Teaching a class

[Headhunter]

So a friend of mine who runs a kickboxing gym asked me if I wanted to teach a class at his gym he's wanted me to be involved since he opened it but I've never been interested in coaching but he keeps asking so I agreed to take one session and see how that is. The class is a mixed abilities class with beginners and pros training together it'll just be pad work no sparring and it's adults not kids so that's one easier thing.

 

[Ademadis]

Cool congrats & good luck ,

Are you asking for advice on how to run it orrr?

 

[Headhunter]

Cool congrats & good luck ,

Are you asking for advice on how to run it orrr?

Not really just putting it out there like a blog entry really but if anyone's got advice I'm happy to take it

 

[Phobius]

I just started doing classes myself. Would of course want to say my sifu insisted but truth be told I was the one approaching him on the subject, knowing he wanted someone to take the role.

For me it felt tough prior to first class, reading all material I could find and planning over and over again what to do during class.

My first class came and it became a complete mess. All those drills I do myself and others which we have done in class, it turns out could not be done due to new students or a room that was smaller than it seemed when I train in it myself.

Second attempt I redid the whole thing and people went away tired, sweaty and smiling. Now I still struggle to come up with good drills, not just because they are good but because they might lead the students to a point where I myself want to train and evolve. So my quest is getting them to that level as soon as possible.

It is a work in progress but if there is one thing I learned. Do what you yourself want to do, allow failure and learn from it. And all feedback is good feedback, even the critical one.

You might have more advice as I am new to teaching, not a thing that comes natural to me being a tutor. My wife laughs at the idea of me being a teacher, something about me not having the patience to deal with people that can not grasp what I am saying.

 

[MI_martialist]

I find it to be instructional malfeasance to be asked to or to be allowed to instruct without specific training to do so, and without, especially in the beginning, scripts to follow.

 

[kuniggety]

I recently taught about a half dozen grappling fundies classes for some coworkers of mine. It really makes you stop and think and focus on technique. There are some techniques that have just become muscle memory over the years but then you're forced to explain that muscle memory to others. As long as everyone is sweaty and smiling at the end, then I think you did a good job.

 

[Ademadis]

Not really just putting it out there like a blog entry really but if anyone's got advice I'm happy to take it

Fairs, again good luck

Also you never know, you might actually enjoy it. I've had similar experiences and walked away smiling . Let us know how it goes!

 

[oftheherd1]

I have experience teaching many different things, so I am sure that helped when I began teaching Hapkido in a club-like setting. My tactic for that was to try and teach the way my GM taught. I did add some things that I found out myself since it was demonstrated but not actually taught. Satisfyingly, it all worked.

EDIT: I should have added that demonstrating and waiting for me to see and learn may have been a teaching tactic in its own, but I preferred to get things right quicker when I taught.

 

[wingchun100]

I would think back on what YOU were shown as a beginner.

Sometimes in my old school I would be asked to help beginners, and they would ask, "Why are you doing it this way?" It really made me think. Every now and then I had to ask Sifu for the deeper/hidden meanings behind certain techniques. I loved it because it helped me get to know the style more.

 

[Buka]

I've always loved every kind of class, but any time a different/new instructor taught a class I was in, I always liked upbeat, high energy classes. That way, regardless of what we actually did, it was fun and a good workout.

And I always approached it that way from the other side of the fence if I was coming in new. (teaching)