Question for teachers, assistant instructors, and school owners

[Aiki Lee]

This question is aimed at anyone and everyone who teaches or coaches. How do you balance your own training with training your students or helping run classes?

I like teaching. I'd like to have my own students someday, but I feel that often the time I spend teaching is actually time I'd rather spend training and improving my own skill.


How do you keep up with your own training while helping out the dojo as an instructor?

 

[Jenna]

This question is aimed at anyone and everyone who teaches or coaches. How do you balance your own training with training your students or helping run classes?

I like teaching. I'd like to have my own students someday, but I feel that often the time I spend teaching is actually time I'd rather spend training and improving my own skill.


How do you keep up with your own training while helping out the dojo as an instructor?

Without wanting to sound glib or eastern esoteric, I think that when you teach you also learn. Those you teach will ask questions of you that will cause you to think. Those you are training will test your technique in ways that more experienced partners will not. Less experienced partners will do stuff they are not supposed to do the way they are not supposed to do it. These very learning actions in turn teach you how to handle unorthodoxy in your own defense for example. These learning actions also teach you how to disassemble your own technique and pinpoint each little bit and what makes it efficient and what makes it inefficient. For me, when I was teaching novices I always felt it WAS part of my training. Of course you may not get to train or spar at the speed you are used to and but every opportunity to practice and demonstrate your art is without doubt a learning experience. And so you see it not as two different tasks no, you see it just like you view simultaneous blocking and striking - it is a way to do two things at the one time: you teach another how to do a technique, and but also, you reveal to yourself the absolute most efficient and best way to perform that technique. And as I say, in defensive arts, you will also learn how to handle attacks from "unorthodox" uke, after all, real defensive situations seldom involve neat and tidy technique!

I hope this makes sense. A good question. I am sure you would be a grand teacher.

 

[andyjeffries]

I teach two times per week and train once per week. At the moment (for the next few weeks) my training is a bit on hold as I'm trying to help prepare my instructor for his grading (so I'm sometimes practicing alongside him, sometimes watching him and pointing things out). But it's a short term thing, generally once per week training is enough to keep me going physically; and teaching is learning mentally (as Jenna said).

Having to explain things to people ensures that you really understand it yourself (and explaining things to black belts ensures you understand it a much higher level of details). Also, when you are teaching you learn to spot mistakes faster and make faster corrections to them. When I was a lower grade I'd hear myself saying "do that again, there's something not quite right". Now I find that I rarely need to do that, I see the mistakes shining out from that single repetition and can immediately tell the student what to do.

That helps my skill level because I find I'm more in tune with my body now so that I don't need to look in the mirror to see how something looks, I can feel whether it's correct and the shape it took to get there (the mirror/video recording is still a useful tool, but I need to use it far less often now).

 

[rlobrecht]

My main instructor is a full-time college student plus teaches taekwondo six days a week. I know he works out, but I don't believe he does any training.

Our schools master attends day time classes twice a week with a grandmaster from a sister school.

Rick

 

[harlan]

I started teaching beginners this year, and honestly, found myself thinking, 'Great. Now where am I going to find time to work on MY stuff?' I'm complaining about being rich actually because a student showed up that wanted to attend EVERY available session. I'm talking every morning, every lunch. I was using all of my spare time teaching basics. It felt great because I had an eager student learning very quickly, but my own training became severely restricted. I'd show up to my own class not having practiced any of the stuff my own teacher had introduced the week before.

Yes, it's true, teaching is learning as well. But it's the basics of the art, and doesn't mesh when one is trying to work on upper kata, or movement and techniques that are more 'advanced'. Being a part-time MA student (only two classes/week), and depending on my free time to practice, teaching means taking time away from advanced study.

In the beginning I simply offered available times for training that were essentially open. Now that things have settled down, I have a few regular students, I see the sense in setting aside time slots for beginner, and more advanced students, and not forgetting to dedicate some of that time for my own training.

 

[Buka]

Teaching is a rewarding experience, teaching and running a Dojo is as well, but with it comes tremendous responsibility. Teaching one class and taking another is balanced. But as I've told all my students over a forty year period, "If you really LOVE training, don't ever open your own Dojo."
The ones that have, now tell their students the exact same thing. Similar to being a grandfather, I visit and teach at their dojos when I want, stir up all kinds of questions, and go home. It's grand fun.

