What should I do and am I overreacting and should just move on with my training?
I’ve been training karate for around a decade and from time to time I help my Sensei with coaching. I’d like to start by saying that I’m not claiming to be an expert or that I’m amazing at karate but in fact, I find karate to be an extremely challenging art and sport, and I’m still learning every time I train. Recently, a student who returned after being away from training for a good bit of years has started frequently correcting me whenever we’re training beside each other. He doesn’t do it when I’m helping teach, but whenever we’re doing basics, drills, or other exercises near each other, he almost always has something to say about my technique, even when I’m following the instructions that have just been given. Since he was away, our club also changed associations, so he missed a lot of that transition.
What is making it frustrating is not just the corrections themselves, but the way they are delivered. The comments often come across as smug, patronising, or sarcastic rather than genuinely helpful. For example, he’ll say things like, “Remember the basic fundamentals of karate,” or start saying stuff I already know to make himself seem better or whatever he’s trying to convey in a tone that feels more like he’s talking down to me than trying to help. At first I ignored it because I’m always open to learning and improving, but the comments have become so frequent that they’re starting to distract from my training. I don’t mind constructive feedback when it’s appropriate, but this feels more like unsolicited criticism than genuine guidance (I’d like to note that I am currently a higher grade then him as I caught up and overtook him through the years of training while he was gone which makes it more annoying as I have worked hard and have trained consistently, again I don’t want to come off as if I think I’m better, I believe karate is a really personal journey and everyone has something to add to the art). Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, and what’s the best way to handle it respectfully without creating unnecessary tension in the club?