The first S3 seminar is in the books and a great time was had by all. Nathan Mahler, Sean Oman and Rob Gallimore attended and Laura Hall will be making time up with me as she was unable to attend. The theme of the seminar was "Back to Basics" and I tried to focus on building a good foundation on which they can build. One thing that really helped was the Catalyst bullwhip by Steve Huntress of Northeast Whips. It was refreshing knowing those attending had a good tool with which to lean the skill set and I can't speak highly enough of the capability and craftsmanship in this whip. It is, in my opinion, the best whip for the money, period.
As I neared the seminar I've been trying to do a bit more codifying of what, why, and how I approach teaching the whip. Part of that has been reworking the levels of those I'm educating. I do this for no other reason then to add structure in trying to impart my own knowledge. So here they are
Student
 At this level you are learning. This is the most technical of the steps. Footwork, body movement, and the constant repetition to achieve consistency.   This is the most important level.
Apprentice
 This is also a learning level. The primary difference is the level of interaction with an instructor. This one-on-one time allows for a deeper understanding of how the whip and how it relates to other Martial and practical applications. Once competence is achieved partner work can begin in this stage as well.
Teacher
 The basics are now second nature and instinctual. The expansion of knowledge not only includes the technical side of the whip but also history, construction, and methodologies of use. Most importantly the teacher has the ability to pass the basics to students.
Instructor
 Teacher of teachers. This is the final level and the least important thing is the title.
As an instructor, I'm self appointed. In reality I view myself as still very much a student with much, much more to learn. But I'm blessed to have wonderful people who share their knowledge and people who allow me to share my knowledge. So with that out of the way I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my apprentice, Nathan Mahler. During the seminar I was privileged to help him take his whip set to a new level. It's a testament to his skill, dedication and hard work that his position as such comes with no caveats or hesitation on my part. It's been a joy and pleasure to watch his skill with whip improve and I look forward to his continued education.
The whip is about refinement. If there is one thing I took away from this seminar as a student it's that the only constant is constant refinement. The first part is to get the best tool you can. In that tool you're receiving the finest work of a skilled artisan. To get the most out of it depends on you, the user. And that is a never ending process. From the ground up everything can be honed to an even finer point. Stat at the base with your feet. Then the hips, shoulders, grip, movement, weight shift, footwork, arm extension, head position the list goes on and on. When you think you've got it, start over. That's when you know your getting somewhere. Every time I look at a new video or talk to someone or go outside and crack I find something new to work on. It's tedious, humbling and very annoying. But that is the mark of a good teacher and a great student. And it's that duality that drives the learning process. And that's what it's all about, learning.