Rateh

That's an interesting way, I've got to try that. I meditate two different ways. One is for anxiety, I get panic attacks. The one for anxiety that works best for me is picturing in your mind a leaf falling. And watch it as it slooooooowly drifts toward the ground. Counting to 10 as it goes. Count as slow as you can, focusing on the leaf. At the end of that, I feel much less anxious. The other way is before training. Here I breath in and out to a count of 10. I focus my mind on my training. I don't think of anything specific about MA or training or anything. I just pull in my focus. Since I'm usually the high rank so I decide the stop of the meditation, I stop it once I have my focus. On days I just can't seem to gather the focus, then my performance suffers greatly. Those are the days I forget something right after being shown, or I blank out on something I know well.

I find it very uncomfortable in my new style that instructors thank me for assisting in class. With a bow and a hand shake. They also thank me for teaching the class. And sometimes the students thank me too. I always feel very akward and kind of wish they wouldn't do that. In my last school you had to bow to instructors when they came in AND when they left. I always left in the middle of the kids advanced class, and I would just go out the door. Not like I was going to announce in the middle of class that I was leaving and please bow to me. Sometimes parents would call me on it though and yell to the instructor as I was getting out the door. Very embarrasing. It's interesting all the traditions that different schools have. Of bowing and shaking hands and saying thank you. Some seem to have official times and reasons where you do those things, and others seem to be whatever you are comfortable with. One thing that I hate though about leaving and entering bowing. Having all that stuff your carrying and trying to bow without dropping it. Used to have a bottle of water, my uniform, a clipboard where I kept all pertinent information on my students, and my purse. Now I have a bo staff, my bag stuffed so full things are sticking out of it, and my purse. And it never fails, I come in the door, take off one of my shoes, and THEN someone calls everyone to attention for bowing. So I've got my bag and purse falling off of my shoulder and one shoe on and one shoe off, often times with a sock in my hand. And here comes my little sister behind me almost getting whacked with my huge bag. She hates going into the school after me, so when I remember I try and have her go in the door first.

I became a "sensei" at brown belt, it simply ment "instructor" at my school. I am now a "sah bum nim" at my new school, which means for us any black belt 1st degree or above who is at least 18 years of age. Temporary black belts and black belts who are under 18 years of age are chokonims (I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong). High red belts are hachsanim (sp). Black belts in charge of a program at a school are kyo sa nim. Black belts in charge of a school are chungsanim (sp). And black belts over more than one school are kwan jang nim. Before I test for my 2nd degree I must be in charge of a program at my school, so that would make me a kyo sa nim. Most people once they are called kyo sa nim, continue to be called so, even when they are no longer in charge of a program.

I'm trying to find a new job, that pays better. I took the one I have now because I needed one when I moved to utah and knew I could get it. Also avoiding anything that isn't absolutly necessary (and of course letting my parents pay for my food since I live at home for the moment, though I originally planned on paying it for myself ) I also found out that if I order my perscriptions by mail for 90 days instead of at the pharmacy for 30 days, I'll save 150 dollars a month. I also do odd jobs around the house, like cleaning out the fridge and organizing my moms scrap booking. If I could I'd do odd jobs at the dojo and pay less a month, but that isn't an option so I'll just keep my expencive habit.

One thing to remember is that at white belt EVERYTHING is new and must be learned. This includes prodical in the school, often times names and counting in a different language, how to tie the belt, and just generally getting used to martial arts practice. Personally I think that many schools put far to much in between the rank of white belt the next rank up. Imho you should keep it simple, give them a chance to get used to the training, then gradually step up the requirements. Also I think at white belt is a good time to work on drills for balance, focus, control, etc.

When I taught at a community center, which was really a middle school used in the evenings and on weekends. Well I didn't pay rent or any such thing, or sign a contract. Basically I got 70% of the students fees for taking the class. Cost was decided by the center. Was $60 for 6 weeks twice a week. The center got the other 30%. I brought my own supplies to class every day, and the students helped me bring them in.

