When we walk into our dojo, we find that we have blue and red coloured mats. The blue square in the middle is where most of the activity happens, and when the door is opened and the sun shines through, you can see the mats have been marked. I saw this and it made me remember all the others who had before me trained on those mats and like me found it to be an extraordinary journey.

Extraordinary in the tests of will to sometimes get through training and the muscle aches from this. Extraordinary in the level of discipline, respect and other virtues and personal attributes learning martial arts gives us. It is amazing that it can be so very different for everyone too. This led me to think to those that do go before us and shape out training, out pain sometimes and even share in the joy and pride of moving from level to level.

I can honestly say that my instructors were fundamental in this. Although I did have some support outside of the dojo, choosing the martial path in a contemporary modern western world is still a difficult choice to live by. I remember the looks on my instructor’s faces every time I would succeed at gradings, tournaments or seminars. It was inspiring, I can even remember when my instructor pulled me aside from my black belt grading to tell me how proud of me she was.

In saying that, I cannot be more thankful and happy that there were always these quiet teams of instructors who saw me through. In martial arts and sometimes outside of martial arts too. I have also been very happy, thankful and so proud to be undertaking exactly the same feat these instructors had given me and countless others.

I am constantly asked by others why I do it, and above why I do it for free. So this is going to be my attempt of putting it down to see if it then makes will sense to others.

Martial arts as a path

First I will start here. I start here because like everyone who has ever entered martial arts training had to make the choice that this was something that they would choose as a path. Something I think a lot of people, who come to training think, is that it would fit nicely into their lives. I’ve often heard students and friends tell me that they took martial arts up for fitness, but quickly went out to learn fitness to keep up with martial arts. So, this is not a choice that anyone makes lightly.

The hard part to this as a trainee is to keep motivated in this choice. It is a difficult path, and you are expected to adhere to all the principles, etiquettes and virtues that come with being a martial artist. When this journey of your martial arts life comes to an end and you find that you are now the instructor or assistant you will find a whole other world open up to you. It was when I became this that I realised how hard my instructors had worked at keeping me motivated and training to get on with grades.

I found motivating students difficult, at first. It then dawned on me that I can only push them so far without them making the same commitment. I especially found this challenging when instructing children and youth. Their interests always seemed to be lying elsewhere. So I learnt that I not only had to be the black belt in front of class, but I had to remember that this is my path and by example they too may choose this.

At some point however I use to also find talking about what this meant in a quick theory session usually also helped to get student’s attention. The other thing I learnt was to allow students to ask as many questions as possible, within reason that is. This is a very different approach to how I was instructed too. I remember specifically how asking questions of some instructors was not done, that those who asked usually were drilled with such intent they never returned.

So I learnt that to be someone who students can relate to, I have to step down a little, from being the monstrous black belt that barks orders in a frightening way, to being a approachable black belt who sometimes barks and growls, but has as much fun in the knowledge I give as watching students receive and engage in that.

Making your mark

I call this making your mark because what you are doing as an instructor is just that. I remember every instructor who ever took a class or seminar. If not by name, then certainly by facial recognition.

When we openly and freely give of ourselves and our knowledge, we make marks. In giving our students space to learn, absorb and grow as martial artists and people, we stand to make extraordinary marks. The idea of which had initially seemed a large prospect to willingly take on for me, but I have learnt to be proud of the choice I made to do this.

Not only have I been proud of my knowledge and skill in doings so, but above all proud in seeing students succeed so very well. It is amazing how people I have heard say to me in daily life, practice and even training that they wanted to somehow make their mark on this world.

This certainly makes a mark on students who will eventually be black belts and instructors just the same. So when the sun shines on the mats and you can see the marks you can remember your past and the future you have now created by choosing to give freely and openly.

Being proud of them

This is a moment of focus to me because being proud of students is a big thing and I know I have already mentioned it. I must honestly say that gaining the recognition of my own grade and knowledge as an instructor gave me plenty of self pride.

In saying that, being proud of students when they learn or engage in techniques is completely different. The pride only gets more as you watch them become masterful and see them grow into the knowledge.

It is amazing to watch as they grow from beginner, to not so much a beginner, to a junior grade, to an intermediate grade and to the senior grades. Students’ getting black belts is almost a bonus for me; I can only imagine what it could mean to those students. I had not understood this when my instructor had stood me up before my black belt grading once and asked me if I would consider it because the pride and love of students would be something she thought I would enjoy.

I had considered it at the time mostly because it was such a big thing to be asked, and this gave me such self pride. I must honestly say now, that I had no idea what she meant. The rewards of watching students grow, progress and love training is somewhat difficult to match.

I would also like to remind other instructors that it is important to remember that students start as not knowing, and eventually they know enough to compete with your skill level. And then they will grow into the people who eventually match and even beat our own levels.

Be proud of this, it means they have engaged and made what you gave them their own. It was the seeds that you planted that grew into a large tree of knowledge that they will now share with their students.

Spirit, Believing and Faith

I know that seeing these in the context of a martial arts article can seem a bit strange, but bear with me. The reason I pick these things out is because they are so very important to remember when you to become an instructor.

Alongside the other virtues, respect and etiquette you would have learnt, this becomes important in the up keep of yourself as much as your students. Keeping your own spirit safe is important, especially when you can see a student who wants to learn but is hindered in either financial difficulty or learning difficulty. It is also important because not every student will always stick it out, and if we take on board every student who gives up or quite for whatever reason, we will lose hope for what we do.

Spirit is also important in this way because if your spirit is good, then so will your student’s spirit be. This is where believing will play a part. It believing in your knowledge and skill, and believing that every student you teach wants to learn; can learn and will be able to make the best of the knowledge as martial artists.

It is also then having faith in their ability as martial artists and people to grow in that knowledge, and yes, this may look slightly different. As long as they are not harmful to themselves or anyone else, they need to be allowed this growth.

You must also have faith in what you do; it is rather for the greater good. Especially training children, to whom you will give a lot discipline and etiquette training. Some of these students may even tell you that they do better at school when they have to concentrate. There are amazing benefits for students to do this. And do remember that being an instructor also means that we are by no means part time martial artists. I find my mind constantly running with things that we need to do in class. We live martial arts every day, in and out of dojo.

So that is so far the musings of an instructor. I cannot say how much of a privilege is to be an instructor. Especially when watching one of the now more senior students, who now is a Sempai, take the beginners class. The rewards and riches in giving someone a path is immeasurable.