On January 29, 2011, Piedmont Bando of Northern Virginia has the honor of hosting Bando Grandmasters Joe Manley and Lloyd Davis for a seminar on the fundamentals of Bando and free sparring.
The seminar will be held at the Manassas Battlefield Holiday Inn on Balls Ford Road in Manassas, beginning at 10 AM. The seminar fee, to cover costs, is $70 for non-ABA members, and $60 for ABA members in good standing.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Sunday, October 31, 2010
What are you preparing for?
Martial arts training has become quite common today. Ranging from thinly veiled daycare programs through MMA competitors up to professionals who must use violence on a daily basis. Take a moment, and think about why you're training.
Some people train because they've got friends doing it, and the class is a social event. Others train to compete, whether in traditional style tournaments or MMA. Still others train because they've experienced violence, and want to be ready if it ever happens again. There are people who train because they train; they enjoy the physical challenges and wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they weren't training. And some people train because they have every reason to expect to need effective skills in using force. (Let's not even consider the people who train because someone makes them...)
Nobody's purpose in training is superior; they're all merely different. But that purpose will shape how you train. A sport karate competitor has to train to understand, use, and apply the rules of the event. A rape or domestic violence survivor's training may be very different -- and may have to be conducted with great sensitivity and care. A cop, correctional officer, or soldier may train differently from each other -- and very differently from the guy who's simply "doing" martial arts because it's more interesting to him than bowling or going to an ordinary gym.
Think about why you're training. Then assess how you conduct your training. If the two aren't in harmony, you're not going to get the results you want. If you're training to be able to effectively impose force on a resisting or combative subject in the streets -- you have to have partners who do that, and you have to do things like scenario training. If you're training to win the next MMA event -- you need to spend time working on the various aspects of that game. Including the conditioning necessary to last through your fight! And so on. If there's a conflict between your training and your goals, start looking for weighs to fix it!
Some people train because they've got friends doing it, and the class is a social event. Others train to compete, whether in traditional style tournaments or MMA. Still others train because they've experienced violence, and want to be ready if it ever happens again. There are people who train because they train; they enjoy the physical challenges and wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they weren't training. And some people train because they have every reason to expect to need effective skills in using force. (Let's not even consider the people who train because someone makes them...)
Nobody's purpose in training is superior; they're all merely different. But that purpose will shape how you train. A sport karate competitor has to train to understand, use, and apply the rules of the event. A rape or domestic violence survivor's training may be very different -- and may have to be conducted with great sensitivity and care. A cop, correctional officer, or soldier may train differently from each other -- and very differently from the guy who's simply "doing" martial arts because it's more interesting to him than bowling or going to an ordinary gym.
Think about why you're training. Then assess how you conduct your training. If the two aren't in harmony, you're not going to get the results you want. If you're training to be able to effectively impose force on a resisting or combative subject in the streets -- you have to have partners who do that, and you have to do things like scenario training. If you're training to win the next MMA event -- you need to spend time working on the various aspects of that game. Including the conditioning necessary to last through your fight! And so on. If there's a conflict between your training and your goals, start looking for weighs to fix it!
Minor housekeeping note
Readers may notice that the tone or voice of posts and comments under Piedmont Bando change occasionally. Nobody here suffers from multiple personality disorder. Instead, all of the instructors of Piedmont Bando have the ability to post and comment here under the main name. So, sometimes it might be Jim, sometimes Debby, even occasionally Tristan... If you're curious who wrote what -- ask us!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Training Responsibilities
Training mirrors life. When we begin training, our responsibilities are few. Show up, follow directions, practice on your own. As you advance in training, your responsibilities grow. You may be asked to greet new students or assure that the facility is cleaned and prepared for class. You might be asked to instruct new students or lead warm ups. One day, you may find yourself responsible for a class or club. Seems like it's a simple idea. The teacher teaches, the student learns. But there's more to it than that.
