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Old 05-24-2013, 07:43 AM   #8
philipsmith
Dojo: Ren Shin Kan
Location: Birmingham
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 362
United Kingdom
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Re: Starting a kids class- seeking advice & wisdom

Quote:
Jørgen Jakob Friis wrote: View Post
Hi Phillip

This touches a point we have been discussing in our Dojo. The way I teach Aikido I rely on my students wanting to learn so I think it would be perceived as very soft. It works out fine in the adult class though.

However in the kids class I am aware I should probably adopt a harder style - but I have no idea how to do that. Could you explain just a little what you mean by 'Hard work sessions' - especially how you deal with it if somebody slack off.

I hope you can help.

JJ
Actually the second part of your first post is pretty much what we do.

The kids warm-up with lots of physical "stuff" - jogging around mat, sit-ups, press-ups, general flexibility such as touching toes and so on.
We then do taisebaki following senseis count e.g. we're going to do tenkan 10 times - sensei counts 1,2, etc whilst performing the movement as well
Then technique asking for the name of the attack, technique and if it's omote or ura. So one student is asked "What technique is it?" another "what is the attack?"
After they have practised each technique we get two pairs to show what they have learnt to the whole class.

End of class is kokyu-ho.

Hope that helps - the competitive elements are learning the names and showing the technique "better" than anyone else.
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