Tell me about your first day of training..

[HighKick]

So you tell your students not to practise between classes in case they somehow ingrained ‘imperfection’? They should only practise before a teacher who can correct them? Have you heard of homework set be teachers and lecturers throughout the world?

Of course not. But have you ever had to help someone 'unlearn' something they were taught/learned wrong? It is usually quite a process. Like putting a lefthand bolt in a righthand thread.
I expect students to practice on their own but stress great caution about working on the techniques they are at least familiar with. Who expects a white belt to ever do their first form 'perfect'?
How many people have you seen go full strength/speed from day one?

 

[Gyakuto]

This dilemma can easily be solved; take two students, Agnes and Nigel, ask Agnes to practise several times a week at home and forbid Nigel from training anywhere other than the dojo.

Would you take a bet on whether Agnes or Nigel will make greater, more rapid, deep progress?

 

[HighKick]

This dilemma can easily be solved; take two students, Agnes and Nigel, ask Agnes to practise several times a week at home and forbid Nigel from training anywhere other than the dojo.

Would you take a bet on whether Agnes or Nigel will make greater, more rapid, deep progress?

Not enough information to answer the question. People are just too different and progress at different rates, no matter how much they practice.

 

[Gyakuto]

Not enough information to answer the question. People are just too different and progress at different rates, no matter how much they practice.

I think this is an unconscious attempt to make the idea of the benefits of home study between classes unfalsifiable.

I would encourage my martial arts students to practise between lessons, much as I’d encourage my academic students to study and attempt problems between tutorials.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I am not sure I put this in this thread or not.

But my first day of training, when I returned to training wing Chun, I was, and still am, very impressed with the sifu. As for me on my first day of returning to serious training, I felt like an uncoordinated goofball.... and to be honest, I still do, but something are starting to click