martialbrown

We don't have students teach class, but the week before our Christmas break is always strange. We don't take attendance, instead we have a timed obstacle course. Each person in all the classes gets to run through a couple of times to beat their old score. The second class we have another chance at the obstacle course and do some team relay races. It is completely different from regular class, but so much fun.

My best friend and I did something similar, for our school variety show, we included kata that we had made up for the show using a short staff, empty hand and a variety of self defense thrown in. It was fun, we timed it to music and had work at the timing of everything, since it wasn't stuff we were used to. It was made to look like a mock fight between the two of us, with kata thrown in. I think it took about 2 months to get to performance ready. Good Luck with your show, and at least, have lots of fun.

For young kids, they may not be actually learning much in the way of skill, they will over time, but most likely not in the beginning, but it will be fun, and let me tell you it is difficult. Our kids class wears you out, they are full of energy and keep you moving the entire night. We have students ages 6 to 60 sparring, we rarely ever have injuries if that is what you are worried about, because the young ones are not going to be hit as hard as the older students. Mainly, they have fun, it is something different, it poses a challenge, and for your young students it would be something new.

A common saying in the school I train at, is that you are always being tested. Everytime you are on deck you will be seen and watched, your kata will be noticed, and your attitude will be too. It helps to take the pressure off of the week before promotion announcements and it also allows you to get a consistent feedback. Only you can know you are ready, that is the thing about life, you cannot let others choose your destiny. You can either try today and pass or fail, or try the next time around, but eventually everything will work out. Take the pressure off of yourself, you have all of your requirements in, just let yourself have fun. Good Luck, and I am sure you will do fine.

Much like many of the women in my school, I have found that I hate pushups, they are a requirement for advancement and part of our physical test, (we have to do 25 turning a tap light on and off to pass), I hate them, but I do them. They are hard for me to do, and they are very annoying, but I do them anyway. Yes, it is easier for most men to do pushups, however, I can do more than many male students in my class. A full pushup will work your whole body. You are using your abs, back, arms, legs, shoulders, and chest. All at once. It helps with balance and complete strength. If you can do 100 knee pushups, and 100 situps, and 100 squats, why can you not push yourself to do full pushups? If you can do ten, why not push yourself to do 11, then 12, and so on. Anyway, that is just my 2 cents. As to Ricochet’s original question, what I have made myself do, it much like the others have suggested. Do as many good ones as you can, even if that is only one or two. Then go back and do it again and again. Right now, I work in set numbers, I do 25, then 20, then 15, then 10, then 5, (or at least that is what I try to do ), with maybe a minute or two between sets. Work your levels also, meaning, use stairs, chairs, walls, countertops to build up your strength. Lifting weights helps too, as do situps or the plank move that is a common yoga posture. More than anything, just working them makes them easier.