Serious v Recreational

I had an interesting conversation with the parents of a relatively new student today. During the conversation we discussed the students progress in our classes. While interested in the student continuing with training towards a Black Belt they asked about the difference between adult and children's curriculum. They were worried that in the future their child would have difficulty moving from child Black Belt into adult Black Belt. I explained that while the classes for children are kinder and gentler they learn everything the adults learn. Children learn the same forms, kicks, sparring techniques and protocols as the adults. They also have the same 6 month preparation process prior to the final test.
I have begun to think about my answers and how they actually relate to my students. While my answers were definitely truthful my question is more about curriculum. While at the USAT Nationals I attended a full day coaches conference. Everyone concurred that children could learn everything and do everything adults learn. Children will adapt, classes and drills should be less brutal and there should be more recovery time between drills but there is no reason they cannot learn the same techniques. If we hold them to the same standard should we really spend so much time playing games and making sure they are always having fun. If the average student is only in class two to three hours a week wouldn't they be better served working on curriculum then playing games. There are ways to make traditional TKD drills fun. Should we, for the lack of a better description be "dumbing the classes down" to keep everyone happy or should we not worry about losing the recreational student who won't put forth the effort but likes the social aspects? Do we raise the bar and expect more of all the other students and go for quality over quantity? Will this ultimately bring more students in to the school? Or do we risk becoming elitist and losing our student count?

Steven Lopez....continue?

While the Pan American games are still going on a debate continues to come up. How long should Steven Lopez continue to fight and represent the United States. While I continue to fight and no one loves a competitors attitude and warrior heart more then me. Steve represents a Team and a Country.
Below are the competitions Mr. Lopez has medaled at since 2009.
2009 at Worlds - Gold
2010 Team Trials - Gold
2011 Pan Am Qualifier - Silver
2012 Olympic Trials - Gold
2013 National Team Trials - Gold
2014 US Open - Gold
2014 Team Trials - Gold
2015 Pan Am Team Trials - Gold
2015 Pan Am - Bronze
While he dominates his division in the US, when fighting in International matches he has not done as well. Being 36 years old this list is impressive but one would have to ask if his long time dominance has actually reduced the field of those who would have normally attempted to move up through the ranks and if this is hurting the US chances at International Gold Medals.

Been a While

There has definitely been a lot going on and a while since I posted. Let's start catching up. The new school is up and running in Albany. We have a great group of kids and adults. Hopefully the school will continue to grow both in quantity and quality. It is truly a great feeling to be on the ground floor of a new school. So different when there is no parent network and all the kids are making new friends. Gives me a lot of fresh topics to discuss and allows for a lot of input...so feel free!

Caveat emptor (buyer beware)

In trying to stay up to date on my teaching and my art, I subscribe to numerous blogs, websites and Twitter accounts. I read up on news articles and training articles. I recently came across a video of what was reported to be a black belt test in NYC. The representation was so bad, there was debate on whether the video was meant as a joke or was serious. Now it is not for me to question anyone else's training or skill. I did however want to note that if you are signing up for any kind of class, whether it is martial arts or pottery you should gather information before making a decision.  Research your instructors and verify their credentials. Visit more then one school. Ask everyone you know for recommendations. You may save a few bucks initially,  but end up in a school  totally inappropriate for what you want. Know the differences between the different martial arts. Is the school geared toward the art or competition?  Is it ground and pound or all forms?  Who teaches the classes?  Meet them before you start. Watch a class or two. Take an intro lesson. It is your money and your body, make sure you are getting everything you want from your classes.

Back seat driving at TKD?

  In the world of martial arts, we are very lucky for many reasons. We enjoy a great job and it is a unique profession that people cannot just walk in and do. We have the joy of working with children and at the same time, usually do not have to worry about over bearing parents who must live their life through their children. Sports like baseball, football, basketball and even gymnastics suffer hugely from the "expert" parents who know so much... However, they can never put forth the time or effort to actually coach, yet have no problem expounding their expertise to everyone within earshot.  Sometimes, individuals will assume the role of coach with the sole intent of "pushing" their child or ensuring their child will be a starting member of the team.  In martial arts, it takes years of practice before you are allowed anywhere near a beginner. That kind of dedication hopefully weeds out those types.
  If it is all so wonderful why do I bring it up? I do so because while this is the rule, there are always exceptions. If your child had a broken arm, and you were a CPA would you explain to the doctor how to reset the arm? If you had this ability why visit the doctor in the first place? The same goes for martial arts. I am a teacher and still a student.  I love suggestions. I love questions. I live to find new ways to make my students better martial artists, but I am the one who has devoted years of training and practice to do this. Our school has open classes and encourage families to come and watch we do not encourage you to come and coach. Our openness and welcoming nature is not a weakness. It is a strength. It is our confidence in our methods and experience that allow us to invite you to watch. Trust in our instruction.  It is why you came to us in the first place. Help us guide your loved ones to their individual martial arts goals.

Working hard or hardly working.

  Well I have probably brought this up before but becoming a black belt is not easy. Actually getting any belt in martial arts takes time and effort. There are always some people who will work harder then others. Sometimes it may be a factor of age, maturity, injury or schedule conflicts. Nobody can understand how life may interfere with the desire to train more than myself. What I cannot understand is people who choose to follow this path but do not devote a enough amount of time to it.  Sure, everyone has an off-day or may have difficulty with a specific area. People need help all the time. None of this is an issue overall to any instructor, provided you are putting in effort the rest of the time. What can try on an instructors patience is the students who don't put in the minimum until two to three weeks before a test, then want extra help to make sure they meet the requirements and can move on in the process. The study of martial arts is an ongoing process with each step building on the previous steps. When at a lower belt level it may be possible to cram for the test and get away with it. This however will likely come back to haunt you, especially when striving for that black belt.  No matter how many times an instructor may warn students of this impending trouble some people just don't want to believe it will happen to them.

Physical and Mental Health

  Everyday I talk about how great it is to teach and train. I am lucky to do something I enjoy. Not everyone has that luxury. So everyday I see adults coming in after a bad day at home or at work. I know when this was me all I hoped for was a great workout so I could sweat and forget about everything else. As I great all the students coming in and out everyday I hope we give them some kind of escape. I know they definitely get a physical workout but I like to provide a fun place to go where people can escape from the rest of their life if only for an hour. Medical science has taught us that stress is as dangerous to us as anything else. Hopefully we are providing a cure for that.
  Everything we do is not considered a standard social activity by everyone but we try to get everyone involved. A few weeks ago we had a golf outing, this weekend we have a trip to the Great Escape and the black belts have a three hour test coming up in a few weeks. Not all these things match everyone's idea of a fun afternoon. I will have done all three and unless something out of the ordinary happens I will have a great time at all three events. This is not because of what I am doing but because of the people I am with. If you are training make sure you are getting everything you can out of your school. Make sure you not only get physically stronger but mentally stronger and get rid of your stress. Make a new friend, have some fun.