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“5th Kyu Shihans,” by Jerry Akel
I am plagued by 5th Kyu Shihans. Or rather, was plagued, before receiving my black belt. And like Dr. Bennell, I still see them, these pod people, everywhere, at seminars, at other dojo, and sometimes, close to home. They are a contagion.
But I am getting ahead of myself. Allow me to explain.
Several years ago, as a kyu-holder with some experience, I noticed a peculiar pathology, which exhibited itself primarily at seminars. The subject, namely me, would pair with an obviously new student, one with whom I had not trained previously. The new student, or carrier, would then proceed to instruct, correct and otherwise comment on my technique, despite the obvious gulf in skill between us.
I naturally attributed this to an infection addling his brain, since no disinterested observer could mistake the more seasoned practitioner. And no matter the speed with which I performed the technique, or the pain which I applied to his body, the student would feel compelled to make his critique.
The disease, therefore, is marked by a complete and total lack of awareness.
I named the condition, or more accurately the infected carrier, a 5th Kyu Shihan. The name stuck, and is, I believe, a useful shorthand for describing the disease.
Making the Diagnosis
I have come to rely on a three-part test to determine whether a student is, in fact, a 5th Kyu Shihan. Although satisfying any one condition is sufficient to make the diagnosis, it is insufficient to rule out other, more benign causes. For example, your partner may just be an idiot, for which, unfortunately, no cure exists.
First Symptom
Your partner compliments your technique. This one is tricky: I caution the practitioner here to rely on her own clinical experience. If the compliment carries with it a connotation of judgment, as opposed to aspiration, the student is a 5th Kyu Shihan.
Although it may appear a contradiction, a compliment, if accompanied by judgment, is in fact identical to criticism. Essentially, the student is placing herself in a position to judge another, more experienced student’s technique. Whether it is praise or criticism is irrelevant. The student has exhibited a sign of the disease.
Second Symptom
The student assumes a curious, if fictitious, familiarity with the leading lights in your organization. I call this infection by association. In truth, this is simply a form of the logical fallacy, argument from authority.
Here, the student professes an intimate knowledge of a leading sensei’s preferences regarding technique, or attempts to regale you with sly anecdotes from back in the day. Of course, considering that day could not have been more than two months prior, as Kung Fu Panda would have been his closest connection to the martial arts, is of no matter. The point our friend is trying to make, is that he, and not you, knows the hidden purpose behind this particular lesson. If only he were free to speak candidly, surely you would understand….
Third Symptom
A lack of humility. Let me be more specific. I am not referring to the fawning humility towards rank you sometimes see on the mat. This is a misunderstanding of the term, and has more in common with Dickens’ Uriah Heep, whose humility was in fact rooted in pride and ego. Nor am I referring to proper etiquette, or rei, which of course is expected when we give ourselves freely to our partners.
The humility I refer to, rather, is a great teacher, but one with which the 5th Kyu Shihan has no acquaintance. It is the knowledge that we know certain things, don’t know certain things, and crucially, know there are things that we know nothing about. This idea, that there exists whole categories of knowledge not yet dreamt of, is the essence of budo training. It is the quintessential empty cup.
It is also anathema to the 5th Kyu Shihan. Although when cornered, the infected carrier may admit to some questions regarding technique, the practitioner must be vigilant. The 5th Kyu Shihan will only admit to questions that fit his Weltanschauung, or worldview. In his universe, everything is accounted for, including Aikido, which he has placed neatly on a mental shelf. The answers, if not obvious, are already there, waiting for just the right moment.
Of course, he is happy to answer any questions you may have.
An Advice To My Colleagues
Although pernicious, the disease is, in my estimation, not always terminal. With practice, the afflicted soul can sometimes cast off the infection and become a fully human, fully aware Aikidoka.
As always, our best defense is vigilance.
Dojo: Aikido Center of Jacksonville
Blog: Learning To Be Silent
» Next: “Science proves … eternity is an illusion,” by Bruce Baker
» Previous: Recommended reading: “Daito-Ryu Aiki Budo” by Takuma Hisa
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Posted by Aikido Journal on Dec 9th, 2009: Contributed (post a comment)
Reader Comments
Jason R writes:
Sounds to me Jerry along with most martial artists of some rank have an INFLATED opinion of themselves and for some reason think they are above criticism. No Aikidoka not even O-sensei is or was perfect. So let it go!
