I've been training at a school for about 4 years. However, over the course of the last year and a half I've been held up in rank because of politics. I've been told multiple times I'm ready to be tested, but the head instructor of the school doesn't want me passing up his students. On top of that I've been having issues with the style. I like to learn stuff that can be used accurately against a trained fighter. I feel big flashy movements and katas are a waste of time. And techniques with too many steps are also a waste of time as you can't predict where or when someone is going to fall or move to. I have almost completely lost my drive to train this art. However, I've been training in another art for about 2 years and absolutely love it. Would love to be an instructor in that art one day. My question is, Is it a big deal if I leave? Will it harm my credentials as an instructor to walk away from this school right now?
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1No one is going to hold against you leaving a style you don't like. Caveat, you could always run into politics if the guy hiring you as an instructor knows the first guy and believes the rumors, but frankly, there's nothing you can do about that. – Macaco Branco May 31 '17 at 18:28
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"I feel x, y, z and q are a waste of time and it is poitics keeping me back". Maybe it is more your attitude that you know it all after 2 1/2 years (4 yrs - 1.5 yrs that politics happened) that is actually holding you back. – JohnP Jun 02 '17 at 21:48
2 Answers
Will leaving a school hurt my credentials as an instructor in another art?
No, you're not now an instructor, so, there are no credentials to hurt. At such time you become, or are due to become, an instructor, then your past is generally irrelevant, unless you somehow made negative headline news.
Is it a big deal if I leave?
No, not a big deal, unless your exit gets you in headline news.
But you said some things that are red flags: you've been held up in rank because of politics; you're having issues with the style; katas are a waste of time; you're ready to be tested, but...; you've lost your drive to train this art; and you've been training in another art for about 2 years, concurrently with your current style.
I don't think you know what you're doing. I know nothing about your style or school, but if you've been training for 4 years and still think katas are a waste of time, you haven't learned much. Your instructor is probably picking up on the "issue with style", "politics", and "lost drive to train" vibes and seems it shows in your performance. You're even only half-committed to your school, giving up half your time to another.
You're not really ready to test, so I think your instructor's gut feeling is right on this, and you've got way more learning to do. In short, this is immature behavior. Piss or get off the pot. If you got problems with the style, find someplace else to go. Don't like the instructor? Find another. You've only invested 4 years of your time there, that is inconsequential to the bigger scheme. I can only imagine what my instructors did during their first few years.
That all doesn't answer your concern about instruction. But it shows you've got a long way to go before you are showing signs of an instructor worthy of taking people's time, money, and energy, and so, time will heal these wounds. Meaning, fix your problem now, and in due course, your ability to become a great instructor will happen. If you don't fix your problems now, it's not because you left that will hurt; it's your attitude. That will trickle down to your students, and then the quality of your instructorship will show to the world.
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Is it a big deal if I leave?
No. The school where you are studying is making you unhappy, and you do not like the curriculum anyway. Leave.
The most significant issue is probably social; people at the school may or may not want to socialize with you once you leave.
Will it harm my credentials as an instructor to walk away from this school right now?
No. Schools largely do not care about training in separate systems, especially for the purposes of instruction. Systems enumerate the requirements for their instructors based on their system, not other systems.
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