5 Benefits of Teaching Private Lessons

[Brian Johns]

As this applies quite a bit to Filipino Martial Arts, the beginning of the post says:

"In this post, I discuss the 5 benefits of teaching private martial arts lessons from an instructor’s perspective. The obvious financial aspect will not be discussed. Instead, I will discuss several benefits that instructors can derive from teaching private lessons."

The rest of the post: 5 Benefits of Teaching Private Martial Arts Lessons - Bamboo Spirit Martial Arts

Enjoy the read!

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I assume "private lesson" means one teacher vs. one student. This kind of teaching IMO, it has the following problems:

- When you teach a technique to a student, since he is the receiver of that technique, he may not be able to see how that technique applies on him from your point of view in great detail.
- After you have explained a technique to a student, when he applies that technique on you, since you are the receiver of that technique, you may not be able to see the detail of his move from his point of view.
- If the technique that you try to teach require throwing, for a 20 years old student to throw a 70 year old teacher 100 times within one hour may be a bit too hard for that 70 years old teacher.
- ...

Since the best way to learn a technique is to stand behind a teacher when he teaches another student, if a teacher teaches 2 students in the "private lesson", all those problems won't exist.

 

[geezer]

I assume "private lesson" means one teacher vs. one student. This kind of teaching IMO, it has the following problems:

- When you teach a technique to a student, since he is the receiver of that technique, he may not be able to see how that technique applies on him from your point of view in great detail.
- After you have explained a technique to a student, when he applies that technique on you, since you are the receiver of that technique, you may not be able to see the detail of his move from his point of view.
- If the technique that you try to teach require throwing, for a 20 years old student to throw a 70 year old teacher 100 times within one hour may be a bit too hard for that 70 years teacher.
- ...

If you teach 2 students in your "private lesson", all those problems won't exist.

As both an instructor and a student I agree completely. For the reasons John enunciated above, I prefer teaching semi-privately to well matched pairs of students who can continue practicing as training partners outside of the lesson.
And, there's another thing I've experienced working semi-privately with one of my instructors. Both I and my training partner find it almost impossible to execute many techniques to our instructors satisfaction when working against him. Trying to throw him is like trying to uproot a tree-stump! Even when he is not consciously resisting, his instinctive sense of balance and rooting make executing the techniques very difficult and intimidating. And like many older experts, he has limited patience.

I often prefer first working a sequence against my training partner under the instructors eye. Typically, both of us have better success, and can build foundational skills faster that way. Then we can try the techniques against our instructor to find out all that's missing!

Finally, working semi-privately or in small groups lets you experience different body types and helps you build more versatility in applying techniques. And of course semi-privates or small groups are usually a bit cheaper too!

 

[Danny T]

I prefer to teach privates as a pair or threesomes. In a threesome someone is always in a viewing perspective while the others are working.

 

[crazydiamond]

I guess I will be the lone dissenter. I learn more in a single one hour private lesson with my teacher than in a week of classes. At least one of us has the right motion, and then I can sync up. With two inexperienced students both going in the wrong way (but different wrong ways) it can be a mess. Also with an instructor I can focus only on those parts of the curriculum or moves I am struggling with. Plus with an instructor I feel I can let loose "a little" on force that I can't with fellow student.

 

[Tez3]

In a threesome someone is always in a viewing perspective while the others are working.

I've heard that.

 

[Danny T]

I guess I will be the lone dissenter. I learn more in a single one hour private lesson with my teacher than in a week of classes. At least one of us has the right motion, and then I can sync up. With two inexperienced students both going in the wrong way (but different wrong ways) it can be a mess. Also with an instructor I can focus only on those parts of the curriculum or moves I am struggling with. Plus with an instructor I feel I can let loose "a little" on force that I can't with fellow student.

I agree one can certainly learn more in a one on one session than week of group classes. I have found over many years of training others in a 2 or 3 person group when the group also trains together between the private sessions they grow much quicker than in just a 1 on 1 session.

I've heard that.

Tez, Tez, Tez... shaking my head... and yes, I've heard and imagine those kinds of threesomes could be quite a learning experience.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Teaching privately from the Instructor perspective is wonderful!

I absolutely love teaching private one on one lessons and I specialize in this.
You do really get to know the practitioner you are teaching and you can give
immediate feedback and corrections. Because I specialize in this I have
figured out ways to overcome the hurdle of the practitioner not being able to
see the movement on another person. So that really isn't a problem. I do
though make sure that my privately trained students get paired up with another
practitioner from time to time so that they have a different body type to
work with.

The biggest difficulty from an instructor perspective is the time demands and
wear on the body. You have to manage this well to teach privately. When
you have five or six privates a day and want to get in your own workout it can
be really demanding on your body. However, if you want to get in a lot of workout's
like I do then this is right up your alley.

 

[crazydiamond]

I agree one can certainly learn more in a one on one session than week of group classes. I have found over many years of training others in a 2 or 3 person group when the group also trains together between the private sessions they grow much quicker than in just a 1 on 1 session.

I see your point. One on One vs Large Group Vs 2/3 Group. Occasionally I show up to a class with just one other student and it is very good class because it is close to a private lesson, but I don't have to pay extra for it.

Perhaps another good thread would be - how big a class is too big with one instructor ?

 

[geezer]

I Perhaps another good thread would be - how big a class is too big with one instructor ?

As an instructor I've never had this problem. Too bad!

Seriously, I know some really great instructors out there, including the people that I train under, and they only train small groups. I've only seen large groups with some of the really big name GMs

...and, on the other hand, also with some of the really commercial operations. And that's not necessarily a good thing.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

One more benefits of teaching private lessons is:

You will get a sparring/wrestling partner and that person will even pay you.

 

[Brian Johns]

Thanks all for weighing in on this. All points of views were quite valid. From a selfish perspective, I like working one on one as I get to work on whatever I'm teaching the private client. I've taught semi privates as well and absolutely can see the benefit of a third party in there. All in all, I love teaching privates and semi privates.