Interesting ways to motivate people during the holidays

[terryl965]

I am looking for motivational ways that will help my people to be here and just not sit back and do one or two classes during that time period? I have tried just about everything over the years, mainly my adults they seen to find every excuse they can even when there childern are here, any help would be appreciated.

 

[Gorilla]

I am looking for motivational ways that will help my people to be here and just not sit back and do one or two classes during that time period? I have tried just about everything over the years, mainly my adults they seen to find every excuse they can even when there childern are here, any help would be appreciated.

This is a very difficult question. The key is need to have something to train for"a goal." For competitors this is much easier because we have competitions during this time of year. For the non-competitor MA student I would think the you could motivate them by scheduling belt tests during the first week of December. That would help out for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The XMAS/New Year Holiday is very difficult. The US Open is what motivates us!!!!

 

[Tez3]

We find November through December until the New Year a hard slog, adults don't come in and 'can't be bothered' to bring their children. A lot has to do with our weather and the short daylight hours we have. I find it hard myself working shifts to motivate myself to do much in the winter. On nights I go to work in the dark, come home in the dark, sleep wake up in the dark etc etc. when it's dark at half past four in the afternoon, its hard to get people to leave warm houses for training. The recent horrendous rainstorms we have cut our numbers badly this week. Obviously we don't have Thanksgiving (though two of our students' family does) but the run up to Christmas is long, with school and club parties on the run up, also parents evenings at schools. Office and mess parties make up the rest of the time. Basically we just sit tight and put up with it until after New Year when people discover they have put weight on and really need to train!

 

[jks9199]

Can you use it as a break from the normal class routine, and focus on something special or different? Is there a form that you rarely teach, or can you introduce stick or something like that to make it seem worth the effort of making the time?

 

[ATC]

This is a very difficult question. The key is need to have something to train for"a goal." For competitors this is much easier because we have competitions during this time of year. For the non-competitor MA student I would think the you could motivate them by scheduling belt tests during the first week of December. That would help out for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The XMAS/New Year Holiday is very difficult. The US Open is what motivates us!!!!

Gorilla hit this right on the head. We have BB testing coming up in January and we have already started training for this and have been running 6 mile twice a week also. So all the people testing for BB will keep up the training.

As for everyone else there is a color belt test December 2nd and 3rd, so they will keep up the training also.

Our competition training starts back up on the 7th of December and most have already started training to be half way ready for what we have instore for them so they also will keep up the training as not to be the ones behind when training starts. The competition team is very competitive already as you have to keep you spot on the team and you really don't want some new commer taking it. Also the new ones are always trying to knock of the team members that already have a spot on the team.

Hope this helps Terry.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Grading for iaido and jodo is next weekend, then the University kids leave for the holidays. Generally the Christmas period is a “get a life” time of year for us. The room is booked if you want to come in but, odds are you may be by yourself. Some of us will chat informally with others and hold a practice, but mostly we get a few weeks off to reacquaint ourselves with our families and our lives.

 

[IcemanSK]

For me, I have a belt testing in March. I've been sick & I've had injuries that have set me back. Serious training started today.

Having a goal does make a difference for me in how I tend to train. I'm currently unable to run, so I don't have that endorphine high that I got from doing that. I do what I can. The key is to be consistent.

 

[girlbug2]

Maybe you could offer rain checks for $20 dvd players and xboxes to the first 10 adults to make each class.

 

[chungdokwan123]

I am looking for motivational ways that will help my people to be here and just not sit back and do one or two classes during that time period? I have tried just about everything over the years, mainly my adults they seen to find every excuse they can even when there childern are here, any help would be appreciated.

To be quite honest, I face a different set of circumstances. I'm still upset that our school closed for Thanksgiving Day! I would have been there!

Is it possibly "burn-out" that causes students to seek a reprieve from training during this time of year, and that the season justifies the need? I don't know.

Is it a case of feeling as though one must simply display a certain amount of reverence for the holiday season? Again I don't know. I'm of the opinion that one can do so and still make classes.

