An Inspector Calls
Published: Mon, 01/19/15
Yesterday afternoon I received the list of questions that Matt Roberts is likely to ask when videoing and interviewing me today. It does feel a bit like an examination today, the Stav Centre and what we do there being inspected by, well an inspector of sorts. I know that is exaggerating a bit, a better way of putting it is that I am contributing to a martial arts event and in return Stav raises it profile and gets a bit better known. Either way, all I can do is make the best impression I can and let anyone who sees the finished video or attends my workshop at MACE itself make their own mind up.
Some of the questions have been making me think. ‘What do you enjoy about teaching?’ Is just one example. When I stop and think about it I realise that there is no single answer. I have been teaching Stav pretty much every week, if not more often, for twenty years now. So in some ways it is part of my routine and whether I enjoy it or not is irrelevant. But if something is just being done out of habit then it is good to check in from time to time and ask yourself why? Habitual activities can get rather stale and pointless and then it may be time for a change or stop altogether.
However I don’t feel that way about teaching Stav. I think the main things I enjoy about teaching is that there is such a solid foundation to work from and interesting stuff always comes out of building on that foundation. So I never have to think ‘what am I going to teach?’ There is always the stances, pre-basic exercises to work with the lines and drills which explore the five principles. These are the foundations of Stav. I learned the stances and have taught them ever since pretty much as I learned them. Working with the lines can be as simple as two very simple strikes/cuts with axe or just a stick. Or the more complex staff exercises but whichever the practice the objective of seeing the lines is the same. There are a variety of ways of expressing the five principles, the five staff exercises Ivar learned from his family, the two person drills I developed for teaching beginners, and using other weapons and unarmed.
From these foundations emphasis can be put on awareness of one’s centre, on intuitive timing, effective use of force, focussing the mind or the benefits of total relaxation when training. Quite often the most useful teaching in a particular lesson arises quite unexpectedly. So, although I am responsible for leading the training session I am as likely as anyone to discover something new.
When I first met Ivar I realised that here was someone who could teach me something I didn’t already know and a system which could take me somewhere I had not been before. Over twenty years later I still feel the same way and I am still going somewhere with Stav. I suppose I teach because I want others to enjoy the journey with me.
regards
Graham
PS If you want to embark on this journey too then attend the foundation training opportunities. Next day course on the 31st January http://www.somersetstav.co.uk/daycourses.html or see the Stav Camp pages http://www.stavcamp.org