teaching kids to spar

[taekwondomom]

Anyone have any ideas on how best to help children learn to spar?

Last night in our "all belts" class--which has a mix of belt levels and both adults and children--we sparred. My son, who's a green belt (and has just returned to TKD after a hiatus of 2 years), said "I don't like sparring. I don't learn anything."

A girl in the changing room complained, too. "I hate sparring. I don't think I'm good at it."

I find that children don't really seem to understand sparring. They just flail away, and don't even look at the target. If they spar with other children their size, it's chaos. If they spar with adults, they're outmatched (usually, just because of size and experience). If I spar with a child, I end up not getting a good workout.

If I spar a child, I'll spar for just a while, then I do some teaching ("Here, try this combination")

Since I'm a black belt, I teach sometimes, so I'd appreciate any ideas about how to make sparring a good learning experience for all involved.

[Hwa Rang Warrior]

Here's a drill I got from my instructor. Instead of a full blown sparring session tell them that they have to tap the back of their opponents shoulder. Start with one person only tapping and the other person only blocking. After they get the hang of it allow the exchane to go back and forth. Usually we start off with a round stationary and then start moving around like we're sparring after everyone gets the just of it. It makes for a pretty fun exchange and gives them a defined target instead of just letting them flail at each other.

I hope this helps

[marie curie]

If you can keep some higher ranks working with them- instruct the adults to control the pacing and make very clean deliberate attacks, allowing the kids to get used to the environment, and once they are ready, throw them into the pool of everyone else fighting. The adults who work with the kids aren't going to actually have a real fight anyway, so they aren't missing out. True, these kids may only get a couple fights a night, but two good fights where they are learning something and not just getting plowed over are better than 10 where they are frustrated and not learning.

[bushido_man96]

These are good suggestions. I would also suggest some modeled type of sparring. Have one student designated to throw a technique. When he throws it, have the other student perform a designated movement and counter-attack. This will help them to see what they can or should do when a certain attack comes at them, helping to develop a stimulus-based response. After some time of doing this, have them spar. You can even limit the attacks in the sparring to those practiced. As they improve, you can work up to combination work and defense, etc.

[ninjanurse]

Teaching sparring is a challenge for any age/belt but I agree can be especially tricky with kids. I use the same drills for adults and kids because I feel kids are fully capable...you just have to alter your approach a bit. This is my progression:

Teach basic footwork during warm-up for EVERY class...it will become habit.

Pair them up and have them match footwork back and forth.

Have one student move forward with footwork and have the other match it moving backwards.

Add hands to the above drill...then add kicks.

Change the drill to have them feint/check/move to left or right.

Assign a 2 or 3 kick combination and have them attack. Their partner uses footwork to move out of range.

Use the above drill from closed stance and open stance.

Assign a 2 or 3 kick combination and assign a counter: for example, attack with quick kick, rear leg turning kick; counter with full step back- back kick or skip step back-rear leg turning kick.

Move to free sparring but use the same progression, i.e., hands only, add kicks, assign a combination or counter that can only be used exclusively.

Sparring Games:

King of the Hill

Tag team

World Combat League (thank you Chuck Norris!)

Two on one

On the Edge (one person stands "on the edge" of the roof surrounded by multiple attackers who attack one at a time in rapid succession)

These are just a few things I do. I also compliment students that do well and encourage those with challenges. The key is to recognize their weaknesses and give them tasks that they can succeed in to boost their confidence. Be cognizant of their emotions too and lighten up when they become to stressed or frustrated.

The number one rule is "have fun" otherwise they will not want to come back.

[DWx]

I think this is similar to some methods already mentioned but one of things we do is to get the kids to play "tag" but with say a roundhouse. They're allowed to block & dodge and kick whenever they want, even if they're not "it".

We also sometimes get some of the adults to wear the TKD-style body armour with the targets. The kids then try to get points for hitting the dots while the adults just move around.

[bushido_man96]

Good ideas, ninjanurse!