Teaching The Arts

TEACHING THE ARTS

 

Teaching the martial arts is something that a new student would of course never think about during their early years of training but it is inevitable, for many, that they will start thinking about such things when reaching the more advanced stages of their training, and hoping, to become an instructor themselves one day. However something that a lot of people will fail to realise is that a lot does depend on how a new instructor will conduct classes, based in part, on the way they have been trained themselves.

 

 

If they have been taught under a set rigid routine then they could very well end up teaching in this same fashion, and if they have, then there is a great danger that they will end up teaching like a robot, without flair or flexibility, which could very easily end up with students leaving after only a short period of time.

Some of the most successful martial art clubs are often run by teachers who have a great deal of flair and personality and will add not only a strong sense of discipline to the class but also a sense of fun and humour, which often motivates the new beginners during times of intense or difficult training, but these 'individualistic' combat teachers are not trained to be that way but are born with such teaching skills, based upon a number factors, including having a outward going personality for example.

 

Many students will become black belts in the martial arts over the years but very few have a natural ability, or the required skill, to teach others and although they may know all the moves and can fight like any true expert this does not mean that they can teach or motivate others up to a good standard.

 

For a new student to fully benefit from the instructors teachings they need a person who can not only demonstrate all the physical skills but also someone who can pass on their knowledge in a constructive way, or the true nature of what they are being taught will be lost.

 

Therefore when someone is thinking of taking up the study and practice of the martial arts, or any sporting activity for that matter, it is always wise to look beyond a persons qualifications and claims of greatness and see, not what they teach, but how they teach it.