School owners, how oftent do you "take class?"

[SahBumNimRush]

I have had a Dojang for 2 years now, and I will openly admit my participation in class has plummeted. Last night, one of my instructors held a black belt instructors class. All we did were forms (hyungs/kata/poomse) for 2 1/2 hours. Very little talking, just a hard workout.

I exercise 6 days a week, so I'm not "out of shape," but I feel like I was hit by a mack truck this morning! Obviously I was aggressively using muscles I had not used to this degree in a while.

I'm going to have to start participating more in my own classes. Especially if I am going to be testing for 6th dan next year!

How do you all as school owners, keep your training up to par? I've always worked out on my own since opening the school, but last night made abundantly clear that I was not pushing myself hard enough in my private training.. .

 

[Gnarlie]

I had the same problem when I was running a class, mainly due to it being a beginner's class and having to keep an eye on them for safety reasons.

Splitting classes into beginner / intermediate / advanced gives you as the instructor more opportunity to join in when you know the students already understand the drills.

Coming to Germany and joining a class as a student again was a massive shock to the system and it has taken months to get back up to par endurance-wise. I will think very hard before taking on a class again and if I do, I won't be training them, I will be having them train with me.

Gnarlie

 

[SahBumNimRush]

All I know is that it gives me new found respect for my instructors from when I was a kid.

 

[Mauthos]

Having only just begun teaching and running my own class for just over a year the main way I keep myself in shape is to be a student at other clubs, so that I myself never leave the training mentality behind and become 'just' an instructor (if there really is just such a thing).

As mentioned though, I also do try and join in with my students as much as I can.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Having only just begun teaching and running my own class for just over a year the main way I keep myself in shape is to be a student at other clubs, so that I myself never leave the training mentality behind and become 'just' an instructor (if there really is just such a thing).

My problem is that my instructor has retired from running a dojang, so I don't really have another club to travel to. He and a couple of other seniors teach black belt classes once per month to make sure we are maintaining proper standards, but once a month isn't enough for me. I'm still hungry, I'm only 32, I need the physical as much as I enjoy teaching.

I think I'm going to have to start having some of my junior black belts start instructing parts of class from time to time and put myself back on the floor more often; at least in the advanced classes.

 

[harlan]

I guess it begs the question, 'Why aren't you teaching/leading classes?' All instructors face the problem of losing a certain amount of training for fitness and advancement in personal studies once they take on teaching, but leading classes at least keeps them active.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I guess it begs the question, 'Why aren't you teaching/leading classes?' All instructors face the problem of losing a certain amount of training for fitness and advancement in personal studies once they take on teaching, but leading classes at least keeps them active.

I do teach/lead the class, which is why I am still technically proficient. My problem is that I REALLY like the 2 1/2 hour hard classes, and since I am teaching/leading, I don't get to take full advantage of classes like that. I miss them.

I was able to finish the class last night strong, but I woke up this morning really sore. I love that, and I miss waking up sore every week. I lift weights, I train TKD on my own, I teach/lead classes. I just miss the hard classes.

 

[WingChunIan]

Benjamin,
If it helps at all what I do, is to break the class into chunks. Slower paced technical stuff where its demonstration and instruction interspersed with high tempo drilling type work where I try to lead by example and train alongside the students. There's no greater motivation for endurance than knowing everyone is watching you lol. You'll still need to train outside of classes but at least you get something out of your teaching time. When solo training i also find an interval timer is a great training partner

 

[dancingalone]

I have the luxury of being a full time martial artist and school owner. I generally don't participate as a student in classes run at my school since I am either leading the class myself or giving corrections/instruction.

I do work out during non-class time and I do continue to study with other people to advance my own personal knowledge so I can serve my students better. People on the boards here often say that a good coach or teacher is not always also a good practitioner due to age, infirmity, or whatever else. I see their point, but for me I've always found it easier to see something demonstrated well for me to learn it, and so I've made a point to seek out teachers who CAN show me in addition to coaching me.

