Respect Vs Worship

Each month we give experienced martial arts instructors the opportunity to voice their opinions on an issue of importance in the martial arts scene. The issue we ask: In the martial arts, there is often a fine line between a culture of respect and one of ‘instructor-worship’ within a school or organisation. How can we avoid crossing this line, and it is even necessary to avoid it? - Blitz Magazine

Pablo Cardenas started training in Wing Chun Kung Fu in 1980 at William Cheung’s academy, Melbourne. Living in Broadmeadows, Cardenas tested and debunked many self-defence beliefs almost on a daily basis. Serving 21 years in the Army refined his training methodologies and the experiences gained nurtured his desire to provide reality – and evidence-based self-defence. This led to establishing the North Queensland Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy (Townsville). A father of six children, Cardenas applies his ADF experiences at his academy and specialises in teaching individuals according to their age, size, gender, ability, or occupation. “This allows the student the flexibility to accommodate attacks accordingly, not with a one-glove-fits-all formulae,” he says.

There’s a fine line between culture of respect and one of ‘instructor-worship’. It is of natural design, to maintain a healthy order of respect. Unfortunately, the human ego can take something good to an unhealthy level. A healthy teacher-student relationship allows mutual respect, not a blind following. Teachers should act in good faith and for the benefit of those who entrust them with their learning. Why is this important? It allows for students’ personal growth, to make their own informed decisions, not just become clones of their teacher. To demonstrate characteristics espousing instructor-worship creates an unhealthy devotion or indoctrination, akin to ideological control. Do you want to follow blindly or with an open mind? Can you apply critical thinking and respectfully question your instructor? Can you train in more than one school? Can you attend or host seminars of your choosing? Just how much influence does an instructor demand or want?

It is a line that instructor should never cross, as an instructor’s conduct can have a profound effect on a student’s development. Instructors have an ethical responsibility to do the right thing by the student, regardless of personal interest or benefit. Why? Because the student trusts you. As an instructor, you are an authority figure and in a position of trust, but your actions will determine if you are worthy of that trust, and the title. The very strengths of martial arts training (respect, loyalty etc.) can easily become the weakness that an instructor or organisation may exploit. They are in their element in nurturing ‘instructor-worship’ as this works to their advantage. This is an abuse of power and control.

Ask yourself: could you be – or have you been – exploited or influenced in this way? In turn, instructors should ask themselves, what would be the outcome of my actions and are they in accordance with the code of conduct?

When an instructor’s ego derails, it nurtures the instructor-worship syndrome. Instructors know not to cross this line and to ensure students are not being led along the path of blind faith. To do so puts students at risk of emotional, physical, or psychological harm.

As a student, if you are preached to, then you are robbed of the chance of thinking for yourself, so be mindful of your actions. Unfortunately, some hide behind the cloak of instructor-worship; an insider may consider this as loyalty, while an outsider looking in may see it for what it is: blind following. Is this a healthy relationship or a scheme for retention or controlling of students? A martial arts school can inadvertently indoctrinate students with a particular mindset, but we would be disloyal to ourselves if we found a better path, yet, due to this mindset, we disregarded it.

Instructors must respect the rights of students and not take advantage of the privilege or power their position affords them. This influence should be used only for the student’s benefit, not the instructors. Instructors are the key to preventing students from instructor-worship. As in any occupation, resourcefulness and thinking for yourself is a strength sought by organisations – why not in the martial arts?