Welcome, The intention of this material is to give you a birds eye view of the Combat Sports Gyms mission and vision.

Kid’s Class

The kids are the students but the parents are your clients, so your goal is to provide the most value to your clients.

Strategies to provide the most value: 

1.      Character Development

2.      Self-Defense

3.      Fitness

Strategies for Teaching

·         Tell-Show-Do

·         Command Voice

·          Engage Every Student

·         Praise-Correct-Praise

·         Positive Reframing

·         Positive Reinforcement

·         Disguising Repetition

·         Walking the Lines

·         No Downtime: For adults (every 5 min), for age 7-12 (3 min), 6 and under (2 min)  

·         Develop Mantras: Semper Fi, Semper Fortis (Always Couragious)

·         Q&A and Mat Chat for the end of class

·         Use a Written Lesson Plan for Every Single Class

·         End on a high note: Game

Rules for the dojo

You have to remember, your class is an escape. People want a positive experience. To escape and relieve stress

1.       Classes start and end at the same time every time

2.       Every student is greeted and addressed by their first name

3.       Negative enforcement is kept to a minimum

4.       Instructors spend face time with every student every class

5.       Each student gets 8 to 15 seconds of coaching by the instructor as the instructor walks the lines

6.       Find specific things they are doing right

7.       Instructor finds specific things the student is doing right and gives genuine praise.

8.       Instructor always uses the PCP formula for corrections of technique

9.       Classes Always end on a high note

a.       For kids. A game after mat chat.

b.       For Adults, end with a training drill with an element of play.

Discipline

1.       Remember, limitations on behavior and clear boundaries make kids feel safe.

2.       Enforce your rules on behavior consistently and with a smile. If kids know what is expected, and they know that you enforce the rules fairly and consistently and if discipline is give with love and not in anger, they will gladly accept it.

3.       If a student is not choosing to behave, give them 3 strikes and then have them sit out of a drill or game. Make it known this is the rule for anyone else and it will be exercised equally to everyone

4.       Focus on positive reinforcement and kids will improve their behavior in order to receive praise.

5.       When you see a problem child exhibiting good behavior, praise them in front of the whole class. Often these kids don’t receive this sort of praise because adults are usually focused on what they did wrong. You will notice their behavior improve the more things you catch right

Curriculum

Make sure every student knows what it takes to get to the next rank. Physically put it into their hands.

Whether it’s a certain number of:

1.       Classes, Stripes, Sparring rounds,

2.       Hanging with or beating other ranks

3.       Everyone should know exactly when evaluating is, what they are being evaluated on, and also when promotion is.

4.       Keep evaluating and promotion separate so no one is crying at promotion.

Atmosphere

1.       Create a culture of positivity

2.       Encourage higher rank and more advanced students to help newer ones.

3.       Give your sharks a place where they can swim separate from the minos. It can be in competition class, or let them roll after while the others still can drill fight simulations or drills. Make it clear that when they work with lower ranks, they are to coach and mentor them.

4.       Make people feel welcomed, and make them feel like they are apart of the family or team. Everyone should be made to feel that way regardless of their aptitude or skill level. Again, this starts with you.

 Stress

1.       There is a time or place for tougher training. Putting students into high stress tough workouts for the sake of training them should only be done every 3rd or 4th class.

2.       If you do stress training, let the students know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

3.       Save the toughest training for people who opt in for that training. don’t expect brand new students or beginners to want to be a part of tougher training. It usually takes several months or even years to adopt the culture and believe they can participate in that sort of training, give students time to get to that point.

Remember

1.       Your goal is to trigger a dopamine response with praise and fun.

2.       Endorphin release with hard work. Cant get it with just technique so do it every third class, or save it for the end.

3.       Serotonin with personal achievement. When students gain rank, give them more responsibility, getting to help others. 

4.       Increased oxytocin with a sense of belonging. Let your students know you have their back, they have each other covered too.

Coaches: A fun drill sergeant, they play along , we are all friends

I’m not here to hurt you, im here to help you. We are on the same team

Our Goal is to Break them down and build them up

The 5 Rules

1.       Pay Attention

2.       Do 100% Every time

3.       Try not to cry

4.       Don’t talk when I’m talking

5.       Show Respect

And if you can do those, you’re old enough

Discipline from coach?

Pay Attention! – Thanks Coach.  Because coach gave you feedback, and that’s a gift.

This is World Class Technique

It takes 10 years to get a blackbelt. There is a long journey, a marathon and not a sprint. 100s of techniques 

The Kids Look the part – Cool Gear – They love it – look good feel good

Convince parents and kids it’s a marathon not a sprint

Focus on your education

Teach virtue and life lessons. Importance of impacting lives

When they break a rule. (How old are you?. Old enough

Who’s tired, not me. Who’s tired. Not ME!!. Or else pushups

Thanks Coach – when coach gives you a hard time, it’s a gift

Treat your kids like little adults, firm but fun

Treat them like they are older and wiser and give them respect

Technique Teaching Breakdown

First you want to explain the technique or techniques you are going to teach for the moment or the day. So you start with an introduction. You frame the situation that is taking place. Explain what the problem is and then forecast the solution.

1.       Introduction: Frame - Problem - Forecast

a.        So first I am going to show you this technique

b.        I do this when the opponent does this – Signal/Indicator

2.        Demonstrations

a.        Hook Demo – Silent - Show the technique at full speed so you hook them in.

b. Detailed Demonstration

I am trying to get to this position, this is what I do to get there, if I don’t do it this way this is the consequence or counter they can do. Step by step breakdown

c. Bad Guy Reminders - What can go wrong, how to be a bad guy

d. Solo Demonstration

3. Drill Information

a.        Starting Position

b. How many Repetitions

c. Reverse Rolls

4.        Release Reminders

a.        Give Feedback, Ask Questions, Slow Motion, Help Each Other

b.        Clap

I hope you enjoyed my rant here about how we should be running our classes. Everyone can achieve these coaching strategies and make our dojo a fun amazing place to be. Remember, the dojo is a sanctuary. It is a positive place in people’s lives that they can always rely on to lift their spirits.