 

[Tornadokick80]

I have noticed the same thing in my own class. As instructor it is easy for me to spend time observing and moving from student to student correcting things. Before I know it class is over and other than leading stretching, striking, kicking drills, very little time was spent on my own skills. I need to remind myself to join in the physical side of class more often by having a jr.BB lead drills and ref sparring occasionally.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I do my best to spend atleast 1 hour a day, 6 days a week training, whether it be martial arts, strength training, or flexibility training. It is tough since I have a "day job" on top of running a small dojang. I just need to find a better way to streamline my training to push it to the next level while training on my own. I guess it all boils down to self-discipline.

 

[Instructor]

I am at just about every practice with my students. I am not in great shape but at least I am doing what my people are doing. My regular job is an IT person so that is the worst, just sitting at the keyboard day in and day out.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Everyone's class and style is a little different, so I will explain what a traditional class looks like at my school/association. Solo warm-up for up to 30 minutes before class starts, 15 minute floor exercise, 15-20 minutes on forms/hyungs/kata, 15-20 minutes on drills, self-defense, one step, etc., and finish with 15-20 minutes of sparring. It is me, plus one or two other junior black belts teaching a group of 20 (mostly children). Outside of sparring with my students and the 30 minute solo warm up, I don't "participate" much in class, as I am constantly teaching and correcting my students. I will demonstrate and lead drills when we do them, but that doesn't happen every class. The 1 hour advanced class after the beginner class is structured a bit differently and does allow me to participate more hands on with the students, but it still isn't the 2 1/2 hour workout I got last night!

 

[Mauthos]

My problem is that my instructor has retired from running a dojang, so I don't really have another club to travel to. He and a couple of other seniors teach black belt classes once per month to make sure we are maintaining proper standards, but once a month isn't enough for me. I'm still hungry, I'm only 32, I need the physical as much as I enjoy teaching.

I think I'm going to have to start having some of my junior black belts start instructing parts of class from time to time and put myself back on the floor more often; at least in the advanced classes.

I feel your pain with regards to not having a club near you of the same style. I teach Kenpo and I am the only instructor around the Bristol area (UK) and therefore have to travel a long way to be able to train with my instructor, so in that respect I have the same issue as you, I can only self train in Kenpo.

However, to keep the fitness in I still train in kick boxing as a student (nice physically demanding and no worries about having to learn different/additional forms) but I am also thinking about going back to TSD which I used to enjoy.

 

[harlan]

Ah. The way my teachers balance it is by training twice a week with their teachers/other advanced students. Sounds like you've hit on that already, tho'.

I do teach/lead the class, which is why I am still technically proficient. My problem is that I REALLY like the 2 1/2 hour hard classes, and since I am teaching/leading, I don't get to take full advantage of classes like that. I miss them.

I was able to finish the class last night strong, but I woke up this morning really sore. I love that, and I miss waking up sore every week. I lift weights, I train TKD on my own, I teach/lead classes. I just miss the hard classes.

 

[sfs982000]

I have had a Dojang for 2 years now, and I will openly admit my participation in class has plummeted. Last night, one of my instructors held a black belt instructors class. All we did were forms (hyungs/kata/poomse) for 2 1/2 hours. Very little talking, just a hard workout.

I exercise 6 days a week, so I'm not "out of shape," but I feel like I was hit by a mack truck this morning! Obviously I was aggressively using muscles I had not used to this degree in a while.

I'm going to have to start participating more in my own classes. Especially if I am going to be testing for 6th dan next year!

How do you all as school owners, keep your training up to par? I've always worked out on my own since opening the school, but last night made abundantly clear that I was not pushing myself hard enough in my private training.. .

Is it possible to get feed back from the other black belts that were in the training with you? Could it become a class that you have a few times a month?

 

[SahBumNimRush]

While that would be ideal, I don't think we have that much time available. I teach, along with the others, 4 classes a week, 2 nights a week. We hold this class once per month. I just don't have enough time in the month to squeeze in 3 extra nights.

What would be perfect is if I had another higher black belt to trade off classes with, i.e. I take them through class on one night a week and they take me through class the other class night. But that still makes it tough because of class size.

I think I'm going to start putting more responsibilities on some of my junior black belts; giving me a chance to get more of a workout in during class times. I think one of my seniors is going to start coming to my dojang to put me through my own workouts once a week this summer, in preparation for my test. I can't wait for that!