IcemanSK said:
to be a white belt!
I have a new school with 10 brand new students ranging in age from 7-13. They're not comfortable doing a kihap...
...Any suggestions?
Ice, I think you hit the nail on the head with the title of your post. One of the secrets of being a good Instructor, and eventually a Master Instructor, is to be able to see things through the eyes, and minds of your students. It is about reminding yourself daily what it was like to be a white belt, a green belt, or a red belt, and then realizing that not everyone is going to experience it from the same perspective you did. Not every child's brain works the same and each might learn differently.
As you stated, these students are new. Most of what they do in your class is going to seem strange, and uncomfortable to them. They have never sat, stood, walked, breathed, or held their body like we teach them. They have been taught by parents and teachers to be quiet (especially indoors), but make no mistake, they are capable of running and screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs (most of them do on the playground).
I suggest a brief explanation to all beginners that the yelling is to control breathing, help tighten muscles to increase power and absorb impacts (avoid getting the wind knocked out of you), to focus Ki, and to startle your opponent. Teach them to yell from the gut, not in the throat, and to use the diaphram to contract and push the air out. Please be sure to teach them to yell an appropriate sound like "HAAAAA" (or some other variation), and not the word "KIHAP!" In korean, "Kihap" means to yell. If students yell that word, it is like English speaking students shouting the word "YELL!"
I also suggest encouragement rather than punishment. Push-ups are fine for the intermediate students who are sluffing off, and not doing their best. Beginner students need time to adjust, and learn new habits. They need and example, so be one. Let them watch you warm up, work out on a bag with loud kihaps, or break rebreakable boards. You might be surprised how quickly students start to immitate their instructor.
They perform better when they are excited and interested so use the games, and yelling contests between each other. Have teams, and reward the teams or individuals who yell the loudest rather than punishing those who don't (this changes a bit for middle and high ranks, but positive reinforcement always gets the best results). Praise them all for doing a good job, and tell them you are proud of them.
These are my suggestions. I hope they help!
CM D. J. Eisenhart