We have the same issue at our school, and from what I've read so far, I think I like the idea of scheduling belt testings, but since you said that you've tried everything over the years, I would assume you've done that.

If there is nothing else on the event calendar, how about scheduling a demonstration and using this time of year to prepare for it? Any merit to the idea?

 

[Ken Morgan]

It's not just about students showing up, its about instructors showing up. My Sensei bends over backwrads for us all year long, doing as we wish onmany occassions. At this time of year, at his wifes, and his childrens request, they become the priority.

I figure we got him 11 months of the year, they can have him for the 1 thats important to his family.

 

[granfire]

everybody needs a break.

Our school has pretty much conceded the fact that after Christmas till after New Years, nothing is gonna happen. So the owners take a break and close shop for a couple of weeks.

 

[Laurentkd]

Not exactly the same but similiar, I used to hold a contest over summer break when I taught at my university. I gave every student a set schedule to do... like monday every form 3 times, current form 10 times, tuesday 500 kicks any choice, 1000 hand techniques, etc.
Anyone that came back and told me they did three workouts a week for 10 of the 12 weeks of summer got a free adidas uniform. Of course it was an honor system (although I told them I would be able to tell how much they had really worked over the summer- which was true!). All in all of my 40 or so students only 2 or so would do it, but hopefully a lot of them at least did SOMETHING over the break. Maybe you would offer a similar incentive program.

 

[d1jinx]

terry,

good question. The holidays seem to bring excuses not to train and higher levels of stress.

If we can find a way to capitolize on the stress factor... or stress-reducer type activities in class.

As silly as it may sound, the stress and confusion brought on by the holidays, most parents want to go and relax... maybe we should focus on some stress relieving classes. Maybe a "beat-the-hell-out-of-the-bag" type class. It may sound crazzy, but maybe the lack of concern to concentrate and add to their physical exhaustion, could be entising to some. Maybe a mid-week go bananas and beat on something would be what some need.

Dont really know, but at this point, would it matter to try it?

 

[granfire]

terry,

good question. The holidays seem to bring excuses not to train and higher levels of stress.

If we can find a way to capitolize on the stress factor... or stress-reducer type activities in class.

As silly as it may sound, the stress and confusion brought on by the holidays, most parents want to go and relax... maybe we should focus on some stress relieving classes. Maybe a "beat-the-hell-out-of-the-bag" type class. It may sound crazzy, but maybe the lack of concern to concentrate and add to their physical exhaustion, could be entising to some. Maybe a mid-week go bananas and beat on something would be what some need.

Dont really know, but at this point, would it matter to try it?

Or a yoga class.

 

[Tez3]

Our students are away a lot at the moment anyway, on exercise before deployment then it's block leave. From now until March/April when they go to Afghanistan they will either be training or trying to spend as much time with families as they can. When they go we'll have very quiet adults classes but I'll ramp up training for kids to keep them occupied till dads come back. Christmas as I said is a quiet time for us anyway so I'll probably use the time to go in and 'spring clean' the club.

 

[miguksaram]

I am looking for motivational ways that will help my people to be here and just not sit back and do one or two classes during that time period? I have tried just about everything over the years, mainly my adults they seen to find every excuse they can even when there childern are here, any help would be appreciated.

Simple have them look up TLC's Half Ton Dad documentary. If that doesn't motivate them to get their butts on the mat, nothing will.

 

[Stac3y]

My school closes for the holidays right around Thanksgiving, and reopens in the second week of January. So we have about a 6 week break every year. The kids' demo team keeps working out once a week through the break, and those of us adults who compete or are addicts have a number of unofficial training options during that time. It's kind of nice because we get a break from curriculum and the formality of regular classes, and from helping out with the classes for people who haven't become full-fledged karate junkies yet. We can work on what we want, and full gis aren't required. Mostly we hit each other a lot.

 

[granfire]

Hitting is GOOD! :uhyeah: