Seminars to other styles (or open)

[Gerry Seymour]

For those of you who deliver seminars, what is your focus when you deliver seminars to other styles, or to an open group? I've actually had a couple of requests and a soft invitation this week, so I need to think about what I'd actually do with a seminar. Do you teach some basics of your style? Focus on some aspects that should apply to most martial artists? Teach some principles for translating training into defense/competition/whatever?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Focus on some aspects that should apply to most martial artists? Teach some principles for translating training into defense/competition/whatever?

You may try

1. depth approach (1 technique -> find all applications) - for example, how many different ways that you can apply "single leg" (or foot sweep, or ...).

2. breadth approach (1 situation -> find all techniques) - for example, how many different techniques that you can apply when your opponent has right leg forward (or left leg forward).

 

[Danny T]

What emphasis is the seminar host looking for?

 

[Buka]

When someone asks you to do a seminar, they already know what you do and feel completely comfortable bringing you into their school, or else it never would have happened. Agreed?

That makes it a pretty easy night. I suppose asking them if there is anything in particular they would like to work on would be a logical step, but not really necessary. Just make it so they have fun, make it enjoyable. Teach them something they don't know. Or work on something they already know and show them how to tweak it, work it, improve it, or adapt it to different situations they might not have considered. They will retain knowledge much, much more if they love the seminar than if they don't.

And when you do a seminar in a completely different school - your interactions with the Instructors of that school, at least during the seminar, are extremely important.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

What emphasis is the seminar host looking for?

They haven't requested anything specific, and I've had nibbles in the past. If I were doing one within the NGA community, I know what I'd focus on (some things I teach a bit differently from what I've seen). I'm just curious what folks have done when doing seminars for other MA groups, outside their art. Two of the requests are specifically around NGA, so whatever my focus, I'll want to show them some of the foundation of the art.

 

[hoshin1600]

from one perspective, i will agree with Buka. sometimes the host knows what you do and are inviting you in to show that. from my experience that means that the presenter usually has a specialty, the one or two things they are really known for. you would be expected to present that one thing that you are an expert in. but from another perspective the host may just be interested in your overall chosen art. at that point the field is kinda wide open.
i think for yourself, i would be thinking about what limitations you will come up against. your art has a lot of ukemi and does the host group have those skills? if not then an Aiki art can fall flat (pardon the pun). how does Shojin-ryu fit with the host group? i would want to know the combative goals of the host group, are they self defense oriented like Krav maga or a traditional MA? i would look for the underlying reason the host group trains in their own art and work from there.

 

[Danny T]

I always ask what the host is wanting to cover?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

from one perspective, i will agree with Buka. sometimes the host knows what you do and are inviting you in to show that. from my experience that means that the presenter usually has a specialty, the one or two things they are really known for. you would be expected to present that one thing that you are an expert in. but from another perspective the host may just be interested in your overall chosen art. at that point the field is kinda wide open.
i think for yourself, i would be thinking about what limitations you will come up against. your art has a lot of ukemi and does the host group have those skills? if not then an Aiki art can fall flat (pardon the pun). how does Shojin-ryu fit with the host group? i would want to know the combative goals of the host group, are they self defense oriented like Krav maga or a traditional MA? i would look for the underlying reason the host group trains in their own art and work from there.

Good points. In my case, I'm not known for anything particular, so the interest is either NGA, often as it relates to the wider world of Aikido/aiki arts. Your point about ukemi is well taken. NGA doesn't depend upon the ukemi used in many aiki arts (ours are basically Judo ukemi), but it's still a limitation for some techniques. And the understanding of how to feed a technique (or lack thereof) makes working the aiki side more difficult unless the audience largely comprises Aikidoists. I'm contemplating bringing in more of the less-aiki parts of the art, especially when working with Aikidoists (they don't really need me to teach them aiki - they get that from all their internal seminars).

 

[Kababayan]

Cool. A question that I can answer from a professional stand-point. I always hate saying "you should do..." because what fits for me may not fit for you. Therefore I'll address the way I put on a seminar and if something fits for you, feel free to take it.

