Finding difficulties learning a new style

[muttley]

I havefound my attitude changing already.

[sensei8]

I havefound my attitude changing already.

Too the positive, right!?!

[muttley]

Absolutely, I feel a bit like I am back in my 20's again when training, on issue is the 2/3 days after a training session lol.

Seriously, really enjoying the training and looking forward to the next session, really hoping the dojo stays open and my daughter continues to train as I feel that, along with the dance training, she needs to know how to protect herself in this day and age (or is that just me seeing the world from my own slightly tainted point of view?)

[sensei8]

This is absolutely...GREAT!! Glad to hear that your MA batteries are well charged and that the floor is a welcomed friend!!

[JR 137]

Absolutely, I feel a bit like I am back in my 20's again when training, on issue is the 2/3 days after a training session lol.

Seriously, really enjoying the training and looking forward to the next session, really hoping the dojo stays open and my daughter continues to train as I feel that, along with the dance training, she needs to know how to protect herself in this day and age (or is that just me seeing the world from my own slightly tainted point of view?)

As a father of 2 young daughters (age 2 and 4), I don't think your view is tainted at all. We may suffer from the same affliction though.

Somewhere in my internet scouring I came across a blog by a police officer that teaches BJJ. Every time his teenaged daughter leaves to go out with her friends, she has to escape his mount and get him to tap. When his younger daughter goes out, she needs to escape an arm or wrist grab.

His wife and friends criticize him for it. His response "if you've seen what I see almost every day, you'd do the same."

Food for thought.

[Bulltahr]

Absolutely, I feel a bit like I am back in my 20's again when training, on issue is the 2/3 days after a training session lol.

Seriously, really enjoying the training and looking forward to the next session, really hoping the dojo stays open and my daughter continues to train as I feel that, along with the dance training, she needs to know how to protect herself in this day and age (or is that just me seeing the world from my own slightly tainted point of view?)

As a father of 2 young daughters (age 2 and 4), I don't think your view is tainted at all. We may suffer from the same affliction though.

Somewhere in my internet scouring I came across a blog by a police officer that teaches BJJ. Every time his teenaged daughter leaves to go out with her friends, she has to escape his mount and get him to tap. When his younger daughter goes out, she needs to escape an arm or wrist grab.

His wife and friends criticize him for it. His response "if you've seen what I see almost every day, you'd do the same."

Food for thought.

I train with my 10 yr old daughter, she loves it and I feel that she will, in the future, have a few techniques available if she needs them. It's all good and she loves that she does something like this with dad every week.

[JR 137]

Just waiting until my daughters are old enough. My dojo starts at 6 years old. Others start younger, but my CI doesn't have the staff nor student base for another class. Under 6 needs their own specific class with a teacher who genuinely understands how to train them and can keep expectations realistic.

She comes with me every now and then and watches. My CI lets her play around with me on the floor until warm-ups. He's asked her to join us in our official warm-up, but she gets shy and plays on her iPad.

I bought some focus mitts and a kid's blocker bat (or whatever it's called). Both of them love it. They do surprisingly well with it.

If my 4 year old can keep up with class and not take away from the rest of the kids, she'll be allowed in at 5 years old. It'll be a trial/probationary basis. I have no doubt she's physically and mentally capable of following along, my only doubt is she gets very shy very quickly. If there were others her age, she'd easily do well.

My 2 year old is another story. She does whatever she wants and doesn't care what anyone says about it. It a cute and harmless way.

Sorry to side track...

[muttley]

Just waiting until my daughters are old enough. My dojo starts at 6 years old. Others start younger, but my CI doesn't have the staff nor student base for another class. Under 6 needs their own specific class with a teacher who genuinely understands how to train them and can keep expectations realistic.

She comes with me every now and then and watches. My CI lets her play around with me on the floor until warm-ups. He's asked her to join us in our official warm-up, but she gets shy and plays on her iPad.

I bought some focus mitts and a kid's blocker bat (or whatever it's called). Both of them love it. They do surprisingly well with it.

If my 4 year old can keep up with class and not take away from the rest of the kids, she'll be allowed in at 5 years old. It'll be a trial/probationary basis. I have no doubt she's physically and mentally capable of following along, my only doubt is she gets very shy very quickly. If there were others her age, she'd easily do well.

My 2 year old is another story. She does whatever she wants and doesn't care what anyone says about it. It a cute and harmless way.

Sorry to side track...

My 4 year old son tried to join in last night, he loved the warm up but just couldn't manage the main class. I might get some focus mits for use at home with him until he is ready.

[JR 137]

My daughter took TKD as part of an after school outreach program. She did very well, but she wasn't punching and kicking right, and the teacher wasn't really correcting any of the kids. I think he was more concerned with them following along in class, etiquette, etc. In a good way though. I bought the focus mitts for Christmas, and worked with her on using the proper striking surfaces during her punches and groin kicks.

She picked it up pretty quickly, for a just turned 4 year old. The most effective thing was me holding her arm and bringing her through the punching motion many times. Then constantly saying "make sure you punch right" whenever she didn't. She would hit with the heel of her hand when making a fist. I tapped her knuckles and instep of her foot many times while she held out the technique many times as well, to give her the tactile sensation to where to strike.

As long as you keep it fun and positive, they'll have fun and try their best to please you. Just don't go too long. Once she got the hang of it, I started swinging at her to make her duck then counter. She loved that one too. Having her kiai loudly helped too.

After a week or so, she's punched right every time, minus when she's getting too silly and going too fast.

I bought a very soft kids' UFC blocking bat from Toys R Us the other day for about $7. Trying to teach basic blocks. That concept is a little harder for her. She just wants to move completely move out of the way. It'll come around.

The tactile stuff makes them (and adults) really focus their techniques and do them properly. I also hold a stuffed Olaf and have them use it as a punching bag. As long as you keep it fun and stop when they're truly bored, it's not a chore.

Just some things that work for me. If you've got some ideas, I'm all ears.

[muttley]

Thanks for the ideas, they sound cool. I might get something for her to focus her punching and knee strikes and kicks on (she needs to learn to pull her toes back and kick withe the ball of her foot - her dance classes (ballet, tap and modern) teach her to keep her toes forward so there is a contrast there).

As for blocking, I like what Kris Wilder says he does in his kids classes. He basically gets those foam swimming aid pole things and cuts them down, then uses that as a striking aid. Should be relatively cheap!