How to avoid getting psyched out?

[elila]

I need some advice:

Due to my parents' recent schedule change, I can only go to the Beginner adult/teenage class. Because I'm almost at an advanced level, I know that the Master is going to ask me to lead the class on the warm-up excersises.

I've only done this once before, when I was a yellow belt.

To make a long story short, I choked. I tried to shout out out the excersises to about 10-15 no-belts and white-belts, and I thought they could all hear me. Apparently not. They all moved slowly and no one was counting or yelling. I felt my face burning up and still didn't realize they couldn't hear me and shouted ( I swear, I thought I was shouting at the top of my lungs!) "Again! This time counting HANA, DOOL..."

This slow self-torture went on for about 15 minutes. Luckily the man nearest could hear me and the rest followed suit. I was so upset but too angry at myself to cry. Then the excersizes were over and the head instructor took over with sparring and self-defense.

Afterwards one of the assistant instructors said, "You should talk louder, I could hardly hear you."

I tried to explain myself,"Social Anxiety Disorder?"

Of course she just said,"It's your age you'll grow out of it." (I'm 14 btw, if this helps)

I'm about two or three belts above the average student in this class so I just know I can't get out of it. My first class like this as a purple-belt a Red-belt took over, so I was lucky. But I know next week or the week after I'm probably going to have to lead the class andfreak out like back then.

I'm fine shouting when I kick and punch. Saying the student creed aloud or a simple "Kook ki eh kyung ye"? Easy. I can Teach forms and self-defense to a few people at a time. So why do I get so scared in this type of situation when everyone else seems fine? Could it be social anxiety disorder?

Sorry such a long post

Thanks in advance.

[usatkdwtf]

Its not your fault. You probably nee to ask your instructor for tips on teaching large groups like that.

The only students I let assist like that are the ones in my instuctor development classes. Even then I dont let them take the floor for a set of exercises until about brown belt. It takes time to learn how to lead.

Social Anxiety wouldnt be a problem here for you I dont think, because you are comfortable with the people of your school by now. I think you just felt somehing a lot of us would feel at your age trying to lead older teens and adults....paranoid.

I would suggest asking yor instructor to work one on one with you, if he wants you to lead...espically leading adults.

[elila]

Social Anxiety wouldnt be a problem here for you I dont think, because you are comfortable with the people of your school by now.

No, new students, don't know most of their names.

I could try talking to my Master, but I'm nervous as to how he would respond. I imagine he'd try encouragement rather than giving advice, "You'll be fine!" which doesn't work with me because I know he's just trying to raise my confidence.

Thanks for the advice though.

[karatekid1975]

I was the opposite. I hated doing the student oath when I'm the class senior. I was pararoid (and I'm an adult) of messing it up. Now I laugh when I mess it up.

In my school, when you become a red belt, you have to lead the warm-ups (if there's more than one red belt helping out each night, they'll get rotated. We'll each get a turn). The first time I did it, I was nervous, but I taught at one of my previous schools, so it wasn't too bad for me.

What I do is make jokes related to the exercise I'm calling out. It loosens everyone up including myself with a good giggle. Then I work them hard (I usely get "gggrrrrr's" then LOL). I'll involve everyone into helping me warm them up. Like I will say get ready for push-ups, then I will ask someone how many they like to do (we usually do 15 for interm. students). Someone will give a number, then I'd say ok, then add five to that number hehehehe. This usually helps me (keeps me and the students too busy to think LOL).

[JusticeZero]

If nothing else you can mirror them while calling out the exercizes to start. Then they can see the movement. Make some sort of gesture to accomodate everything.

[elila]

I was the opposite. I hated doing the student oath when I'm the class senior. I was pararoid (and I'm an adult) of messing it up. Now I laugh when I mess it up.

In my school, when you become a red belt, you have to lead the warm-ups (if there's more than one red belt helping out each night, they'll get rotated. We'll each get a turn). The first time I did it, I was nervous, but I taught at one of my previous schools, so it wasn't too bad for me.

What I do is make jokes related to the exercise I'm calling out. It loosens everyone up including myself with a good giggle. Then I work them hard (I usely get "gggrrrrr's" then LOL). I'll involve everyone into helping me warm them up. Like I will say get ready for push-ups, then I will ask someone how many they like to do (we usually do 15 for interm. students). Someone will give a number, then I'd say ok, then add five to that number hehehehe. This usually helps me (keeps me and the students too busy to think LOL).

Why did you hate doing the student oath? I like that better because it's just short and easy, but excersizes last about 10 minutes. I've seen some students mess up and and say student oath at the end and the masters like,"What! Another class?!"

I don't think there's time to joke around, it also might confuse those that come to the trial classes. Sometimes my master does this too, and for some reason there's that one person that'll shout out "40 sir!" and he'll just say, "OK, 400 it is, you can thank so-and-so for that after class."

It's great that you're so calm about it. Thanks for the advice.

If nothing else you can mirror them while calling out the exercizes to start. Then they can see the movement. Make some sort of gesture to accomodate everything.

Good idea- this works for the first few stretches or so. But the leg stretches, not everyone can see. I actually tried this that time, but it was still slow, and no one was yelling. I almost threw up when master yelled out," Why is it so quiet? Is this a Ballet studio or a Martial Arts studio?" If there's a few yellow belts it may work so that others can see, I'd probably have to help out the new students though. Although nobody would act rude towards me, I know they would lose a lot of respect for me which I built up from teaching forms and self-defense. All that patience gone to waste.

Did anyone else have a similar experience to mine? How did you get over it?

[mindsedgeblade]

I haven't yet, but I'm sure I'll soon have to start leading the class in stretching and stuff. I'm always helping people with kata and technique, but that's more one-on-one. =;-}

[usatkdwtf]

You just need to build more self confidence in teaching as the frontman/woman.

This will only come from teacing itself, or working on teaching w/ your instructor.

[sweetpea0525]

i know it may be a source of pride that makes you embarrassed when you mess up but what i do when in front of the class, is laugh. Crack a joke, tell them you are nervous, explain that even though you are of high rank you are nervous, you may not be loud enough and that you could possibly screw things up royally. It helps. I was very nervous when i started leading classes because I thought I had to be perfect. But what i soon realized is that is impossible. I have done it all, forgotten how to count, mirrored wrong, said the wrong exercise, but when I do, I make a joke of it. i don't know why, and you may not be able to do that, but it is what has helped me. Sometimes just telling people you are nervous helps them to understand if you mess up something. Also remember that it is not the end of the world, you will get better over time, just try not to put so much pressure on yourself.

You may tell your instructor too, that way if you do mess up or it is too quiet, then maybe he will not say anything and he will be supportive.

[Sam]

Yeah i know how you feel, first time I had to take a class warm up, or just a class exercise kept getting everything confused and didnt know how to explain things... ith appens and you;ll develop your own style and get used to it.