 

[Gemini]

Over time, my own training gave way to the time I spent teaching. I figured since I was in the dojang anyway, I might as well be showing somebody something and kept increasing classes at the cost of reducing my own time. I never trained with my students, because I felt it would cause confusion in presenting myself in multiple roles of peer, instructor and in my case father (I teach my boys also). Though I still don't think training with junior students is a good idea and should be kept separate, I've since began training with them since they're all black belts now and my boys have grown and come to learn that I'm not superman. My mistake was sacrificing my time at the expense of adding more time for them. If I had to do it over again, I would say commit to yourself first and give what you can after, not in place of.

 

[Aiki Lee]

Good responses everyone.

I have definitely seen an improvement in my skill through teaching, the problem is that I don't get to practice it as much. As an assistant instructor and not head of the school I can jump in and train with other people, so all blackbelts in the dojo are viewed not only as teachers but as students as well. This way when I run a class I can jump in and work with people on my stuff to if there are other blackbelts to supervise as well.



It looks like I'm not alone in this boat.

 

[searcher]

By getting up early in the morning and by staying late after the students leave the school. I also train with my instructors between 2-3 times per week. I try to have a focus on a single area per workout: one workout on forms, one on basics, one on conditioning,.....

It works best for me.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

Without wanting to sound glib or eastern esoteric, I think that when you teach you also learn.

+1

 

[tayl0124]

Lots of good advice in here. I find that when you teach, you are really testing yourself. You might be used to doing a form at a certain speed, but when forced to slow it down to teach it, you might have to think much harder about what move comes next. You also might see someone else making a mistake that you haven't noticed that you could be making, but seeing someone else make that mistake draws your attention to it. With all that said, how often do you train??? Do you feel that you train enough to be where you want to be?? How much training do you think you need to do each day? My sensei has told many of us students that he does a minimum of 1 kata each day. Even if that is all the training he does for the day he has set aside time to do that. Remember you don't have to be in the Dojo to train!!!

 

[oftheherd1]

I think a lot of what Jenna and others have said is why good schools have higher colored belts teaching lower colored belts. With the Master or GM watching as well as teaching it works very well. I know my GM could be teaching someone something, and spot a mistake on someone else's part out of the corner of his eye, and correct it. Both the higher and lower colored belts learned. He was a good teacher and never made anyone feel bad about being corrected. It was just good learning for everyone.

And even as a black belt there are still things to learn.

 

[Rich Parsons]

This question is aimed at anyone and everyone who teaches or coaches. How do you balance your own training with training your students or helping run classes?

I like teaching. I'd like to have my own students someday, but I feel that often the time I spend teaching is actually time I'd rather spend training and improving my own skill.


How do you keep up with your own training while helping out the dojo as an instructor?

Without wanting to sound glib or eastern esoteric, I think that when you teach you also learn. Those you teach will ask questions of you that will cause you to think. Those you are training will test your technique in ways that more experienced partners will not. Less experienced partners will do stuff they are not supposed to do the way they are not supposed to do it. These very learning actions in turn teach you how to handle unorthodoxy in your own defense for example. These learning actions also teach you how to disassemble your own technique and pinpoint each little bit and what makes it efficient and what makes it inefficient. For me, when I was teaching novices I always felt it WAS part of my training. Of course you may not get to train or spar at the speed you are used to and but every opportunity to practice and demonstrate your art is without doubt a learning experience. And so you see it not as two different tasks no, you see it just like you view simultaneous blocking and striking - it is a way to do two things at the one time: you teach another how to do a technique, and but also, you reveal to yourself the absolute most efficient and best way to perform that technique. And as I say, in defensive arts, you will also learn how to handle attacks from "unorthodox" uke, after all, real defensive situations seldom involve neat and tidy technique!

I hope this makes sense. A good question. I am sure you would be a grand teacher.

I teach.

I have taught for years.

I taught basic to the beginners for years. It really does make you sharp. You have to come up with a way to explain it and demonstrate it and ahve multiple ways to reach all types of people who learn differently. It does help you train as you get better with your basics. I like basics. They are easy and quick and reliable.

I have black belts teach in my class, and I let them teach. Sometimes I pull them off to the side to give them some data I saw from the sidelines so they can correct it. They know I am not criticism them in a negative way, but allowing them to help teach others better and learn themselves as they now see something I saw.



I have small classes and so many times I have a senior student working with a junior student. I allow the senior student to give corrections (* it is part of their learning on how to be an instuctor *) and if I have anything to correct or add I will.

