White Belt Problems – Asking Too Many Questions…

Are you that white belt who asks too many questions? Because you’ll be glad to find that there is no such thing! Questioning the class material is a sign of interest, curiosity and that the student is really trying to understand the information. Though not always the case, many people, especially beginner students (the new white belt) avoid asking questions out of self-consciousness or pride. As a brand new student who is not yet comfortable in his/her environment it’s quite natural to avoid the embarrassment that might accompany a “silly question”. Close to a decade ago, a coach by the name of mike boyle who runs MBSC (Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning) an East Coast facility was speaking at an event I attended and he said something I will never forget which left a huge impression on me. It was “There is no such thing as a stupid question, there are simply stupid people, so you can ask a stupid question or stay stupid”. To that note, I applaud the new white belt who is eager to question everything they are taught. This allows the instructor to make sense of the material they are teaching in great detail. After all, experts simplify, beginners complicate. Any opportunity to make a concept or understanding of a technique more simple for the beginner should be embraced. This not only contributes to the evolution of both the student and the teacher but presents many more opportunities for growth. Something I like to tell all my students is that “teaching is a two way street, as much as they learn from me, I learn from them” – in the same way without a partner, regardless of their rank, it is impossible to improve your Jiu Jitsu timing so the gratitude must be reciprocated. Hence the importance of showing respect for your partner before and after each training session. Back to the original topic of asking too many questions, if you struggle with asking questions openly – check out this article on overcoming your fear of asking questions in a large group!