Must-have items for non-profit dojang?

[IcemanSK]

If you were asked to teach a TKD program for a non-profit (say a YMCA or rec center) & you had limited space for storing gear (say 6'x6'x7' high) what would feel would be important equipment to have?

Other relevant info:
You will have no more than 25 students
The floor that you will be using is tile over concrete
The storage area is a locked shed outside of your training area.

 

[Kacey]

I teach at a YMCA and have for over 10 years... I find I use the following items the most:

- board holder (roughly 2' x 2' x 3') - designed to be held against the wall, not mounted
- breaking materials and a storage container - if you can lock them up, Rubbermaid containers work great; if not, some type of locking foot locker; it's amazing what can walk away, even if no one has a use for it
- wavemaster - now, this could get difficult if you have to store it outside; I keep mine in a corner of the room and it's never been a problem, except for the boxer who tried to walk in and use it during class one day; she was pretty upset when I pointed out that she was interrupting my class (after all, she said, we weren't using it right that minute), and even more so when I pointed to the note written in sharpie on the top, stating that it belonged to the class and was not available for general use - but that's been once in over 10 years

That's really it - I use the Y's equipment occasionally, especially the mats when we're doing rolling or falling; if you don't have access to those, one good folding mat might be another item you need. I also use some of the tumbling equipment occasionally, and sometimes grab a hula hoop for focus training (it's a multi-purpose room). If you have a choice, a room with mirrors is great. Anything used less often I keep at home and bring in as needed.

 

[terryl965]

Kicxking paddles, focus mits and kicking shields. Some jump ropes and resistance bands as well, a few medicine balls. That would be it for a little bit.

 

[IcemanSK]

Sadly, mirrors are not an option in this case.

 

[puunui]

Kicxking paddles, focus mits and kicking shields. Some jump ropes and resistance bands as well, a few medicine balls. That would be it for a little bit.

This would be my list, except maybe the medicine balls and jump ropes. Hogus too.

 

[IcemanSK]

What about puzzle mats to cover a good portion of the tile over concrete floor? I was thinking that might be a big help.

 

[rockbust]

Dont forget xray film paper. light weight and cheap. This was my favorite target when I taught at a Korean cultural School. Also an old damp towel to wipe the feet before doing flying kicks (if you are training on walked on floors).

 

[Carol]

What about puzzle mats to cover a good portion of the tile over concrete floor? I was thinking that might be a big help.

That would be my suggestion.

 

[terryl965]

What about puzzle mats to cover a good portion of the tile over concrete floor? I was thinking that might be a big help.

Folding matts but puzzle mats would be a luxury, not a neccesity

 

[Archtkd]

Dont forget xray film paper. light weight and cheap. This was my favorite target when I taught at a Korean cultural School. Also an old damp towel to wipe the feet before doing flying kicks (if you are training on walked on floors).

You are the first person I've heard say they've used X-ray film paper in the 20 years that I've been in the U.S. It's a great tool, we used in Kenya my home country and where I began training. I've always wondered where I could get the material here in the U.S. Lots fo heathcare places are now digital.

 

[Archtkd]

Kicxking paddles, focus mits and kicking shields. Some jump ropes and resistance bands as well, a few medicine balls. That would be it for a little bit.

That's a good list. I would add a good first aid kit.

 

[Phenix_Rider]

Jump ropes, medicine balls, kicking paddles, focus mitts, heavy bags, and a ring timer.

Maybe some folding mats for takedowns and throws, but the first six are important and would allow you to train everything a standup fighter needs. I dislike kicking body shields, because a strong kicker is still going to hurt the person holding it. The paddles are there to allow repetition of odd kicks, like cresent, axe, spinning ellipse, and spin hook/wheel that can mess up your hips if you really hit a bag hard. And of course for jump spinning kicks where hitting a bag could land someone on their head... They could even be eliminated if you favor more basic (more practical) kicks. A small stereo/cd player is nice to listen to during bag rounds, but optional. Focus mitts for me have to be the old style- leather covering, hard, small, and flat. Not much bigger than your played hand. Not the prissy curved puffy things that are a mile wide that they use for MMA anymore.

And I'll second a first aid kit LOL. Some bandages and alcohol and instant ice stuff, and lots of athletic tape.

 

[chrispillertkd]

If you were asked to teach a TKD program for a non-profit (say a YMCA or rec center) & you had limited space for storing gear (say 6'x6'x7' high) what would feel would be important equipment to have?

Other relevant info:
You will have no more than 25 students
The floor that you will be using is tile over concrete
The storage area is a locked shed outside of your training area.

Kicking shields (they are great if you have no place for a hanging bag or three). They can be used to develop power and if the person holding them knows to hold them slightly away from their body they don't have to absorb the kick. They can also be used for hand and foot combinations, held away from the body on a horizontal plane and take the place of a kicking paddle if you don't have those, stacked up and used as barriers to jump over or placed on the ground in a line for distance jumping, etc. They're a good all around tool to have.

Kicking paddles, smaller kicking targets, a board holder, a dallyon joo or two for forging, rebreakable boards, extra athltic tape, electrical tape to mark the starting/stopping point for patterns to judge accuracy, a flag set, etc. are all helpful things to have.

Mats for breakfalls and throws would be great but if you're talking a very limited space you'll need to decide how many and what kind would fot the best.

Number one priority would be to get that floor changed or get the class moved into a place with a wooden floor, preferably sprung like in a dance studio. If the Y you're in has a room like that start lobying for change now. Otherwise make purchasing kicking shoes an option for the students just in case any of them have fot problems. And mention to the people in charge that falling on a cement floor covered by tile is going to a law suit in waiting.

Pax,

Chris

 

[jks9199]

You are the first person I've heard say they've used X-ray film paper in the 20 years that I've been in the U.S. It's a great tool, we used in Kenya my home country and where I began training. I've always wondered where I could get the material here in the U.S. Lots fo heathcare places are now digital.

We use it, too. But I haven't found a good source...

Anyone have personal experience with THIS product?

 

[IcemanSK]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of ideas.

Chris, sadly the rooms I'm are only used for athletics (my program) about 5% of the week. So, changing the floor itself is not an option. That's why I thought of the puzzle mats.

On any given day I can either be in a large room or a 3, much smaller rooms, used as pre-school classrooms. Depending on the needs of the larger organization.

 

[chrispillertkd]

That's too bad. If nothing else after being there some time you migth want to try to get a permanent home for your class so you and your students don't have to wander from room to room on any given day. Y's and community centers are great in that there's very little overhead but in my experience it takes a lot for them to realize that a MA program can actually bring in a lot of people so they tend to treat it as an after thought.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I teach hapkido and kumdo out of a ballet studio two days a week and use puzzle mats. I got them used, and they even came with carry bags. They're fairly thin (.5") but the floor is floating wood, not concrete. For striking, I have kicking paddles and focus mits. Our wavemaster is me in a hogu.

Daniel

 

[puunui]

I teach hapkido and kumdo out of a ballet studio two days a week and use puzzle mats.

How come you don't teach Taekwondo? Also, do you set up and break down the puzzle mats everyday? I would think that it some point, some the teeth in the mats would get yanked off. Is that an issue?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

How come you don't teach Taekwondo? Also, do you set up and break down the puzzle mats everyday? I would think that it some point, some the teeth in the mats would get yanked off. Is that an issue?

Because I hold a higher grades in hapkido and kumdo than I do in taekwondo, and more importantly, that is what want to teach. I used to, and sometimes still do, teach the kids classes at KMA where I train, but I drifted over to hapkido some time back.

When I first began training at KMA, the taekwondo class had a 'self defense' element that was all hapkido plus whatever else Master Kim picked up in the ROK. A few years back, he separated hapkido into a separate course of study and I found that I was a better fit in the HKD classes. I have a major passion for sword work and kumdo and that was all that I taught initially. Then I had some of my kumdo students ask if I would teach them unarmed self defense, which is how I picked up hapkido students of my own.

I still enjoy training in taekwondo and enjoy engaging in discussions about it. Not to mention that it gets pretty lonely on the hapkido section. Are you ranked in hapkido? If so, come on over and liven things up! The hapkido section could use some love.

Regarding puzzle mats, so far, they've held up pretty well. I do break them down and clean them regularly.

Daniel

 

[puunui]

Are you ranked in hapkido? If so, come on over and liven things up! The hapkido section could use some love.

I do hold dan rank in Hapkido but the subject doesn't really lend itself to discussion. There aren't as many events, happenings, or practitioners for that matter. It's easy to practice Hapkido because there is so much there, but at the same time it is hard to sustain a continuous discussion about it.