Qualities of a 'Good' Student

[ctrlaltdelete]

I was inspired by SpaceTrash's threads and remembered a relevant quote. ..
"it is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows" - Epictetus

What qualities do you feel are important for students?
Anyone have horror stories that they would like to share?
How would you reward a good student, or deal with a bad one?

Any quotes from known coaches on the subject are welcome as well!

 

[eternaldarkness]

i have always found the worst offenders to be muscle heads that have won a few street fights. they always think they can easily beat anybody less muscular or smaller. these are the idiots that bought into the lie about conor having a chance against floyd. the second worst offenders are people that have done a traditional martial art that denigrates others styles. i did tae kwon do as a kid and they used to tell us a lot of bullshit about the ineffectiveness of all other styles. i got into boxing when i was fifteen and soon found the error of this kind of thinking. (i mistakingly though that i would automatically be awesome because of the prior tkd experience)

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

If you attach your ego to your skill/performance then you are stuck there. That's what happens to lots of people who can't improve and that's why. CM Punk is one of the most extreme examples. 4 years and nothing to show for it.

 

[spacetime]

"Take what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own."

 

[ctrlaltdelete]

i have always found the worst offenders to be muscle heads that have won a few street fights. they always think they can easily beat anybody less muscular or smaller. these are the idiots that bought into the lie about conor having a chance against floyd. the second worst offenders are people that have done a traditional martial art that denigrates others styles. i did tae kwon do as a kid and they used to tell us a lot of bullshit about the ineffectiveness of all other styles. i got into boxing when i was fifteen and soon found the error of this kind of thinking. (i mistakingly though that i would automatically be awesome because of the prior tkd experience)

I had a similar experience with kempo!! We did some point sparring and it made me think that my kicks would stop a real opponent - when the time came to try it years later - people walked through my roundhouse kicks and punches because I wasn't trying to inflict damage - was trying to "score. "

If you attach your ego to your skill/performance then you are stuck there. That's what happens to lots of people who can't improve and that's why. CM Punk is one of the most extreme examples. 4 years and nothing to show for it.

4 years isn't a lifetime but its enough that he should have looked better. Especially at such a good gym. A lot of us fans expected more.

 

[j123]

Just bang

Spoiler

Best trait imo is those that are open to anything and don't take everything too egotistical.

Adaptability is how you survive and make it in the world, combat sports are no different

A teammate of mine is like that, even if he gets tapped numerous times, he's always positive and going over with you about it. No "fuck you" and try to crank a heelhook to get back for "ruining his game". I feel he's gonna be a good fighter with the rate of improvement. Had he'd been a stuck up gym hero, his progress would've been capped like timespace

One of the worst are the guys who bring their girl to watch. Even if they're "nice guys", its going to be a championship boutique then

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

One that always stuck with me was "Its not that people dont do the right thing its that they dont do the right thing for long enough."

As well as a lot have said having an open mind to new things and not having an ego. As my coach said last time we sparred "there are levels to this. If you are trying to go against someone on a higher level than you cant look at the big picture or youll be crushed everytime because they're just better. Count the low kicks you land count the number of times you land the cross. Win some battles and learn to win wars."

He's fairly new to the gym (old coach moved to Calgary last min.) But i really like his outlook on coaching

 

[Hatake88]

I'm just going to go with the most cliche of answers which is "a student that doesn't give up".

Everyone has bad days - but not everyone comes back to class after those bad days.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

4 years isn't a lifetime but its enough that he should have looked better. Especially at such a good gym. A lot of us fans expected more.

4 Years dedicated training is a lot. That's like 8-12 years of training for a fighter/person who still has school and/or a job.

Punk didn't just look bad-- he looked nervously unpracticed. And not just during his fight but during his supposed "training" footage, all his movements were so concious and deliberate-- that's what drilling is for is to remove all that.

Pretty sure he didn't train regularly like he said he did because NO ONE comes out from doing 1000+ reps of drills looking like that. No one even looks like that after two weeks. He just lied and didn't put in the honest work, thought his ego would carry him like it has for all the other things in his life (bluffing can work great in pro wrestling and getting drunk girls in your pants) there's no other way for anyone to look unpracticed without actually being unpracticed.

 

[Noodles03]

One of the worst are the guys who bring their girl to watch

But it's okay to bring my imaginary girlfriend?

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

But it's okay to bring my imaginary girlfriend?

Anime cutouts and pillows are clearly exempt.

Or they should be, at least

 

[TheMachinegun12]

The training of a beginner is the same as the training of a world champion.

 

[Sinister]

1) Shows up.

2) Shuts up.

 

[William Huggins]

1) Shows up.

2) Shuts up.

Keeps showing other students "how to do it"......when no one is watching??

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Works on weaknesses and does the hard things

 

[William Huggins]

Tries to make a fool of the trainer?

 

[Fugitive Pete]

1) Shows up.

2) Shuts up.

This. My coach scolds students who say "Yep, okay.", "Yeah, cool.", etc after receiving instruction then disregards everything he just said when it comes to practice.

 

[DoctorTaco]

Our unofficial motto at the gym is, “just do the damn thing.”

I like a student who shows up 5 days a week and works hard. Asks questions, applys answers. Goes running when and how we say, follows diet as we say, and doesn’t make a big deal out of it. Plenty of legitimate fighters are keyboards warriors too and it’s obnoxious.

If it’s open gym don’t wander around idly doing a little bit of this and that. If I’m watching from across the room (which we usually are) I should be able to tell what you’re working on within 5-10 seconds of watching you.

As you develop, bring along those who are new. Take a second and help them out. Be willing to work with spazzes and soccer moms. Be friendly but focused. A smile and a greeting to other gym members is polite, but I swear to god if I see you lamely shadow boxing or jumping rope half assed while talking about Errol Spence’s hook with your teammates I’m going to lose my mind, or worse I’m not going to single you out for that mitt work you’re always asking about. I’ll grab that awkward new guy sweating buckets and talking to himself about the jab he’s throwing and give him 20 minutes of work instead.

Just do the damn thing and we will love you forever.

 

[DoctorTaco]

1) Shows up.

2) Shuts up.

Miyagi over here said what I tried to say with just 4 words. Well played coach

 

[DoctorTaco]

And another thing- the whole, “first to show up, last to leave” thing? Half true. Be the first to show up and then the first to leave when the session is over. Get dressed, go home. Stop hanging out shirtless checking your weight, talking fights, hitting the bag, etc. I’ve been here for 10 hours already and want to go see my family and get some food.