Episode 532 - Sensei Ron Kluger
Sensei Ron Kluger is a martial arts practitioner and instructor based in Israel. He's the head of Karatedo International.
In my opinion, to be a fine martial artist is one thing and to be a fine teacher you need both. You need to be a fine technician and a fine teacher. You need to Invest in both important factors.
Sensei Ron Kluger - Episode 352
When you talk about Israeli martial artist, you would immediately think about Krav Maga. For some reason, Sensei Ron Kluger is not one of those for a simple reason that when he was starting at 12 years old, Judo was the only one available for him to train on. Sensei Ron Kluger found himself training in a good dojo and trainer that's why he never went back. Presently, he is the Head of Karate Do International and Rector at the International Budo Academy. We had a lot of international martial artists in the show and Sensei Ron Kluger is definitely one of the best. Listen to learn more!
Show Notes
You may find more about Sensei Ron Kluger below:Rony Kluger FacebookKarate Do InternationalInternational Budo AcademyIBSSA Israeli System of Military Self Defense [gallery ids="9503,9505,9506,9507,9508,9509,9510,9511"]
Show Transcript
You can read the transcript below or download it here.
Hey you, yeah you, welcome. You're listening to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio episode 532 with today's guest, Sensei Ron Kluger. Who am I, I'm Jeremy Lesniak, I'm whistlekick founder. I'm a host for the show and I love the traditional martial arts, which is why everything we do at whistlekick is in support of the traditional arts. If you want to see everything that we've got going on, go to whistlekick.com, it's our online home. It's also the easiest way to find our products. And if you use the code PODCAST15 you can save 15% off those products. Our podcast has a website all unto itself, whistlekickmartialartsradio.com. We bring you two new episodes every week and the goal of this show is to connect, educate, and entertain traditional martial artists throughout the world. If you want to support the show, and just the overall work that we're doing here, there are a bunch of ways you can help. You could make a purchase, you could share this or another episode, you could follow us on social media. You could tell a friend about what we're working on, pick up one of our books on Amazon, leave a review, or support our Patreon. Patreon.com/whistlekick. Patreon is a place where we post exclusive content. And if you contribute as little as $2 a month you're going to get access to some of it. The more you're willing to contribute, the more content you're going to get access to. Today's guest comes to us from another country. Well, many of you are listening from other countries and I hope that you can appreciate our efforts to bring on people from different backgrounds, different countries, different obviously martial arts. And we have that for you today. Sensei Kluger comes to us from Israel, he's got a background in Judo and Karate and he was pretty firm and making sure that I didn't greet him as Sensei or or Kan Cho or any of these other titles he deserves. He wanted me to introduce him as Rony so that's what I did. This is a fun episode, very insightful. Lots of wonderful, wonderful commentary on doctors being a martial artist, but teaching martial arts. So I hope you enjoy it. I got a lot from this one, I'm sure you will, too. Check it out. Hey there, Ronnie, thanks for joining me. Thanks for coming on the show.
Ron Kluger:
Love to hear you and love to chat to you.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah, we have been I'm looking forward to this and the listeners are gonna notice that I greeted you very informally because that's what you asked me to do. And I try...
Ron Kluger:
Yeah.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I try to respect what the guests ask for so...
Ron Kluger:
This is the way.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yes, this is this is the way is that a reference to the show, The Mandalorian?
Ron Kluger:
Yeah, yeah, that sounds me.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That is a that's a fun show. In fact, I've I don't know if you're at all a fan of Star Wars of that whole universe. But a friend of mine, Sensei Jared Wilson has a has a podcast of his own. And he did a multi part series, talking about the martial arts of Star Wars, which I thought was really, really fascinating. Now of course, you're here to talk about martial arts, talk about your, your experiences, your stories, where you are where you've been. And I like to rewind the tape. It's maybe it's the kind of a cheap thing for me to do as an interviewer. But but let's do it. Let's rewind to the beginning. When did you start training?
Ron Kluger:
I'm now 68 years old. I started when I was 12, in 64. And the only martial art was available is Judo. And I started Judo in a very nice dojo, very nice Sensei, and I went for it very seriously. I loved every moment and for some reason, and I cannot point out the reason I dreamed about martial arts from very early age when I was being blind to the martial art and I cannot explain it. And the dojo club opened the doors only from age of 12. And I was waiting and counting the days and the hours until I was be able to start. And this was my first step on tatami on the mat.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Wow and what was that first day like, that first day of judo when you've been looking forward to it so much?
