Recently I encountered a variation of this question in a martial arts channel on Reddit. The person asking the question was a teenage instructor at a traditional martial arts (TMA) school. She had begun teaching several older students, some of whom were old enough to be her parents. To complicate the situation, in her mind, a few students held advanced rank in other systems. The young instructor wanted advice on how to handle the situation.
She asked questions like:
- How do older students react to much younger instructors?
- How do students experienced in other systems react to younger instructors?
- Was it even appropriate for her to be an instructor in such a situation?
I’m an older martial artist and while I don’t possess advanced rank in other systems, I do frequently train with much younger instructors. In this article I will answer the questions above and provide additional insights.
I train in the Krav Maga Global system, and recently achieved Graduate 1 rank at the age of 47. Some consider G1 to be a “black belt” equivalent, as reaching this rank requires a minimum of three years of training and six successful gradings. I’ve studied other martial arts prior to KMG but never advanced beyond beginner or mid-level in any of them.
For the majority of my training with KMG, I have worked with instructors who are younger than me. Most were anywhere from a few years to probably fifteen years younger. Age never factored into my perception of any of these instructors, as they were all professional, skilled, and positive people.
Within the last year, I’ve started training with two much younger instructors. These young men are each about eighteen years old, and are technically assistant instructors in our system. One has equivalent rank and one is one rank behind me. Training with these gentlemen gives me some perspective on the young TMA instructor’s situation.
The Older Point of View
First, let’s address how older students handle training with much younger instructors. I will admit to recognizing that there is a significant difference between me and these young men. They are strong, fast, and do not break!
They remind me of how I was able to train in my early twenties. When my Chinese martial arts students and I saw the first Ultimate Fighting Championships in 1993 and 1994, we tried to replicate everything we could remember from the broadcasts. I was the smallest of the group at 5’9 and 150 lbs, and was regularly on the receiving end of double-leg takedowns and ground-and-pound. I could go to work the next day without a problem. Today, I would have significant trouble getting out of bed following such intense training sessions.
These physical differences are obvious, but my young instructors are aware of it. Before every class they ask if anyone has any injuries. I might say my back hurts or my once-broken wrist is acting up, and they take that into account. Just last night, one of the instructors warned me about a wrist lock he wanted to demonstrate upon me and asked if I could manage it. Their attention to the condition and capabilities of their older students makes the training experience beneficial for all.
The Role of Experience
Second, let’s consider the question of experience. While l might have knowledge of other martial arts available when I train KMG, I am not in a KMG class to train jiu-jitsu. I am there to train KMG. Therefore, I concentrate on the KMG approach and what my instructors have to say. There are occasions when I bring outside knowledge into class but I’m sensitive to the situation and keep it as a rare event.
For example, recently we were working some ground techniques, and there was an opportunity to transition to an arm bar. One of the instructors was demonstrating on me, so I offered a tip on the technique. I was careful to not say “this is how we do an arm bar in jiu-jitsu, so forget about that KMG stuff.” I realized the instructor was open to feedback and was happy to get an insight from another art.
How Important Is Age?
Third, let’s decide whether it is appropriate for a much younger instructor to teach older students. In my case, I am nearly thirty years older than my two instructors. I personally believe that so long as the instructors are aware of, and sensitive to, the capabilities of older students, there is nothing wrong with older teenagers teaching adults of all ages. The major questions involve maturity and attitude, which should be requirements for all instructors, not just those who are teenagers.
Adult status, as we would all most surely agree, is no guarantee of instructor quality. So long as the instructors are products of a sound development program, and have demonstrated to the head instructor and senior instructors that they are capable of the technical, mental, and educational requirements for teaching, I am comfortable working with younger instructors. Younger instructors tend to bring an enthusiasm and fresh approach that resonates well with those trying trying to learn new skills.
I have tried to remain as neutral as possible in this article, to allow my biases to not unduly reflect on my advice. Speaking directly of my personal experience, however, I admit that I very much enjoy working with instructors of all ages — especially the teenagers. In fact, the picture accompanying this article is from my recent G1 exam. My two teenage instructors were my testing partners, and the experience was positive for all of us. I am thrilled to have a chance to train with young men who have such great attitudes and skills, and I appreciate that they are willing to share what they know with those of us who are weaker, slower, and who break all too frequently!
Have you ever experienced being taught by younger instructors? Leave a comment below and let me know.
- Book Review: Worth Defending - November 25, 2020
- Book Review: See You on the Mat - November 24, 2020
- Book Review: Flashing Steel, 25th Anniversary Edition - November 23, 2020
Leave a Reply