Who has not see it once?
This popular shyness to correct a Dan-Graduated Karateka in a karate-class.
Even stranger is the situation to an official, i.e. the main-trainer of a dojo, the head
of a dojo or an elected representative of an association, so that this person could improve
technical aspects.
The other day I had a discussion about this topic with a guest trainer, I had in my dojo.
During the training this shyness came up on his side. I was not ask for the Uke-Position (partner in a demonstration during training) but others with student grades. In a break he gave me an interesting explanation!
He told me that he does not want to take the head of the dojo for demonstrations, because he does not want to step on the trainers toes. In the Uke-Position the trainer of the dojo could be seen in a lower position or looking bad, because of an unknown technique or combination which he probably couldn’t handle ad-hoc properly.
There seems to be an etiquette or codex that the authority should be saved.…..
That is absolute nonsense in my eyes!
It is not a defamation of majesty if the higher graduated will be corrected or asked for the Uke-Position in a demonstration. Later we talked further about this and I explained my point of view:
”As the head-trainer of my dojo, I am the first student in his training and will be glad about any hint, tipp, correction and also live to see his ability as his Uke.”
From this point, the ice was broken and we had a great feeling and training.
With this article I hope to encourage you to think about this and put this shyness aside.
In case of a seminar, or guest-training, It could be helpful, to speak with the
trainer of the home dojo whether he or she would like to be ready as Uke.
It does not matter to what we were elected or which Grade we have accomplished or how many years we have been learning — we all will be students our whole life !
Karatepraxis is modern Tradition.
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Best wishes Christian Wedewardt