A Warrior's Thougts on the Martial Arts

After having [established the need for proper class preparation] and giving an [example of real-life planning] , I'll continue this series by giving some additional hints for successful class planning. Also, I'll point out some pitfalls and hopefully offer ways to avoid them. I believe that any plan can be judged by at least three critical criteria: Efficiency Adaptability / Flexibility Sensibility In the following paragraphs, I'll briefly cover each of them in the context of planning a martial arts class. Efficiency, aka 'Your day only has so many hours' As a trainer, it's easy to adopt a lifestyle where pretty much everything revolves around your field of expertise - whether that be martial arts, football or whatever else. Before you know it, you're spending every waking moment planning future classes or reflecting on the drills you've employed recently, making them more time efficient and user-friendly. You're analyzing fights so you ...

After [establishing the need for proper class preparation] from both the [instructor's] and [student's] point of view, today I'll give you an overview over how I actually plan a class. This time, I won't dive too deep into theoretical considerations, though, but rather give an actual example - namely, tonight's class. If you happen to attend, you'll already know what's coming... The first step in any planning is - of course - to set a goal. To keep things stringent, this goal should be related to  what has been done lately. Everything should work towards that goal and blend nicely into a clear concept. Now in my case, I'm currently working on improving my student's defensive skills. The last couple of classes dealt with the following topics (to name but a few): 2013-11-11: Understanding the Shinergy defense concept (i.e., blocks and evasions) 2013-11-18: Ways to counter a roundhouse kick by means of kicks 2013-11-25: I was in Linz and didn...

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...