Those who can...

[AngelaG]

Do you think that to be able to teach something you need to be able to do it? Can people who suck at karate still teach other people to be good at it?

The two above questions are not necessarily the same.

Imagine someone who was a brilliant karateka in their time and had hundreds of people at their seminars but then become ill and become confined to a wheelchair. They can no longer make the stances, or do the kicks etc... does this mean their teaching days are over?

Imagine someone who goes to karate lessons, asks questions and understands the physics of everything they do. They know how to describe perfectly how a mae-geri goes out and back but they are crap at doing it. Can they still be teachers or do they need to be able to demonstrate what they are teaching?

Angela

[AngelaG]

*bump*

[bunkaiseeker]

I think neither can be a good teacher to complete newbies because they need not only explanations but also to be shown the technique.

If we are talking people with, say 3+ years of experience, it becomes another matter. Then, I think the "old master in the wheelchair" can be a good coach.

As for the "crappy in practice, theorethically brilliant karateka" - I do believe that to really grasp the finer details of a technique you have to be able to do it to at least a decent standard. You don't have to be brilliant and you don't have to be able to still do it but at one time in your life you should have been able to do it. This is because body feelings are not just theorethical but mostly experiential. Eg. often a correct explanation does not convey the feeling one has during a technique. If you have never actually *felt* that feeling before you can't even try to put that into words to teach somebody else.

[Aefibird]

I've actually been to a dojo that is co-run by a "technically crappy, brilliant theorist" type karateka. He's a great guy, but doesn't have very good all-round technique. His technique is alright - he's got to Nidan - but it's nothing to write home about. He knows this too. Although part of his karate not being very good stems from a recurring injury that he has, it's not all down to that - he just aint never gonna be great. (Ooh, that was excellent English there! )
However, his theoretical knowledge of karate is outstanding. He can describe a technique in great detain and explain the physics and mechanics behind every karate action. He's also an encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to the history of karate.
In his dojo he teaches the beginner and lower-grade classes and his business partner, who is a Sandan teaches the senior grade classes. It seems to be a good arrangement for both of them and shows that you don't always necessarily need to be an expert in practice in order to be able to teach.

In once sense it was similar to that when my brother was training in Judo. In his association you had 2 grades - one for theory and one for practice. My brother graded for his blackbelt theory about 2 and 1/2 years before becoming a 'true' blackbelt and grading for BB in practical Judo as well. This was because he has mild cerebal palsy and it took him a lot longer than other students to be able to perform certain techniques satisfactorily. So, in one way he was great at the theory but not great in practice. Because of his disability it took him almost 8 years to go from white belt, through the kyu ranks, and to get to be a full blackbelt with both theory and practical grades passed.

[bunkaiseeker]

Um, this guy is a nidan, right? So, I guess his technique would probably go into the "decent" class by my definition. Which is all there is required - *some* standard, as compared to someone who's only doing "mouth-waza".

[Aefibird]

bunkaiseeker said:

Um, this guy is a nidan, right? So, I guess his technique would probably go into the "decent" class by my definition. Which is all there is required - *some* standard, as compared to someone who's only doing "mouth-waza".

yes, he's a Nidan, but he says it's more for services to karate and the organisation he's in than actual ability. That's only what he says - I'm not really in a position to judge!