Jerry writes:
I appreciate your comment Nev.
The post is tongue in cheek. It was my attempt to describe some past, personal experiences, with humor. Please don’t take it too seriously. (Obviously, since I wrote the post, the fault here is mine.)
To be clear, I consider myself very much a beginner. Unfortunately, this is not conveyed clearly in the article.
Thanks again.
David DeLong writes:
This is an important discussion for students to pay attention to. Both post and reply are salient.
It’s understandable that we have such a tendency to be mired in the “goop” of conceptualization, preconception, assumption, etc. This is the language with which we “think” , communicate; with which we determine our status relative to the group and the other.
Aikido is an active, rather than a passive, learning process. One observes the demonstration of the instructor with total concentration, and then recreates that form with total concentration. This seriousness allows for a convivial, joyful interaction with one’s partners, but not for a lot of personal slop. A lot of chatter, whether audible or internal, is not appropriate because it is not necessary. This active form of relating to the world is one of the great intangible, “latent function” benefits of aikido practice.
Circumstances have temporarily (I hope) isolated me from a regular group training opportunity.
From my perspective, it’s vitally important that students learn to not take their training opportunity for granted. Don’t walk onto the mat with your head in “an undisclosed location”.
It’s rude, to the aikido community, one’s teachers and to the Founder himself.
I second Nev’s admonitions.
Melissa Fischer writes:
As a small woman having come up through the ranks as far as nidan, I do recognise the situation described by Jerry. Actually, I see it as a great opportunity to practice real Aikido. Training with a partner you view as having “issues” gives you an option of bravely looking at and acknowleging your own issues. Changing yourself instead of changing your partner, as my Sensei might say.
Some of the guys I trained with as a white belt felt they automatically knew more than I did at every rank. But that’s OK. If he is working on my technical flaws and I am working on my technical flaws, that’s twice the practice for me and none for him and all to my benefit. I’m kind of selfish that way. Plus beginners often have interesting ideas. So I tried to just shut up and take all feed back to heart. I also reminded myself to trust the power of Aikido training to lead students through and out of these admittedly obnoquious chapters of advancement. Have I ever been obnoxious? Hmmm…
t’s easy to connect with the “nice” people of the dojo because they connect with you and draw out your cooperation. What if you yourself can establish the connection and draw the niceness out of those “5th kyu shihans”? Wouldn’t that would be good Aikido practice?
charles warren writes:
My old sempai and San Francisco uchideshi Tom Everett (6 feet or so, lean and strong, Iwama on his cv, young -‘in the day’), used the Jenny technique. In any event, Christianity has an answer ‘look not at the splinter in your neighbor’s eye, but the beam in thine own’. Whomever you’re training with may REALLY SEE something that you’re missing.
Bill Trimarco writes:
I have also seen this type of behavior, especially at seminars. At one point, I was not affiliated with any school, had almost twenty years of training, and wore a white belt. I was amazed at the number of kyu ranked students who would correct my every move, quite often to something that I truly don’t believe the instructor was showing. I used to think, “Can’t they see that my white belt is tattered and worn out to a greyish black color?” I would wonder why they couldn’t tell that the next person they were belittling for ineffective movement was obviously trained in one of the special forces and moved like someone who had engaged in hand to hand combat at some point in their life. Over the years, I realized that it is all part of our training. If someone feels the need to inappropriately teach everyone they work with, it is a good opportunity for me to improve my ukemi. Sometimes the inexperienced will pick out flaws that I never see. Who knows? If their behavior is disruptive, catching the sensei’s eye will usually bring the real instructor over to observe and correct. It is good to be aware of this type of behavior and to guard against doing it ourselves to others. I also think that it is good to remember that it is all part of the learning process. Things usually don’t get out of hand unless I choose to react to the inappropriate behavior because of some dissension in my personna.
Nev writes:
Hi Jerry,
Actually I enjoyed your article and the points you made are very relevant albeit presented with humour (something often lacking in the Aikido world ;). I’m sure we’ve all come across this sort of stuff however and it’s good to voice things out in the open.