Now I do work with myself and others for my own training. I will quote a Ranger saying, "Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast." So I do not need to work on my timing at 100% only work on it with someone else who can do the moves and do it at a slow speed and work on when I move. I also use my teaching and working with others so work on my platform and my footwork and body shifting and weight placement. These complex but simple and basic addition to techniques are practiced while working with others. In joint locks and stick training I workin my sensitivity and feeling tension in the joints or the movement of the opponents stick or hand as I touch it.

Now is it fun to go fast and test yourself at speed? Yes.

Is it required to learn? No, and I would go so far as to say it would be a non learning event if you went fast to learn.

i.e. Instructor - You ready?
Student - Yes.
I *Thwack*
S *Ouch*
I - I thought you were ready.
S - You just hit me. You did not tell me what to do or how to do it.

BTW - the above happens when I get people who say they want to learn old school and the way they did in the old days. They soon realize the benefit to a modern approach so people can go to work the next day.


Now that being said, just on Wednesday night, I was working with a white belt. I thought he was going to demo a technique. He went balistic and hit me in the eye socket. Now it was not hard, but he made contact. He was upset and I told him it was ok. Because it is. One, it showed he was trying to hit or touch me. Two, if I had been paying attention I could have worked on a beeter response then a slight body shift back and away and still being hit (* instinctive response *).

 

[Indie12]

I've been teaching for a little over 10 years and involved in the Martial Arts for over 22 years.

I agree with pretty much everyone on here, except I will add, that in many cases training is one of the most neglected aspects of the Instructor. While the Instructor teaches (and hopefully learns as they teach) most Instructors often negelect their own training. Training is one of the most neglected aspects by Instructors and even the most seasoned Martial Artists.

I also feel that training should not just be physical, but also include mental and spiritual as well. (not to get all eastern philosophical) But the point is, if your true to your Art, your always training, mind, body, and spirit, 24/7, 365 days a year, non-stop.

Just my two cents...

Good question btw:

 

[Aiki Lee]

I too think a lot of martial arts teachers just kind of stop training actively and this is not acceptable to me. Not only do I want to be a quality instructor for my kohei and future students, but I still have a long way to go until I've mastered anything. It's not that I don't get to train, it's just that there never seems to be enough time to work on everything.

 

[MJS]

This question is aimed at anyone and everyone who teaches or coaches. How do you balance your own training with training your students or helping run classes?

I like teaching. I'd like to have my own students someday, but I feel that often the time I spend teaching is actually time I'd rather spend training and improving my own skill.


How do you keep up with your own training while helping out the dojo as an instructor?

Yes, its VERY easy to get burnt out by teaching too much, and neglecting your own training. This has happened to me. Start teaching one class a week, then it turns into 2, then 3, and before I knew it, I'm teaching multiple classes a week, and lucky to get a class of my own. On days when I'd show up to take my class, I'd still end up teaching.

So, yes, a balance is definately needed. At my last school, I was asked to teach 2 classes a month. That was it. Unfortunately, due to my line of work, my schedule changes all the time. That said, I really hated to commit to something, but agreed to it anyways, on the condition that it was understood, that on very short notice, I'd have to bail on teaching. After finding that this was happening more and more, I resigned from teaching. Did this cause hard feelings? Dont know, and frankly, dont care. My view is simple...when the school I teach at, agrees to pay my salary, gives me vac and personal time, yearly raises, and full benefits, I'd quit my job, and teach every day. But we all know that wont happen, so....LOL.

Usually, what I'd do is set aside time for myself, in the form of solo workouts, workouts outside of the school, or private lessons. Usually one is required to put in so many hrs. of teaching, esp. if they're approaching the BB level. But at the same time, that doesnt mean you should be used either.

 

[MJS]

Without wanting to sound glib or eastern esoteric, I think that when you teach you also learn. Those you teach will ask questions of you that will cause you to think. Those you are training will test your technique in ways that more experienced partners will not. Less experienced partners will do stuff they are not supposed to do the way they are not supposed to do it. These very learning actions in turn teach you how to handle unorthodoxy in your own defense for example. These learning actions also teach you how to disassemble your own technique and pinpoint each little bit and what makes it efficient and what makes it inefficient. For me, when I was teaching novices I always felt it WAS part of my training. Of course you may not get to train or spar at the speed you are used to and but every opportunity to practice and demonstrate your art is without doubt a learning experience. And so you see it not as two different tasks no, you see it just like you view simultaneous blocking and striking - it is a way to do two things at the one time: you teach another how to do a technique, and but also, you reveal to yourself the absolute most efficient and best way to perform that technique. And as I say, in defensive arts, you will also learn how to handle attacks from "unorthodox" uke, after all, real defensive situations seldom involve neat and tidy technique!

