The Keswick to Barrow walk is upon us again, so quickly! I can't believe 3 months worth of training has just passed by.
Next Saturday (9th May) we embark on a 40 mile charity walk through England's Lake District. It is very mentally gruelling - but this year I know what to expect. We're all looking forward to the challenge (I think!)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday
Tonight was a good session. The kids were as mad as ever. They created lots of energy which filled the dojo. Training in school halls is always good, there's a bright airy atmosphere to them.
We had a small senior class afterwards. Tonight we worked on some basics and some partner training. We looked at the mechanics of gyakuzuki no tsukkomi (a wado technique): we studied how it can be used to demonstrate various ideas, then we paired up and worked some applications using those ideas. This technique really is classic wado!
The stances appears in our version of Pinan Shodan with a nice soto uke/maegeri/gyakuzuki combination so we expanded on those ideas too.
We've had a few hiccups amongst the seniors recently, it was good to be back on track.
We had a small senior class afterwards. Tonight we worked on some basics and some partner training. We looked at the mechanics of gyakuzuki no tsukkomi (a wado technique): we studied how it can be used to demonstrate various ideas, then we paired up and worked some applications using those ideas. This technique really is classic wado!
The stances appears in our version of Pinan Shodan with a nice soto uke/maegeri/gyakuzuki combination so we expanded on those ideas too.
We've had a few hiccups amongst the seniors recently, it was good to be back on track.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Coaching
I've just completed a 2-week long "team leader" training course for my job at work. A significant portion of the course was dedicated to coaching skills. Although the course was aimed at our workplace, the principles outlined in the seminars can be applied to all areas of life, including martial arts practice.
In the course we had a look at ego states and transactional analysis, as well as negotiating skills, learning styles and so on. It was a definite eye-opener, and I found many techniques that I can apply direct to my job as well as my karate coaching skills.
One question that crops up on forums relates to the ability of a person to teach martial arts (specifically self protection), if he or she hasn't got "field experience" (i.e. you don't get into fights, you shouldn't be teaching this stuff).
I received my answer to the question during the seminar. We had an exercise in which we paired up with someone from a different part of the business and offer coaching in that person's specialty.
The point of the exercise was to highlight that coaching and teaching are two different skills. The aim of coaching is to help the coachee get the best out of themselves, to help them find their own answers. Teaching or instructing is about passing on information.
So... let's take our karate instructor example...
The person is a black belt who has completed a suitable instructors' certificate with his association. The standard of martial arts is high, and the senior instructors know their stuff when it comes to the street. Therefore the information is sound.
Our new instructor is skilled in passing on those techniques, but doesn't have the ability to share his own direct experiences. This is the difference between an instructor and a teacher. But, our instructor has good coaching skills too, so even without that direct experience he can help his students get the most out of their training.
Boxing, tennis, motor racing, swimming, football - name any sport. The best players all have coaches. The job of the coach isn't to out-play the player at all. The coach is there to provide assistance, support and the necessary skills to take the sports player to the next level.
So, if you are a new black belt or a new instructor don't get hung up on whether you have the "right" to run classes. Provided your teaching material is sound and you have good coaching skills you can "pass on" the information you hold. Of course a good coach will also arrange courses with other more experienced teachers who do have those experiences, so the students get a wide range of different teaching and learning styles.
In the course we had a look at ego states and transactional analysis, as well as negotiating skills, learning styles and so on. It was a definite eye-opener, and I found many techniques that I can apply direct to my job as well as my karate coaching skills.
One question that crops up on forums relates to the ability of a person to teach martial arts (specifically self protection), if he or she hasn't got "field experience" (i.e. you don't get into fights, you shouldn't be teaching this stuff).
I received my answer to the question during the seminar. We had an exercise in which we paired up with someone from a different part of the business and offer coaching in that person's specialty.
The point of the exercise was to highlight that coaching and teaching are two different skills. The aim of coaching is to help the coachee get the best out of themselves, to help them find their own answers. Teaching or instructing is about passing on information.
So... let's take our karate instructor example...
The person is a black belt who has completed a suitable instructors' certificate with his association. The standard of martial arts is high, and the senior instructors know their stuff when it comes to the street. Therefore the information is sound.
Our new instructor is skilled in passing on those techniques, but doesn't have the ability to share his own direct experiences. This is the difference between an instructor and a teacher. But, our instructor has good coaching skills too, so even without that direct experience he can help his students get the most out of their training.
Boxing, tennis, motor racing, swimming, football - name any sport. The best players all have coaches. The job of the coach isn't to out-play the player at all. The coach is there to provide assistance, support and the necessary skills to take the sports player to the next level.
So, if you are a new black belt or a new instructor don't get hung up on whether you have the "right" to run classes. Provided your teaching material is sound and you have good coaching skills you can "pass on" the information you hold. Of course a good coach will also arrange courses with other more experienced teachers who do have those experiences, so the students get a wide range of different teaching and learning styles.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Don't you just love martial arts on Youtube?
It's getting increasingly difficult to find good martial arts clips on Youtube. There's a lot of rubbish, silly "debates" in the comment boxes and endless "this style v that style" clips of demonstrations or competitors out of their depth.
Here's a classic example. I bet you know where this is heading straight away... (Yep, it's our old friend the Kiai master, except this time somebody got the title wrong and nailed him incorrectly as aikido. Like I said, it's difficult to get good MA on youtube these days...)
Here's a classic example. I bet you know where this is heading straight away... (Yep, it's our old friend the Kiai master, except this time somebody got the title wrong and nailed him incorrectly as aikido. Like I said, it's difficult to get good MA on youtube these days...)
