The Passion of a Sensei…

Let’s face it today there is just about some sort of martial art school in almost every town across the United States. You have big commercial operations all the way to small back yard schools to choose from. For many people the biggest thing they concern themselves with is price of lessons and even some think that free training may be good too but in all honesty it is not the cost of the lessons that matter. From free to over $100 a month doesn’t matter if the Sensei of the dojo has no passion for their art. Let me explain further.

When a student signs up for lessons at any martial arts school the first thing to notice would be the Sensei. It is this Sensei who will be the role model for the student and guide them on their journey into learning what possibly could be a life enhancing transformation through diligent martial arts study. In my time in martial arts (33 years) I have visited schools all over the United States and abroad. Some schools I simply walked out as soon as I walked into them because it was clear that making money was the focus or that the Sensei was on an ego trip and taught to increase their own ego. Other schools the Sensei had no focus and just basically wanted to make a little money on the side through teaching but they had no intention of truly living the martial arts way nor had they practiced very much since getting a black belt. Then you have a school where you walk in and you can tell the Sensei loves their art and truly trains, not just teaches, but actually trains their art all the time. This last type of school is the best to learn at in my opinion.

When a Sensei has a passion for their art it will show in every motion, every aspect of their life and shines through when they teach the art to others. They truly want to see their students excel at the art knowing it will improve their lives. They definitely love to learn as much as they love to teach and that means the Sensei will always be improving to offer their best to their students. When it comes to quality I sincerely do not think anyone could go wrong if they find a Sensei who is full of passion for their art and live the principles that they preach in their dojo.

One of the best aspects of watching a Sensei who loves their art is how graceful, powerful and stunning they perform their art. You can see their hard work and dedication through each motion and the depth of understanding they have, even about the simplest techniques, is outstanding. These are the best Sensei to learn from because they are right there next to the students doing the techniques and helping them by setting the example through their own level of expertise. This is what I always recommend potential students look for when choosing a dojo over the price, the location, the trophies in the window and all the other marketing ploys out there.

If a student signs up and pays $50 a month for lessons but has a Sensei who is not passionate then that other dojo down the road that charges $70 a month with a passionate Sensei is well worth the extra money and vice a versa. If a student is paying $129 per month and the Sensei is not passionate then the $65 one down the road with a passionate Sensei would be a much better investment. Why? The answer is in the quality. When a person loves what they do the quality of the end product is always better and of higher grade than the other. This is a fact of life.

I will state though that you must also consider the art being taught because there are a lot of made up systems out there today and even though the Sensei may be passionate about it they might not be teaching you a valid system which can result in other problems as you progress too. If the art is good and the Sensei truly loves that art, trains it daily and teaches it with their entire heart you are in a good place to truly learn the martial arts. If they simply put on a uniform, collect your tuition and stand in front of the class yelling commands I would have to say it may be time to move on and find a better dojo.

In the end all students are the product of the Sensei. Since your training should be invaluable, as I feel mine has been, then you deserve to find a dojo and Sensei that is full of purpose, passion and who is there to pass on those things…not just there to make a buck. Keep in mind though to be wary of a passionate black belt who may love their art but hides things from you because that is a sign they may not truly be qualified to teach. Good luck in your search for a dojo and always remember that the training inside the dojo is there to be used outside the dojo to improve your way of life so train hard.