Newbies

I was gratified to learn that the son of someone I met joined our dojo recently. They had been checking out several area martial arts schools and were thinking of joining another group, one that I give a stamp of approval to incidentally--they are a very practical, self-defense oriented school, but I said before they join they should definitely check into our dojo (actually, this was before I'd joined in January). I didn't realize that I was working out with him last Friday until I spoke with his mom yesterday. Aha!

I enjoy working with new people for several reasons. For one thing, they don't react to techniques in a predictable manner. They may do something I completely didn't anticipate and I need to be alert and ready for anything. This is more like it would be in "real life" applications. They may not react in the traditional "correct" way, but in my view (almost) any reaction is a valid response that must be considered. Another obvious positive benefit is the opportunity to help someone learn, which I find fulfilling. Teaching also forces me to think about why I operate the way I do, to become aware of my habits, both good and not so good.