I have put on and promoted countless seminars. Sometimes I'm am asked to gear the seminar to a certain topic, and other times it's whatever I want to do. For me, I try and focus whatever I'm teaching to reflect something that the instructor preaches in his/her classes. That way I am always making the instructor look good. For me, that is very important because I want to be asked back to teach again. For example, earlier this year I was asked to teach a knife personal protection seminar (knife vs. knife) at a Krav Maga school. I focused my seminar around the Krav principles of efficiency, effectiveness, and escape. I kept repeating how I am teaching the "Krav Maga of knife-fighting" and kept referring back to principles that I know the instructor teaches in class. I also blended some of the knife techniques in with Krav techniques to expand on something that the students already know. It helps that I have a Black Belt in Krav and already understand Krav Principles.

If a certain topic is not requested, I then focus around a principle that will tie the techniques together. I used to love "ten random techniques" seminars when I was a Blue Belt because I was all about racking up techniques. As I got more experience I found that I got more out of seminars that are focused around a particular theme, idea, or philosophy. This was especially true if one technique could be adapted or applied to multiple situations. For example, I held a Jeet Kune Do/Panatukan-type combo seminar where I taught spiking-trapping-straightblast-headbutts-disengage-run. By themselves they are five individual lessons. But then I put them all together as one self defense technique. The students loved learning all of the individual techniques, but saw how they all connected to become one defense technique.

If I am doing a seminar that will have a lot of kids, I will print out posters and autograph them for the kids. Kids love that stuff. Good luck with your seminar and please let me know if you’d like any help, suggestions, or additional advice. I try and always make the seminars safe, professional, and positive for everyone so that I am asked back.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Cool. A question that I can answer from a professional stand-point. I always hate saying "you should do..." because what fits for me may not fit for you. Therefore I'll address the way I put on a seminar and if something fits for you, feel free to take it.

I have put on and promoted countless seminars. Sometimes I'm am asked to gear the seminar to a certain topic, and other times it's whatever I want to do. For me, I try and focus whatever I'm teaching to reflect something that the instructor preaches in his/her classes. That way I am always making the instructor look good. For me, that is very important because I want to be asked back to teach again. For example, earlier this year I was asked to teach a knife personal protection seminar (knife vs. knife) at a Krav Maga school. I focused my seminar around the Krav principles of efficiency, effectiveness, and escape. I kept repeating how I am teaching the "Krav Maga of knife-fighting" and kept referring back to principles that I know the instructor teaches in class. I also blended some of the knife techniques in with Krav techniques to expand on something that the students already know. It helps that I have a Black Belt in Krav and already understand Krav Principles.

If a certain topic is not requested, I then focus around a principle that will tie the techniques together. I used to love "ten random techniques" seminars when I was a Blue Belt because I was all about racking up techniques. As I got more experience I found that I got more out of seminars that are focused around a particular theme, idea, or philosophy. This was especially true if one technique could be adapted or applied to multiple situations. For example, I held a Jeet Kune Do/Panatukan-type combo seminar where I taught spiking-trapping-straightblast-headbutts-disengage-run. By themselves they are five individual lessons. But then I put them all together as one self defense technique. The students loved learning all of the individual techniques, but saw how they all connected to become one defense technique.

If I am doing a seminar that will have a lot of kids, I will print out posters and autograph them for the kids. Kids love that stuff. Good luck with your seminar and please let me know if you’d like any help, suggestions, or additional advice. I try and always make the seminars safe, professional, and positive for everyone so that I am asked back.

Thanks! That does help - I'm mostly pondering the possibilities at this point, so hearing how others have approached it gives me good ideas. (If you're familiar with Gallup StrengthsFinder, one of my 5 is "Maximizer".)

The more I think about it, the more I'm coming back to a couple of ideas (if nothing specific is requested). One would be to cover a single principle in a few seemingly different techniques (best when attendees will have some familiarity with similar techniques, or at least with standing grappling). The other would be taking a single situation, and showing a few different responses and why you'd choose one over the others.

 

[hoshin1600]

That way I am always making the instructor look good. For me, that is very important because I want to be asked back to teach again.

yes this goes back to what Buka said in his post;

your interactions with the Instructors of that school, at least during the seminar, are extremely important.

