I have a Karate teacher who's getting on my nerves?

[john]

I started about a month ago. I like the high cardio and stamina. But when it comes time to practice sparing (he calls it Kumite).....the sensei literally whoops my a**. I hit the back of my head hard last week because he swooped my legs and I fell backwards. I bled a little around my ear, and he just stands above me and smiles "i told you to expect pain". At first, I was like, alright....karate is tough, i get it. But i think this guy is seriously overdoing it. Here are a few other things that he keeps doing:

1- He punches me in the stomach if my stance isn't correct.
2- He actually slapped me in the face once because I didn't bow before entering the dojo.
3- He keeps reminding me to expect broken bones.
4- He keeps cursing in Japanese, and I actually looked up the word "Baka" (idiot)
5- He's 64 years old, and he can do pushups nonstop for 10 minutes (i think he's on steroids or something).

Somebody tell me. Is this what a typical karate class sounds like to you??

 

[CTC1]

That sounds like fun. My Taijiquan sifu used to demonstrate all sorts of joint locks, pressure point moves, and throws on me. That only showed me how to use them effectively. He has a couple old ladies as students too, and he would yell at them like an unwanted redheaded step child when they dont do something right. Usually when instructors yell at their students, it means they care if their students learn or not. Its better to have an instructor that pushes u to succeed that to have a half assed one that just takes ur money and doest care if u actually learn his art.

 

[Thisguy]

Nothing too bad. Just toughen up. All these things don't really seem that bad. I mean at my MMA gym, we have guys leaving with cuts on their eyes and swollen faces. Its just a thing you deal with when it comes to something you love.

If your sensei did something innappropiate then it would be different. But as for this, its just another day.

 

[LIONDANCER]

No, this is not typical though I have seen this. The sad thing is it does not produce better martial artists. A teacher who bullies will produce bullies and a teacher who is arrogant will produce arrogant students. It never fails. Find a better teacher.

 

[jon]

He curses in Japanese? Is he Japanese? If he is Japanese this may explain some things. Even if the isn't Japanese, he seems to have adopted some hardcore methods from them.

There is a train of thought that fighting is brutual. So, to survive a fight you must have brutal training. It is trure that, if you can stand it anymore, this rough training will serve you well if you get in a fight. There are a lot of martial artists who are, "paper tigers." They know the moves and all and can put on a show, but, in a real fight they would fall apart more likely than not.

Martial artists, the USA, at least, are not that highly regarded. Well, I should state that some martial art styles are more respected than others. In high school I took Tae Kwon Do. TKD just didn't have the respect that kickboxing did. It was obvious to those who have done kickboxing that the training is more brutal thatn TKD. The more brutal the training the better the fighter. That's how it's seen in the American mindset. If you are a MMA cagefighter, wrestler, boxer, you are a tought guy. They train hard and brutally. A lot of the other martial arts just train in a light way that is more fun, but, probably, less practical in a real fight.

The Japanese seem to have a reputation for brutality. They have a real hardcore mentality toward martial arts training. I haven't seen any McDojos in Japan, or, any that are real soft. There may be some, but, the ones I have seen are tough by American standards for sure. The Japanese just have a life or death mentality. Watch Japanese fighters fight in MMA, they are tough son of a guns, they don't quit! They may not be overely powerful, or skilled, but, most have tremendous warrior spirits.

The fact that the guy is 64 years old is another indicator. He is old-school for sure. So, just keep in mind his teacher(s) probably did the same thing to him too. This is probably nothing personal, just hardcore, fight or die, training.

So, I think you have a culture clash on your hands. Your mindset is his mindset. You probably want to learn self-defense, but, probably not quite like this. In his mind, this is probably the only worthwhile way there is.

It is very harsh form my mindset too. I wouldn't want to endure all of that either. But, you are being toughened up menatlly and physically. You won't be a paper tiger when you get your black belt, you will be one tough guy! So, think what you want. There are surely schools that will teach you without such punishment. But, they won't be quite as tough either. It's the exchange of toughness for something more enjoyable. It is a common theme of martial arts training I have personally encounter over and over. It sounds extreme to me, but, it's all what you want and how much you are willing to endure to get it. I wouldn't blame you if you looked elsewhere though, that stuff isn't for everybody.

 

[KevinL]

its typical if you want to be a badass

 

[AaronJ]

Find another instructor and if he exceeds this behavior report him to the police. He has crossed the line from being a strict instructor to being physically and mentally abusive.

He reminds me of so many poor instructors I've come across in the past....

Injuries are commonplace in the martial arts, it's just what happens in this way of life until you reach the stage where you and those around you have more control. Even then injuries still happen, so you should expect them, but it is NOT a joke.

Smiling during sparring is not the bad thing, neither is laughing about it afterward. I have done it plenty myself. But knocking somebody on their butt who cannot clearly stand up and then laughing about it is uncouth and borderline battery or abuse.

 

[Patrick]

John,

I recommend that you find another school and instructor.

You should realize that although "baka" does translate to "idiot" in English it doesn't quite mean the same. "Baka" is a very harsh insult more along the lines of "you motherf....ng dumb..., you are too stupid to learn anything." Please excuse the language as I am attempting to convey the true meaning of the insult. Baka is the kind of insult that if you were walking near a gang and you just said it to yourself because you did something stupid you would probably find a yourself with a large hospital bill.

This does not sound like a typical class. I have lived in Japan, I speak some Japanese and I have been friends with modern day samurai who would never treat someone with such disrespect. Additionally, there is no point in sweeping your legs causing you to fall and injure yourself then laugh at you. I might have a different opinion if you had been a student for much longer and he caught you off guard but to bask in his superiority when you are clearly a beginner is just, well... baka.

As always you should trust your own judgement. The fact that you are here asking if you should quit tells you what your answer should be.

 

[energy007twd]

Have you ever seen the Karate Kid movies? Particularly parts 1 and 3? If what you are telling me is true then he's the Cobra-Kai guys (hope that makes sense to you like it did to me). I think teachers that bully are wrong!! Like another answerer said above "teaching by bullying only creates more bullies." A good instructor should NEVER curse at or in front of their students!! A good instructor should NEVER spar at full force with a white belt!! A good instructor should NEVER hit a student for forgetting to bow (push-ups are an acceptable punishment for forgetting to bow)!!! A good instructor should go out of their way to PREVENT broken bones!! A good instructor does NOT laugh at a student bleeding out of their ear especially when it's their fault!!

Learning a martial art should be 2 things: fun and safe. If you are not having fun while learning and you are not able to stay safe; you need to find a different dojo. Google the dojos in your area and find one that is both a fun and safe environment.

*special note* don't take the word fun from above to literally and end up in a McDojo. Traditional martial arts can be fun (and safe) you just have to look with caution.

 

[DarkDragon]

While it is true that more traditional schools have harsher tactics then Americanized schools, this guy sounds like a jerk. You certainly should expect occasional black and blue marks from a school, especially as you advance up the belt ladder, but there is no reason to expect broken bones.

For example, in my Dojang (Korean for Dojo) when working with other students we are a team, and if my partner stops in the middle of a practice technique on me, it is my job to throw them (as I would expect them to do in the same situation). The theory is even if you forget the technique you were working on, you should learn to finish what you start and therefore at least do something, even if it is not the technique being taught. The idea is not to hurt the partner, but to ingrain potentially life saving habits. Although, I must say, we practice on mats, it doesn't sound like your school does.

Also the center facet of most martial arts is honor and respect. He seems to have none.

As I've said many times, excellent martial artists often do not make excellent teachers. Unless this is true military training for, let's say, going to Baghdad, then he no, it is not typical.