Develop my self ?

Question

I want to be able to mantain peace in my mind and strength. Everybody will usually tell me go to karate and yoga( im not use to those method), I remember seeing karate kid he had a different type of teacher and learned by different methods. So how can i find i teacher like that since they usually wont put advertisement of themeself? i like in canada

Thank you very much

Answer 1

You will have to go and meet them.

But if you are seeking advice on how to guage the instructor, here is some advice I wrote on that subject.

Quality of instruction:

First of all, many martial arts schools will be named after or be affilitated with popular, well-known martial artist. However, that actual classes are often taught by someone else. This falicy of advertising isn't always detrimental to the quality of instruction. Often, the instructor heading the school is very qualified and has been given the "blessing" of the more popular instructor. But it is still something you should be wary of.

You should also try and guage the attitude of the instructor. Look for things such as, whether they are responsive to your questions, if they dismiss your concerns and are only trying to get you to sign a contract, and their 'general attitude'. Ask if you can attend a class or two for free. Most will allow this and this gives you an opportunity to not only judge the quality and type of instruction, but also the instructor's demeanor and how the other students react to the instructor. Typically, the instructor should be well respected and treated as such.

You should also consider the attitude of the school:

Traditional, modern, aggressive, or passive?

Segwaying from the instructor's attitude is guaging the school's overall atomsphere. You should already have an idea of what kind of instruction you are looking for.

Martial arts schools fall into two general categories, and two general approaches towards instruction:

Traditional or modern.

Aggressive or passive.

Traditional atmospheres typically have more strict rules and focus on tradition and heritage. These schools often teach forms, katas, traditional weapons training, and include certain dress codes and practices known to that style. The interactions between the students and the instructors is often more formal.

Modern approaches of martial arts focus primarily on the combative aspect of martial arts by teaching a mixed curriculum of different martial arts. Generally, interactions between students and instructors are more relaxed. This is also known as MMA.

Also decide if you want to participate in an aggressive or passive atmosphere. Many martial artist are not looking to spar or compete in tournaments and simply enjoy the instruction and tradition of martial arts. Some schools have a passive approach, where the main focus is tradition, physical fitness, or instruction and technique.

More aggressive schools include sparring and contact drills. Much of the technique learned is through application on other students. Live sparring drills are frequent (and should be closely monitored for safety). Typically, these types of schools will be heavily involved in tournaments and competition.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hi there in Canada - I am a qualified Yoga teacher and two grades away from my Black belt in karate and ask the same questions; peace of mind ? I suffered from road rage/ fear on the way to the dojo, my teachers are the people who are not labelled as teachers as they remind me of what I already know and find so easy to forget.  Strength - had a very difficult work out tonight and wonder if I am actually getting any fitter!?  always the doubt, always the learning continues, well that might help but likely take a while to work through, good luck in your search

Answer 3

When the student is ready the teacher will appear. This is an old Zen expression. In a sense you will find the right teacher or Sifu when you are ready to empty your cup and are ready to go to a place to seek a teacher. By the way you phrase your question you are ruling out too much. "Everybody will tell me go to karate or yoga....." tells me you are not ready to explore every avenue of help. Great teachers do not need to advertise much, because people seek them out. They may be in the Yoga, Karate, Akido school, or church. Who knows where your teacher or mentor is. You will need to be open to listen so when the teacher is at hand you will recognize him.