What's your class structure?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Some nights I will set the classes for a longer duration, but all of the students are in the same class.

 

On a side note do any of you stretch at the beginning of class as opposed to the end of class.

 

All of my students, from beginning white belt to Sandan (3rd black belt) are in the same class also, and all working on the same things (except kata of course).

 

Also, we do stretching at the beginning, and at the end of class.

[taiji fajin]

My school is somewhat different, in part because we have multiple instructors of the same level. They are a hour and a half long and broken up like this:

 

15 min - warm up / stretching

 

30 min - practice / teach (focus on techinques or forms, but also falling, weapons, kicks, etc)

 

30 min - split group. Up to the students to either keep practicing techniques (no new ones taught) or to do a self defense oriented workout. Students are not suppose to do the same group the entire week (class meets 3-4 times a week, depending on belt level).

 

15 min - meditation and ending class.

[searcher]

The reason I asked the question about the stretching is that I used to do static stretching at the beginning of class. This was until I read Thomas Kurz' book Stretching Scientifically. Now I do dynamic stretches at the beginning and isometric mixed with static at the end.

 

I ahve always liked the mixing of two different classes into one, but with the difference in ages it is very difficult. Also there is only a limited ammount of space to workout.

[taiji fajin]

searcher, I prefer dynamic stretching more than static. I haven't read that book, but it sounds interesting. Our class time is limited, so we stretch before hand (to make sure everyone has done it so no one gets injured) and tell them after class is over that they should do it, though we have to leave are practice room as we share it with others and our time is up.

[parkerlineage]

Our classes for the kids are 50 minutes long. For the example, I will do the advanced kids' class Tuesday and Thursday.

Tuesday:

10 Minutes - Warm up, stretches

5 Minutes - Basic two kata together

10 Minutes - Break off by belt level for other kata

10 Minutes - Obstacle course (game)

10 Minutes - Techniques by belt

5 Minutes - Game

Thursday:

10 Minutes - Warm up, stretches

5 Minutes - Basic two kata together

5-10 Minutes - Break off by belt level for other kata

5 Minutes - Kicking set

Remainder of class - Sparring

Peace;

Parkerlineage

[ialwaysgethit]

Hi i have lessons plans just like every one else, but sometimes they go out of the windows and it all flows and comes of the top of my head. or the people you intend to do the class for dont turn up, thats annoying, but life.

Tonight when i was teaching, we just made it up as we went along and it went really well.

does any boby else do this at all

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Hi i have lessons plans just like every one else, but sometimes they go out of the windows and it all flows and comes of the top of my head. or the people you intend to do the class for dont turn up, thats annoying, but life.

Tonight when i was teaching, we just made it up as we went along and it went really well.

does any boby else do this at all

I've never been a fan of lesson plans, but rather prefer to "wing it" when I see who shows up for class. I've been teaching for 26+ years, so winging it is pretty easy for me.

[cathal]

Well, it is an art form isn't it? Something that is artfull does come from the mind and heart, and tends to be sponteneous.

[ialwaysgethit]

wow

shorinryu sensei, you are one the first people apart from me, my mum and dad, wing it, every one else appears to do tge lesson plans, well at least for qualifications they do.

well it works for me, aslong as i get the information accross, that is the main thing

[Shorin Ryuu]

My classes are 2 1/2 hours long, which allows for flexibility. The atmosphere is extremely relaxed and nothing is really planned ahead of time. In the beginning, we usually have self-stretching that will invariably involve chatting and exchanging of stories or martial arts discussion.

There are perhaps never more than five or six of us on most days and we usually split up into groups or individual training for some of the time following. Our instructor will take one or several or all of us and go over kata, principles, weapons, or drills (or any thing else he has in mind, or he simply asks us what we want to do).

Other times, me and other students will do some kata (with or without Sensei watching) and either discuss things that come to mind, practice bunkai or give any other observations occur as we do it. We also may do drills or other training that we feel like we want to emphasize at the moment. I find this format really helps students to think on their own while still providing an instructor's oversight as he participates and trains with us as well. The small group format really facilitates discussion and the lack of a rigid discipline structure allows for free exchange of ideas. As such, self-discipline is something that is needed (my instructor doesn't train people under 15 years of age at the moment). It also really helps Sensei to tailor the training to each individual, which is how it was traditionaly taught.

At the very end of practice, Sensei will try to have at least 20-30 minutes or so of kata practice with all of us together.

It isn't uncommon for us to go out to eat afterwards or stick around and chat for a while either. I much prefer this style of dojo, not just because it is truly more traditional in its orientation, but because I feel it is far more effective, not to mention more friendly and relaxed.