Ron Kluger:
It's kind of a dream a very childish dream with the wearing kimono, and the bow, and Japanese terminology and doing the exercises and everything was like Alice in the Wonderland and be so special and so different. And I was excited and waiting for the next class and it still nothing changed.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And that that excitement it just, it stuck with you.
Ron Kluger:
Yeah.
Jeremy Lesniak:
It sounds like it's still there.
Ron Kluger:
It's still there, no question about it. And I went through a lot of tears to step and move and go. I just stood there I'm still excited about martial arts and I moved of course, the with the experience and age from being a sportsman and to become a martial artist from being an athlete to become a Budoka. From being the Budoka to being a teacher, and from being the Sensei in the dojo, teacher in the dojo and for classes or university lecture in the Sport University of Israel and I'm from Israel. And I was lucky enough to start in 1986 the martial art program of our Sport University, the famous Wingate Institute and I established a Martial Art Department for all martial arts instructors, coaches, senior coaches, and masters, coaches courses I wrote all the training program, I run the course, and I see martial art not from one dimension but from scratch. And it's a it's an art and they you know, in my courses, and my training classes, I always ask the beginners. What is the why you call martial art a martial art? What artistic about meeting each other 2, 3, 4 times a week bashing each other and you call yourself an artist? Where's the art? And the question is the weird and very rarely someone is answering. And they answer, you know, the beauty of the kata and the movements have to be accurate, is that it's not enough barrel style. And slowly, slowly, I'm guiding them to, of course, my expression and my way of looking things and not what you're doing with ABC you learned. You'll become a Shakespeare, or you can write a little note to your friend that you went out to have a drink. They're the same ABC. So what we doing with what we learned? This is the, if your own handwriting is your own way of using it. Your own ability and understanding your own disability. But get out the best of what you learned and where you take it and the endless opportunities what to do with martial arts.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Wow. The opportunity to, to design those curriculums to help martial artists grow as coaches, as instructors, as masters, how did that opportunity arise?
Ron Kluger:
It become, one of our crazy government decided that they want to regulate or control who can teach any kind of physical activity and they decide that except to be a regulation, that you have to have a minimal knowledge, a kit of knowledge is too big to allow you to stand in front of students, children, others, and you must have a minimum of knowledge and the government want to control that. Do you have those, this kit of knowledge? And it was of course, I understand of course in in the States, it's against, no almost or not almost. It's against the law that someone is controlling what you can do or what you cannot do. That day it came. It was a lot of antagonism against the law, but it's a law. So in 86, I was quite young. But the Sport University choose me out of many others to lead this department to build up the coaching system, the instructor system, and the system is based on first of all, scientific knowledge, anatomy, physiology, sport psychology, law, martial arts, and we're not teaching in those courses, I'm not dealing to correct your technique upon my view. Your style, your your technique is your technique, if your school or your teacher or whatever you want to put it's not my business. I give you tools how to transfer your knowledge, the best possible way to people.
Jeremy Lesniak:
It's something that I think more instructors would probably benefit from, you know, speaking for here in the United States, we have quite a few, because we don't have these laws that are lacking.
Ron Kluger:
In my opinion, the law is not the main point, the main point that many, many, many instruct the martial artist, Master, Dan, is think of the importance of methodology, way of teaching. How to find the right way to translate knowledge, transfer knowledge. And it's not less important that to understand the technique you're teaching, and what you can do, how to open students' mind, what you can do with the technique. And can the instructor adapt those techniques to the student with teaching the class, a time teaching individuals. And in my opinion, to be a fine martial artist is one thing and to be a fine teacher, you need both you'll need to be a fine technician and the fine teacher. And you need to invest in both sides. Most important factors, know your subject, and to advance your knowledge of course, and to know your abilities to teach and to advance your abilities to teach.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Absolutely. You mentioned that you were fairly young, when you were asked to head this department. Where did you gain the knowledge to put these curriculum together to teach others?
