Have you ever been asked by your sensei to help another student?
Want to learn how to constructively help them?
It can be intimidating to help others when you’re still a student yourself. You may wonder if you’re helping or hindering your partner. To make sure you’re constructively helping, be positive with them and make sure you fully understand the technique you’re helping with.
Every student of the martial arts has many good qualities, and it's critical to let them know you see that. Simply showing up to the dojo regularly means giving up other activities, and the commitment shown by even the least-talented person in the dojo is commendable. Look for what your juniors are doing right, and be sure to let them know what those things are.
Martial arts are complex. Before offering advice to another student, be sure you understand the technique thoroughly. If you’re training with someone and you feel that they are doing a technique wrong, it is almost always better to ask the sensei for advice than it is to try to correct a fault you think you see. Imagine how you would feel if you "corrected" your training partner only to have the sensei explain the technique differently a moment later. And, as you can imagine, whatever amount of shame you might feel would probably be equaled by the resentment of the student you just tried to help!
A World Martial Arts Association for Every Student
Regardless of age, how long you’ve been training, or where you’re from, there’s always something you can learn from others! The Shudokan Martial Arts Association is a world martial arts association with members in multiple countries. When you join SMAA, you’ll belong to a community of likeminded martial artists and budo fans who have plenty of wisdom to share with you. You can learn more about budo, keep up to date on budo news, and test for authentic rank. If you are a student at heart, continue your education with SMAA!
Contact SMAA today to join!
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