I swear this will be my last post for awhile.. so I don't get annoying.

[lilgabbymac]

 What is loyalty in the dojo? The common belief is that a student, should be loyal to their school, or their instructor. What exactly does that mean? How do I show loyalty to my sensei? Show up every class, try hard, and NO moonlighting? Is it possible to betray your school/instructor

Comments

[1_2_suckerpunch]

You show loyalty to your school and to your instructor by upholding the virtues and discipline they have helped instill in you. That includes trying hard, being respectful, and not being flippant about your training.

Instructors should be loyal to the students by pushing them to be their best without being blind to their ablities and difficulties. They should do their best to run a gym that is respectful at all levels, but that leaves room for a fun and honest experience.

[valkyri]

My son was always more involved than me - but after the 2nd club we went to (the first just didn't have good facilities and he/we didn't really like the style, nothing against the people, they were nice)I decided that any instructor who did not "allow" us to try different styles or train with others wasn't worth SQUAT. That to me is fear - that people will know how much of a hack they are

[bluerooster]

I like your posts. They are thought-provoking and they start interesting conversations. I don't think you should hesitate to post stuff here if you feel like it

[foxor]

Good post... I've been sort of mulling over this same issue in my head for a while now.

I'm more and more concluding that loyalty in the dojo first and foremost is to the integrity of the martial art you are learning/teaching. Therefore it isn't about whether or not you are a student or a teacher, it is about being a martial artist. Student and teacher share exactly the same goal, and have to work together in order to be most successful.

As to loyalty between student and teacher I think it begins and ends with honesty and respect. There *are* a lot of messed up dynamics that come into play all too often in the martial arts setting. And frankly I'm just not willing to play that game. A relationship between sensei and student that is founded solely on a rank is pretty shallow and, in my opinion, won't take you very far. Loyalty runs deeper than that, and must be founded on something real, like common beliefs or aspirations.

[bluerooster]

I'm more and more concluding that loyalty in the dojo first and foremost is to the integrity of the martial art you are learning/teaching.
This is exactly it. Thank you for putting it so well!

[lilgabbymac]

Thank you for all the thoughtful answers ladies. Some things have reafirmed how i already feel and other items have given me new things to think about. Thank you.!