Private lessons... do you take them?

[qi-tah]

Hi all;

Does anyone take private lessons with their teacher(s), and if so, how do you structure that into your training? Eg., how often do you take private lessons, how are they mixed with your regular classes etc.
Or do you only gain instruction through private lessons, and don't attend any regular classes at all? Do you think it is possible to learn that way once you get to a certain level of skill? Do you think that once you reach a certain level, that private lessons are essential? If so, when do you think that is?

Would be interested to hear everyone's opinions and experiences. :asian:

 

[Drac]

I wish I could afford private lessons...

 

[stickarts]

Absolutely. I have taken private lessons with various teachers for 20 years. I find the one on one focus important as well as group classes and working with many different people to be important.
You can start with private lessons right away.

 

[qi-tah]

I wish I could afford private lessons...

Oh, i hear ya! A private lesson with my teacher would cost me $70 Australian... i've begun to think that it would really be useful for me at this stage though. I'm thinking maybe i could afford a couple of privates a year to complement my regular classes and practice... what do ppl think? Would this be enough to see benifits?

On another tack, i'm a mite anxious at the prospect of training one-on-one with my teacher... in class you can hide a bit and not get picked on too much, but taking a private lesson is pretty much asking to get taken apart!

I know that that will be a *good* thing, it's just... well... a bit scary.

I guess too it means that i'll have to take a bit more responsibility for identifying my own weak areas and what i want to work on. Maybe that's the key to private lessons... wanting to own yr own progress to a greater degree?

Any thoughts? Experiences? Advice?

 

[Drac]

On another tack, i'm a mite anxious at the prospect of training one-on-one with my teacher... in class you can hide a bit and not get picked on too much, but taking a private lesson is pretty much asking to get taken apart!

I know that that will be a *good* thing, it's just... well... a bit scary.

I hear ya..My first Sensei was tough and the drop out rate was scary..I kept coming..One day before the warm ups I looked around and I was the ONLY white belt in class..This type of training I believe was the best kind of training I ever had.. I didn't really get beat on too bad, the mistakes and bad habits that I might have gotten with against another White Belt were never learned against one of these Black belt students..

 

[terryl965]

Private lesson are great to expand or even to gt tecniques done the right way.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Hi all;

Does anyone take private lessons with their teacher(s), and if so, how do you structure that into your training? Eg., how often do you take private lessons, how are they mixed with your regular classes etc.
Or do you only gain instruction through private lessons, and don't attend any regular classes at all? Do you think it is possible to learn that way once you get to a certain level of skill? Do you think that once you reach a certain level, that private lessons are essential? If so, when do you think that is?

Would be interested to hear everyone's opinions and experiences. :asian:

I took private lessons from my instructor for over 8 years with an average of one class per week. It was the only way to study with this instructor and I learned lots.

It became a major part of my traning. I still taught classes in another art on other days of the week.

I think Private lessons offer the best way for correction and adjustment in timing and taking the person to the next level. Of course one has to go long enough so it becomes muscle memory.

And yes it can be expensive. It is a passion for me, I do not have many other hobbies that cost lots of money so it was where I choose to spend my money.

Others may have more obligations such as to family.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Rich that is a very good post!

Private lessons are a great way to train and you do get that one on one time and correction of technique that you cannot get in a group class. I encourage everyone to take private lessons in conjunction with their regular group lessons.

 

[michaeledward]

I haven't had a private lesson with my instructor (the studio owner) in several years (in fact, I think I have paid for some that I never took).

I do, however, take private lessons with my instructor's instructor (Huk), whenever I can.

I have a bit of a mental dilemma about paying for my regular lessons, and then paying extra for private lessons with the same teacher. Maybe I shouldn't. But, I think he should be teaching the same material in the class as he would in the private. The only difference, I think, should be the quantity of material presented. In a class, I may get two or three minutes of private instruction. In a private, obviously, I would be on the receiving end of much more information. But, how much can be assimilated and internalized. I think that martial arts is as much about the process of doing, as it is about the process of accumulating.

So, the regular lessons in Mr. Hogan's studio is about the repetitive process of doing the martial arts instruction he communicated in that two or three minutes.

When I take a private with Mr. Planas, what I am doing, is reviewing things that I have already processed and accumulated. I hope that he sees my activity with a different set of eyes from Mr. Hogan, and can suggest an alteration or correction to the accumulated material.

Maybe I will revisit the idea of taking privates with Mr. Hogan. Maybe.

 

[Carol]

Generally speaking, I only take privates. I lurk in a class every now and then but because of my schedule I'm usually either working or asleep when class was held.

