It's like taking a kindergartner and trying to teach them to multiply and divide two-digit numbers, before making sure they can count to 10 and can add and subtract single digit numbers. Is going up to a kindergartner and asking "what is 11 x 6" a fair question, if they're still struggling with "what is 3 + 5"? That failure isn't helpful and isn't a teaching moment.
Agreed. So why would you start a beginner with the following?
The technique is going to be:
- Break the attacker's grip
- Trap their hand
- Apply a wrist lock
- Use circular footwork and continue wristlock to take them down
- Pin their arm against their body to keep control
- Finish off the technique by punching them on the nose
Isn't that like asking the kindergartner to multiply and divide two-digit numbers? The beginner doesn't know how to do any of those things individually, so starting them here is setting them up to fail.
Taking the fall, when the parts are not done right, really doesn't help them learn. When a true beginner has problems with the pin in step #5, it usually is not a result of them doing the pin incorrectly. They are usually in a position where it is impossible for them to do the pin correctly. The problem usually started in step #1, they did not break the attacker's grip correctly. Therefore, the trap was done wrong, the wrist was then grabbed incorrectly for the lock and take down and now that they are at the pin part, everything is so out of position, it just won't work. They shouldn't have gotten that far. By having their partner "help" them by releasing the grip, and taking the fall for them, those bad habits were reinforced.
Instead, start with counting, then move into simple addition, and work your way up. Teach them the grip break as a stand alone thing. If they don't do it right, don't let go. This does not mean counter them, or overpower them or anything else. It means, give them an honest grip, that they have to use correct technique to break. As they get better, move up the resistance, as you mentioned, working within their ability. This allows them to fail, when they do the grip break wrong, but also allows them to succeed when they break an honest grip. Then do the same process with the wrist lock. Now add the take down to the wrist lock. Then add the grip break, into the wrist lock and take down. Now, they have had successes at the grip break, the wrist lock and the take down, after having failed at each first. Now that they can string these together, the pin and finish should work as well, because they are in the right position to do so. Now they not only have the flow of those 6 steps, but they have each of those steps as individual items, that they first failed at, then succeeded at. These steps are likely to show up in other combinations they learn later, making those combinations easier to learn. (this sequence that you mentioned, can be taught in the way I mention, in 30 minutes or less, to a brand new student, having them put a little energy into it, to see some flow. )
In this way, you are not insulating them from failure. However, you are putting them into a position where then can truly learn to succeed, against a little resistance a number times. If they really are not getting it, to make your whole combination, thats ok, as long as you didn't show them the whole thing at first. When I work with brand new people, I don't show them the whole combo, but one piece at a time and slowly put them together, at the students pace. But that pace is a pace where they have to get each piece "correct enough" to function against a known attack, with a "bit of resistance."
If you are working with a large class... the break out the beginners from the group, or have the group slow down, with the more advanced students working on fine tuning the points that they always rush through.