Let's start by looking more closely at a student's responsibilities. To simply say show up and train is to almost trivialize it. Students have the responsibility to show up in class. To focus on class, and listen to the instructor and participate with integrity. Why do I use integrity? Because it means wholeness, not just honestly. When you're in class, BE in class. Bring the required equipment. Pay attention; leave outside matters outside. Don't chat about unrelated matters, don't disrupt class by being a what-if monkey.. Give an honest and intent effort to the exercises and drills. If you've been training for months, and still can't do any more pushups than your first night... something's wrong. You may be asked to assume other responsibilities, like unlocking the training facility, greeting or teaching new students. You should be trying to bring a few new faces around... how else are you going to be sure to have playmates?! If you're not specifically assigned something, and it needs doing -- step up and do it! Unless it's something you don't know how to do or shouldn't do for some reason. A visitor should never feel ignored or unwelcome, for example. Every student can at least say "Hi, let me get the teacher for you."
But the responsibilities don't stop and start at the training hall door. In my classes, we don't spend huge amounts of class time on pure fitness type exercises. We don't have that much time, and I'd rather spend it focused on improving your skill, not your endurance. So you have to spend some time outside the training hall to develop your phsyical fitness. And you have to practice outside of class -- so that we don't have to spend class after class after class on the same material. My teacher used to tell us how he'd go to see his teacher, and they'd work on the same move, again and again, from one session to the next. My teacher finally realized that the reason they kept covering the same thing was because they didn't have it right yet!
A teacher has responsibilities, too. The teacher has to attend class, too! There's no class if there's no teacher, just as there's no class if there's no student. The instructor's primary responsibility is to be ready; have a plan, both for a particular class and for several months down the road, and to see that the training is accomplished safely. The teacher should have some idea and plan to help each student reach their personal best. The teacher also has to practice -- or the students will surpass the teacher! That doesn't mean that a teacher's time is spent repeating the same basic drills or that a teacher who can't recall a particular form or kata on the spur of the moment is irresponsible. Nor does it mean that the teacher should be bringing huge stacks of detailed lesson plans, or notes handouts. But a teacher who consistently spends no time on training or preparation until they walk in the door... They're probably being rather irresponsible. There's plenty more here (like being able to be humble enough to recognize when you're not helping a particular student by your teaching)... but I'm going to move on.
There's another type of responsibility to consider: Who is responsible for your training? One of the hardest lessons, but biggest keys to growth is accepting that ultimately, YOU and YOU ALONE are responsible for your training. Your teachers can put the information out -- but it's up to you to actually work with it and make it yours. And -- eventually, it becomes your responsibility to seek out the training you need. You might identify these needs through your own practice and even get guidance from your teachers -- but at some point, the spoon feeding has to stop, and you have to seek out what you need. And you have to be responsible for your own development within the martial sciences.
Let's start by looking more closely at a student's responsibilities. To simply say show up and train is to almost trivialize it. Students have the responsibility to show up in class. To focus on class, and listen to the instructor and participate with integrity. Why do I use integrity? Because it means wholeness, not just honestly. When you're in class, BE in class. Bring the required equipment. Pay attention; leave outside matters outside. Don't chat about unrelated matters, don't disrupt class by being a what-if monkey.. Give an honest and intent effort to the exercises and drills. If you've been training for months, and still can't do any more pushups than your first night... something's wrong. You may be asked to assume other responsibilities, like unlocking the training facility, greeting or teaching new students. You should be trying to bring a few new faces around... how else are you going to be sure to have playmates?! If you're not specifically assigned something, and it needs doing -- step up and do it! Unless it's something you don't know how to do or shouldn't do for some reason. A visitor should never feel ignored or unwelcome, for example. Every student can at least say "Hi, let me get the teacher for you."
But the responsibilities don't stop and start at the training hall door. In my classes, we don't spend huge amounts of class time on pure fitness type exercises. We don't have that much time, and I'd rather spend it focused on improving your skill, not your endurance. So you have to spend some time outside the training hall to develop your phsyical fitness. And you have to practice outside of class -- so that we don't have to spend class after class after class on the same material. My teacher used to tell us how he'd go to see his teacher, and they'd work on the same move, again and again, from one session to the next. My teacher finally realized that the reason they kept covering the same thing was because they didn't have it right yet!