Ron Kluger:
First of all, I was extremely lucky to grow up in the hands of excellent teachers. That be not only would the judoka and later, in 1970, I started karate I lack, not that not that I meant, but it was purely a lack and since I'm doing karate. And those teachers been also excellent technicians and excellent teachers. Beside this I gain General Education, at University normal. And I combined the two and strangely and sadly, not in the martial arts community. Not many professional I'm talking about, not the amateurs but the professional club leaders, dojo leaders, teachers, the professionals are not investing almost at all in advancing their ability to teach. And I'm doing it intensively everywhere in the world, not only in Israel. And it's something even in Japan that is a startup that not many martial artists teaching how to teach. And I think it's critical to to be well established in your dojo, in your club, in your system. And this is the future of martial art.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah, we've talked about this on the show a number of times the idea that martial arts is really the biggest thing in the world where the instructors aren't taught broadly how to teach. That we are taught skills that our advancement is based around our own personal skill or its has rarely anything to do with passing it on. Why do you think that is? How did we get there?
Ron Kluger:
I think, you know, I don't, you have a martial art background?
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yes.
Ron Kluger:
So you understand it. Martial arts word is the, you know, it's everywhere, everything. It starts from a very practical fighting system and non-traditional eclectic systems, local fighting ways, and of course, traditional martial arts. And it's very, very complex to realize that the traditional martial arts doesn't mean simply to copy a picture. My teacher said, do this, I'm doing that. I love the example of ABC because it's simple and very handy to understand. We all can read and write but not everyone become a world famous poetry writer, someone that can use the language in a very, very sophisticated type class. And the martial arts is no different. We all from the very beginner to the very senior masters, we only have two hands, two legs, something between the ears. This is the tools we have, no one has extra tools. What we can add is understanding the knowledge. Depth and wise of the knowledge and how to use it. And how to use this this makes differences between people who are learning in one school or another school. And there's a lot a lot of arguments and sometimes it's ugly and sometimes it's very diplomatic, nice, friendly way. Which style is better? It's crazy. It's every style is great if you found the right teacher for your personality and you love what you do. So people who like practical self defense, a heavy contact, I think [17:16] is not the same person who loves Tai Chi
Jeremy Lesniak:
Right
Ron Kluger:
And the same in karate world and same in any kind of fighting system. And the world of traditional martial arts sometime become but what is traditional? My teacher are three centuries back said, "Do this, I'm doing that". First of all, you don't know what he did. You didn't saw him and it's going through deeper and what you get is what your teacher understand and explain to you and here the point of ability to teach is critical. You know, I'm practicing my a Karate Do style is Okinawa Goju-ryu. And I belong to a very historic dojo in Okinawa, the Sho Honbu Jundokan and a lot of chats going on. And there very little official documentary about how my teachers taught and what these teachers taught and what the teachers taught. So it's a oral tradition. What I understand I can tell you what I don't understand I cannot tell you or teach you. And our human beings and not all the great master in intellectual and high-class teachers. They've been excellent Karate, excellent martial artists, excellent fighters. And I can tell you as the fact that what we do today has nothing to, I'm talking from the traditional side, has very little to do what the exactly my teacher and his teacher and the teacher of the teachers. It's an oral tradition and I was lucky enough to know in my long years of doing what I'm doing, I have a certain sentences sentences that changed my life or my view, and it's always in front of me. And Miyazato Sensei, the famous headmaster of the Sho Honbu Jundokan in Okinawa, he told me in one of the opportunity I've been, I've been alone in the dojo, no one came there and I ask him question [20:02 - 20:07] and checking your basics and by checking that the kata is accurate. If you want to remain idiot complete again and again and again, if you want to go off and try to analyze the mood and try to understand and try to put your own fingerprint on the realization of the technique, and this is this is the biggest motivation I have in my life that I'm writing on my own handwriting and language. And I think this is the greatness of martial arts.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I would agree. Now, of course, here on this show, when we talk about your country, Israel, quite often it's because we're talking about Krav Maga. Does Krav Maga fall under the curriculum that you teach?