How bout you try doing a game when he does that. But still putting him in timeout. So then when he desides he doesn't want to participate in the more difficult things, really he doesn't get to particiate in the more fun things. Make sure then when he does participate in the more difficult things then you give him lots of praise. Good luck

I think it also depends on the intensity of the warm-up. I know when I teach I do a fast but high intensity warm-up. Everyone gets good and sweaty, and it doesn't take up time. Then we get on with the training. One warm-up is pushups 'n' situps laps. Run a lap, do 10 push-ups, run a lap, do 10 sit-ups. Fast as you can, till 10 laps. I also like count downs. 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit-ups, 10 push-ups. Repeat with 9. Continue till your down to 1. Race the other students, but still do good technique. I no longer teach classes (aside from a 3-4 year old one) because I'm training at a new school. Our warm-ups are always martial arts specific. Sometimes its just going through the forms up till your rank. Today we did basics as a warm-up. And then basics up and down the floor for the rest of the class.

I usually have my students do non-kicking pivots. So either in place and/or down the floor, pick up your back leg and pivot your base foot. Then pivote it back as you step forward or put your foot back behind you (depending if you are doing one leg then placing it back, or if you are landing forward one step for every "kick") When you practice this also practice getting your hips aligned into the correct position. Then you just add the kick.

At one point I attended a club that had juniors and seniors. They all took the same class. The testing requirements was less for the junior ranks. (Like instead of learning combinations #1-5, you might have to do #1, 2, & 4) We lined up in an L. With the instructor at the front. The juniors lined up by rank facing the instructor. The seniors lined up by rank going forward from the highest ranked junior. I don't know that there were any solid ages. According to the paper at 14 I was a junior, but I was treated and tested as a senior. When I went from that club to the main school of that in town (they were affiliated). The juniors and seniors when they were in the same class lined up in the same line as eachother, with the older ones being the highest of their rank (ie two brown belts, older one in front). Then the instructors assistants all lined up going forward from the highest ranking student. In an L shape.

There are some um...I don't remember what they are called. But it's like a flow chart. What to say when you answer, how to respond to the normal questions, all leading toward having them come into the school. They are available online, I just don't remember where I found one. I would just search for one of the professional martial arts instructors websites. Theres a bunch of them. I'll see if I can find the one I saw before.

I like a student who tries to do what you say. I can explain and demonstrate and help the person perform techniques correctly till I'm blue in the face, but if the student doesn't try to understand and apply what I am teaching, it doesn't do any good. I find most students pay attention fairly well and get it "mostly". But the students who really focus on the details I explain and demonstrate, are the one's who tend to "get it" sooner. I try to be such a student. One that my instructor can say "she always pays attention, and always tries to apply what I teach"

You can teach a kid martial arts while keeping in mind their developmental level. This isn't babysitting, it's teaching to the person, which is what any good instructor does with adults as well. I do know that some schools "babysit" but having young kids programs does not automatically = babysitting. It all depends on the instructor. My .02 cents

Actually, any time a student would forget their belt sensei would make them stand at the end of the line, after the white belts. The second time they did so with push-ups. The third time they had to wear a pink belt (never actually happend, was more of a threat then anything else ) I followed his example.

When I taught the beginners kids class, ages 5-12, I would teach them how to tie their belts by following me tie mine with verbal directions. I would tie mine backwards (in front of me, with the knot ending up facing the same way as theirs). I would walk around and help the kids having trouble. After 3 times (in a row in class) they would tie their belt on themselves as best they can. If I were you I would do this a few times till some of them start to get it. Then I would teach them how to tie there belt one time per class (this will take less then 5 minutes) I would have those that get it walk around and help the others learn. I would still require all to tie it on the final time themselves (so they follow you and get help tieing it on once every class, then take it off and tie it themselves). If it's wrong, so be it, they are the ones training, and thus they should be the ones tieing their belts imho, even if they tie it wrong. After a few more times of teaching them, then stop teaching it, have the parents continue to help them before class, but not put it on for them. If it falls off in class, have them put it aside and keep training. Use permenant marker to write the names on the belts so they don't get mixed up. My verbal directions go like this "fold the belt in half, put the half part on your belly button, wrap the other part around you and hold both ends at your waist (young ones will hold the very ends of the belt out far and this will inhibit them from tieing it), put the right side on your belly button, put the left side on your belly button and hold it there with your hand, take the one on top, the right side, and put it up under both parts of the belt, put the one comming out the top on top of the other end, tie a knot" (or for young ones, "stick your hand through the hole and grab the end, pull it through" they may pull the wrong end but they can try again) Make sure the parents see and hear your demonstrations so that they can help there kids, the directions are fairly easy to remember, just remind them that you always do the right side first, unless of course your style ties it a different way. This is just my suggestion. Good luck!