If it’s a good blog it will attract lots of commentary and this one did. It means you reached people enough to elicit a response.
And all the responses were great.
IMHO, I like to believe that just like training, we learn and gain from each other in productive exchanges if eve intense at times.
Your mature response to my abrasive comments is a good sign you are not as “beginner” as you may think.
But in the end we are all beginners.
Even the old guy admitted this after 60 or more years and some pretty nifty aiki.
Thanks again for your article.
Best regards,
Nev
Adam Alexander writes:
Why wouldn’t you turn your energy toward helping them fix it instead of ridiculing them?
Joel writes:
I knew the most I’ve ever known about aikido when I was about 4th kyu (in 1995 or so).
One day a 70-year-old man showed up in our dojo (City Aikido in San Francisco) wearing a brand new gi and white belt. We trained together on ikkyo irimi, and I showed him several important details. He smiled and graciously said “Thank you!” over and over.
The next night he returned to our dojo wearing a hakama(!), and our sensei introduced him as Peter Ting rokudan. He had trained with O Sensei a couple times, and had practiced martial arts since he was four years old. He had even been a bodyguard for Gen. Patton in Europe in WWII. Within a month he was in the regular teaching rotation at our dojo where he taught until he passed away a few years later.
The twinkle in his eye when I was “instructing” him taught me what aikido is all about.
Nev writes:
Joel,
This is the singularly BEST anecdote ever.
It says it all.
bruce baker writes:
I suggest .. that at a seminar .. EVERYONE .. and I mean everyone .. but the instructor wear a white belt just once.
Call it … the white belt seminar where ONLY the instructor/ instructors of the seminar wear a black belt.
If for no other reason, than to figure out that we all need to humble ourselves, and to let our fellow practitioners learn from their mistakes, be they physical error in the practice of aikido, or emotional and ego errors of the mind … we all need to learn from our mistakes!
It isn’t the BELT .. or the RANK that makes the person, but the person who makes the belt mean something as they, the person, become the belts true meaning.
I don’t hold with anyone becoming a Master practitioner until they have both the CHARACTER and the EXPERIENCE OF YEARS under them. Skill level may be important, but without character .. it is an empty shell of a human being teaching you.
Yep … once a year, we should hold .. WHITE BELT SEMINAR .. and remember .. we are all students .. even the highest ranked among us is just a student.
Why do you think the highest ranked alway try to practice with the least experienced who are struggling at a seminar? Most of them .. remember how they struggled in the beginning and try to give back in a way the honors the memories of the teachers who helped them when they were struggling newbies.
5th Kyu shihans? Yeah, Smile and just do your practice with patience and good spirit .. either they will give up their attitude or they don’t …. such is life.
Careful Jerry, people who knew you as a newbie will post stories …
Christina writes:
Hey Jerry! Funny stuff. It was obviously tongue in cheek but there is definitely some truth to it. 5th kyu shihans are ok as long as they aren’t the type that want so badly to show you how to do a technique that they actually fight it while you’re doing it. Then you have a choice.. either just let them fight it and show you how you should do it.. or do it properly and make it work. Choosing the former route may seem the less egotistical way to go, but is it really helping the person in question? They should be taught proper ukemi and there is a certain way things have to be done in aikido so that everyone can get the benefit of a vigorous workout and worthwhile practice. In this case the 5th kyu shihan is the one inserting his/her ego into the situation.
My instructor always said “practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” This means practicing proper ukemi or nagemi at all times.
Thanks for your post Jerry! I enjoyed it 
Nev writes:
Dec 9th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Ever heard of the saying: “Let sleeping dogs lie.”
Jerry, perhaps the problem resides in you and your overinflated opinion of your skill.
People are mirrors and like beauty, so also FLAWS will be reflected.
Perhaps these junior egos were interrupting your own.
This story brings to mind a memory of a seminar attended by one of our 5th kyu students.
A girl.
Let me qualify this first by saying that in my school the gradings are under promised and under delivered. In other words they are not easy and and easily offered or passed.
The student has to be qualified since we don’t dangle carrots to keep mushrooms and take money.
