What process did you use to create your curriculum?

[skribs]

Which time? I changed my approach entirely twice before I started using the curriculum. I started by simply asking what problems I was wanting to solve with a new curriculum. If I hadn't had an answer to that, I'd have simply copied my instructor's (or my old association's) curriculum. I examined each technique from the curriculum I knew, and asked if there was a reason to keep it. For the things most folks in NGA would call "techniques" (the Classical Techniques at the core of NGA), I decided to keep them all, and in roughly the same order they were traditionally grouped in. I did change some of the forms rather significantly to address common misunderstandings I thought the forms engendered. Mostly, I kept the Classical Techniques and their organization to maintain a common vocabulary with the rest of the art. I did mark some of them as "esoteric" - just there for studying principles and late-rank fiddling, with no direct application.

I was hoping you would find this thread!

There's a concept in writing called "kill your darlings." It doesn't mean to kill off your characters (although sometimes it does). It means to give up on some scenes or concepts you like, but for the good of the story. A great example of this is deleted scenes in movies. A lot of them actually add to the story, but they throw off the pacing or they were the least valuable scenes for pushing forward the plot, and so they get removed. This is one thing I kept in mind as I'm approaching my own curriculum.

My Master's teaching method is largely through memorization. Memorization requirements means you practice everything until you memorize it, instead of learning a technique and filing it away to be used later, only to forget to ever practice it. I get it, I understand it. I respect and follow it as his student and his employee. But I want something more dynamic. Instead of learning that #1 is to pull someone into an elbow strike, teach the concept of pulling into a strike. You can use different strikes, or you can add to it. If students learn "pulling strike" instead of learning #1, it will be easier for them to adapt. That's my opinion, anyway, and the biggest change I would seek with my curriculum.

To that end, I'd want to cut down on the number of forms we teach as well. This is where we get to the "kill your darlings" thing. We have our forms that we've used as long as I've been there (the Palgwes), but there are also the official forms, which we just started teaching because they're required by the organization (the Taegeuks). My Master and I both prefer the Palgwe forms. However, since the Taegeuks are required, I'd probably just do those. It's a decision I hate, because I do like the Palgwe forms. But I don't see much benefit in including both sets of forms over just the one, and I'd rather spend that class time on other things, or go deeper into the Taegeuk forms.

For the other techniques (all strikes, blocks, and ancillary grappling), I was more ruthless. There are kicks I no longer teach (I'd never seen them taught well, nor ever used in any realistic way). I've added blocks (to train movements more likely to be used in the chaos of a flurry of strikes). I added a LOT more emphasis on striking and sparring. I threw out all of the ground work and replaced it with a bit of BJJ-based groundwork I know (interpreted through NGA principles). I tossed out ALL of the nidan curriculum (mostly clunky nunchaku and club work) and replaced it with FMA-based stickwork and some staff material, which I then moved to earlier ranks. I dropped all ranks beyond "black belt" (no "dan" ranks), and instead added an instructor certification system that could reasonably start earlier than black - including a "Senior Instructor" level, where they're also trained to train instructors.

Out of curiosity, which kicks are you referring to?

Did you already have experience in those other arts (BJJ, FMA)? I'm thinking about cross-training before I open my own school (both to learn new techniques, but also to learn new teaching styles and see how I want to incorporate them). But by the time I can get my Master rank in TKD and then cross-train to the level I want I'd be in my 50s...

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I was hoping you would find this thread!

There's a concept in writing called "kill your darlings." It doesn't mean to kill off your characters (although sometimes it does). It means to give up on some scenes or concepts you like, but for the good of the story. A great example of this is deleted scenes in movies. A lot of them actually add to the story, but they throw off the pacing or they were the least valuable scenes for pushing forward the plot, and so they get removed. This is one thing I kept in mind as I'm approaching my own curriculum.

My Master's teaching method is largely through memorization. Memorization requirements means you practice everything until you memorize it, instead of learning a technique and filing it away to be used later, only to forget to ever practice it. I get it, I understand it. I respect and follow it as his student and his employee. But I want something more dynamic. Instead of learning that #1 is to pull someone into an elbow strike, teach the concept of pulling into a strike. You can use different strikes, or you can add to it. If students learn "pulling strike" instead of learning #1, it will be easier for them to adapt. That's my opinion, anyway, and the biggest change I would seek with my curriculum.

