SEAGULLS AND KARATE MASTERS

Some time ago I read a book about a Seagull. In fact, a Seagull by the name of Johnathan Livingstone Seagull. Now, this book is only a small book of ninety odd pages (and half of these are taken up with pictures of Johnathan himself) and yet, nonetheless, it is a very profound and informative little book. I can tell you are puzzled. "What? "I hear you ask yourself," has a Seagull got to do with karate-do?" Well, I'll tell you - quite a lot actually. It is because Johnathan Livingstone Seagull is a discontented Seagull and discontented Seagulls can tell us a great deal about why we practice something as difficult as karate-do.

First of all let me tell you a little about Seagulls, particularly Johnathan Livingstone Seagull. Richard Bach (the author of the book) points out that "most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight - how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls it is not flying that matters, but eating". However, for Johnathan "it was not eating that mattered but flight". In fact Johnathan Livingstone Seagull wanted to learn how to fly better than any other Seagull in the entire history of Seagulls. Consequently, he set about practising the art of flying.

Many of the other gulls, including his parents, severely criticised him for this to the extent that Johnathan, on occasion, stopped practising. He tried to behave like other Seagulls. He could be seen "…screeching and fighting with the flock around the piers and fishing boats, diving on scraps of fish and bread". (The human equivalent, of course, would be the January sales). Indeed, on one particular occasion Johnathan becomes so disillusioned that in a fit of despair he gives up practising how to fly altogether. "I am a Seagull", he says, "I am limited by my nature", he says, "I am a Seagull like every other Seagull and I will fly like one".

However, his passion for flying will not die and soon he begins his training again. Then, one day, he makes an incredible breakthrough. He learns how to fly at 214 mph which is regarded as "terminal velocity" for a Seagull. In fact it is faster than any other Seagull has ever flown before. He is ecstatic! He sees life in a totally different light, he sees how much more there is to life. He says "instead of our drab slogging back and forth to the fishing boats, there's a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!"

I should point out at this stage that Johnathan receives no certificate, is awarded no rank and certainly is not given any badge of honour. In fact, Johnathan Livingstone Seagull is called to the "Council Gathering" of Seagulls and is declared an "outcast" because of his "reckless irresponsibility", that is because he behaves differently to other seagulls, because he has a passion, because he wants to learn how to fly.

Of course Johnathan protests - well who wouldn't? This is what he says: "who is more responsible than a gull that finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now we have a reason to live - to learn, to discover, to be free". But, as you might have guessed, the "squares" in the "establishment" just can't get their heads round it and he is expelled from the flock.

The parallel then, between Johnathan Livingstone Seagull's attempts to learn how to fly and our own attempts to learn karate is quite clear. When seen in this way it becomes obvious that rather than training to pass our next grading we should in fact be seeking to improve ourselves through training. Training in karate is a way of developing our minds, improving our bodies and becoming more spiritually aware. It is not simply a way of gaining popular acclaim by amassing a huge number of Dan grades. The rank we hold in karate should be an indicator of how we are progressing as individuals, it should not be an end in itself.

This disregard of the grading system may seem to be based on a lot of lofty ideals but, as we all know, things are not always what they seem. Let's leave Johnathan Seagull for a moment and consider what modern, up to the minute, western psychologists have to say about motivation and exercise adherence. More importantly, let's see if we can link what they have to say to our karate training.

Research by social psychologists has shown that we can categorise motivation behaviour in three distinct ways. Firstly, psychologists have identified the type of individual who is "competition orientated". This type of person compares him/herself to members of their peer group and competes with them. The goal or objective of this type of competition orientated individual is to become "better" than other group members at performing the groups tasks or duties. With regard to karate, clearly this type of individual would attempt to become faster, stronger, and more technically proficient than other members of the club. This type of approach t training is solo orientated and in fact individuals who adopt this approach have least adherence to training. When competing with others the competitive individual may soon find that he/she has improved his/her performance to such an extent that other group members no longer provide a challenge and as a consequence this individual may stop training or train elsewhere! Indeed this would also be the case if this type of individual found that they were unable to improve their performance to the extent that they could beat everyone.
The second category relates to those individuals who are socially orientated and work well within a group. They strive to co-operate with, and be accepted by, their peer group. At first glance it would appear that this group member would have the highest adherence to training since they are provided with the support and feedback which is typical of group membership. However, adherence to training only lasts as long as the group stays together. Thus, for example, if two or three of the group start missing training it may lead to other members leaving the club. Consequently, it may be stated that although exercise adherence lasts longer than with the competitive individual it is not as long as the adherence of those individuals who are concerned with task mastery - the third category of motivation behaviour.

The type of individual who is concerned with task mastery is independent of their peers and is solo orientated. These individuals are concerned primarily with "mastering" an activity and are thus self-supporting. They do not require group acceptance, for example, to be well liked by other members of the club nor are they influenced by external rewards or punishment, such as passing or failing gradings. In fact, the actions, attitudes and behaviour patterns of other club members is subordinated to the goal of task mastery (in our case of mastering karate itself). An individual who is primarily concerned with being accepted by their peers may leave the club if they felt they were not receiving the 'acceptance' or 'recognition' they require. This is not the case, however, with people who are concerned with task mastery and consequently it is this type of individual who has the highest adherence to training.

However, this is not the whole story. A key element in the interpretation of motivation and training adherence is the 'origin' of motivation. Motivation can be internal ('intrinsic') or external ('extrinsic'). Internal motivation comes from within individuals themselves, whereas external motivation is that which comes from an independent source such as an instructor or teacher. Individuals who are socially orientated derive external motivation whereas individuals who are concerned with task mastery are motivated from within.

Beyond doubt motivation which comes from within ourselves is to be preferred over external motivation since each individual is in control of their own feelings and behaviour. The internally motivated individual is not subject to the preferences, attitudes and indeed the capriciousness of others. In our karate training then, our goals and objectives should be based upon our desire to improve ourselves by mastering karate techniques and kata, etc., in preference to simply passing our gradings.

In April 1998 a presentation was given at Loughborough University by D Harris entitled "The Motivation to Change". In his presentation Harris outlined the 'steps to intrinsic motivation'. Here is an adapted version of these steps:

STEP 7 Intrinsic Motivation
"I do it because I want to!"


______________Threshold of Intrinsic Motivation ____________________


STEP 6 Integrated Regulation
"because it symbolises who and what I am"


STEP 5 Identified Regulation
"because it is a means to an end I value"

______________ Threshold of Autonomy ___________________________


STEP 4 Interjected Regulation
"because I feel guilty if I do not do it"


STEP 3 External Regulation
"because I am rewarded"


STEP 2 External Regulation
"because I am forced"

_____________ Threshold of Motivation ____________________________

STEP 1 Amotivation
"I do not believe it is worth it"