Open for new ideas

[Hwoarang_tkd26]

Hey everyone.
Ok the main reason that I am writing this, is that I'm looking for a few new things to add to the bag of tricks when it comes to teaching TKD class.
Just so that you all know, Im an asistant TKD instructor, and lately I am sensing that in my school there is a need for new, fun, and exciting ways of teaching class.
In my school we tend to pratice the poomse/forms quite frequently and IMO we look pretty good in that area, so Im looking for something other than that.
I am more or less looking for something that can break the boring rutine that we have been doing for the last few months, a few new ways to give the students a good work out that builds strength, stamina, speed, that also teaches proper technique/power, somethin fun.
Also some ideas for teaching adults as well as kids would be nice.
So, umm, if you are a student yourself then just tell me the funnest class that you remember doing in your school,and what it was that you did (in detail).
If you are an instructor such as myself, then tell me some of your ideas, and the things you do to teach a fun class.
All helpful replies will be much appreciated, thanx.

- Hwoarang_tkd26

 

[D_Brady]

I did my thesis for BLK on drills If you pm me your mailing address I'll send you a copy. You should be able to grab some ideas from it. It's great what your trying do.

But first make sure that adding something to the class with or without the owners ok is cool, it can be a mine field sometimes.

 

[Tkang_TKD]

The funnest class I remember doing involved doing lots of kick drills (to the BOB target), where we worked on several flying kicks, and spinning kicks. It broke up boring aspects of our class.

I think to some degree, the repetition (which is often boring) is a necessary evil. But there are ways to get creative too. My instructor likes to mix things up a bit, and throw some crazy combinations at us to try. We get shown once, and then we practice it. It seems to work pretty good, and it keeps our students interested, since they are learning "new techniques". They aren't really new, but the combinations employed are new.

 

[TX_BB]

Try changing intensity first (Less teaching, more drilling and vice versa).

Try changing environment outside (In a park, on a hill, in the water...)

Run some conditioning classes, stretching classes, basic classes, advanced classes, Pilates or Yoga.

Sponsor a seminar on a special topic.

Go to a tournament together.

 

[Tkang_TKD]

Tournaments? What are those? LOL Actually, I've done one or two. I would love for my Dojang to participate as a Team. That would be awesome

 

[Han-Mi]

games... there are a few posts on games in the forum, I'll do the leg work for ya and post the links to them after I'm done. That's usually best for kids.
Something that both our kids and adults do is circuit kicks... Basically you get everyone paired up and they do 10 of each kick on each leg, or as many as they can get done before the fastest person finishes. Then you give them 10 seconds to change positions(everyone moves clockwise, including bag holders). This is done until everyon is back in the original postion. this also allows for a rest person when there is an odd number of students. If their are very few students you should up the # of kicks, and if their are a lot, you should lower the #.
One more suggestion is to,if you don't already, mix in some basics from other arts. It is fun to dabble in boxing, kenpo, wing chun, kendo, judo, etc. If your instructor doesn't mind, you should try some training with other MAists in an exchange of knowledge. My experience with this has been mostly possitive. If they are good people, and good at what they do, they usually are willing to share and to learn. Also, students like a little taste of something different now and then. It is like eating out.

 

[bluespacething]

Personally I like to do a nice warmup at the beginning of class....like a bunch of situps and maybe a few pushups and do some leg press. I also like it when we do relays in class...like run to the wall and back, grapevine, hopping on one foot to the wall and the other foot back. Those are usually the best warmups for me. I usually have a blast

I also like playing freeze tag to warm up...gets the whole body moving around and ready to work.

 

[Zepp]

It's fun sometimes to just vary the drills that you do normally, like one-steps. For instance, instead of having the attacker begin the one-step with a plain old reverse punch, have him begin with a hooking punch, or a front kick. Then let everyone experiment with how they defend and counter-attack.

For kids, some kind relay race where they have to throw a particular kick at one end is usually a fun one. Actually, that can be fun for adults too, and it's a good warm-up.

 

[Kamaria Annina]

oh oh oh!!! Circle of Doom!

My instructor does that, have your class get in a circle, and have them attack someone one at a time. The person who is being attacked can defend in whatever way they can think of. It's a great game, and it's really fun too.

 

[Melissa426]

Do a class devoted strictly to self-defense. It's fun for the lower belts to make the higher belts fall or trip! Or to see a relatively small woman take down the class giant.

Do one-step spars backwards. (left-handed or right-handed/ strikes and kicks depending on what technique your are using.) Even higher belts get confused on this one.

Just some ideas. Good luck!

 

[BrandiJo]

my funnest class is when we move alot like one day we got paired up with a simaler ranking student and one of us got a heavy bag and the other had a 5 min time to do whatever to the bag but the catch was when ever the istructor said to the person hitting the bag had to drop close there eyes nad wait for the instructor to tell em to get back up its hard its a great work out you get to use all kinds of teckneks and its a great thing for the bag holder too!

 

[Miles]

Here are some ideas if you are ruling out forms or sparring....I enjoy classes in which we do a lot of paddle drills and bag drills. Start with a single technique, such as roundhouse kick. Add a step (chunjin or whojin)another (maybe ilbo chunjin, ilbo whojin), then a step and a second kick, go forward, then backward, etc. These are great for conditioning and working both sides!

Good luck, you are only restrained by your imagination!

Miles

 

[Hwoarang_tkd26]

Thank you all for your help and ideas, it is much apreciated.
Though, I have not been able to try any of these ideas out yet sense the time I created this thread, I have not had the opportunity to have the entire class to myself to teach yet.
But when I do, I will be sure to use them.
Thank you all.

- Hwoarang_tkd26

 

[Hwoarang_tkd26]

oh oh oh!!! Circle of Doom!

My instructor does that, have your class get in a circle, and have them attack someone one at a time. The person who is being attacked can defend in whatever way they can think of. It's a great game, and it's really fun too.

YES OF COURSE!!!
I almost forgot about that. We do that in my class as well (not lately as you can see), but we call it "Bull in the ring", but its the same thing that you described.
I will definatly have to bring that back, it is a lot of fun.

- Hwoarang_tkd26

 

[Faye]

How about form intrepretations? I always thought that was kind of fun. We will have the person doing the form stand in the middle, and then four people around him (one in front, one on the each side, and back), and attack him by thinking about what moves of the form he'll be doing. Really cool!

 

[Hwoarang_tkd26]

How about form intrepretations? I always thought that was kind of fun. We will have the person doing the form stand in the middle, and then four people around him (one in front, one on the each side, and back), and attack him by thinking about what moves of the form he'll be doing. Really cool!

Hmmm... That sounds pretty cool, never thought of that before.
I will have to try it when given the chance, thank you.

- Hwoarang_tkd26