All Wado Karate Forum

I think it might be another forum member that has a test that children have to pass before starting. They have to be in seiza and close their eyes of X number of minutes. Simple. Only those that want it and have a touch of self control get through.

Maybe you could ask prospective students to sit though a lesson or two to watch. If they don't like what they see then you haven't changed your class to accommodate and if they like what they see then they will want to sit through another class.

Then again, if the club is big enough you could fob them onto a blue belt. Chicken and egg, eh?

Thank you for the suggestions, I shall take them into consideration as suggestions at my next meeting with my society group.

I wouldn't dare fob any one off to a blue belt, I'd feel too mean to the blue belt. :P

wadoka wrote:
Then again, if the club is big enough you could fob them onto a blue belt. Chicken and egg, eh?

.... Is there a difference between a brown belt's perception of responsibility and a blue belt's perception wadoka. ?

oneya

Just used as an example of fobbing off. I have seen it.

Ah just joking G.. but delegation can be a fraught principle I feel.

oneya

I agree.

Wado heretic wrote: @Tim49: Just to play devil's advocate; do we really have to bridge the cultural divide? I can understand the need to understand the context of the culture so as to understand the why and how of the technical system, as inevitably that has an impact on the way the techniques and kata are performed. Yet is there a virtue to emulating the Japanese culture in the dojo at least? In your experiance does it produce superior results?

Even with the Devil's advocate vindication I find this an amazing question when it comes to the study of a specific cultural martial art. Trying to come to grips with Shakespeare's contribution to 'English Literature' without understanding the Englishness of its heart and ethos would produce a result just as barren. It is just as impossible to understand wado ryu without trying to understand its founder, his life and his vision, all of which personify the essence of Japanese history and culture. That personification is the reality of the wado ryu so how can you study this reality if we excise its essence?

Perhaps the appearance of the reality is sufficient for some? If so, can we really argue the Mcdojo phenomenon is such a blight.?

oneya

Wado heretic wrote:@Tim49: Just to play devil's advocate; do we really have to bridge the cultural divide? I can understand the need to understand the context of the culture so as to understand the why and how of the technical system, as inevitably that has an impact on the way the techniques and kata are performed. Yet is there a virtue to emulating the Japanese culture in the dojo at least? In your experiance does it produce superior results?

Depends to what level you are talking about. Obviously we should not attempt to BE Japanese, but in terms of understanding the underlying methodology, structure etc to really get at the heart of what we are doing we need to engage with the root culture. Gestures, protocols and teaching methods need to have real meaning and not just be hollow vestibules of meaningless posturing.

So, with that in mind I would say yes it does have the potential to produce superior results, particularly if you are setting your sights very high.

Of course if your level of aspiration only extends to the accumulation of shiny plastic then you wouldn’t need to engage at all.

Tim

I can see and understand your points; but isn't the inherent cultural barrier in the way of truly making the rituals we practice within the dojo anything more than simple imitations of the Japanese traditions?

Unless one has immersed themselves in the Japanese culture by going to Japan and living there for a significant period of time, can a non-Japanese really internalise the values of the traditions to give them a personal and sincere meaning. Could it not be argued that in the majority of the west; that the traditions are followed as they were simply passed on along as part of technical system.

Thus the following questions; should one focus on understanding the cultural context and philosophy or should an individual instead attempt to emulate all cultural aspects? How do you achieve this in your own clubs/dojo? Do you dedicate time to exploring the philosophy and culture during lessons, or do you attempt to create an enviroment condusive to absorbing the culture?

I am not a fan of Shakespeare, I tend to agree with the criticisms laid against him by Samuel Johnson.

Wado heretic wrote:
@Tim49: Just to play devil's advocate; do we really have to bridge the cultural divide? I can understand the need to understand the context of the culture so as to understand the why and how of the technical system, as inevitably that has an impact on the way the techniques and kata are performed. Yet is there a virtue to emulating the Japanese culture in the dojo at least? In your experiance does it produce superior results?

I wonder how Japanese feel about a dojo run by people non-Japanese but decorated in a fashion and clearly trying to emulate a Japanese feel? My wife never really said much about my Goju instructor in a bad way, but she did correct me at home when I pronounced a waza or counting in Japanese incorrectly- and I was just following his lead- so I assume that means she basically disapproved. Not sure whether that's her teacher side coming out or the fact that she's Japanese...or both.