Ron Kluger:
It's uh my one of the sidelines that I'm working with, and naturally, I've been in on service, and I was teaching Krav Maga. And in the last, almost 20 years I'm teaching governmental unit instructors, Krav Maga instructors. And Krav Maga become almost a fashion and it's a really great start up for professional. You may know governmental or private security people [21:45 - 21:46]. Very simple, very handy, easy to understand, most natural and simple way to defend and control the attacker. Now If you go on YouTube, and you write Krav Maga, 99% you see people hitting and back. And it's a great physical exercise and typically keeping you in shape. But it's not instead of understanding what's going on by someone who's jumping on you with a knife or without a knife, and Krav Maga is not a martial art. It's a system that teaching and first of all, almost every unit has a different package of knowledge in Krav Maga. It's giving you the right tool to fulfill your duties. And it's different than any of the fighting systems in martial arts because it's known basically standard advanced technique. If you are a policeman that's working in the street in a certain area, analyzing which kind of danger you're facing and giving you tools to solve those problems. If you're a doorman in a club, analyzing what may may happen in that club, giving you the right tool to face and solve the problem. If you're in a special unit, they are analyzing what is your duty and giving you the right tools to solve the problem. And this is great and taking in consideration but the professional security personnel are not professional athletes. [23:41 - 23:42] is not important. The technique is very simple, very handy. Easy to learn for an average person in a limited time because older professionals cannot train lifespan training. And of course, during the course, you learn XYZ plus, self-defense Krav Maga is the only system, military self defense or professional self defense. And you want the tools to solve the problems that in your duty you might face. So it's great and doing the work. And it's popular as what you see in the private clubs, or you see in {24:34 - 24:36]. This is not real stuff. I'm not saying that they're good or bad. I'm not technically criticizing. I'm saying that to understand Krav Maga it's a different way of looking what we need for fulfilling your job you need to use your face, your leg, or a pattern, or knife, or a gas, if we give you those tools, this is Krav Maga. And it's not for studying for 25 years and moving up in the belt system. It's nothing to it's nothing wrong with it. But the original idea, professional.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You mentioned that I'm gonna I'm gonna make a hard turn here. Bring up something that you mentioned earlier, like you said it was 1970 you made the transition from Judo to Karate.
Ron Kluger:
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeremy Lesniak:
What did that happen?
Ron Kluger:
I was practicing in the very high-class famous Judo club and the new immigrant from South Africa arrived in Israel and the my Judo teacher brought him into our class to introduce Karate. And he was a South African guy and you know, he started the new emigrant, you know, we should help him to integrate and to, to settle down and as an assistance I came to his class and it was almost like a recreation from my harsh Judo training. Once a week I do an hour of the different physical exercise and the firemen they love it. This was the beginning. And I went for my military training. And in the unit I was served another karate teacher arrived from France. And he was running once a week karate class in that unit and I went to train but then now South African guy well the was the Gojo-ryu guy in my military and it was the Shotokan guy. So I trained sometime once a week here once a week there, and it's become something that I enjoyed very much. It's the sideline and I had a very bad knee injury from the I've been in judo in the national team, and in a trending guy twisted my knee and this and, you know, the coach said, the best way you can continue you have to re go for recreation and we don't know and I'm not sure I'm but in the team, it's impossible like this. Okay. And the karate teacher said no problem. You know, keep your knee was you can come no problem in karate. So slowly, slowly, step by step, I moved to karate, I trained twice a week now. And I tried to recreate my knee. And the teacher of the South African instructor came from South Africa. This was the first time that I met a Karate teacher that's been in Okinawa in Japan, more experience. And I had a chat with him. And they told me first time in my life deeply about what is martial art. What is Budo? It's not only sport, not only competition, it's a bit deeper than this. And they asked what I think about my future after the military service, and I said, "Oh, you know, I met the [29:01] with who visited Israel. [29:03] was the first non Japanese Judo champion in '63 Olympics in Japan, in Judo. And he visited Israel and they said, "Listen, if you've got enough money, you will come to my club and I make you a judo instructor in one year. You sleep, eat, sleep in my dojo and you go home, the teacher or champion the best you can get." And I told this to the Japanese South African Karate teacher, and they said I think we do need or can do better in a non for this Budo style Karate hole. And if you have enough for flying, I will host you for two years in South