Thoughts, stories, and ideas from Sensei Steve Gottwirt

Thoughts, stories, and ideas from                  Sensei Steve Gottwirt
Some of these thoughts, stories, and personal history appeared in our newsletter, "Dō Gakuin News". Few members have been with us since our first issue in 1993. As such, ideas on this page may have been printed before, but are worth telling again.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

What's My Rank?

I recently had an experience with a new member who had trained in Chinese martial arts. There have been similar incidents in the past, but this one is fresh in my mind. The gentleman, a Kung Fu black belt, was now intent on learning Shotokan. ‘Intent’ is putting it too mildly. He phoned the dojo at least a dozen times before he joined, each time vowing to be the most dedicated student imaginable, to train hard and learn Shotokan, to stay loyal to me, the dojo, and the style, to be with us for the next ten to fifteen years. It reminds me of the 1954 Bugs Bunny cartoon, ‘Bugs and Thugs’, with Rocky the mobster: “Rocky: SHUT UP!” “Bugs Bunny: Shut up? Why soitainly! You don't tink I'm da type dat would keep on blabbin'? Some people never know when to stop. When I'm told to shut up, I shut u-up...” “Rocky: [sticks gun in Bugs' face] Shut UP shuttin' up!” Whenever a new member is this ‘gung-ho’, a red flag goes up in my mind. I felt this new member would not stay long with the dojo. Hey, prove me wrong. I have no problem being wrong if the new member sticks with it, but I’m almost always right. One of our brown belts is a music teacher and says he experiences the same thing: when a new student is too gung-ho, they burn out and disappear quickly. This new dojo member was assured he’d be given all the privileges of senior rank; he would spar (only color belts spar in our dojo), and he’d be taught advanced kata as soon as he’s ready for it. I (or one of my senior senseis) would give him a simple practice pattern to assist him in developing body movement we use in Shotokan. Within three minutes we’d see he abandoned the practice exercise and instead would work a step-over, spinning kick/backfist combination. Good technique, but it’s not helping him learn the way we move in Shotokan. I’d correct him, show him the practice pattern again, explain the importance of staying with it to develop Shotokan movement, and leave him on his own to practice while I worked with other students. Repeatedly, within three minutes, he would abandon the exercise and practice his same step-over, spinning kick/backfist combination. Meanwhile, he didn’t develop the basic movements of Shotokan. This member missed many more classes than he attended. Through no fault of his own; he had family emergencies and work schedule problems. He’d always return to class swearing his allegiance all over again. I never called him out on his dedication; he was doing the right thing and taking care of responsibilities, but it didn’t change the fact that he missed many more classes than he attended. By test time, this member had only learned Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan, and Sandan, but still couldn’t move in a Shotokan manner. He seemed disappointed that he’d be eligible for ‘only’ yellow belt, being a black belt in Chinese martial arts. On his test, he knew almost no Japanese terminology, despite being given fact sheets weeks earlier. He had difficulty performing the basics within his kata, never having developed the Shotokan way of movement. Rather than pass judgment on his performance, he was told by two instructors that his test was incomplete and he could demonstrate his knowledge of Japanese terminology and movement at his next class. He never returned.

Imagine having a heart ailment and going to the doctor, but it turns out the doctor’s degree is in dentistry. Is he a doctor? Yes. Do you give him all the respect a professional deserves? Yes. Do you want him treating your heart? Hell no! Similarly, a black belt in another style should be shown due respect and courtesy in another dojo, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a white belt in this new discipline. Can he fight? Yes. Does he have effective moves? Yes. Can he demonstrate higher than white belt katas? No.

I am a card-carrying member of the Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (RBKD) since 1990, having taken Yamanni Ryu seminars with Oshiro-shihan since he first came to NY in 1984. I know several katas, but never fully developed the ‘bounce’ unique to the style. At seminars they allow me to wear my Shotokan black belt, show me all due respect, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m a white belt in Yamanni Ryu. This doesn’t bother me: different style, different requirements; in fact it makes sense that I’m ‘only’ a Yamanni Ryu white belt after 28 years.