This question is directed to Doc, Bode, Dave and anyone else that may know the answer.
What is a typical SL4 class like for the new student? I'm interested to hear how the classes run, whats covered in class, etc. This of course is not limited to just beginning classes, but all ranks.
Mike
Wow, that's a tough one...
Class starts at 8PM. Usually a black gi teaches the white gi's for the first 45 minutes with Doc's approving eye. It allows the black belts to gain more teaching time. Much of the time we warm up with course 101 (white belt) and work our way up. We do the lower level material more often than upper.
Class continues with a mixture of Doc teaching the black gis while hopping over to the white gi's to make sure they are on track. One black gi remains with the white gis to keep them moving correctly.
This continues with varying degrees of participation. Sometime the whole class will work on the drills together. Sometimes seperate, depending on rank. There is simply some material that is beyond the lower ranks.
10:00 ish. White gi's sometimes leave. Doc pulls together all of the black gis and works on advanced material. This goes on until 11:30 or sometimes much later.
Doc did a 4 week lecture on Kicking. Every class was about kicking. the how's and why's. The proper footwork. Utilizing the upper body to increase your kicking power and stability. It was a great lesson and made everyone better kickers. I wish I had this lesson a long time ago.
At around 11PM Doc will say, "Got lots to do" to which a few will grumble, because they know that means we might be there past 11:30. (Some of us have to wake up early). We have now incorporated this into our jargon. "Got lots to do"... the students usually say it before Doc does. See, he'd go on all night if we could. Hell, I wish I could, but my body wont let me because of my work schedule.
If we are preparing for a test Doc makes us move throught he techniques quicker, with an emphasis on execution, not details. He wants to start pushing us so we're ready for the test.
Sometimes Doc uses the mirror as a white board by writing on it with a dry erase marker. It really helps us record the material that isn't in our coursebooks.
Doc likes to demonstrate the whole "feeling is believing" aspect.
Many times we interupt the class to "test" the reasoning behind a movement. Doc will give us an exercise to compare two different executions of the same movement. Often times these involve a lot of verbal disucussioin as well. We ask questions, Doc answers.
Doc also likes to force us to think and verbalize. He wants to make sure we don't rely on him for answers and that we can articulate our questions. He's devoted entire classes to forcing us to think. These classes aren't very physical, but they are integral to truly understanding the material.
Overall, class is usually about 3.5 hours. A wide range of material is covered, but the key is, Doc teaches on different levels. What one person sees or learns is different than another. And he knows. That's the point. Teach everyone at the same time. From white to black. That way we all benefit.
There you go... in a nutshell.
Not sure what, but somewhere higher than 5th