I kept repeating how I am teaching the "Krav Maga of knife-fighting" and kept referring back to principles that I know the instructor teaches in class.

the problem is that most times you really dont know what the host group does and what their attitude is towards certain concepts.

works well if you know the mind set of the host instructor. but often we can step in a hornets nest if we are incorrect in our assumptions.
the reality is that no matter how hard we try we will end up showing something that is in direct conflict with the way the host group does something. with that in mind the best approach may be to use awareness and verbal judo to continually modify the tone of instruction. be aware of the reaction and responses from the instructor and the students. if you feel your audience is with you stop and change direction.
but to your point i feel verbal and presentation skills are more important than the actual content.
i think the OP has that skill.

 

[hoshin1600]

Thanks! That does help - I'm mostly pondering the possibilities at this point, so hearing how others have approached it gives me good ideas. (If you're familiar with Gallup StrengthsFinder, one of my 5 is "Maximizer".)

The more I think about it, the more I'm coming back to a couple of ideas (if nothing specific is requested). One would be to cover a single principle in a few seemingly different techniques (best when attendees will have some familiarity with similar techniques, or at least with standing grappling). The other would be taking a single situation, and showing a few different responses and why you'd choose one over the others.

i know that some day i am going to get down to your part of the world and try to spend some time with you.
if i was at your seminar the key things i would want to work on is (as a former Aikido guy) how common aikido differs from your style. i would be interested in the more Judo like concepts and how striking is incorporated. i would want to get a grasp of the overall picture of your system. but thats just me.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

i know that some day i am going to get down to your part of the world and try to spend some time with you.
if i was at your seminar the key things i would want to work on is (as a former Aikido guy) how common aikido differs from your style. i would be interested in the more Judo like concepts and how striking is incorporated. i would want to get a grasp of the overall picture of your system. but thats just me.

I need to dig more into Ueshiba's Aikido - I need to identify the "similar" techniques that I can show those concepts in. One thing I think might interest folks is how to use "hard" entries to get to some of their techniques.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You may also try:

- entering strategy,
- finish strategy.

 

[Mark Lynn]

For those of you who deliver seminars, what is your focus when you deliver seminars to other styles, or to an open group? I've actually had a couple of requests and a soft invitation this week, so I need to think about what I'd actually do with a seminar. Do you teach some basics of your style? Focus on some aspects that should apply to most martial artists? Teach some principles for translating training into defense/competition/whatever?

Gerry

I've attended a multitude of different seminars (different arts) as a student and an instructor, now that I'm teaching I've brought in instructors to teach seminars and have taught a few myself. I enjoy attending seminars and encourage my students to do so as well. So here are my thoughts.

So far I think everyone has given you good advice so my points might tie in with some that others have mentioned.

1) Try and know your audience, have a general idea of where they are coming from; i.e. sport, competition, self defense, focused study of the martial arts (more like a traditional school) etc. etc.
a) What will the skill levels be? Ages? is it open to outsiders or just the school?
b) Do you have an idea of what the host school teaches, skill set wise? Do they include throwing, falling, rolling skills, joint locks, etc. etc. or are the more stand up karate/TKD styles?

2) How long do you have to teach?

If a instructor or a school knows what you teach, I think you should be able to find out some general information on what they teach, their skills etc. etc. and it could be very good to start a dialog with the host instructor as to what they teach and partner with them to come up with a game plan so to speak. Obviously this all ties in with the above but I would talk with the host then offer suggestions of material and see what they think and go from there.

You asked what "we" (those that teach seminars) teach and for me it all depends upon the above items. For instance.
I teach American Karate/TKD and Presas Arnis (FMA), both are blended type arts. The American Karate/TKD is really the ITF forms as the base but the rest of it is more of a hybrid system (we have no real connection to Korea). The Presas Arnis is a blended system of Kombatan and Modern Arnis. For me because they are blended systems to begin with, I in turn will blend say double stick techniques to different weapons outside of main stream FMA, like Sai, Tonfa, Kama or Bo to demonstrate and teach the principles behind the disarms or the blocking and striking techniques etc. etc. I'll take applications of our Modern Arnis forms and translate the movements to the empty hand TKD forms etc. etc. Both of which is to show how things are connected between the arts.

