The hombu dojo, at a cursory glance looks like many other dojos found around the nation and even the world. Looking around, one will see all the typical elements found in a training gym. Mats, punching bags, weapons, resistance bands, a pull up bar, and more; all these things are to be expected in a dojo and are used to help people to grow physically. What may not be obvious at first to the casual observer is that while this is a place to train physically, the emphasis on growing mentally is considered far more important. In fact, the overarching goal of our hombu dojo is to grow one’s character, self-discipline and mental strength.
One can learn much more than a martial art at this dojo. There are many different reasons that people decide to learn a martial art. The reasons can be many different things, some of which are to get themselves into better shape; so, they can learn how to defend themselves, because they saw it in a movie; for the competition aspect; or to gain confidence in social situations. Yet at this hombu dojo none of these things are the top priority.
What makes the hombu dojo so different?
I believe that first and foremost it is the leadership of the teachers. The teachers here care far more about the students growing in discipline and grit then whether they are able win a tournament. In my opinion, one of the most important values taught to students by the instructors is the importance of their individual personal growth. Values are paramount, so much so that above the mirror that we look into everyday as we train are the words: courtesy, humility, perseverance, trustworthiness, courage and integrity.
These are values that connect us across generations, different backgrounds, the place we are in life and more. This dojo family focuses on these values, stressing that the strong character one will develop in training is far more important than just having good self-defense techniques, or learning how to win in kumite or kata tournament events.
The measure of what makes a successful student here is who is improving who they are as a person, in school, in jobs, and in society. The morals here are something that one should and can build their life on and in doing so can create a highly fulfilling life while blessing those around them. The students that are excelling aren’t always the strongest, the fastest, or the most fearless; rather they are the ones that show strength of character and grit. They are the students that come in day after day, despite long hours at work, difficulty at home, physical limitations, and even extreme shyness.
During a recent Saturday training session, we had two different families that had very recently lost close family members. Despite these devastating losses, these folks were still there, training and learning. I don’t believe they came in out of fear of losing out on their next rank or because they had already paid and didn’t want to lose out on their money; they were there to be with people that care. They wanted to be with their dojo family. In the time I’ve been training here I have seen many different types of students, some of which are not what one might normally expect to find.
One might assume that most people are looking to learn a martial art are highly confident or are looking for a fight. However, I’ve seen students that come in with an almost incapacitating shyness. Whether fear of failure or dislike of having the attention of others on them, many of them almost freeze at times, or choose to not kiai or want to learn a new kata because of the fear of failure in front of others. However, as they are graciously encouraged or gently pushed to grow, I have observed them starting to come out of their shell and really beginning to gain in confidence as they hone their skills. What they may not realize is that while they are learning martial arts skills, they are simultaneously growing in self-confidence which can help in all aspects of life.
As with many things in life we see people that are on the other side of the confidence spectrum. We’ve seen students that come in overconfident, overbearing and some of them seem to be nearly unteachable due to their own pride. However, as discipline is instilled in them, along with the personal responsibility this system demands from the youngest to the oldest, many students who formerly tended towards arrogance begin to grow in humility. The accountability that is required to continue their training forces them to refine and grow their character.
With our spiritual and moral characters being the most important things in the dojo, one can see a tremendous amount of growth in people across all ages and backgrounds. Perfection of technique, analysis of self-defense, excellence in kata memorization, while all of these things are encouraged up to the point of being demanded they are not required only for the sake oftradition or so we can prove that our instructors know how to teach us a kata. These things are required in a way that helps us to grow in humility, grit and the stretching of our comfort zone.
These little cortisol rushes that we all get when called to demonstrate a kata or spar a fellow student most likely are helping with our ability to deal with other stressors in our life. The accountability that is provided by constantly being around people that care and are willing to push folks to get better is hard to find just about anywhere else. There is an interesting juxtaposition in the dojo where people who are shy to the point of being almost frozen can find great inner strength and courage while those that are extremely confident, sometimes even arrogant can begin to learn humility.
As one spends time at the hombu dojo one can witness the fearful learning bravery, the quiet ones, their voice; the extremely confident learning to have strength under control. People that have never done any sports in their life, let alone a martial art, can walk in the door and start learning something new physically, spiritually, and mentally. Ultimately, the hombu dojo is, on a daily basis challenging every student that walks through the door to strive for excellence.
Morgan Kline