Children not getting enough exercise: report
A UK report suggests that kids are not getting enough exercise to stay healthy. Here's the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8015875.stm
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in Britain. Kids don't seem to be as active as they once were. Parents are afraid to let them out to play, plus there's other distractions for the kids too - video games, mobile phones, excessive homework, and so on.
Martial arts are a great activity for children, especially those who don't excel at school sports. I was never much cop at sports in school until my final year, after I started doing Taekwondo. Martial arts offer a good way of helping kids gain confidence.
At the moment I'm reviewing my kids' training syllabus to make it more freestyle-oriented and engaging for them to keep training. It's not a sellout nor is it dumbing down, but you have to tailor your syllabus for the juniors. It isn't enough to remove "dangerous bunkai" (ha!) Children have different needs and need to be coached in a manner suitable for them.
I don't think the lack of choice is a valid excuse for kids not exercising. There are plenty of dojos, dance classes, junior gyms, scouting organisations etc to choose from. Much of the time it's down to parents being too lazy to bother getting their children involved. It's too easy to plug in the playstation and leave 'em to it. (Hey, if your kids are going to have video games at least get them a Nintendo Wii, so they have to move around a bit!)
Social groups like karate clubs offer additional benefits because they offer the social aspects too. Children get to meet kids from a different part of town or a different school, and there's organised training for them. In a good, safe club where instructors have the necessary insurance, and child protection policies you can't go wrong.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8015875.stm
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in Britain. Kids don't seem to be as active as they once were. Parents are afraid to let them out to play, plus there's other distractions for the kids too - video games, mobile phones, excessive homework, and so on.
Martial arts are a great activity for children, especially those who don't excel at school sports. I was never much cop at sports in school until my final year, after I started doing Taekwondo. Martial arts offer a good way of helping kids gain confidence.
At the moment I'm reviewing my kids' training syllabus to make it more freestyle-oriented and engaging for them to keep training. It's not a sellout nor is it dumbing down, but you have to tailor your syllabus for the juniors. It isn't enough to remove "dangerous bunkai" (ha!) Children have different needs and need to be coached in a manner suitable for them.
I don't think the lack of choice is a valid excuse for kids not exercising. There are plenty of dojos, dance classes, junior gyms, scouting organisations etc to choose from. Much of the time it's down to parents being too lazy to bother getting their children involved. It's too easy to plug in the playstation and leave 'em to it. (Hey, if your kids are going to have video games at least get them a Nintendo Wii, so they have to move around a bit!)
Social groups like karate clubs offer additional benefits because they offer the social aspects too. Children get to meet kids from a different part of town or a different school, and there's organised training for them. In a good, safe club where instructors have the necessary insurance, and child protection policies you can't go wrong.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Club photos
Finally! Just a couple of junior pics for now.... (Permission to photograph the kids was granted by the assembled parents)...
These kids are all beginners.
These kids are all beginners.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Back to training this week
Training is back on as normal this Thursday (16th April) after the Easter break. Looking forward to it!
Didn't do a lot of training myself other than a long distance walk, and lots of manual work clearing out the front garden.
Didn't do a lot of training myself other than a long distance walk, and lots of manual work clearing out the front garden.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Timing
Timing is a skill that is usually spent developing in sparring. If you have good timing you can pre-empt your opponent's movements, create and break up rhythms and take advantage of sudden opportunities.
In the greater context of things, timing can be about being in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time!), knowing when to keep your mouth shut, and not making a nuisance of yourself from an etiquette point of view. In other words, timing comes out of awareness.
You don't have to be the quickest mover all the time. The "fastest" fighter is the one who gets the job done most efficiently. It could be the person's ability to spot a weak point, or using strategy to disrupt the other guy's own timing (by sudden changes in rhythm, grabbing and pulling, even using Kiai...) Having a good sense of timing isn't just about powerful reflexes.
Timing can also be improved by not thinking. Simply allow yourself to happen. The technique will see to itself.
Closely related to timing is your sense of distance, or space. In martial arts the Japanese term Ma-ai is used to describe the spatial difference between two opponents. And although the physical measurement of distance between the two, ma-ai can still be different. It depends on each person's mental state, where they are standing, the length of their arms and legs, and so on.
Training exercises for space and timing include pad work (pad holder changes range and direction), push hands, sparring (in its many forms), and weapon work.
In the greater context of things, timing can be about being in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time!), knowing when to keep your mouth shut, and not making a nuisance of yourself from an etiquette point of view. In other words, timing comes out of awareness.
You don't have to be the quickest mover all the time. The "fastest" fighter is the one who gets the job done most efficiently. It could be the person's ability to spot a weak point, or using strategy to disrupt the other guy's own timing (by sudden changes in rhythm, grabbing and pulling, even using Kiai...) Having a good sense of timing isn't just about powerful reflexes.
Timing can also be improved by not thinking. Simply allow yourself to happen. The technique will see to itself.
Closely related to timing is your sense of distance, or space. In martial arts the Japanese term Ma-ai is used to describe the spatial difference between two opponents. And although the physical measurement of distance between the two, ma-ai can still be different. It depends on each person's mental state, where they are standing, the length of their arms and legs, and so on.
Training exercises for space and timing include pad work (pad holder changes range and direction), push hands, sparring (in its many forms), and weapon work.
Easter Training
As a reminder to club people....
We are training as usual over the holidays except for Easter Monday. More details at our club site:
http://barrow-karate.blogspot.com
We are training as usual over the holidays except for Easter Monday. More details at our club site:
http://barrow-karate.blogspot.com
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