Here's some suggestions
1) I would make a connection to the host's school's primary art technique wise. This way you help the students learn quicker and feel more comfortable if they can reference a connection ti something they already know in their mind. Second this also helps to validate what the primary style is teaching because they see it in a wider context.

So if I'm talking to a group of mixed martial artists some Karate, TKD, FMAers, etc. etc. I try and find common ground between the systems at some point touching on what they do and show a drill, technique, something that ties in with their art but maybe shown or done a different way. GM Remy Presas was the guy who taught me this (through his teaching), he was a master at making everyone have a pretty good time and connecting with them. He took basic drills like Single Sinawali (high forehand low backhand, high forehand low backhand) and related that combination to an inward block and a downward block to the karate/TKD guys and used that then as a launch pad to teach; flow, locking, trapping, take downs, both with sticks and empty hand all off of a simple drill.

Contrast that to someone who starts off teaching a numerical striking drill pattern that is fundamental to studying Modern Arnis, or the guy who starts off teaching rolling and falling skills. Both of these skill sets are necessary to study the parent art, but aren't useful to the average student if there isn't backup or follow up instruction at that school.

2) Try not to be dismissive of the primary style or other arts. As a American Karate TKDoist (my primary art in the 1980's-90's) when ever I went to GM Remy's seminars I felt at home; contrast that to going to the JKDC seminars to learn the FMAs in the 1980's and I felt like I was the black sheep. I think the feeling kind of came from the whole "Absorb what is Useful" book and karate and TKD wasn't really seen as useful and was therefore dismissed back then especially amongst the trainees at the seminars. (This isn't a condemnation or JKDC Kali, I only meant to show the differences in how to approach teaching.)

3) Unless asked to present NGA as in teaching the art, I wouldn't if there isn't a back up at the host school. Instead find something in common and teach on that and use it to show similarities and/or the differences between your art and the host schools.

At a recent seminar I taught at, one instructor whom I know is a high level karate instructor and he decided to teach on Aiki knife defense. I taught on impact weapon defense. This was primarily to karate students of all ages and ranks. Now first off teaching Aiki knife defense to all ages is problematic for me, however age aside, their basic skill set was striking and hard force to force blocking, so why teach a blending type of defensive strategy to a bunch of people who are more use to force to force blocking and knife defense at that? I mean if they make a mistake going against an impact weapon they could get hurt, going against and edged weapon they could get killed. Big difference. Where as I took a set of principles such as; move off line, block, hit the person, maintain control of the weapon hand, take the weapon away (or take the person to the ground etc. etc.) and built the defenses off of that changing things for each attack slightly but always building on those themes or principles.

While I was basing my defenses off of Modern Arnis everything I showed them didn't take a new skill set to learn, they could add the material to their existing skill sets, I constantly refereed to their primary art, their primary drills etc. etc. to help them make the connection between the two. The instructor teaching the Aiki defenses was just teaching the Aiki defenses along the lines as self defense or knife defenses, but coming at it from a completely different mind set.

4) Bring a good partner to demo with. Then your partner can also walk the floor and help to correct technique and give added or more personalized instruction.

5) Watch what is being shown to the kids (if any are present), again I believe showing knife work to little Johnny and Suzy can be problematic.

6) Be realistic in defenses; explain how if you disarm the person and then turn around and feed it back to them (stab them) you are probably going to jail. Or if you take the person to the ground and then try and beat them with their stick like the LA police did with Rodney King then you are probably going to jail.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[CB Jones]

I don't put on MA seminars but I have done L.E. ones.

And what I have always done is ask what will be the makeup of the audience.

From there, I ask myself what is something that I feel is important and I'm compassionate about that maybe Is missing in their tactics.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Gerry

I've attended a multitude of different seminars (different arts) as a student and an instructor, now that I'm teaching I've brought in instructors to teach seminars and have taught a few myself. I enjoy attending seminars and encourage my students to do so as well. So here are my thoughts.

So far I think everyone has given you good advice so my points might tie in with some that others have mentioned.

