I got owned by a few juniors sparring today

[JR 137]

My CI likes to make Saturday morning's adults class a kumite-heavy class, emphasizing one-step kumite, kihon kumite, yakusoku kumite, and letting it all flow into free-sparring (jiyu kumite?). We warm up with some kihon and kata, but there's far more kumite than most other classes.

There's 2 juniors who are invited into the adults' class. They're 4th kyu+, work hard, and skill-wise are capable of hanging with the adults. They're about 12 and 14 years old. I've been telling them to get closer to me and into a range that takes away my kicking and punching. Telling them to "get inside, then get out." Telling them to hit me when I'm defenseless during kicks and punches - ie when I'm recovering from throwing a roundhouse kick or over-swung a punch.

Today, they actually did it. And before I had a chance to tell them to. One kid hit me at the right time, every single time. Every roundhouse was followed by 3-4 punches in my ribs. Every missed and/or blocked punch was countered with a kick or punches to my stomach. I thought he got lucky the first few times. Then I realized he finally started listening.

The other kid stayed outside and made me chase her. Then she moved forward as she blocked/deflected, and jumped outside and off line. I thought she got lucky the first few times too. After about 4-5 times in a row, I realized she was listening too.

I've been doing those things to them and telling them to do them back to me. Walking off the floor, my CI chuckled and said to me "they finally started listening." My ribs are sore right now, but I've got too much pride to put ice on them.

I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

[Zaine]

That's the kind of thing that makes every bad day teaching worth it. It's awesome that your juniors are starting to listen and it's starting to click with them.

[DWx]

That's great, makes it all the more rewarding

[sensei8]

Out of the mouth of babes...huh?! That was a great story because how many times have I had juniors tag and bag me relentlessly. And I never got upset, I smiled from ear to ear and high five them because, as you've said, they're starting to listen AND APPLY. That's what the training is for...for those many AHA moments for everyone!!

[mazzybear]

That's brilliant! I love watching the juniors making the step up to senior class and watching their faces when the manage to do something for the first time. I love their attitude too. We have a junior who's just made the step up. She's 11 and so tiny it makes her look about 8 but, nothing and I mean NOTHING phases her. We were doing light sparring the other night, changing partner after each spar until we had a shot with everyone so, at one point she ended up with the biggest guy in class, and she didn't hold back, she kept moving forward and looking for openings. It was so funny to watch because the sheer difference in size. Her chudan kicks were at his thigh level, so by the end of their bout he had a dead leg. She just walked off the floor like the cat who'd got the cream!

Mo.

[Alan Armstrong]

Good story!

Unfortunately never had a teacher like you.

Fortunately I had become a teacher like you.

Well done, two thumbs up!

[bushido_man96]

That's how you know you've done your job as an instructor.

[sensei8]

That's how you know you've done your job as an instructor.

Oh yeah!! It went the way it was suppose to, and had it not, well, you still would've done the right thing at the right time!!