 

[Ninjamom]

I take private lessons in my sword art, but I have been studying and practicing the art for four years, and now the person who taught me isn't teaching any more. The nearest Master Instructor is about a 2 1/2 hrs drive away, so I make the trip for private lessons twice a month, and work on the techniques over and over in between.

Yes, it is expensive, but I am learning more, learning finer details, getting my technique 'tweaked' to (hopefully) help me a better teacher, and (also hopefully) getting prepared for my black belt test this fall. In my case, private lessons are the only option for getting where I want to go.

 

[14 Kempo]

Yes, I do take private lessons. OK, semi-private lessons. The lessons are with as many as three others of comparable rank. Where I train, private lessons are a more intense training session when it comes to techniques and forms. They are a place to get all those questions answered.

 

[IWishToLearn]

I take them as often as possible.

 

[IcemanSK]

I don't only because I live on the opposite coast from my instructor. The closest I get is training with a sister school. I wish I could, tho. It's a great way to not only learn in a one-on-one session, but also a way to give you renew enthuiasm for training.

 

[Skip Cooper]

I wish I had the time to take private lessons. With a 40+ hour work week, family obligations and training 3x's per week, I have little time for anything else. And that doesn't include the strength training and conditioning that I do in on my days off of MA training. But when the kids are grown and gone (in about 15 years, I hope ) I will have more time in my schedule to add private lessons...that is until the grandkids come along !

 

[MJS]

Hi all;

Does anyone take private lessons with their teacher(s), and if so, how do you structure that into your training? Eg., how often do you take private lessons, how are they mixed with your regular classes etc.
Or do you only gain instruction through private lessons, and don't attend any regular classes at all? Do you think it is possible to learn that way once you get to a certain level of skill? Do you think that once you reach a certain level, that private lessons are essential? If so, when do you think that is?

Would be interested to hear everyone's opinions and experiences. :asian:

I take a 1hr. private with my instructor each week, in addition to group class. I did this for 2 reasons: 1) even though I stayed with the Kenpo system, I changed styles, EPAK to Tracy, so while the material is very similar, I wanted the chance to be able to work 1 on 1 and 2) a private lesson allows you to work specific things, again, 1 on 1 and outside of the regular class.

As for how its structured: I tell him what I'd like to work on, and he puts the lesson together. Lately, we've focused alot on sparring. The focus is more on boxing rather than the traditional method of sparring. As always, he tells me that the lesson time in mine, so anything that I want to work on is what we'll do. I came in one day and wanted to focus on forms, so thats what we did.

Can you learn just from privates: Sure.

Are they essential: IMHO, yes. I think they're a benefit to anyone, regardless of rank.

Mike

 

[BudoTiger]

private lessons were included at my former school. it is a HUGE benefit to me, not only because you do get the one on one time, but you get to work on technique more. i would esp suggest them if it is your first art and have no knowledge of martial arts. i loved the privates. we generally had partners to work with. in mine there were 4 of us that were jr instructors that all worked together. we loved them. thats probably the biggest thing i will miss now that i cant afford to go there anymore. the place i will be going soon i am pretty sure he offers priovates, but they are a little extra which i dont think i would have a prob paying for as long as they are not outrageous since his group classes are pretty inexpensive.

 

[Kacey]

My instructor is happy to find extra time to work with anyone who asks for additional help - sometimes this is one-on-one; sometimes it's a small group of people who need to work on the same material - it all depends on the time he has available, and how it matches the time students who want extra help have available.

 

[Hawke]

Greetings Megan,

If you keep a MA journal go over your notes and see where you have trouble. Do you need more help in forms, techniques, footwork, speed, power, focus hits, or sparring? Then ask your instructor to go over a few of those materials where you could use some pointers and include one area where you feel very comfortable. So if you need help on some techniques and power, but excel in speed and footwork then have your private center around those areas. Pick the areas you need help in, but include one aspect you feel very comfortable so that you take you further.

The other option is to ask your instructor which area you need the most help and just go over that.

If you can afford the lessons, privates are a nice supplement to your training. Also you can get a DVD (or YouTube) the same art you are studying for more insight to your training.

Cheers.:asian:

 

[Emptyhand]

I take private lessons and I am glad I do. I get direct attention to my form. Anytime I make a mistake I can/am corrected. As a white belt I value this direct feedback.

I take private lessons for an hour to hour and 15 mins. 2X a week. If there is a day that my instructor has free and schedules permit I might try and coax him into an hour of instruction beyond the 2X a week.

My work schedule is often difficult to work around so the private instruction is a great benefit and my instructor's availability helps too.

If I were not taking private lessons I would like most I think, prefer to be in a semi-private setting.

I think without a doubt there is a great value in private instruction if you have the opportunity to take it and of course have the funds. However, at the same time, it is great to meet lots of new people when you are in a bigger class and you might find someone to work out with and practice when out of class.