| In 1979, Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, grandmaster of | | | | lasted several months or even years. The new |
| the nine martial traditions that make up the | | | | person was made to clean the dojo, wash his |
| core training of the Warrior Concepts Mastery | | | | senior's training clothes, work on the meals |
| Programs, wrote a book entitled | | | | and cooking, and run errands. It was only |
| Mono-no-Mikata, Kangae-Kata ["Ways of Seeing, | | | | once the teacher recognized that this |
| Ways of Thinking."] In it, he wrote a | | | | person's personality could put up with these |
| section called Deshi-iri which, translated | | | | mundane inconveniences, that he was taught |
| from Japanese, means "Becoming a Student" or, | | | | the martial arts and put through the often |
| more literally, "Entering an | | | | remorseless training on a regular basis.When |
| Apprenticeship."I'm sure that many of you | | | | I say that this training is not for everyone, |
| have noticed that, in my articles, I write | | | | I'm not just talking about it in a sport or |
| more about mental aspects than anything else. | | | | preferential way......like basket-weaving is |
| The purpose for this is that you should | | | | for some and ice hockey for others.Especially |
| realize the importance of your attitude | | | | here in the West where we have been taught |
| before you enter martial arts training, | | | | that, if we are a paying consumer, we can get |
| especially the kind of authentic warriorship | | | | whatever we want......the business has to |
| training that I focus on in my programs, as | | | | prove itself.No, what I'm talking about is |
| opposed to the general or conventional | | | | the difference between someone who wants to |
| kicking/punching sport-activity that so many | | | | do something because it "looks neat" and |
| get involved with these days.Unlike today, | | | | someone who feels so compelled to do |
| the traditional means for a person to be | | | | something that they will endure whatever they |
| accepted as a student of a warrior master | | | | have to along the way to fulfilling that |
| were quite different. Today, a person | | | | desire.Training in Budo ("martial ways") is |
| enrolls in the training and, from day-one, | | | | tough.Those who lack a martial artist's |
| the teacher says, "Fine, step this way" or | | | | insight are either dismissed or eventually |
| "do this technique like this." But, | | | | fade away. This is not meant to be cold or |
| according to Hatsumi-sensei, imagine that an | | | | uncaring, it's just the way it happens. |
| aspiring student, someone hoping to learn the | | | | Teachers can see who has the potential within |
| martial arts, comes to the dojo hoping to | | | | them and who does not......regardless of what |
| train. The teacher of the dojo did not | | | | any one particular person says or does to try |
| accept that student immediately. He decides | | | | to prove otherwise.Jeffrey M. Miller is the |
| whether to admit him or her after watching | | | | founder and master instructor of Warrior |
| them on repeated visits, burning with the | | | | Concepts International. A senior teacher in |
| desire to become a student, and observing | | | | the Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he |
| their attitude. So, that type of person | | | | specializes in teaching the ancient ways of |
| would be accepted.Students in the mastery | | | | self-protection and personal development |
| leadership and SWAT instructor training | | | | lessons in a way that is easily understood |
| programs at Warrior Concepts should remember | | | | and put to use by modern Western students and |
| that a recommendation was necessary and | | | | corporate clients. Through their martial arts |
| certain criteria had to be fulfilled before | | | | training, his students and clients learn |
| we even sat down to discuss your becoming a | | | | proven, time-tested lessons designed to help |
| full student under me. Still, this is | | | | them create the life they've always dreamed |
| different from the traditional training in | | | | of living, and the skills necessary for |
| that a teacher usually did not teach Budo | | | | protecting that life from anything that might |
| right away.This "trial" period may have | | | | threaten it. |