View Single Post
Old 08-11-2010, 09:39 PM   #32
danj
Dojo: Brisbane Aikido Republic
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 298
Australia
Offline
Re: Teaching Aikido - Require Coaching Course?

Quote:
Carsten Möllering wrote: View Post
But there exist different theorys about how people learn things. Those you can learn in a "western coaching course" will follow specific "western" paradigms.

Learning just by repeating kata time after time represents another way of learning. (No thinking about, no trying out, no need to understand ...) But just this way of learning just by the body and not by mind. Just by feeling and not by knowing is essential.

The way aikido should be taught better can not be learned in such coaching courses.
You can only learn how to be a good instructor in "western" paradigms. And you can notice the differences to how you are teaching aikido.

Carsten
East, West or a mix of the two a good instructor/coach/teacher will be able to teach with a variety of methodologies to impart knowledge and skills. What tradition call 'kata' a skill acquisition specialist calls 'error free learning', 'repetition' can be called 'blocked learning' , 'meditation' is maybe 'dual tasking'.

A coaching course might help explain the 'why' and show the limits and advantages of different methods. e.g. too much repetitive training (blocked learning) can be detrimental to the learning process at higher skill levels though great at getting people up to a basic level of proficiency.

The advantage of the eastern approach is you just have to trust the venerable master and all is taken care of. The advantage of the Western processes is knowing why we do things the way we do them, it helps build trust in the process.

I wrote a piece some time back on comparing traditional practice to modern practice. Its a bit long to include here, but here is the link Aikido as an elite sport if there is further intrest

best,
dan

  Reply With Quote