A teacher has responsibilities, too. The teacher has to attend class, too! There's no class if there's no teacher, just as there's no class if there's no student. The instructor's primary responsibility is to be ready; have a plan, both for a particular class and for several months down the road, and to see that the training is accomplished safely. The teacher should have some idea and plan to help each student reach their personal best. The teacher also has to practice -- or the students will surpass the teacher! That doesn't mean that a teacher's time is spent repeating the same basic drills or that a teacher who can't recall a particular form or kata on the spur of the moment is irresponsible. Nor does it mean that the teacher should be bringing huge stacks of detailed lesson plans, or notes handouts. But a teacher who consistently spends no time on training or preparation until they walk in the door... They're probably being rather irresponsible. There's plenty more here (like being able to be humble enough to recognize when you're not helping a particular student by your teaching)... but I'm going to move on.
There's another type of responsibility to consider: Who is responsible for your training? One of the hardest lessons, but biggest keys to growth is accepting that ultimately, YOU and YOU ALONE are responsible for your training. Your teachers can put the information out -- but it's up to you to actually work with it and make it yours. And -- eventually, it becomes your responsibility to seek out the training you need. You might identify these needs through your own practice and even get guidance from your teachers -- but at some point, the spoon feeding has to stop, and you have to seek out what you need. And you have to be responsible for your own development within the martial sciences.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Challenge of Teaching (part II)
You spend years training, and you finally earn your black belt. One thing leads to another, and you find yourself running classes more and more often, or you start a club or school of your own. You're going to get plenty of training in now, right?
Got news for you... Getting your own training in is one of the greatest challenges of teaching. If you're teaching the class, who is going to look at what you're doing? If you're teaching the students various things... when do you advance your own knowledge?
Teachers have to spend a lot of time that students don't see preparing for class. This includes things like putting a lesson plan together, and making sure the facility and gear is available and ready... but it also has to include your own training. I practice something for at least a little bit, every day. I don't feel I practice enough! There are things I can work on while teaching, like if I'm sparring a student, I can practice evading just enough... but there's a limit to how much I can practice that way. And there's a limit to how much the students may push me all too often! So a teacher also has to find time to advance their own training by working with others who are able to review and correct them.
Got news for you... Getting your own training in is one of the greatest challenges of teaching. If you're teaching the class, who is going to look at what you're doing? If you're teaching the students various things... when do you advance your own knowledge?
Teachers have to spend a lot of time that students don't see preparing for class. This includes things like putting a lesson plan together, and making sure the facility and gear is available and ready... but it also has to include your own training. I practice something for at least a little bit, every day. I don't feel I practice enough! There are things I can work on while teaching, like if I'm sparring a student, I can practice evading just enough... but there's a limit to how much I can practice that way. And there's a limit to how much the students may push me all too often! So a teacher also has to find time to advance their own training by working with others who are able to review and correct them.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Challenge of Teaching (part I)
There's a great challenge in being a teacher. You have to find a way to present the lessons you were taught faithfully, but still adapting them to the needs of the students today. And their ability to understand them...
That's one of the big challenges for a teacher. I can take a brand new student, and try to teach them to the level that I'm currently at. I can try to teach them all the nuances and elements that have taken me decades to learn, acquire, and assimilate. Of course, that means that the student will take many hours to learn even a single punch... And a lot of students just don't have that sort of patience.
Or, I can try to give them enough to get them started... without overwhelming them, and recognizing that it won't be perfect. Now, they'll learn that first punch -- and maybe several -- in a single lesson... but there'll still be a lot of work to do. And sometimes, the students develop an "I already know this" attitude when you revisit and refine the material.
In my classes, I try to find a balance. I try to teach a student a couple of punches and a couple of blocks in their first lesson. I make it clear that they're not "learned" yet, that there's lots more to refine, too. But I'm also trying to give them enough tools to join the regular class...
