Variation vs consistency

[Wado Heretic]

I have been experimenting with similar ideas, but not with that depth of thinking I must admit. Thank you for sharing, Wastelander. I will definitely steal it.

[Montana]

My classes were 2 hours long, twice/week. They weren't rigid and set in stone, but generally they went like this:

20 minutes of basic warmup exercises consisting of stretching, 20 pushups, 25 situps and various other basic exercises. Followed by basic kicks (10 per leg), basic blocks (5-6 different ones, 10/side) then 3-4 basic punches 10/side.

This was followed by a quick 2 min water break, then working on combinations. Can be 2-5 technique combos back to back, mixing it up constantly. Done as fast and strong as possible.

This was followed up by self-defense techniques. This can vary from class to class, but all students, regardless of rank, work on the same techniques. I'm not a fan of "this is a white belt technique", or this is a black belt technique. EVERYBODY does them all.

2 minute water break

Sparring, semi or full contact using bogu gear.

2 min water break

Kata kata kata kata and more kata to finish up the class.

I've seen a number of dojos where students just wander off the floor in the middle of the class when they feel like it to get water or go to the bathroom. Totally not allowed unless you're going to pee your pants. I like to keep their blood flowing and heart pounding. At the end of the class there better be SWEAT AND EXHAUSTION, or they aren't working hard enough.

 

[sensei8]

Ages demand different tactics.

The younger the student, the shorter the attention span. Therefore, the shorter the class, and what I did was play "Karate" with them and they just eat that method up. 

With the teens, drill them to the Nth of the degree and end each class with sparring and my tennis ball drill. 

Adults, like Montana states, "SWEAT AND EXHAUSTION" better be what I see!!

Both teens and adults need things mixed up by surprising them with things that they're not expecting. They can never outsmart me because I'm far eviler than they are.

[bushido_man96]

@Montana, I like your approach to self-defense techniques. I don't like the "rank specificity" either. My Aikido sensei teaches techniques regardless of rank as well.

[sensei8]

15 hours ago, bushido_man96 said:

@Montana, I like your approach to self-defense techniques. I don't like the "rank specificity" either. My Aikido sensei teaches techniques regardless of rank as well.

To the bold type above...

I believe that that's how it should be...BUT...for reasons beyond comprehension, it's just not that way for the most part.

[bushido_man96]

I believe it has mainly to do with the introduction of the rank system into many styles.  I think some newer generation instructors got caught up in the idea that curriculum was in place for a reason, and therefore avoided getting ahead of themselves because they just assumed that was how it was supposed to be.  I could be wrong, though.