1) Try and know your audience, have a general idea of where they are coming from; i.e. sport, competition, self defense, focused study of the martial arts (more like a traditional school) etc. etc.
a) What will the skill levels be? Ages? is it open to outsiders or just the school?
b) Do you have an idea of what the host school teaches, skill set wise? Do they include throwing, falling, rolling skills, joint locks, etc. etc. or are the more stand up karate/TKD styles?

2) How long do you have to teach?

If a instructor or a school knows what you teach, I think you should be able to find out some general information on what they teach, their skills etc. etc. and it could be very good to start a dialog with the host instructor as to what they teach and partner with them to come up with a game plan so to speak. Obviously this all ties in with the above but I would talk with the host then offer suggestions of material and see what they think and go from there.

You asked what "we" (those that teach seminars) teach and for me it all depends upon the above items. For instance.
I teach American Karate/TKD and Presas Arnis (FMA), both are blended type arts. The American Karate/TKD is really the ITF forms as the base but the rest of it is more of a hybrid system (we have no real connection to Korea). The Presas Arnis is a blended system of Kombatan and Modern Arnis. For me because they are blended systems to begin with, I in turn will blend say double stick techniques to different weapons outside of main stream FMA, like Sai, Tonfa, Kama or Bo to demonstrate and teach the principles behind the disarms or the blocking and striking techniques etc. etc. I'll take applications of our Modern Arnis forms and translate the movements to the empty hand TKD forms etc. etc. Both of which is to show how things are connected between the arts.

Here's some suggestions
1) I would make a connection to the host's school's primary art technique wise. This way you help the students learn quicker and feel more comfortable if they can reference a connection ti something they already know in their mind. Second this also helps to validate what the primary style is teaching because they see it in a wider context.

So if I'm talking to a group of mixed martial artists some Karate, TKD, FMAers, etc. etc. I try and find common ground between the systems at some point touching on what they do and show a drill, technique, something that ties in with their art but maybe shown or done a different way. GM Remy Presas was the guy who taught me this (through his teaching), he was a master at making everyone have a pretty good time and connecting with them. He took basic drills like Single Sinawali (high forehand low backhand, high forehand low backhand) and related that combination to an inward block and a downward block to the karate/TKD guys and used that then as a launch pad to teach; flow, locking, trapping, take downs, both with sticks and empty hand all off of a simple drill.

Contrast that to someone who starts off teaching a numerical striking drill pattern that is fundamental to studying Modern Arnis, or the guy who starts off teaching rolling and falling skills. Both of these skill sets are necessary to study the parent art, but aren't useful to the average student if there isn't backup or follow up instruction at that school.

2) Try not to be dismissive of the primary style or other arts. As a American Karate TKDoist (my primary art in the 1980's-90's) when ever I went to GM Remy's seminars I felt at home; contrast that to going to the JKDC seminars to learn the FMAs in the 1980's and I felt like I was the black sheep. I think the feeling kind of came from the whole "Absorb what is Useful" book and karate and TKD wasn't really seen as useful and was therefore dismissed back then especially amongst the trainees at the seminars. (This isn't a condemnation or JKDC Kali, I only meant to show the differences in how to approach teaching.)

3) Unless asked to present NGA as in teaching the art, I wouldn't if there isn't a back up at the host school. Instead find something in common and teach on that and use it to show similarities and/or the differences between your art and the host schools.

At a recent seminar I taught at, one instructor whom I know is a high level karate instructor and he decided to teach on Aiki knife defense. I taught on impact weapon defense. This was primarily to karate students of all ages and ranks. Now first off teaching Aiki knife defense to all ages is problematic for me, however age aside, their basic skill set was striking and hard force to force blocking, so why teach a blending type of defensive strategy to a bunch of people who are more use to force to force blocking and knife defense at that? I mean if they make a mistake going against an impact weapon they could get hurt, going against and edged weapon they could get killed. Big difference. Where as I took a set of principles such as; move off line, block, hit the person, maintain control of the weapon hand, take the weapon away (or take the person to the ground etc. etc.) and built the defenses off of that changing things for each attack slightly but always building on those themes or principles.

