Leaving behind our preconceptions is one of the hardest things to do when we begin training, but it's also one of the most essential.
It often seems that the tighter we cling to how things are "supposed" to go in the dojo, the more frustrated we feel.
A starting point for the new student is to trust the classroom - and in order for that to happen, the instructor must create a trustworthy environment and culture.
But it's not always as easy as it seems...
We talk about this and more with Kyoshi Matthew Fremon - a 5th-degree black belt instructor and 25-year student of Ken Shi Kai (a branch of Kyokoshin karate), and a brown belt pursuing his black belt at Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