To that end, I'd want to cut down on the number of forms we teach as well. This is where we get to the "kill your darlings" thing. We have our forms that we've used as long as I've been there (the Palgwes), but there are also the official forms, which we just started teaching because they're required by the organization (the Taegeuks). My Master and I both prefer the Palgwe forms. However, since the Taegeuks are required, I'd probably just do those. It's a decision I hate, because I do like the Palgwe forms. But I don't see much benefit in including both sets of forms over just the one, and I'd rather spend that class time on other things, or go deeper into the Taegeuk forms.

In the interest of time for the moment, I'm just going to say I like the general line of thinking in this.

Out of curiosity, which kicks are you referring to?

I'm not sure the names would be at all the same, but here they are:

• Crescent kick (I think some styles would call ours an inside crescent - from outside to in, but I don't know that it's actually the same mechanics)
• Wheel kick (hard to describe - an entirely horizontal kick....some disagreement within the NGAA as to both the targeting direction and use)
• Rib kick (I've since started working toward adding this back in, as I've personally found uses for it)

I think there were one or two others, but I'd have to go back and check my old notes.

Did you already have experience in those other arts (BJJ, FMA)? I'm thinking about cross-training before I open my own school (both to learn new techniques, but also to learn new teaching styles and see how I want to incorporate them). But by the time I can get my Master rank in TKD and then cross-train to the level I want I'd be in my 50s...

The BJJ I'd picked up bits along the way, and picked up some more while taking some time off from formal training in NGA (or really in anything) and working on the curriculum. During that time, I also stumbled into some FMA training. In both, the bits I've added are very rudimentary, and are reinterpreted to teach through the NGA principles (which is actually pretty easy with BJJ stuff, since the basic BJJ principles are basic grappling principles). My students won't be great ground fighters, but they'll be better for those changes. If they get their NGA base down, their ground fighting will become much better placed upon that BJJ-derived foundation.

The FMA stuff was really just getting a better idea on implementing stickwork (same basic concept as the "club" work elsewhere in NGA). I do use some of the stick patterns, as I find them an easy way for students to get used to handling the sticks. But the stickwork is all very basic, and very secondary.

Personally, I'd strongly recommend at least some exploratory cross-training for your purposes. If nothing else, some of what you run into will help you better understand what you already know from your existing training. Most likely, you'll find a few tidbits that you REALLY like and which fit into your overall teaching (like the BJJ and FMA bits did for me). If you're really lucky, you'll find something you want to include entirely, like an NGA instructor in SC who got into BJJ and just loved it enough he kept training, and now offers classes in both (I think he's a brown belt in BJJ now).

 

[Buka]

I was hoping you would find this thread!

There's a concept in writing called "kill your darlings." It doesn't mean to kill off your characters (although sometimes it does). It means to give up on some scenes or concepts you like, but for the good of the story. A great example of this is deleted scenes in movies. A lot of them actually add to the story, but they throw off the pacing or they were the least valuable scenes for pushing forward the plot, and so they get removed. This is one thing I kept in mind as I'm approaching my own curriculum.

My Master's teaching method is largely through memorization. Memorization requirements means you practice everything until you memorize it, instead of learning a technique and filing it away to be used later, only to forget to ever practice it. I get it, I understand it. I respect and follow it as his student and his employee. But I want something more dynamic. Instead of learning that #1 is to pull someone into an elbow strike, teach the concept of pulling into a strike. You can use different strikes, or you can add to it. If students learn "pulling strike" instead of learning #1, it will be easier for them to adapt. That's my opinion, anyway, and the biggest change I would seek with my curriculum.

To that end, I'd want to cut down on the number of forms we teach as well. This is where we get to the "kill your darlings" thing. We have our forms that we've used as long as I've been there (the Palgwes), but there are also the official forms, which we just started teaching because they're required by the organization (the Taegeuks). My Master and I both prefer the Palgwe forms. However, since the Taegeuks are required, I'd probably just do those. It's a decision I hate, because I do like the Palgwe forms. But I don't see much benefit in including both sets of forms over just the one, and I'd rather spend that class time on other things, or go deeper into the Taegeuk forms.



Out of curiosity, which kicks are you referring to?

Did you already have experience in those other arts (BJJ, FMA)? I'm thinking about cross-training before I open my own school (both to learn new techniques, but also to learn new teaching styles and see how I want to incorporate them). But by the time I can get my Master rank in TKD and then cross-train to the level I want I'd be in my 50s...

Love this post.

While quite familiar with Faulkner's Kill your darlings, I never considered applying it to Martial Arts teaching.