While I was basing my defenses off of Modern Arnis everything I showed them didn't take a new skill set to learn, they could add the material to their existing skill sets, I constantly refereed to their primary art, their primary drills etc. etc. to help them make the connection between the two. The instructor teaching the Aiki defenses was just teaching the Aiki defenses along the lines as self defense or knife defenses, but coming at it from a completely different mind set.

4) Bring a good partner to demo with. Then your partner can also walk the floor and help to correct technique and give added or more personalized instruction.

5) Watch what is being shown to the kids (if any are present), again I believe showing knife work to little Johnny and Suzy can be problematic.

6) Be realistic in defenses; explain how if you disarm the person and then turn around and feed it back to them (stab them) you are probably going to jail. Or if you take the person to the ground and then try and beat them with their stick like the LA police did with Rodney King then you are probably going to jail.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Holy crap, that's a lot of info, Mark - THANKS!

A few comments, just because I'm a postwhore:

1) I want to come to one of your seminars - I like the mixture of FMA and other weapons (my FMA experience was actually a blend of FMA and some form of Jujutsu, so I love seeing FMA blends.

2) Your #2 (the first one, about time for teaching) is my weakest point. I always mis-estimate how long things will take. So, I assume I won't get through everything AND I need extra material. (This goes for public speaking, as well.)

3) Your #3 (don't try to teach NGA) is what lead me to this thread. I don't want to go in and teach NGA. In some cases, I may want to give them a taste of our approach (for instance, if teaching to an Aikido crowd) by using techniques they already know in a different way, but a seminar is not the place to teach the art.

4) #4 (bring a partner) may be a problem for one opportunity. I've gotten some touches from Europe (including one from a MT person - thanks!). While my wife would hopefully come with me, for physical reasons her ukemi isn't great. She's also too short to demonstrate well on (nearly a foot shorter than me - too much adjustment). I'm not sure how I'll overcome that. In many parts of the US, I might be able to find a nearby NGA school to borrow from, but it will almost always be someone I don't know. Not ideal, by any stretch.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Gerry

I've attended a multitude of different seminars (different arts) as a student and an instructor, now that I'm teaching I've brought in instructors to teach seminars and have taught a few myself. I enjoy attending seminars and encourage my students to do so as well. So here are my thoughts.

So far I think everyone has given you good advice so my points might tie in with some that others have mentioned.

1) Try and know your audience, have a general idea of where they are coming from; i.e. sport, competition, self defense, focused study of the martial arts (more like a traditional school) etc. etc.
a) What will the skill levels be? Ages? is it open to outsiders or just the school?
b) Do you have an idea of what the host school teaches, skill set wise? Do they include throwing, falling, rolling skills, joint locks, etc. etc. or are the more stand up karate/TKD styles?

2) How long do you have to teach?

If a instructor or a school knows what you teach, I think you should be able to find out some general information on what they teach, their skills etc. etc. and it could be very good to start a dialog with the host instructor as to what they teach and partner with them to come up with a game plan so to speak. Obviously this all ties in with the above but I would talk with the host then offer suggestions of material and see what they think and go from there.

You asked what "we" (those that teach seminars) teach and for me it all depends upon the above items. For instance.
I teach American Karate/TKD and Presas Arnis (FMA), both are blended type arts. The American Karate/TKD is really the ITF forms as the base but the rest of it is more of a hybrid system (we have no real connection to Korea). The Presas Arnis is a blended system of Kombatan and Modern Arnis. For me because they are blended systems to begin with, I in turn will blend say double stick techniques to different weapons outside of main stream FMA, like Sai, Tonfa, Kama or Bo to demonstrate and teach the principles behind the disarms or the blocking and striking techniques etc. etc. I'll take applications of our Modern Arnis forms and translate the movements to the empty hand TKD forms etc. etc. Both of which is to show how things are connected between the arts.

Here's some suggestions
1) I would make a connection to the host's school's primary art technique wise. This way you help the students learn quicker and feel more comfortable if they can reference a connection ti something they already know in their mind. Second this also helps to validate what the primary style is teaching because they see it in a wider context.

