So, you’ve read some of the articles on what a good instructor is. Anyone who has been in taekwondo long enough knows that not every instructor is amazing. Now you want to know: what is a bad instructor? How do you know? Here are the 5 most harmful flaws I’ve seen in martial arts instructors!

If you've been in Tae Kwon Do awhile, you've probably noticed how different each of your instructors are. Just like every professor and teacher, they all have their own ways of teaching. Over my many years of training, I've noticed that there are specific types of teachers. I decided, for fun, to write down a list of some of these types. Of course, this is not a comprehensive list or naming any specific instructor, nor is it a scientific analysis at all. Just a fun little list of types of instructors I've had. A black belt scholar reading a good book! The Trainee Poor kid. They're so stressed and don't know what they're doing. You almost want to pat them on the head and say "there, there." Once they realize they know what they're talking about, suddenly they brighten up, their lessons become clearer, and their instructions more confident. The Scholar These instructors know everything. If you ask them how to do a hook kick, they'll tell you... and then explain the history and philosophy behind it. When they're not teaching or training, they're reading. You won't usually catch them talking; they're in their break room with a book! The Competitor This instructor is very detail-oriented. They will catch even the smallest detail and correct it. It almost seems like they have eagle-eyes. When they're not teaching, they're training. They don't seem to need it though! They just do everything seamlessly and like they've done it a million times (probably because they have). You can't help but admire them (and also be a little jealous). The Drill Sergeant This instructor knows what they want and they won't ask twice. They're not angry by any means, but they are always blunt and firm. If you get something wrong they will not be afraid to tell you. They're intimidating but they, for some reason, are very popular with the black belts. Because of this, they are usually the teacher for the more advanced classes. Plus, they’re always honest and straightforward with you. The Teacher These ones are probably the best. They aren't necessarily the most accomplished or the most skilled, but they know how to teach. They are patient, kind, and always happy to help you. They seem to always know just how to explain something so that everyone knows what they're talking about. Best of all, they always pick you up when you fall down (both literally and figuratively). Everyone loves a good teacher! The scholar, practicing! Or the teacher demonstrating? Or perhaps the competitor showing off. Probably not the drill sergeant though. She doesn't smile. There you are; the 5 main instructor types. Which one is your favorite? If you’re an instructor, which one are you? If you think I missed one, feel free to message me! Have a wonderful day!

This is a question I have gotten a lot. Like, rather frequently. The best way to summarize my opinion is this:

It’s Valentine’s Day, and I thought it might be fun to write a post about love… love of Tae Kwon Do! If you can’t tell from the numerous posts I’ve published, I love Tae Kwon Do! I decided that it would be fun, on Valentine's day, to ask around and find out what my fellow martial artists love about Tae Kwon Do. Here is some of what they said: It’s good exercise This one is probably pretty obvious. Many of my fellow martial artists mentioned how Tae Kwon Do (and Tae Kwon Do teaching) gives them lots of exercise. Exercise is an objectively good thing to do, and Tae Kwon Do is full of it! It is a good experience In my conversations with fellow martial arts instructors, whether for this post or not, I have heard many stories. People will tell me fond memories they have in their Tae Kwon Do journey. Competitions, personal records, belt ceremonies, and many more. One of the instructors even met their spouse at a Tae Kwon Do conference (on the day before Valentine’s Day too, how fortuitous)! Lots of learning! Black belts, especially instructors, spend many years training. Quite a few of the black belts and instructors I know even go to college and study physical education, psychology, human biology, and even philosophy! Others continue their studies through reading books as well as training in class. Despite the varied education, all of them gushed about how much they enjoy learning. Most importantly: it’s fun! Ok, this one is probably obvious, but many black belts do Tae Kwon Do because it’s fun. Interestingly, when asked what was fun about it, they had varied answered. Some find the learning fun. Others enjoy the challenges they face in training. The instructors often talked about how they enjoy the teaching aspect. Though one of them talked about how he loved testing students and seeing their progress. Conclusion Regardless of their differences in training, teaching methods, or personalities, all the black belts I talked to had one thing in common. They love their art. That’s how you know they’re a good instructor. They’re passionate about their art. So now you know some of the reasons why martial artists love their art. It is my hope that you find your love in martial arts. Good luck on your journey!

What makes a good black belt? What makes a bad black belt? In sum, what does it mean to be a black belt? Well, I’ll tell you for certain what black belt is not. A black belt is not a black piece of cloth around someone’s waist. Anyone can find those on Amazon and buy one for a few bucks. What gives a black belt their legitimacy, in my opinion, is their behavior, knowledge, reputation, credibility, and (most importantly), self-control. Much like the degree one receives from an academic or professional institution, a black belt is representative of the training offered by that program. Obviously, each Tae Kwon Do school’s criteria for a black belt is different. Some care about technique, some care about character development, and some (unfortunately) just care about money. So how do we know if someone is a good black belt? Here is what I believe makes up the definition of a good black belt. Knowledge Much like a graduate of any other training program, a good black belt knows their martial art. By that I mean they know their martial art. They have to have reviewed all they have learned and be able to demonstrate their knowledge of at least forms, sparring, and technique. In some programs, instructors also require demonstration of knowledge of philosophy, culture, science, and language. This way, instructors can see a student’s physical and mental skills. When they're not training or teaching, instructors are reading! Behavior Speaking of mental skills, behavior is key in a good black belt. A good black belt, in my opinion, is someone who expresses humility, kindness, respect, integrity, and perseverance. This is not just a set of characteristics that I look for in my students before they test, but after they test as well. These are behaviors and virtues that I look for and expect from black belts. Reputation Connected to behavior is reputation. This does not mean the rumors that surround someone. In fact, I find that rumors are rarely true. This is a matter of what the individual known for. A good black blet maintains a reputation of integrity and kindness. That’s what black belt’s reputation is. It’s not what others think of them, it’s the nature of their character. A good black belt is friendly, kind, and respectful to everyone! Credibility A black belt’s integrity is of critical importance. You’ve probably seen this in some of my other articles, but it’s true. Integrity is, in my opinion, key to being a black belt. In order to maintain your credibility, you have to maintain your reputation. In my experience, being known for your integrity will often help people trust you. Self-control Honestly, probably the most important virtue of a good black belt is self-control. Learning martial arts is an inherently dangerous endeavor, and harming another person should be avoided at all costs. That means that any black belt must be able to control themselves. Black belts are still human, so they feel emotions and their judgement does sometimes become clouded. Nonetheless, they should still express self control. This is something that was drilled into me from the beginning, and something that I believe should be key in every school’s curriculum. So there you go! These are my opinion of the virtues of a good black belt. Professional side note: This post is for entertainment purposes only.