Advancing dan training

 

One of the largest challenges I found as an instructor was how to pass so much information to my adult students (average time training with me). Most of them stayed training with me over 25+ years, with the seniors training with me +35 years.

Realistically they were schooled in the possible usage of a single technique as Seisan kata's opening havine +100 uses. Only then did they progress into random application potentials for our other kata. They also were taught a few other kata to keep their minds fresh. They all had many seminars with my other instructors, Finally they had reached the 15 years point of training all of their Isshinryu kata (and their other kyu kata requirements. That meant they had sufficiently relaxed in their kata performance, their centers had automatically dropped and they were able to generate more power in technique execution.

(Note: These years stated were only an average for the sake of discussion. Some took less time, some required more time.)

They were at that point where they had to begin how to make their own choices on how to respond to an attack.

I knew by that time it was impossible for them to retain everything they had been taught. There was literally too much information for anyone to remember everything. (Of coure I am also in that position, If you have been following my blog you can see a partial glimpse of what I have been shown or worked out for myself.)

I would discuss with them the idea they should become unreadable, even by me.  They should train up a response or responses against every probable attack. And even if their attacker knew they were Isshinryu, no matter what the could anticipate a probable response, their actual response would be beyond the attacker's expectations.

At the same time they should also be entering intense training into another possible answer or answer(s).

Then after 2 years they should switch their responses to possible attacks.

Of course that means the cycle begins again, and again, and again for life. Working to become unreadable forever.

At the same time never neglecting study of everything you have gained (ie all the kata, etc.)

Of course this is the simple answer, the totality does not really lend itself to words. It is living the Isshin life. Embodying that no one can know your responses to attacks.

At the same time your response might simply be clean Isshinryu standard response. After all it is your choice.

And what do I know,  I just trained and trained you. It always was your decision how to use that training.

BTW: this is separate from those selected to become instructors. That is a different mission, yet instructors are yet 3rd dan's.  They also have this personal responsibility.