Why Students Should Resist Blindly Copying Their Instructorsâ MovementsâŠ
aka you inherit your instructors disease.
âMonkey see, monkey doâ is a familiar proverb that captures humanityâs instinct to imitate. In many disciplines, dance, music, theatre, and especially martial arts, students are taught to mirror their teachersâ gestures, stances, and timing. At first glance, this seems logical: the instructor embodies the technique, and replication appears to be the fastest route to mastery. Yet, when imitation becomes unthinking mimicry, it can sow hidden problems that affect a practitionerâs health, longevity, and personal development. This article explores why students should resist blindly copying their instructorsâ movements, how such imitation can transmit physical ailments and outdated habits, and what a healthier, more mindful learning approach looks like.
1. The Body Is Not a Blank Slate
Every human body carries its own biomechanics, flexibility limits, injury history, and age related changes. An instructor who has spent decades refining a style inevitably adapts movements to accommodate his or her own anatomy. A slight knee degeneration, a chronically sore shoulder, or a reduced range of motion in the hips may lead the teacher to modify a technique; perhaps by shortening a kick, adding a compensatory hip rotation, or relying more heavily on a cane for balance.
When a young, supple student copies those altered motions without questioning the underlying reason, the body is forced to adopt patterns that do not align with its natural structure. Over time, this misalignment can create:
Joint stress: Repeating a shortened stance places extra torque on the knees and ankles.
Muscle imbalance: Over reliance one side of the body can weaken the opposite side, leading to asymmetry.
Chronic pain: Compensatory movements may aggravate latent issues, turning a minor ache into a persistent problem.
In short, the studentâs âblank slateâ is overwritten with the instructorâs accumulated wear and tear. The phrase âyou inherit your teacherâs diseaseâ is metaphorical, yet it reflects a real physiological transfer of maladaptive patterns.
2. Age Related Habits Become Embedded Early
Martial arts, like many movement arts, prize efficiency and economy of motion. An elderly master who has learned to conserve energy may move slower, keep a lower center of gravity, or favor a particular foot placement that feels safe for his aging joints. While these adaptations are sensible for the teacher, they are not optimal for a teenager whose muscles and connective tissues are still developing.
When younger students emulate these aged habits, they risk âprogrammingâ their bodies with premature signs of senescence:
Reduced explosiveness: A slower, more grounded stance limits the ability to generate rapid power, which is crucial for competition and self defence.
Stiffness propagation: Repeatedly holding a compressed posture encourages chronic stiffness, making future flexibility training more arduous.
Psychological imprint: Observing an older instructor as the model of âhow a martial artist should lookâ can shape a studentâs self-image, fostering acceptance of limited mobility rather than striving for continual growth.
Thus, imitation can unintentionally accelerate the aging curve for a student who otherwise would enjoy a longer, more dynamic athletic lifespan.
3. The Hidden Cost of Injury Replication
Injuries are inevitable in any physically demanding practice. An instructor who sustains a sprained ankle, a torn rotator cuff, or chronic lowerâback pain may continue teaching while subtly altering technique to protect the affected area. Students, especially those eager to please, often overlook these cues and replicate the compromised form.
1. Direct injury transmission: By performing a movement that places stress on a vulnerable joint, the student may experience the same injury, sometimes even more severely because their body lacks the protective adaptations the instructor has built over years of conditioning.
2. Secondary chain reactions: A flawed movement can cascade through a sequence, causing compensations elsewhere (e.g., an altered front kick leading to hip rotation that strains the lumbar spine).
When a class collectively mirrors an injured instructor, the dojo can become a breeding ground for repeated injuries, undermining the very purpose of training; health, confidence, and selfâimprovement.
4. The Intellectual Pitfall: Mistaking Form for Understanding
Martial arts are as much about strategy, timing, and intention as they are about physical execution. When students focus solely on outward mimicry, they neglect the *why* behind each motion. This creates a superficial skill set that crumbles under pressure.
Student A: watches the instructorâs punch, copies the arm angle, and repeats it until it feels automatic.
Student B: asks why the angle is chosen, perhaps to exploit an opponentâs guard or to protect the wrist, and practices the same motion while visualising that purpose.
When confronted with a novel opponent or an unexpected attack, Student A may freeze because the movement is tied to a specific visual cue. Student B, having internalized the principle, can adapt the technique on the fly.
Therefore, blind imitation hampers critical thinking, reduces adaptability, and ultimately limits a practitionerâs effectiveness.
5. The Role of a Wise Instructor
A truly enlightened teacher recognizes the danger of unchecked mimicry and actively works against it. Such an instructor:
Encourages verbal articulation:
Explaining the biomechanical rationale behind each adjustment helps students internalise concepts rather than merely copying shapes.
Provides individualized modifications:
Recognising each studentâs unique body type, flexibility, and injury history, the teacher offers alternative pathways to achieve the same outcome.
By openly discussing personal limitations (âMy left knee hurts, so Iâll shorten this stepâ), the instructor demonstrates that adaptation is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.
Fosters a culture of inquiry:
Students feel comfortable asking, âWhy do we do it this way?â and exploring variations, which cultivates a deeper, more resilient skill set.
When an instructor fails to address these aspects, the class devolves into a synchronized robot troupe, each member echoing the same flaws.
6. Practical Strategies for Students
If you find yourself in a class where imitation feels compulsory, try these steps to protect your body and enhance learning:
1. Observe, then question:
Notice any irregularities in the instructorâs movement (limping, favouring a side, reduced range). Politely ask for clarification: âI saw you adjust the kick slightly; could you explain why?â
Before reproducing a motion, experiment with a lighter version that respects your own joint limits. Feel where tension builds and adjust accordingly.
Mirrors can help you compare your form to the instructorâs, but also allow you to spot deviations that may stem from the teacherâs injury.
Video yourself performing the technique and compare it to the instructorâs demonstration. Look for differences that arenât due to personal anatomy.
By integrating curiosity with physical awareness, you transform imitation into informed adaptation.
7. A Balanced Philosophy: Imitation + Innovation
Imitation is not inherently harmful; it is a foundational stage of skill acquisition. The key lies in **when** and **how** it is employed. A healthy learning trajectory might look like this:
1. Initial Mimicry: During the first exposure, copy the instructorâs gross movements to build a mental map.
2. Analytical Layer: Ask âwhy?â and explore the underlying principles; balance, leverage, timing.
3. Personalisation: Adjust the technique to fit your own anatomy, strength, and goals while preserving the core intent.
4. Creative Application: Combine the refined technique with other skills, creating new expressions that remain true to the artâs spirit.
When students progress through these phases, they honor the lineage of the discipline while preventing the transmission of outdated or harmful habits.
âMonkey see, monkey doâ captures a powerful human instinct, but in the realm of movement arts, blind adherence to that instinct can be detrimental. By copying an instructorâs movements without understanding the reasons behind them or without accounting for the teacherâs age, injuries, and personal adaptations, students risk inheriting physical ailments, accelerating premature aging, and stunting their own strategic growth.
A wise instructor will explicitly teach the why of each motion, encourage individualized adjustments, and model selfâawareness. Likewise, conscientious students should observe, question, and personalize what they learn. Through this balanced approach, the tradition of martial arts remains vibrant, the body stays healthy, and the next generation can evolve the art beyond the limitations of any single individual.
In short, imitate to learn, but innovate to thrive.
Non-classical Kung fu: we fit the system to the person, not the person to the system.
(NCKF) NON-CLASSICAL KUNG FU
