Struggles in the Dojo by Sensei King
My karate journey started some 31 years ago, and having come from a very active sports background playing football and rugby, this was something completely different.
Bearing in mind both football and rugby are physical sports, often with a strong physical presence, karate didn’t phase me in terms of the physical nature of the practice. What did come as a surprise was the use of physical strength and power of rank to dominate and intimidate people. The power of the ego became very apparent in my early days with a 6th Dan sensei, whom you could not speak to as a kyu grade. You had to send a message via another Dan grade.
The use of physical size and grade to try and dominate others in training just to satisfy the ego became a struggle. A 2nd Dan would deliberately kick and punch with full force just because he could. As a 9th kyu, you had to simply bow and get on with it, but the level of disrespect was not what I expected from a senior grade.
Whereas our sensei at the time would lower his level to just above yours and lead you to elevate yourself by taking you to your limits, others would simply smash you because they were of higher rank.
The Ego and Rank in Karate
So, there it was—the famous male ego and the dominance of others using rank and power. I thought that karate was beyond that, teaching discipline, respect, and humility, which I have certainly found in many people throughout my journey. However, there were, and always are, those who allow the ego of wearing a black belt to override any discipline or respect.
On the football pitch, if a great big centre-half took me out or crunched me
with a tackle, I would reply in kind—that was the game. However, if I smacked a 2nd Dan as a 7th kyu, I would either get taken out or be the one showing disrespect. This was my challenge, my early struggle. I hate bullies, and this was bullying. I have always stood up to such behaviour. How long would it be until my patience snapped? I may not have been as skilled in Karate as he was at the time, but I was a fighter, and deep down, I felt that I could beat him. The thing was, I dared not unleash it in class. I had to control my frustrations and level the playing field in a different way.
Turning Struggles into Strength
As time went by and I reached 1st kyu, I realised that this Dan grade bully was not as skilled as he thought he was—just big and using his strength. One night, the fighter was unleashed—not in a wild fashion, but in an ippon / jyu ippon kumite session. He could not get near me. I embarrassed him in front of the whole class. That was better than smacking him. That was levelling the field in the correct way—using what I was struggling with in a positive manner and not becoming the same as he was.
I paid the price several weeks later, as he took my knee out and kicked me in the groin. Because I would not back down, I was the one to blame.
There it is—the struggle, the use of ego and power of rank to abuse and dominate others. This is further complicated by the response if you make a stand. You become accused of being a wimp, being weak—“You’re a man, sort yourself out.”
Well, yes, I am a man, and a real man stands up in the face of bullying or abuse of power. He does so in a way that shows leadership and correctness, in a manner that reflects the values and principles of karate-do. The funny thing was, the day I threw my kit bag in the boot of my car and challenged the 2nd Dan to a fight, he ran to his car and drove off sharpish.
Women in the Dojo
I have seen this attitude in various dojos where I have trained, and it is the one thing that really grates on me. As a sensei, I am here to help and develop people, not to destroy and dominate them just because I can.
This becomes even more frustrating when I see this attitude directed toward women in the dojo. This I really struggle with. A man who wants to dominate and intimidate a woman or question why she is even in the dojo is beyond me. That is certainly not a trait of a sensei.
I have seen this surface in my own classes, where two males—one a 4th Dan—openly questioned the presence of women in the dojo. They commented on their shape, size, and athletic ability, even speaking out loud in class. Safe to say, that attitude was quickly removed from my domain, as it was challenged but could not be corrected. So, it had to leave the building. The sad thing is, these men now teach their own classes with the same attitude, hiding it behind a smile.
Standing for What is Right
I will always stand up for people in the face of misuse or abuse of power. That is what my role as a sensei stands for—justice and respect for all. I have also been fortunate enough to work with and be inspired by good examples of the correct way to lead, like Richard Amos sensei and Yanti Amos sensei. Luckily, there are plenty of others who represent the same values. Over the years, these are the people I have been drawn to, and I feel a responsibility to them and to karate-do in the way I conduct myself.
One thing is for sure—when you do make a stand, it can go one of two ways. Sometimes, people can learn to adjust, not realising the effect of their actions. They become educated and learn to master themselves.
Sadly, for some, it is irreversible. You can only struggle with them so far.
They see your challenge as an insult and then make you out to be the bad guy for calling them out. I used to think that was my biggest failure—not being able to change these men. Their egos were too empowered, and they simply could not admit any wrongdoing.
I have come to see that the failure was not mine—it was a failure within themselves. All you can do is try. Challenge and educate, protect people from abuse, do your job, and conduct yourself in the correct manner. The struggle will always be there somewhere, and it is how we learn to deal with those struggles that matters. The standards we set for ourselves and our students are what define us.
Osu
Sensei Steve King
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Webpage: https://samuraimartialarts.co.uk/
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