That's one of the big challenges for a teacher. I can take a brand new student, and try to teach them to the level that I'm currently at. I can try to teach them all the nuances and elements that have taken me decades to learn, acquire, and assimilate. Of course, that means that the student will take many hours to learn even a single punch... And a lot of students just don't have that sort of patience.
Or, I can try to give them enough to get them started... without overwhelming them, and recognizing that it won't be perfect. Now, they'll learn that first punch -- and maybe several -- in a single lesson... but there'll still be a lot of work to do. And sometimes, the students develop an "I already know this" attitude when you revisit and refine the material.
In my classes, I try to find a balance. I try to teach a student a couple of punches and a couple of blocks in their first lesson. I make it clear that they're not "learned" yet, that there's lots more to refine, too. But I'm also trying to give them enough tools to join the regular class...
Competition
Why do I take students to competitions? Sporting events have rules, and they aren't like a real fight. I'll say that again: a sporting event, even MMA, is not like real street violence. But I still think it's worthwhile for students to participate in competitions. Why?
Well, first, it's fun. I don't know about anyone else, but I like to win things and to see how I can do with against other people that I don't see everyday. Sometimes, it's neat to see how my training is progressing compared to a buddy or friend that I see around. Winning a trophy is an ego stroke. Losing to someone I thought I should have beat is a motivator to train harder.
But I'm not a fan of doing things in training that don't serve a better purpose than just having fun. And competitions definitely serve other purposes, too. They're a different form of pressure. We know that under pressure, the mind goes blank. The more different forms of pressure we can be exposed to, the less likely we are to go blank under a new situation. Or at least not completely blank. So participating in a competition is also a gauge about where my students (or my own) training is setting with regards to handling pressure.
We also learn other things from competition. We learn about sportsmanship and character, and how to handle different developments in life. For example, I recently took some students to a tournament. Along the way, a mistake in scoring was made, and one of my students was improperly awarded a place too low -- and another person was elevated. I was able to get things straightened out -- but how the students reacted to the situation (and when) gave insight into their character. We get a chance to practice handling an unfair result, sometimes, too. I've seen tournaments where the odds where stacked in the favor of one school or another, for one reason or another...
But it's important also to separate winning trophies and awards in a tournament from performing well. I was taught that it wasn't the trophy that measured whether or not I succeeded -- it was my teacher's assessment. Had I put his lesson's into play as I fought? Did I perform the form well? If Joe said I did -- I knew had, regardless of what some judge said or thought. Victory was employing my teacher's lessons -- not winning the trophy.
Well, first, it's fun. I don't know about anyone else, but I like to win things and to see how I can do with against other people that I don't see everyday. Sometimes, it's neat to see how my training is progressing compared to a buddy or friend that I see around. Winning a trophy is an ego stroke. Losing to someone I thought I should have beat is a motivator to train harder.
But I'm not a fan of doing things in training that don't serve a better purpose than just having fun. And competitions definitely serve other purposes, too. They're a different form of pressure. We know that under pressure, the mind goes blank. The more different forms of pressure we can be exposed to, the less likely we are to go blank under a new situation. Or at least not completely blank. So participating in a competition is also a gauge about where my students (or my own) training is setting with regards to handling pressure.
We also learn other things from competition. We learn about sportsmanship and character, and how to handle different developments in life. For example, I recently took some students to a tournament. Along the way, a mistake in scoring was made, and one of my students was improperly awarded a place too low -- and another person was elevated. I was able to get things straightened out -- but how the students reacted to the situation (and when) gave insight into their character. We get a chance to practice handling an unfair result, sometimes, too. I've seen tournaments where the odds where stacked in the favor of one school or another, for one reason or another...
But it's important also to separate winning trophies and awards in a tournament from performing well. I was taught that it wasn't the trophy that measured whether or not I succeeded -- it was my teacher's assessment. Had I put his lesson's into play as I fought? Did I perform the form well? If Joe said I did -- I knew had, regardless of what some judge said or thought. Victory was employing my teacher's lessons -- not winning the trophy.
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