So if I'm talking to a group of mixed martial artists some Karate, TKD, FMAers, etc. etc. I try and find common ground between the systems at some point touching on what they do and show a drill, technique, something that ties in with their art but maybe shown or done a different way. GM Remy Presas was the guy who taught me this (through his teaching), he was a master at making everyone have a pretty good time and connecting with them. He took basic drills like Single Sinawali (high forehand low backhand, high forehand low backhand) and related that combination to an inward block and a downward block to the karate/TKD guys and used that then as a launch pad to teach; flow, locking, trapping, take downs, both with sticks and empty hand all off of a simple drill.

Contrast that to someone who starts off teaching a numerical striking drill pattern that is fundamental to studying Modern Arnis, or the guy who starts off teaching rolling and falling skills. Both of these skill sets are necessary to study the parent art, but aren't useful to the average student if there isn't backup or follow up instruction at that school.

2) Try not to be dismissive of the primary style or other arts. As a American Karate TKDoist (my primary art in the 1980's-90's) when ever I went to GM Remy's seminars I felt at home; contrast that to going to the JKDC seminars to learn the FMAs in the 1980's and I felt like I was the black sheep. I think the feeling kind of came from the whole "Absorb what is Useful" book and karate and TKD wasn't really seen as useful and was therefore dismissed back then especially amongst the trainees at the seminars. (This isn't a condemnation or JKDC Kali, I only meant to show the differences in how to approach teaching.)

3) Unless asked to present NGA as in teaching the art, I wouldn't if there isn't a back up at the host school. Instead find something in common and teach on that and use it to show similarities and/or the differences between your art and the host schools.

At a recent seminar I taught at, one instructor whom I know is a high level karate instructor and he decided to teach on Aiki knife defense. I taught on impact weapon defense. This was primarily to karate students of all ages and ranks. Now first off teaching Aiki knife defense to all ages is problematic for me, however age aside, their basic skill set was striking and hard force to force blocking, so why teach a blending type of defensive strategy to a bunch of people who are more use to force to force blocking and knife defense at that? I mean if they make a mistake going against an impact weapon they could get hurt, going against and edged weapon they could get killed. Big difference. Where as I took a set of principles such as; move off line, block, hit the person, maintain control of the weapon hand, take the weapon away (or take the person to the ground etc. etc.) and built the defenses off of that changing things for each attack slightly but always building on those themes or principles.

While I was basing my defenses off of Modern Arnis everything I showed them didn't take a new skill set to learn, they could add the material to their existing skill sets, I constantly refereed to their primary art, their primary drills etc. etc. to help them make the connection between the two. The instructor teaching the Aiki defenses was just teaching the Aiki defenses along the lines as self defense or knife defenses, but coming at it from a completely different mind set.

4) Bring a good partner to demo with. Then your partner can also walk the floor and help to correct technique and give added or more personalized instruction.

5) Watch what is being shown to the kids (if any are present), again I believe showing knife work to little Johnny and Suzy can be problematic.

6) Be realistic in defenses; explain how if you disarm the person and then turn around and feed it back to them (stab them) you are probably going to jail. Or if you take the person to the ground and then try and beat them with their stick like the LA police did with Rodney King then you are probably going to jail.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Oh, and based on past history, I was sorely tempted to click "disagree".

 

[Kababayan]

I don't know if anyone has said this yet, but it's a good idea to "talk through" your seminar by yourself so that you can get the idea of timing. This could mean practicing it in your garage to an audience of one (you) or, if you attend or teach at a dojo, teach a class with the topics that you will be going over. It's terrible when you either run short or run out of time before tying it all together.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I don't know if anyone has said this yet, but it's a good idea to "talk through" your seminar by yourself so that you can get the idea of timing. This could mean practicing it in your garage to an audience of one (you) or, if you attend or teach at a dojo, teach a class with the topics that you will be going over. It's terrible when you either run short or run out of time before tying it all together.

That latter is my plan. I can see how much of a given topic segment fits into a class, and that should give me some idea of how long it would take in a seminar. And, of course, I can also do what I do with public speaking - figure out where I could end early (if it goes slow, so I won't get to everything) and have some extra to use if we get through everything early.