Talking on the mat

[Keith Mullin]

I was wondering how much talk was tolerated at your respective dojo's. I know that it varies from dojo to dojo, but I wanted to know what is most common. Whether any talking is alowed on the mat at all. Or wheter it is not an issue where you train. Personaly at my dojo, talking is tolerated so long as its not when sensei is in front of class demonstrating. Sometimes I think that it gets in the way of training by cutting down on the time spent actually practicing the technique. Not to say that I think no talking should be allowed, sometimes its necessary to describe to someone else what it is exactly that you are doing, especialy in beginning classes. How much talking should be tolerated on the mat?

Keith

[red_fists]

Deleted due to replied in wrong forum!

[David T Anderson]

Originally posted by Keith Mullin
I was wondering how much talk was tolerated at your respective dojo's. How much talking should be tolerated on the mat?Keith

At my dojo, talking on the mat is certainly permitted [except when Sensei or another instructor is talking or demonstrating, of course...]. The important thing is that we are paying attention to business. If we were chatting about unrelated matters, we'd get a sharp word or two, but not if we were talking about what we were doing. I find it hard to imagine _not_ finding useful things to say during the course of practice...

[Mike Collins]

I actually prefer specifically not talking about the practice (talking never helps me, anyway), and I find that talking about technique turns, invariably into mini-seminars, and I feel that is rude to the person who's teaching the class. 1 teacher at a time.

[hix]

When I trained in the States, there was a strict "no talking" policy. I found it a little strange and kinda cold.
Now I train in Japan. My first day in the dojo, I got up with a partner and he asked me my life story while doing tenkan. I found it distracting.
There is also another student who believes he should teach me and others the proper way to do the technique. My teacher never seems to care.
I think a little talking is fine, but I really dislike being instructed by someone who is not a teacher. Unless I ask.

Of the two extremes, I prefer no talking.

Jonathan Hicks

[rupert]

I hate people who talk on the mat. When it happens it is usually the case where one student is teaching the other, often incorrectly. And even if it were correct, I'd rather figure it out for myself, the Zen way. Shut up and train, that's what I say.

Rupert Atkinson

[MarkF]

I've had fascinating conversations on the mat while doing uchikomi. When one passes one-hundred repetitions, a little chat can be relaxing, which makes it easier to center, and helps one breathe correctly...basically, in and out...in and out. The silence can be deafening.

I did attend one dojo for about a year, in which no one spoke while practicing anything. One had to direct the other to do his turn by using the hands indicating one should move in and do so.

I do agree on the personal instruction, though, except in circumstances where the basics of all technique is questioned. If asked, one should offer what one knows. IF, and only if, one does not know, the teacher or other senior should do the instructing. Far too many think they do when in fact they do not.

Certain stypes of strictness is good, but on the whole the student should be encouraged to learn at his/her own pace. Even a minor improvement should be noted, not discouraged.

Two cents with change -

Mark

[Mike Collins]

In reading my earlier post, it appears that I don't like talking on the mat. That's just not true. I love to talk about kids, other interests, general news and sports, etcetera. I just don't like talking about the practice at hand, cause it puts my mind behind my eyeballs and not in my body where it belongs.