A Warrior's Thougts on the Martial Arts

This one's probably going to be a short one (I hope). Also, it highly correlates with [my last post] , so if you're pressed for time, it'll probably suffice to read of of the two. After we've covered the basics on why it is important to properly prepare classes from the [trainer's point of view] , let's look at things from a different direction today. POV: The student Imagine a beginning martial arts student who recently joined a club. What are his/her main motivations? Now of course this depends on the person, but I guess the following list will cover most aspects: Learn to fight (duh) Get/stay in shape Improve live quality by implementing the mental techniques inherent to the martial arts Have fun Note that #1  includes both sports combat and self defense, although it could certainly be viewed as two distinct points as well. Never mind, though, it'll suffice for our considerations. Let's stick with that point - combat -  for a moment now. ...

In the [last article] I've shared some thoughts on proper class preparation. Now that the topic is st up, let's cover the whole thing from the instructor's/trainer's point of view (won't discriminate between the two roles here, although I know I probably should). POV: The instructor What the trainer needs to make sure is that, over the long run, the basics are properly covered. In my example, this means that every student needs to know and understand four basic blocks, 6 basic punches and 3 kicks. Add three fundamental stepping techniques and some head movement and you're done. That's the nuts and bolts of any standup-style, if you ask me. In case you're wondering, my ultra basic technique selection for beginners looks like this: Blocks Inside out Inside in Outside out Outside In Punches Jab Cross Left & right hook Left & right uppercut Kicks Front kick Side kick Roundhouse kick Steps One-step Two-step Shuffle-step ...

I'm a believer in being well--prepared. Basically, this accounts to just about any endeavor. Still, recently I realized (once more) how important it is for a trainer to actively and properly prepare for a class. Preamble Let me start with some introductory words first. Living with a woman that used to work as a PE and math teacher, I know that quite a lot of teachers frown upon the requirement of writing out detailed plans for their classes, seeing it as an nuisance rather than an aid. I strongly believe that this point of view is a direct result of an ongoing unification and formalization process. Don't get me wrong on this one, though. Having an academic background in computer sciences, I fully appreciate the value of standardization and formalization. However, those things should have a benefit, not be a burden. Pre-printed spreadsheets to record topics and methods for upcoming classes are a great things, as they take work away from the teacher. Still, they also lend...

There's a thing with [youtube] . As soon as a trainer / coach has the time to put up multiple videos every day, I can'thelp but wonder how much time he actually spends... well, coaching people. Or training himself. So, I consider most of what you see on youtube crap. However, there's always an expection to the rule. Some stuff you find online is just plain awesome. Well, I guess that on a platform as huge as youtube, it'd be against all rules of probability if there wasn't anything useful, right? Well, anyhow, one of those pleasant surprises turned out to be a canada-based boxing coach called Jason Van Veldhyusen, or simply ["JT Van V"] , as he calls himself on youtube. Jason also hosts a homepage at [http://www.precisionstriking.ca] , where you can order his videos over the webstore. You should definitely check it out, this stuff is great. Amongst my favourite videos is a clip onside stepping and the creation of angles. The idea of shifting your wei...