Thankfully I have been able to keep teaching recently as our restrictions where I am arenāt tight (whether they will stay that way who knows) but for now Iām allowed to continue to hold classes and I have low enough numbers not to be considered a high risk facility (some bigger clubs have had to stay shut)
but anyway what Iāve always tried to do since I started by myself is to try and develop different drills to work on different aspects. My main system is kenpo and base material that is what I stick to but I refuse to have only that I am always trying to make new ideas (not universally new but new for the club)
Iām always trying to find different ways to work on new things whether itās sparring drills application of different techniques in a different format or just a workout.
tonight I worked on something Iāve wanted to do for a while of defending yourself while pressed against a wall. So I got everyone to partner up and gear up (gloves, Groin guard mouth piece and arm guards for those who wanted those)
One had to be against the wall and basically defend themselves (with common sense control) the goal of the attacker was to keep them against the wall and the other persons job was to get off it by any way necessary (within reason)
it worked pretty well some did good some struggled Some managed to keep calm to implement strategies taught for different scenarios but all improved by the last round. Also the attacker got to work a different set of skills of restricting movement and not backing up if someone is trying to push you out the way.
overall I was very happy with it. Now Iām not saying this idea is anything brand new as Iām very sure itās a common thing in some places but I was very proud of how it worked. As I say I like working different ideas. Not all of my ideas work some when I try them in the class they fall flat and donāt work as well as I thought they would. Thatās fine I either just get rid of them or think of ways to adapt them to make it better.
if I eventually do get locked down and have to close up for a while Iām not afraid of it the idea actually excites me because Iāll use that time to focus on myself and working on some of my own short comings And I will work more on developing my class ideas. Iāve seen plenty of martial artists complaining about how lockdown means they canāt train. Sure they canāt spar and hit people but to me thereās still loads of things that can be worked on by yourself. Again itās about adapting sure you may be used to going to class and following an instructors orders and a common thing i here is you donāt push yourself as hard when working by yourself and I agree that does happen. But thatās the challenge to make sure you ARE pushing yourself just as hard as you would with an instructor. When we first got locked down I did struggle to get into a self train routine that gave me the desired work I wanted but now Iāve already got a plan for myself in place for if it happens.
i know this is a lot of rambling but while of course this year has been very horrible and scary itās also been a valuable learning experience to. About first not worrying about things you canāt control (at the beginning I was terrified of the idea Of cases rising and putting us all in lockdown now my attitude is. Weāre not locked down today so letās enjoy today and if we get locked down tomorrow Iāll deal with it tomorrow) also teaching us not to be complacent with what we have and appreciate anything we do have but also realize it may not always be there so you have to think outside the box to make sure your own martial art development continues. Training by yourself is in my opinion more difficult than in a class but thatās another great challenge to be able to push yourself when thereās not someone pushing you. At my home Iāve got plenty of training equipment a bag, numerous weights etc but for a while I struggled with putting together a serious regiment for lockdown but eventually I sat down and thought about what I wanted to work on and how best to do it to achieve my goals and I believe that has not only improved the skills I wanted but helped me as a teacher.
Man this thread went longer than I expected.
but anyway what Iāve always tried to do since I started by myself is to try and develop different drills to work on different aspects. My main system is kenpo and base material that is what I stick to but I refuse to have only that I am always trying to make new ideas (not universally new but new for the club)
Iām always trying to find different ways to work on new things whether itās sparring drills application of different techniques in a different format or just a workout.
tonight I worked on something Iāve wanted to do for a while of defending yourself while pressed against a wall. So I got everyone to partner up and gear up (gloves, Groin guard mouth piece and arm guards for those who wanted those)
One had to be against the wall and basically defend themselves (with common sense control) the goal of the attacker was to keep them against the wall and the other persons job was to get off it by any way necessary (within reason)
it worked pretty well some did good some struggled Some managed to keep calm to implement strategies taught for different scenarios but all improved by the last round. Also the attacker got to work a different set of skills of restricting movement and not backing up if someone is trying to push you out the way.
overall I was very happy with it. Now Iām not saying this idea is anything brand new as Iām very sure itās a common thing in some places but I was very proud of how it worked. As I say I like working different ideas. Not all of my ideas work some when I try them in the class they fall flat and donāt work as well as I thought they would. Thatās fine I either just get rid of them or think of ways to adapt them to make it better.
if I eventually do get locked down and have to close up for a while Iām not afraid of it the idea actually excites me because Iāll use that time to focus on myself and working on some of my own short comings And I will work more on developing my class ideas. Iāve seen plenty of martial artists complaining about how lockdown means they canāt train. Sure they canāt spar and hit people but to me thereās still loads of things that can be worked on by yourself. Again itās about adapting sure you may be used to going to class and following an instructors orders and a common thing i here is you donāt push yourself as hard when working by yourself and I agree that does happen. But thatās the challenge to make sure you ARE pushing yourself just as hard as you would with an instructor. When we first got locked down I did struggle to get into a self train routine that gave me the desired work I wanted but now Iāve already got a plan for myself in place for if it happens.
i know this is a lot of rambling but while of course this year has been very horrible and scary itās also been a valuable learning experience to. About first not worrying about things you canāt control (at the beginning I was terrified of the idea Of cases rising and putting us all in lockdown now my attitude is. Weāre not locked down today so letās enjoy today and if we get locked down tomorrow Iāll deal with it tomorrow) also teaching us not to be complacent with what we have and appreciate anything we do have but also realize it may not always be there so you have to think outside the box to make sure your own martial art development continues. Training by yourself is in my opinion more difficult than in a class but thatās another great challenge to be able to push yourself when thereās not someone pushing you. At my home Iāve got plenty of training equipment a bag, numerous weights etc but for a while I struggled with putting together a serious regiment for lockdown but eventually I sat down and thought about what I wanted to work on and how best to do it to achieve my goals and I believe that has not only improved the skills I wanted but helped me as a teacher.
Man this thread went longer than I expected.
