5 Myths About the Gasshuku
1. I am going to get promoted just for showing up. This is the biggest myth of the Karate Gasshuku. Some people think that just because you come to the gasshuku you will get promoted. This is not the case. Although some people have been promoted at the gasshuku, this is not a guarantee. If you come to the gasshuku and work hard, there may be an opportunity for you to earn stripes and/or possibly get promoted…but you have to EARN IT! If you want to get promoted….earn it.
2. I am not going to learn anything new. Only if you choose not to. If you have an open mind you will always learn something new. I guarantee that I can show you the same thing ten times and you can learn ten different things…but will you? We have a saying, “Open Mind, Joyful Training”. Look for new…it will appear.
3. I am too young for the gasshuku. That depends! If you are in one of the regular karate classes then you are not too young. I think the youngest participant we’ve ever had was 6 years old, but they were in our regular karate program. If you are a Knee-High Samurai, then yes, perhaps you need to wait till next year.
4. I am too old for the gasshuku. You may be. Our oldest participant was Mr. Arturo Domingo (may he rest in peace). He was in his seventies as was Mrs. Domingo who came year after year. So, you are only as old as you feel. So let me ask you…are you too old?
5. I’ll never get to practice what I learned at the gasshuku. That’s up to you. Once you learn something, you can practice it as much as you want. You can go back to your dojo and practice with all the people that attended the gasshuku. This will keep your skills sharp and keep your skills at their highest level.