Personal I don’t give a *** whether people come or go or take offence.
The ones who stay choose to look past the paraphernalia to simply improve.
These are the only ones who remain and they generally don’t know how good they really are since all my students are under graded by comparison other schools.
That’s why some permanently leave for easier pickings and ego balm, head massage and lots of fertiliser.
Anyhow, Jenny, a very respectful 19 year old at the time was attending a seminar of one of the foremost Sensei’s.
There she was training and I observing her and other students on the mat enjoying themselves, when I noticed a male person with a hakama single Jenny out to train with.
This guy noticeably had issues.
I refrained from the impulse to intervene.
Predictably, he and his ego gratuitously started up on her EVEN THOUGH HIS SKILL LEVEL WAS FAR BELOW HERS DESPITE THE PRETTY HAKAMA.
“Sloppy, sloppy. Is that the best you can do,” he chided before even looking.
Jenny, being of good attitude quietly responded with a, “Thank you.” In English!
And kept training.
The guy, evidently put out by her good manners, decided to pound her.
I again had to refrain. From the desire to simply step in and break his nose.
But, girl and all, young Jenny is not to be underestimated and I knew this.
I thought: “Let’s see how she handles this idiot.”
At my school we learn from the very beginning to care for beginners and be kind, and also to TRAIN AT THE LEVEL REQUESTED BY THE TRAINING PARTNER. Hard or soft is all good, provided you can take it as well as you can dish it out.
Young Jenny being a respectful young lady, but very competent at her Aikido skills, decided to not foment aggression, and taking pity upon this “deceased mediocrity,” tried to bow to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he raised his voice at her. Before she could answer he completed, “I’ve not finished with you yet!.”
Jenny smile quietly A good sign.
He redoubled his pounding of her.
She, as taught, simply kept up the pace and reciprocating the pounding plus a few little things the “deceased mediocrity” would never know.
So he increased the pace and the pounding even more.
Something in my gut told me Jenny would be OK.
Now I just wanted to go in a break the “deceased mediocrity’s ” nose just for the pleasure of it. But out of respect for the situation and the presiding real sensei, I refrained. And because I could see that Jenny was going to handle this better than OK.
He really began pounding on Jenny, and finally, to prevent injuring the poor fellow, she decided to teach this “deceased mediocrity” a lesson and dropped him so hard it took the wind out of his lungs.
When he recovered he still could not restrain his stupid mouth and bleated, ” What do you think you’re doing pounding me like that. I’m a shihan and you’re just a girl?”
Jenny responded, “Thank you for training with me. I understood the level you wanted to train at.” Bowed and left him there.
Nice word “shihan.” I looked up the Japanese dictionary and found it apropos that shi means =dead and han means =mediocre. How wrong of me to to ever imagine that it was a politically motivated and gratuitous term. It turns out that its is a very correct term.
You either can teach or you cannot. the best teachers don’t do so by way of mouth, but by EXAMPLE.
If you can teach, “Sensei” is the word that defines teacher. Seniority in play budo is a non-sequitur without meaning or purpose. Other than looking out for students safety, believed to be seniors have no real purpose. The mat should be an equaliser, not a place to chest beat like an ape. Shihan is a title as as gratuitous and irrelevant as middle management.
And if the incompetent defined in this story is reading it and recognises himself, know this: I hope you have subsequently grown up since the 90s. Otherwise I’ll be happy to break your nose anytime.
TRAINING TIME IS NOT FOR TALK BUT FOR PRACTICE AND TO SHOW RESPECT.
If even firmly when it may be due.
Having said all this, I recognise all these symptoms you refer to. They mainly arise because students, like children, follow the bad examples of their seniors. Before the kettle calls the pot black, perhaps there is a little scrubbing may be in order. All those symptoms are simply bad manners, ignorance and an excess of (usually effected but not useful) cerebrally.
If you are TRAINING and not standing around talking, striving to impress with the crap you’ve read online and avoiding work, the symptoms will not arise.
Senor or junior, you know what the answer is.
You learn by DOING and this with MUTUAL respect, not talk, so zip up the hole in the head when on the mat and save it for breathing.