And we arrive to the final segment of this topic. So, now I can adequately answer the question that I posed, weeks back: What will martial arts instructions look like, in the future?
Look at the youngest generations you can see in the world around you. What do you notice about their mentalities? What are the marketing geniuses of the world (take your pick of the advertisers and marketers online or on television) doing to reach them? Are you paying attention to subtle changes over time? That's one of the clues to how martial arts can continue to flourish, for certain.
Now, take a look at how our educational systems work, the world over? When you see how different cultures approach it, you get an idea about different angles of the furthering education within their several constructs. And once you see how the most effective systems work, you have a very telling narrative about key elements and their places within the whole. Just as telling are those parts which seem to be failing the people, such as financial and quality issues.
As for the actual dojo, dojang, kwoon or club business methodologies, one needs only look at the news to see how businesses are faring in any given society. That will always tell us what is not working, and what may yet be an option. Still, it beckons back to my earlier points about operating a school as a business.
In my opinion, we have two primary ways to go about the proliferation of true martial arts instruction:
The first one is back to the core method of qualified teachers teaching with direct interaction to pass down the actual art in question. This is the private or semi-private method, wherein the teacher is the actual teacher (and not the CEO, necessarily). That presupposes that he or she is qualified and willing.
The challenge comes when the teacher needs to eat and pay bills. It is not a new thing to have a commercially-viable school for that purpose. I am just saying that when the world (or your society) gets to a place where no one has money to give, what will happen to such schools? The private or semi-private instructor has the option of going with other options to build intrinsic value in the minds of the student, such as bartering or other such payment methods. I am also saying that this path may require freely giving this training to worthy causes or individuals.
Whether of not the teacher incorporates the technology of the day to facilitate that direct training with some level of counseling involved to create the deeper relationship that a teacher and student should have is dependent upon the circumstances. The important thing is the connection that is formulated and formalized between the two of them. Of course, this does not have to be one-to-one, only.
The second way, as I see it, is a systematic one. That could mean by governmental or corporate instigation. It is not a new one, if you think about it. The military in many countries trains fighters in various styles of fighting. In China, students learn one or other style of wushu or tai chi. Some corporations offer (in Japan, I think) compulsory group training in internal martial arts or basic fitness based on internal martial arts.
One of my own missions has always been to teach the youths of inner cities and impoverished areas, and I have taken a few steps along those lines. Community centers and local park centers also provide such opportunities. They are usually under-funded, but one of my goals is to eliminate the need for such red tape by creating sponsorship programs that shoulder whatever minimal costs they are. Of course, the real challenge in such ventures is that the competing programs may see it as a threat to their ability to make money with their own programs. Fair enough. I understand that. Still, it's worth the consideration.
In conclusion, I will say this:
As independent qualified instructors, some of us don't see a way to
further the mission without opening up a traditional (western
traditional) school. That relegates us back to the days of yore when it's either in your garage, the park, a laundry room or the living room. Wherever it takes you, the important thing is the task at hand. That said, I applaud you. If you use the web to teach, be sure to spend some of that time with the
students. This is not a call to socialize training, as the point is not
to create a social club. This is to facilitate appreciation and as a
mentoring apparatus.
If you are just starting off on this journey as a student, and you have found a good instructor with whom you feel that right connection, stay focused on the training from the personal perspective. The proliferation part will occur in its due season. As you progress, keep an eye on the world around you for the best ways to make that impact that you sought to have on your own life. Having a mission will keep you on the right track.
Don't fixate on the setting, as the environment will only serve (in the long run) to enhance your internalization of the training. In other words, you will likely look back and tell your students of your experiences as your instructor did for you. It adds to the magic of the journey. Finally, be consistent. Without this, you may as well youtube your way thru the martial arts. Trust me when I tell you the journey is much more fruitful with a direct connection to your teacher.
The future is up to us all.
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