If it were me I'd solve it with push-ups. At one point we had a 12 year old red belt boy who was being disrespectful to a 9 year old orange belt girl. Sensei made them trade belts for 2 weeks. No more problems after that. Good luck with your plague

We split up our young kids from the rest, with their own program. Monkeys is the 3-4 year olds. Tigers is 4-5 years. And Dragons is 6-7 year olds. Age 8 and up learn the same as the adults, and often are in the same classes as the adults. Currenlty I teach the Monkeys. They earn a stripe for every 16 classes they attend. They do not earn belts. I teach them basic kicks, strikes, and blocks, as well as safty and a bit of self defense. The focus is mainly on developing the skills to go into the Tigers program. (listening, following directions, standing still, balance, agility, etc.) Oh and class times are shorter for the younger ones. 30 mins for Monkeys, I'm not sure how long for Tigers and Dragons.

Yeah, I've trained twins before, kids. I made them alternate, as they were 4 minutes apart. And I didn't think it was right to tell a 7 year old they would always have to be behind their twin sister because of 4 minutes.

We used to do the whole wave thing for bows at my last school. You couldn't come up from the bow till your seniors did. So it made a wave along the lines.

Awsome, congrats!

I have not seen this problem in my current school. I have a great deal of respect for everyone that stands in front of or behind me. I am not aware of whether or not those that stand behind me think I should not be in front, since I am not yet a black belt in the system. I have never experienced anything but respect from them however. At my last school I always stood in front, and since I was senior in age, rank, and years in martial arts, aside from the head instructor, I felt I was right to be in front. Though again I respected those who were my juniors. I did not respect my senior however, and that is why I am no longer there. I respected his skill though.

That whole rank doesn't matter thing only goes so far. Rank matters a lot when its a door. I want to own my own school one day. I was a brown belt when I made that goal. I didn't test to black belt because it was my big goal, I tested as a step toward my larger goal. If I just said oh rank doesn't matter so I'll just stay at my current one, it wouldn't exactly fly. I'd hardly be able to run a school and advance students to high ranks if I was only a brown belt myself. (Sure you could say, just don't have rank in your school, but tbh I don't think that would be very succesful as a traditional martial arts school, as oppossed to a just learn how to fight school). So I plan to keep advancing in rank, not for the rank itself, though it is good to see my accomplishments, but for my larger goal. Does that mean that I am better now than I would be if I stayed a brown belt but kept training as I have? Of course not. But testing for my 1st degree was a step toward my future. It's easy to say rank doesn't matter when you don't have future plans and goals that require you to be a higher rank.

Can't answer this one for my current school, as I only just began attending it in the summer. In vegas the leaving time was virtually the same for males and females. I guess it might be around 6-9 months as the average. After that the drop out rate lowered a lot, at around 3 years the drop out rate was very low. In the first question I voted based on my current school, do you want me to vote in this one according to my las vegas school?

The school I attend seems to have a larger percentage of males then females, but not enough that it feels like a male school. There are as many black belt females as males, and the old head of the school (now over two schools with a new head of the school for mine) is female. The head of all the schools in my state is also female. The head of the organization is male. The school I attended in vegas had a male head instructor, and three female instructors. The student body was about 50/50 in males and females.

Hmm... You've got to remember that you don't know the circomstances behind the bathroom breaks. Some people have to go frequently, and others may have a shy bladder and cannot go before class. I know I have to take bathroom breaks on occasion, for that reason, and I always feel like a fool seeing as I am a black belt and usually the highest rank in the class.