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This last week has been fast paced for me. SO fast paced that I haven't had time to even write in the journal.
We had class on Sunday. It was a great class. I taught them Kote Gaeshi, and I started them in the "real fighting" training.
I have been trying to find a way to make these techniques effective and I am growing with each class. I see things differently and how I can make them totally effective in combat. I guess the way I teach is "martial" more so than "art". I feel most teachers bring on a sense of security to their students, but forget about the martial concept.
I have started training my students in "my" way. I can only say that because I have yet to find an instructor that teaches like me.
I separate elements and bring them together.
The basics are the techniques. We have the many, many tehcniques to teach. This is the first portion.
Now we have to teach our students have to use those tehcniques against a fighting opponent. Not necessarily sparring, but against an opponent that is defending and also going to be offensive. What I do is I have my students compete. For ground fighting I may have them compete for position, then start over, and go again, and again, and again. I will teach them how to get into the position, how to get out of the position, and how to defend themselves so the person can not get into the position. Then I have them practice, then compete to see what they can do. This is the first portion.
Now I teach them a take down, and a few throws. These are the ways they can get their opponent to the ground. I will teach them how to reverse, and how to defend, and then I have them practice all of the above. Then they compete to see who can throw, or take down the other person first like wrestling without the pin.
Then I teach them an "arrest" or series technique and how to reverse it etc etc. Then they do sticky hands and try to get one another on the ground.
Now at the end of class we compete in an entire spectrum. Meaning anything goes. You can take the techniques I have taught prior and today and see who can beat who until submission. Once someone wins, you get back up and start over. If there's more than two students, I have them do king of the ring style fighting. I join in sometimes to tire out the winner, and I allow the student to continue to compete.
Now this is how I teach my beginners.. I have not added in kicks and punches yet in our competition only because I don't have the safety gear yet to do so. Once I can afford the gear, we will add kicks and punches, and continue the same style of training. Then at the end of class my students will compete.
* Now during these lessons, I also teach the combative way. I teach them that in a real situation where death is a possibility, you could (add in certain technique). This way, they have the knowledge to be combat wise, and not just competitive wise.
Now each lesson that takes place makes me feel more like a coach than a Sensei. I guess i feel like by changing things, I have become more of an instructor that is thinking about "real" situations and what I wish I had to make me become ready for real combat.
Of course, I have viewed some Japanese style training, and from what I have seen, they are rather "real" in comparison to Americans. So maybe Americans have just taken the "art" and made it such, instead of realizing that we are training people to defend themselves mentally and physically.
Now I know once I start an offical studio I will have to change some things if I want to thrive. I may have to only teach Judo for children or teach them Karate/Judo mixture. Children should not be taught the things I am teaching.
My classes are growing though. I started with one, now I have five. Not too bad for just being word of mouth.
I hope to make this a success, and maybe the hard training, is what will make me fail, but taking away anything from this, makes me feel bad for not preparing my students for real situations. From my experience what we lack as trainers is realism, and I am trying to create that.
09-02-2005 04:23 PM 