Africa as an inside [30:01 - 30:03] students in Japanese sleeping, eating, sleeping in their dojo, full-time karate, you're not doing anything else. You're not going anywhere, you practice and practice and practicing, and you come home to Israel as a qualified dojo head. And I thought about it and I love the chat about martial arts. That something behind competition and after about six months, I went away to South Africa to be a [30:36 - 30:37] dojo-living side that's never been before I'd never thought of it, living, eating, sleeping life in the dojo and I made it. It was very unique experience, bring the teacher down. And I came home and started to teach. And I started also normal education besides the karate, physical education, qualified roster coach feature [31:26 - 31:27] in the universe. And it went bright, and I loved every moment. So, when I came home I still was teaching the Judo classes. I slowly slowly I turned into more and more karate until I opened a full time dojo, which is the very unique until today straight from the 70s until a very, very non-existing thing in Israel, please. Full time karate dojo, seven days a week, every day, four to ten o'clock at four o'clock afternoon, four o'clock pm, ten o'clock pm everyday classes and then it's twelve. And I still enjoy teaching every day. And I'm teaching twice a week instructor courses, academic courses. And I very much advise everyone always, never stop learning. Not only exercising, keeping the physical image is critical and important, very important. But it's much more to advance yourself, understanding what you're doing. To go deeper and deeper and deeper dig into outstanding things that you can do with your art. Understanding better advancing gift, thinking in a way that maybe your teachers didn't taught. And it's not to break the rules because the language of style. If you get it, it's the language, it's strategical and practical philosophy. You know, just for an example, Okinawan Goju-ryu [33:27] Shotokan very brave and to each and every stand what kind of language you know, it's a bit off topic, but its own topic. And people often talking, you know, I'm looking for this style or that style an average person don't have a clue what is the style until you're not studying it basically, researching, experiencing, learning. You don't know what to say the word. Again in the anecdote you know, in my dojo be not doing what's called full-contact. And many people come in and do you do full contact? No. [34:14 - 34:15] You're not touching you only showing a sign and no be touching. That's not full contact. And this [34:23], I don't know. [34:25}. Experience have a look. Before you have to have a look what we're doing. And I asked him what profession was he doing? Yes. And you know you're ready to have a black eye and going tomorrow to work. Says what you mean by this? I get hit looking for for contact. Your partner is also doing full contact. No, no, no, you're not, I thought I'm getting full contact. I never thought of getting hits full-contact. So people don't know what is the style and then the second question you know, full contact. If you do full contact, it's may or you or may in hospital or dead. Now if we doing full contact and nothing happens, what else you can do? So full contact is the word. And even people who were doing full contact is not the ambulance outside the training hall. And every time one of them going to hospital on emptied life. What is full contact or you get a piece out there or not, you're not doing it on purpose because you say, I want to train tomorrow too, so it's a word. And the same with every single style. So, to publish this style is not the point and I think it's very important to realize that the reason somebody is practicing the teacher, if the teacher has material to teach you, you will come back. And if you see a future in your study, and I'm not talking about the side, but not the best, you want to come back because interesting, touching, fulfilling you is giving you something that you feel comfortable with. If you can provide them material, this to me is coming back. And there is another point that connecting the martial arts teaching the abilities. I always said that if someone knocking on my door and asked him if he can join a class, I say he is a potential lifetime client student but to make sure that he will be so I need to give knowledge. Even after four years of training with me, there was a bow this I never heard, wow, this way of exercise will never be, this way of doing things or this doors that you putting on the table. You know, I'm here forty years never missed a class. First time I heard it from you, or you have a different explanation. Or you have a different way of guiding, explaining, teaching, and this is the main in my eyes. And so days we need intake, not only output. Teaching, a teacher must also continue to learn.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Hmm, let's talk about that. Because that's a really important subject and it's one that first off, not every teacher continues to learn.
Ron Kluger:
Yeah.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And those that do often have different views of what that means. We've talked to some guests who say there's always more to discover within your own art. We've talked to guests who have said, it is best for you to train in other arts. I would imagine being that you are a teacher of teachers. This is a subject you discuss with your students at the school. What do you tell them?
