairly new to posting threads and sometimes word things off-handedly.
If I offended anyone as far as tradition goes...I apologise...I still think its great! Without them...I wouldn't be able to ask these questions.

I would just like to know if anyone has an opinion on this subject or advice.....or if I should re-word anything more clearly.:erg:

 

[8253]

people who think you have to use certain terminology are goofy. just because you dont do it thier way they think it isnt right. However there may be no difference in the techs etc. but they still think it isnt right. But then again thats the point, thats what they "think". And what they think really dosent matter. What you know is what matters.

 

[Cruentus]

In all martial arts, people like to argue semantics rather then over function and things of relevance (usually an ego thing). If you keep running into problems, just say that your interested in function over tradition, and that you don't claim to be a traditional school. That should end the arguement.

:asian:

 

[Tony]

To be honest knowing the Japanese or Korean for something you might need in a street encounter isn't that useful. The reason language is used in Martial Arts is to learn respect for the Martial Art a person is learning and some Humility. But do you really think a Japanese person learning Karate has to learn the English for each technique? no! In my system, which is kung fu my instructor just throws the chinese terms informally and it isn't required to know all of them but you learn them anyway and I find it interesting. I know froma friend of mine learning Taekwondo he hates having to learn Korean terms. I think though all this time learning the language of your Martial Art takes away valuable time perfecting techniques. Of course I would love to know all the Chinese names for our techniques, but I guess I'ma little nerdy like that. If what you are teaching works and students are all the better for it, what does it matter? As long as they are respectful and humble and don't misuse what they have learnt.

 

[Danjo]

Part of the reason that people use the Japanese et al, names, is so they can communicate with each other when discussing techniques. The same is true of western techniques. For instance, all boxers who speak English know what a Right Cross is. Same with upper cut etc. Now, one could make up his own name for these, i.e., right horizontal punch, or rising punch etc. and not have it matter to the person learning it as far as effectiveness goes ( a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet etc.). It would, however, make it more difficult for him to discuss his techniques with another boxer since they wouldn't be using the same terminology.