THE WU DE

THE WU DE'

The martial arts teaches the Wu De (the Warrior Code) a manuscript containing all the morals and ethical values we know of today. Parents took us to these institutions knowing that their child would be taught discipline, honour, respect, humility and righteousness. These days the most un-important part of martial learning these days seems to be the Wu De. The very fact that you do not know what I'm talking about is the exact reason I am correct. Too much these days instructors are settling for making the fast buck without caring anything about what they're supposed to teach.

The young these days have nothing to do and yet love the arts. They see them all the time used in films and on the small screen. They continue to be interested when they walk through the door of your kwoon or dojo. Then after about three or four lessons, they find it boring because they didn't know it would be so difficult and repetitive. So you the instructor, in your peril, decide to teach the most exiting part of your martial art to whomever can pay. You need to pay the rent right? Is this keeping children off the streets so they don't become a burden later on, or is it helping them to become more efficient thugs?

I'd like to think that as a martial arts instructor I have a moral duty to teach the entire system in a constructive and earnest fashion. How cheap will you look if the last person you taught got their Black Belt by taking the fast track and paying up front to get their belt in the post? That school gets no respect from me. What are they learning, pay more and you too can become a master within your lunch break? While learning the martial arts all those buzz words you heard growing up like, Honour, Ethics, Loyalty, Confidence, Ambition, Manners, should be explained and thought about and understood. In the Wu De' all these words and dozens more are explained and if you are a proper martial artist, you would know how to teach this to your students.

We are the last chance. Children and young adults need direction and they need to feel confident to deal with life. You have the power to put things right, With great power comes great responsibility. You can be the motivating factor that changes a young persons mind from doing the wrong thing to doing the right thing. Something the old school instructors were for us.

Sifu Victor S. Evelyn