Boy, the things you learn on this forum.

 

[skribs]

I'm not sure the names would be at all the same, but here they are:

• Crescent kick (I think some styles would call ours an inside crescent - from outside to in, but I don't know that it's actually the same mechanics)
• Wheel kick (hard to describe - an entirely horizontal kick....some disagreement within the NGAA as to both the targeting direction and use)
• Rib kick (I've since started working toward adding this back in, as I've personally found uses for it)

I think there were one or two others, but I'd have to go back and check my old notes.

Crescent kick, and what I'm thinking a "wheel kick" is, are the types of kicks you have to be really good at kicking for them to be effective. If you lack the flexibility, balance, speed, or accuracy with them, then they're not very useful.

Personally, I'd strongly recommend at least some exploratory cross-training for your purposes. If nothing else, some of what you run into will help you better understand what you already know from your existing training. Most likely, you'll find a few tidbits that you REALLY like and which fit into your overall teaching (like the BJJ and FMA bits did for me). If you're really lucky, you'll find something you want to include entirely, like an NGA instructor in SC who got into BJJ and just loved it enough he kept training, and now offers classes in both (I think he's a brown belt in BJJ now).

Here's where I am. I basically see 4 options for myself:

1. I may end up never opening my own school, and just teaching under my Master or another Master
2. I may get my Master rank and soon after open my own school. This is several years down the road, when I'll be in my late 30s
3. I may get my Master rank, and take a break from TKD to go cross-train. Then come back to TKD to open my own school
4. I may get my Master rank, and take a break from TKD to go cross-train. Then maybe I stay with the arts I switched over to, or I make my own school that combines everything I've learned.

While I'm planning on doing #3 (which seems in line with what you suggest), that's a lot of extra time between getting my Master rank and becoming my own Master. I do have several years before I need to make any decision, though. For now I'm just going to chug along.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Crescent kick, and what I'm thinking a "wheel kick" is, are the types of kicks you have to be really good at kicking for them to be effective. If you lack the flexibility, balance, speed, or accuracy with them, then they're not very useful.

That's pretty much the conclusion I drew, and NGA doesn't train kicks enough to get to that. I train them more than any instructor I've seen, and I don't think I come close to training them enough for those to be useful. Someday I'll get someone with better kicking knowledge to teach me a bit about them, to see if I change my mind, but I doubt it.

Here's where I am. I basically see 4 options for myself:

1. I may end up never opening my own school, and just teaching under my Master or another Master
2. I may get my Master rank and soon after open my own school. This is several years down the road, when I'll be in my late 30s
3. I may get my Master rank, and take a break from TKD to go cross-train. Then come back to TKD to open my own school
4. I may get my Master rank, and take a break from TKD to go cross-train. Then maybe I stay with the arts I switched over to, or I make my own school that combines everything I've learned.

While I'm planning on doing #3 (which seems in line with what you suggest), that's a lot of extra time between getting my Master rank and becoming my own Master. I do have several years before I need to make any decision, though. For now I'm just going to chug along.

Yep, definitely keep your mind open. See where your experience leads you. With where you are now, I'd suggest looking for dabbling experiences in other arts - open seminars and such where you can get a quick taste every now and then. That'll help inform your cross-training later (and might lead to some surprising improvements in your TKD - it did in my NGA).

 

[skribs]

That's pretty much the conclusion I drew, and NGA doesn't train kicks enough to get to that. I train them more than any instructor I've seen, and I don't think I come close to training them enough for those to be useful. Someday I'll get someone with better kicking knowledge to teach me a bit about them, to see if I change my mind, but I doubt it.


Yep, definitely keep your mind open. See where your experience leads you. With where you are now, I'd suggest looking for dabbling experiences in other arts - open seminars and such where you can get a quick taste every now and then. That'll help inform your cross-training later (and might lead to some surprising improvements in your TKD - it did in my NGA).

Right now, my cross training is youtube. I've been binging Fran Sands boxing videos.

I have very limited time due to my schedule at the dojang, it's hard for me to find time for laundry, let alone cross-training.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

@gpseymour What do you mean by a rib kick? I'm pretty sure we have the same limitation/lack of interest/ability in certain kicks, but I don't see how what I'm thinking of a rib kick should be taken out of a kicking curriculum.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Right now, my cross training is youtube. I've been binging Fran Sands boxing videos.

I have very limited time due to my schedule at the dojang, it's hard for me to find time for laundry, let alone cross-training.

