You can never be too smart, but you can get stupid real quick. For this reason, Uwe, Sabrina and I have set ourselves the goal of getting the trainer’s license.
Because the next step towards becoming a real martial arts teacher is not (only) to improve your own performance, but also to improve your own teaching skills.
The problem in martial arts in general is that in most schools and dojos higher belt colors or black belts are automatically considered as trainers, not to mention all the sensei nonsense …
But is a good trainer the one who can kick the Yoko Geri nice and high, or who can penetrate three boards with one punch? So a martial artist who has a good body and is fit?
Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with didactics and methodology, let alone physiology or knowledge of body mechanics (except your own). And not to mention human interaction with one another and the role as a teaching role model. There are plenty of examples from this moth box of creepy-sensei and trainers in commanding tone.
Not my way. And so the last days we went to school again. More precisely: to the sports hall. The first part, the basic module of the trainer was on the schedule. 23 participants, 3 instructors and in the middle of it all was me. A colourful mixture of strength and martial artists, teachers and trainers, fitness freaks and rope skipping experts.
Apart from theoretical, rather general elements, the games and exercises in the practical part were all about getting in shape. Some of the games and exercises are so good that we tried them out in both children’s and adult training. Because of course after the units in a gym in Detmold the normal training was still on the schedule.
All in all, that was about 31 hours of sport in the last five days. My knees have participated, my shoulder and my elbow have hardly grumbled, my bronchitis has meanwhile been cured – in other words: the old guy has held out! 🙂
New ideas, exciting contacts (why not invite weightlifters or aerobics experts for a workout?) and the first step to becoming an exercise instructor are the result of the exhausting days. However, the upcoming advanced training course still causes some headaches, because how am I supposed to complete the necessary 120 teaching units, which are to follow now, besides job and family and my own training?
What do you think: better side kick and back fist or school desk and new learning for teaching? What are your experiences with teachers / trainers / senseis?
