Shibata: refine what you have learned

A concrete coaching example

In remarks reported from NJPW’s September 2020 interview, Shibata praises his LA Dojo students’ focus and refinement of earlier lessons. He describes work with Clark Connors on rope paths and thinking about the ring diagonally, then seeing that idea incorporated into Connors’ offense.

Source limits

The remarks were consulted in Robert DeFelice’s attributed WrestleZone report, which links the original NJPW interview. This is an example of Shibata’s thinking at that time, not a complete statement of his training system.

Make feedback visible

Editorial task: choose one correction from your own coach. Write what it changes in the exchange, then look for evidence of that change in your next supervised session. Ask the coach whether your interpretation is right before adding anything to it.

Pitfall

“Make it your own” should not become permission to change an agreed partner sequence without discussion. First understand the purpose of the correction; then develop it with the people involved.