Ron Kluger:
Okay, I think each and every style of I think, martial art martial way is the adept and have unbelievable ocean of knowledge. A question how much of this is available for you. From my experience, every style, every style, every system has the groundwork [39:05] as the standing kicking, punching, throwing, blocking, choking, we all have this. A big question, do your guidance, mentors, teachers can provide all this? Or they learned just a part of it. And then they know what they learned. They don't know what they didn't learn. And it's critical that we all our lives, looking for people who have more knowledge and experience than us. Now going to other styles, no problem if you have a mother style, because maybe you can say a few words in 15 languages, but you cannot fix this thing. And the big question is, can we speak at least one one language very high class, very deep, very educated, at least one and then we can speak other languages too. But without having a depth at least in one you picking up little pieces of many things and I'm not criticizing I'm not saying don't they don't know, they know because also a street fighter is a fighter. I'm talking now about knowledge. And the other side of the story of course, is the rank and the diploma and the belt which is important if you can fulfill the diploma, the belt, the rank with the with product. What you can produce, no diploma or belt can give a class, no diploma or belt can have a student for a long. You need a man to be the person, to meet someone that can motivate each guy and measured knowledge available for the students. And it's no again, it's an old system sounds great if your teacher is educated or teachers are having million available directions. If the teacher exposes those direction and this law is limited and then determine to punch well, I need the boxer or groundwork I need someone [41:54] for this I need the Kempo man and for this I need the Karate man. So, first of all, you can be better when you have a well-established, [42:07 - 42:08] experience, others say that the outcome should be, I don't care. And also, I don't know what you can do to me and I will face the obstacle and solve it. Because any other way, you in the box, and I know you, you know me, we learn the same, we act the same way. And we happen in the safe so, and I am aiming and directing. I don't know what you can do, but I will solve this all by myself. And for this unique experience, or this unique feature that can expose you for this, and for this you also need to be exposed to other ways in your own way. It's just you know like life, I always say good dojo is the laboratory for life and your experience on tatami on the mat, you're experiencing life. As a trainer it's difficult for me, it's easy for me. Someone is knocking someone is beating me somebody too much say lies and when you fall down there that learn from it and next time it will be more difficult to take you down and doesn't matter if we're talking about a light [43:44 - 43:47], or be talking about the very rough fight, or we talking about boy to get the job.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah
Ron Kluger:
Know how to answer, how to stall, how to present, how to move the direction when you get what you want. Martial art is about life up and down. Not everything we want we get and get it. On the way work for it. It's great, it's an excellent education.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I agree. We have a lot of martial arts instructors listening.
Ron Kluger:
Oh, really.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Oh yeah. Quite quite a few of our listeners are are instructors, and I suppose I'm guessing that some of them are listening and saying, you know, I would love the opportunity to learn formally how to be a better martial arts teacher, but they're not going to get that opportunity. What might you advise them, what would you tell them? To do what common problems do you see in the students that come in to your program that you are helping them with? That they might consider seeking out some advice for?
Ron Kluger:
Okay, if I may, you know, I understand the limitation. I'm heading what's called the International Budo Academy, which is an International Institute for teaching instructors, teachers, masters of martial arts. And we're running Zoom classes for qualifying instructors worldwide. And I humbly advise to study. It's giving you a lot of thoughts and start teaching your technique. It's not to fix up your pan so you're pro. Teaching how to transfer knowledge and the other side of the same continue to practice with someone that you admire as a well-experienced, knowledgeable teacher. And, you know, I told you in the beginning of time, well-aged, and as the time passing its lesson, it's more and more complicated to find more experienced people and more knowledgeable people. In the beginning, everyone knows more than me. As you get older, more and more complicated, less and less people about and I never stopped training these higher class teachers than myself. And it's an endless process. And sometime in your own place, there's no but go two three times a year for seminar. Keep contact with knowledgeable people that you can ask and so. And please don't gain education from a video clip from book, from a magazine only. It can widen your horizons but this is not a dictation. Try and and you know I always say if you found the right path in the way of the warrior, right style, the right school, the right environment goes deeper and deeper and deeper you've got all the answers. You need a good teacher, you need a good school, you need a good instructors in the backing you. And even if you're very long experienced teacher, there is always new life, and new experiences, and new way of looking thing. It's not changing your pants and changing the way you present it, to changing the way you can teach. It is changing the variations you can do. You know, it's just you know we some years ago, we run a four-day full-time training camp only on [48:30] we never did again an exercise that we did previously. Five hours training per day only unchain and we did every exercise different way. And it works. But from this, we need to understand what we can do with our technique it opens the mind and also see because, of course, it's opened the minds of the students, not only one way of teaching, not only one solution, and never forget that the body is changing, our health is changing. We need to solve the problems and martial arts can give you the answer. And so this is a good place to try. And in my opinion, everyone has a good place to make sure that you keep yourself above, keep your nose above the water line. Very important.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I agree. I want to ask you a question. I don't know that I've ever asked this question, we've had guests on for five years and something tells me to ask you this question. What is the job, the responsibility of a martial arts instructor?
