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Old 08-23-2013, 01:22 PM   #12
NagaBaba
 
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Location: Wild, deep, deadly North
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Re: Teaching children - age restrictions and safety

If you don’t have experience, a group of 5-6 kids is max. Set low expectation for yourself and/or for parents.
The most important – is a discipline and respect (+ usual aikido etiquette) – use carrot and stick method. It can take about a year to learn it …Limit your own discourses, talk as little as possible(they are not able to grasp any theoretical sophisticated aikido concepts). Teach 15 minutes weapons every class(wooden weapons LOL). Do a lot of dynamic gymnastic exercises. Kids must run as often as possible(except when they destroy all around them, then put them flat to the ground). Lot of rolling, jumping and again rolling…Let them practice every technique no longer that 2-3 minutes and switch to next. Don’t teach any locks – kids body is not developed enough for it until age of 16 (do you know they are learning how to WALK until age of 8?).Use their competitive spirit to teach (i.e. who can jump over and roll forward above larger and larger obstacle). Develop one play (i.e. dragons fight) and let them play in the end of the class if a discipline was good during the class(again some carrot ). If one of them fall asleep in the middle of tatami simply drag him into the corner and continue teaching.. There will be a blood and minor injuries, prepare a first aid kit and take a first aid certification.

Nagababa

ask for divine protection Ame no Murakumo Kuki Samuhara no Ryuo
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