Fun Noodles for the Pool

[pressureguy]

I was at a tournament yesterday, and I saw some kids and judges doing something in the 3-5 year old division that struck me as brilliant.

 

The judges were taking fun noodles (those 4 foot long foam tubes that you play with in the pool) and were using them as blocking bats. I checked Century, and blocking bats run about $20 (see the below link to see what I am writing about).

 

The idea of using the noodles for that purpose is so obvious and simple that it makes me sick that I didn't come close to thinking of it.

 

Does anyone know of any other simple ideas like that?

 

http://tinyurl.com/3wklv = (Century block bats)

 

pressureguy

[scottnshelly]

In a pinch we used to use a head gear or foot pad as a kicking target.

 

One time, at a class i attended many years ago, the Instructor tied a bunch of white belts together to form a long rope to practice bobbing and weaving.

[Jc4199]

add a 3 foot long pice of pve in the center of the fun noodle

Cut a pice of fun noodle 24 inches long. Take a pice of 1/2 sch 40 pvc pipe and slide it into the hole of the fun noodle and cover the top with cloth tape and tape the bottom of the noodle to the pvc and you have a tried and true wacker stick. just check the fome from time to time to make shure it is still safe.

This can be used to make swords and stuff as well.

Jason Hill

Jc4199

[Jadnek]

I observed a kids Aikido class once where they were striking at bubbles with their wooden swords (sorry, don't know the proper term of the swords they use) but the kids were having a ton of fun and were getting pretty accurate with jabbing at the bubbles.

Another idea to help with kicks and balance is regular balloons.....blow them up and have the kids try to keep them in the air with multiple kicks. In the adults class, the instructor had us kicking kickballs. You knew if you hit it right if it flew straight for a front kick, to the side for a good side kick, etc.

Oh- and those fun noodles are fun to have the kids jump over when you swing them and also spar with them- just not too hard (which is hard for the wee ones to control when they get excited!!)

[atalaya]

my first sensei was a genius with this stuff! try kicking an ordinary plastic bag and keep it in the air with just kicks (obviously just for speed and endurance drills)

try the ol' punch out a candle trick. (use a candle in a safe place! with fire alarms and nothing around except a fireextinguisher!) use kicks and punches at further and further distances to improve "snap" to techniques.

try wrapping crushed styrofoam cups with duct tape (cubes, balls, et cetera) to throw at them have them practice dodging, punchin/kicking/blocking them as they come in

[tke010]

another fun activity for the kids.

cut a fun noodle in 1/2.

need 2 square focus mits.

need 2 foam pad helmets.

have each kid put on the helmet, place the focus mit on their weak hand (pad facing towards the knuckles, like holding a shield), the other hand holds the fun noodle like a sword.

its just like sparring, 3 points get the win, no head shots, stop them if the swings look like they are toward the head or seem too aggresive. points are awarded if the strike the arm, body, legs only.

the kids learn how to block, how to make an oppening to stike the arms\legs.

its fun to watch as an adult.

it actually showed me a way to attack with an escrima that i never thought of (or atleast thought it wouldn't work) that was cool! The move is hard to explain, but here it goes: opponent at end of ring (like against a wall and can't escape) (my kids are not allowed to go out of the ring)

shoot the head with the blocking forearm, place escrima (fun noodle) through opponents legs (escrima being held in the middle with each end behind opponents knee) then forearm strike towards opponent, knocking him down.

this was something i really never thought of when training escrima.

[scottnshelly]

...it actually showed me a way to attack with an escrima that i never thought of (or atleast thought it wouldn't work) that was cool! The move is hard to explain, but here it goes: opponent at end of ring (like against a wall and can't escape) (my kids are not allowed to go out of the ring)

shoot the head with the blocking forearm, place escrima (fun noodle) through opponents legs (escrima being held in the middle with each end behind opponents knee) then forearm strike towards opponent, knocking him down.

this was something i really never thought of when training escrima.

This also works really well if you can get behind your opponent and push him forward and pull the escrima back. It has to be above his knees though.