I hope this makes sense. A good question. I am sure you would be a grand teacher.

Very good points here Jenna! Yes, I've found that when you teach, you start to develop a deeper understanding of what you're teaching. You have to find ways to explain things to people who're just learning. Many times, when teaching the most basic thing, I'd encounter people who're having a hard time. I'm thinking, "This isn't hard!" but you forget that you've been doing this for 20+ yrs. so yeah, its no longer hard...for you....but it is for them...thus you have to teach yourself how to explain things and bring yourself to their level. LOL. Its funny too, because people will ask questions. What if this happens? What if that happens? It makes you really step back and look at what you're doing. Which of course is a very good thing.

 

[shesulsa]

I've been injured for years (shoulder) and the last two I developed metatarsal stress syndrome - just two of several factors that have kept my training over the last handful of years to nil. I do teach and I always discover something new - either in how others learn, a new way to approach a student, part of the technique that opened up to me after all this time, etcetera. So I'm learning, just not physically training.

I've started incorporating some recovery and preventative exercises into class warmups since the injuries I have are common amongst martial artists and I'd rather help people who come to me prevent them than have to try to get them back after a year or more after surgery. I'm not in great shape whatsoever ... but have decided that transparency and the demonstration of effort towards recovery without shame is a good example. SO - I train with my students. I don't do any BB work yet, but I warm up with them and go through the material right along with them. I found it helps their focus as well.

It's tough, but you'll find a way.

 

[OKenpo942]

I will first admit that I have not read all of the posts in this thread. However, I think it is probably safe to say that many have said that teaching and training are one in the same. You are honing your skills and staying sharp and keeping the material fresh all the time.

I do think that teachers often fail to build upon their knowledge and continue to be a student in the traditional sense. As an instructor, I feel that you need to train with your peers and elders and never stop being a student of the art.

 

[Mark Lynn]

I do think that teachers often fail to build upon their knowledge and continue to be a student in the traditional sense. As an instructor, I feel that you need to train with your peers and elders and never stop being a student of the art.

I couldn't agree with you more here. Often times I think instructors do just kind of get into the teaching mode and sit back and relax and teach.... Do what they have done for the past 10, 15, 20, 25 years and so on. To me this is a sure way to burn out or worse yet teaching poor classes.

For myself I have been working a full time job and teaching now for 4+ years at a rec center. I currently teach 4 nights a week plus Saturday classes, generally 2-4 hours of classes a night. Trying to juggle family time, house work etc. etc. is very hard with my teaching schedule, much less try and carve out my "Training" time. However this is how I try and manage it.

• Teaching class, I try and be hands on in the class with students, I'll do the forms, basics, self defense moves etc. etc. right along with them if there is an odd person in class. In each class I teach I'm being active and doing something generally doing different things in each class.
• I teach two arts-one to kids, one to adults. While there is some common overlap between techniques in both arts (a front kick is a front kick) they are different enough that it allows me to stay very involved. I teach TKD (Americanized version) to the kids and Presas Arnis (Filipino martial arts) to my adults.
• One of the most important things is that I LOVE teaching the martial arts, to kids and adults. Many years ago my instructor once told me that he got more out of teaching us (his students) and working out with us than I did as a student, because it kept him young. Teaching and being active in the martial arts now that I'm reaching around that same age now (50), I see what he means.
• Stay motivated, set a goal, challenge yourself. I made it a goal of mine to earn a black belt in our American karate/TKD organization's weapons program. I have trained on and off in the program for almost 20 years. But never committed to earn rank in it. With my future goal being to sometime open a school I decided I wanted to offer a weapons program, so I committed to earn a black belt and go through their organized training program. That being said I use to train after my last class for 45 mins-1 hour two nights a week. Last January I started teaching my senior students the curriculum I was learning, starting with the bo that I had learned the year prior. Then I, of course expanded it and later for up coming my black belt candidates I gave them the choice to learn a different weapon as part of getting ready for their upcoming test and they picked the sai, so now I teach and train with them on both weapons 30-45 minutes 3 X a week.

All this being said, am I working on "Advanced material" not really. I just turned 50, so for example I can't do the TKD jumping kicks of my youth, nor really do I want to. This past year has been a real time of growth for me as I started to realize that I don't need the flash, and face the fact I can't do the flash anymore. But I can learn advanced stuff in the basics and teach good classes raising (hopefully) good students in the process.

Mark