Hire (or convince your master) to hire someone who crosstrained in boxing as an instructor. Even if he doesn't teach any boxing classes, I'm sure you guys will have free time between/after classes, or during cancelled privates, where you can swap info/training.

 

[Dirty Dog]

@gpseymour What do you mean by a rib kick? I'm pretty sure we have the same limitation/lack of interest/ability in certain kicks, but I don't see how what I'm thinking of a rib kick should be taken out of a kicking curriculum.

It's weird nomenclature, but that's not surprising from someone who is not really a striker. Most would name the type of kick, not the target.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

It's weird nomenclature, but that's not surprising from someone who is not really a striker. Most would name the type of kick, not the target.

I'm just thinking of the main kicks for the ribs that I use/see used-back, side front and roundhouse can all be valid to the ribs. Same with a toe kick-an old instructor of mine used to be good at that. But that one's a lot tougher to train well.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I'm just thinking of the main kicks for the ribs that I use/see used-back, side front and roundhouse can all be valid to the ribs. Same with a toe kick-an old instructor of mine used to be good at that. But that one's a lot tougher to train well.

Don't forget inside or outside crescents, and even the axe kick.

 

[skribs]

Hire (or convince your master) to hire someone who crosstrained in boxing as an instructor. Even if he doesn't teach any boxing classes, I'm sure you guys will have free time between/after classes, or during cancelled privates, where you can swap info/training.

We don't have time between classes. After classes I go home and go to sleep.

It's weird nomenclature, but that's not surprising from someone who is not really a striker. Most would name the type of kick, not the target.

Not necessarily. MMA has "leg kicks" and "head kicks".

I'm just thinking of the main kicks for the ribs that I use/see used-back, side front and roundhouse can all be valid to the ribs. Same with a toe kick-an old instructor of mine used to be good at that. But that one's a lot tougher to train well.

I'm also thinking of the monkey kick, which World Taekwondo banned because it's not useful.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

We don't have time between classes. After classes I go home and go to sleep.

No extra spacing for privates? Or time for food? That's a shame.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Don't forget inside or outside crescents, and even the axe kick.

Is there a way to aim an axe kick specifically at the ribs on a standing opponent? I've seen it aimed for the sternum before, but not the ribs.

Unless you mean on someone already down or crouching/kneeling.

 

[skribs]

No extra spacing for privates? Or time for food? That's a shame.

We have 5 classes in the span of 4.5 hours. 3 kids classes of 50 minutes, 2 adult classes of 1 hour. I get off work and get there just in time to start the first kid's class, and then I leave after class is over to go home, eat dinner, and go to bed.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Right now, my cross training is youtube. I've been binging Fran Sands boxing videos.

I have very limited time due to my schedule at the dojang, it's hard for me to find time for laundry, let alone cross-training.

I get that. That's why I was suggesting seminars. That way you're just making time for it every now and then, not trying to find a permanent space. I was much the same way (my limitation was a combination of dojo time and business travel).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

@gpseymour What do you mean by a rib kick? I'm pretty sure we have the same limitation/lack of interest/ability in certain kicks, but I don't see how what I'm thinking of a rib kick should be taken out of a kicking curriculum.

The rib kick is a 45-degree kick with the ball of the foot to sneak around a guard to find a rib. We sparred too little for anyone to get good at it, at all. I spar more now (and my students even more so), and find myself using something similar at times. I'm debating whether to teach it as a separate kick, though, or just let it develop as a variation of a front kick (which is how I see it).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

It's weird nomenclature, but that's not surprising from someone who is not really a striker. Most would name the type of kick, not the target.

The naming of kicks in NGA is pretty haphazard. For that matter, the translation of the grappling technique names into English even seems odd.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

No extra spacing for privates? Or time for food? That's a shame.

We had the same thing back in the day. Classes ended and started at the same time, technically. If someone was attending both, the instructor would wait about 60 seconds between bowing one out and the other in, so that person could run to the restroom or get water (both were permissible during class, too). While private lessons were technically offered, nobody ever took them, except students joining from another school. Then, it was usually me (one of the senior students/instructors) coming in during off-hours.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

We have 5 classes in the span of 4.5 hours. 3 kids classes of 50 minutes, 2 adult classes of 1 hour. I get off work and get there just in time to start the first kid's class, and then I leave after class is over to go home, eat dinner, and go to bed.

Been there, man (though our classes were longer, so one less class). I ate before classes, on the way in to teach kids' classes.