Ron Kluger:
Every instructor taking on himself responsibilities that he ready for, is capable for, and he can take responsibility for. The base of course, you come to practice karate, I'm teaching you karate. You come to practice today so I will teach Jiu Jitsu. If you come for Krav Maga I will teach you Krav Maga. First of all, I need to have knowledge to give a measurable knowledge because you spend time, sweat, and money to be in my class. But if you feel capable and it's in many case that you can educate, you can guide, you can help, you can advise, go for it. It's your choice. You can do it. You cannot do it. I only can talk from my way of looking, doing, experiencing things that with the age. I try to cover more and more the life in the dojo. And if you'd like to chat with me, doors are always open. If you like to share problems, I also always open. You cannot imagine how many people don't have a hearing ears next to them to talk. Answer is not that important, but just the talk. And if you if you have an answer and if you can take responsibility of your answer, it's great. But it's very, very individual. And my advice of course, don't go into any state that you cannot take responsibility of. The grades and responsible answers sorry, I don't know what to say. Sorry, this is not for me. Sorry this is not the place to discuss this type of thing. But if you can help, give your help but upon your, and upon your responsibility what you can take.
Jeremy Lesniak:
If people want to learn more about you, I think you sent in some websites what, where would people go websites, social media, things like that.
Ron Kluger:
I've got couple of a websites karatedoi.com. This is my karate school, International Budo Academy. And of course on Facebook, Karate Do International, International Budo Academy, and Me Rony Kluger. Most welcome contact to check and ask.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah, great and we'll definitely put those links up at the on the on the website page whistlekickmartialartsradio.com.
Ron Kluger:
Thank you.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Of course. And one more thing as as we go. Let's say you were in a long elevator ride, you know let's say a 20th floor. Get a couple minutes with with a martial artist, you're on the elevator alone, they step on the elevator with you and you know that they need some advice. What advice would you give that person, that would inspire them, and motivate them to train and be something that they could think back on later?
Ron Kluger:
Of course, keep on exercising, keep on researching and try to see your technique and your way of fighting that you want to do a bit better. And it's an endless path. Never ever say, "That's it, I've got it. That's it. Now I am happy". It takes time for that moment. But a minute later, I want to do it better. And it's the same of technical things, of course, practicing. I'm checking on, I'm looking on, and I'm trying to do better. And I advise everyone, if I'm coming out of a class, I always say, what was my program, how much of it I achieved and how can do better next class to be very, very sensitive. It's also self-defense thing, sensitivity to sense what's going on around, where it's safe to enter or around, where to talk, where to shut your mouth, sensitivity. Try to feel around and as more you can do it. You say, Sir, and they Sir, of course, in teaching too. Be sensitive to your students, they are not plastic, they're not wood, they are human beings. Try to find the best way to teach, to get them, to make them understanding. It's not a tape recorder. It won't make them better and more we can measure a better man doing a better job. So it's not in my tummy. I feel that you now you better, no. I systematically measurable can show your sincere out in the distance. And never be pragmatic. [56:14 - 56:15].
Jeremy Lesniak:
Like I said, lots of insights in this one. And for those of you out there who are instructors, I hope you'll take this episode to heart maybe even go back and listen to it again. And if you have assistant instructors, this would be a great one for them to check out. Sensei Rony, thanks for coming on the show. Thanks for your time. Really, really appreciate it. I learned a ton. Listeners, go to whistlekickmartialartsradio.com find the show notes. We've got photos and links to stuff we talked about today. Every episode gets its very own page. And if you're down to support the work that we do, you've got some choices. You can use the code podcast15 to save 15% off at whistlekick.com. You can also share an episode, leave a review, tell a friend, or contribute to the Patreon P-A-T-R-E-O-N.com/whistlekick. I hope that if you see somebody wearing something with a whistlekick on it, you'll introduce yourself. And if you have guest suggestions, I want to hear them. Email me Jeremy@whistlekick.com. Until next time, train hard, smile, and have a great day.