Fat Guy in a Little Gi: Entry 2- Of Mentors and Teachers Part 2 and 3 "Investment and Knowledge"

Read Part 1: Here

Fat Guy in a Little Gi

One big man’s journey of self-discovery through combat sports

 Entry 2- Of Mentors and Teachers

Part 2 and 3 "Investment and Knowledge"

Personal Investment

Personal investment is the defining point between your every day instructor, and a true coach and mentor. The willingness to sacrifice ones time and energy to help someone else reach their goals is paramount.  Unlike the other traits, this one is easier to explain by using examples. Kano Melvin, my grappling/BJJ instructor, truly is selfless with the amount of time he dedicates to his students. Every Sunday, we meet up and work for 2-3 hours on whatever we want. After our grappling classes during the week, he stays after to work with any student who wants more time. Throughout the week we talk off the mats about things I can be doing to better my game, or engage in philosophical discussion regarding different grappling ideologies. However, his interest in his students doesn't stop with the game. He is genuinely interested in his students well being. He offers advice and a listening ear to whatever problem that they may have. If it wasn't for Kano, I would never have been able to progress as fast as I have, and if I am honest I probably would be more of a mental case than I am.

True Applicable Knowledge

McDojo’s are a dime a dozen. I have had the unfortunate experience of being a victim of one of these ‘schools.’ I don’t want to drop names (for legal reasons) but the biggest issue I had was the instructors lack of knowledge. It wasn't long before I was contradicting the instructors when it came to technique and competition rules. I left shortly after that. I learned how important it was to make sure those you turn to for guidance actually know what the hell they are talking about. You have to do your research and find their credentials. That’s when I turned to Brian Johnson. Brian has an amazing striking gym and his knowledge is why that gym is widely recognized by so many. He is a businessman, and knows how to turn a profit, but he does so without sacrificing the integrity of his gym. 

Make sure to stay tuned for part 4 "Experience" and my conclusion to FGLG entry #2 on mentors-Ken