ninjanurse

Welcome B.!

It's not the art, it's the teacher.

We also have 2 months cycles but most students cannot meet the class requirement and therefore test every 4 months. I would prefer to have testing every month and those that are ready can grade...but it's not my school either!

A good teacher sees the potential in each individual student and should teach to that potential. Comparing students in general to a standard, i.e. belt level or rank, is one thing; comparing them to each other is another. At times it is difficult for students (and parents!) to see this but it is a must if you want them to be their best.

Nice.

Yeppers!Good movie.

Same two knuckles, palm either way depending on the height of the punch.

In my experience step-sparring is not designed to teach self-defense directly. It is designed to teach speed, timing, and distance skills that then transfer into other aspects of instruction, i.e., self-defense techniques, sparring, etc.

True but possibly an opportunity to help two people grow.

"Keep your hands up", "Don't turn your back", "Focus your eyes", etc. Love to use a blocker to whack these points home!!

That's is exactly what it is all about. Too bad more martial artists don't adhere to that philosophy...there seems to be an awful lot of chest banging out there these days. Just an opinion....

"You must learn to use The Force Luke!"

Congrats!

Imagine you are standing on the roof of a building-at the edge. Five people attack one at a time and you defend with a one-step or self-defense technique without falling off the edge. You can also do this with your back against a wall.

You've been bitten by the bug!!

Good advice bushido_man! Most of all enjoy yourself and know that with each competition you will learn and improve.

I agree here. There are many interpretations of each technique thus many variations of bunkai. Self discovery and guided discvocery are excellent methods to teach students the bunkai and quite possibly discover "new" ones....and as you gain experience you will begin to discover the hidden applications within each such as takedowns, armbars, etc. A great tool for teaching! Also, some blocks or strikes may obviously lead to a takedown and some may not. How far do you take it before it becomes impractical and cumbersome?

This is the first school I have taught at that does it this way. I would much prefer one curriculum for all but I do see the merits of it.

Keep us posted!

I always teach bunkai when it is relevant. It especially helps when students are strugggling with technique as it sometimes helps to know why you are doing something. We teach application of techniques anyway so what's the difference? Of course there is a limit as to how far you take the bunkai with juniors, just as with some adults. I like to use guided and self discovery as it makes for a better "a ha moment" when they figure it out themselves. Logical progressions help to increase understanding of the elements of each technique too. Our junior curriculum (ages 7-12) is one poomse/kata behind the adults and we leave out the take downs and some self-defense techniques. They eventually catch up around Black Belt. Once a student reaches 12 years of age they are transitioned into the adult curriculum.

Congratulations!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome!