Field Trips

[Oso]

Last week I took my students to a karate/jujitsu school (the one I trained at).

Wednesday we did jujitsu and Friday we participated in their kumite class.

Jujitsu was fun though we only did standing drills.

Kumite was a great conditioning warm up and then more drilling.

No randori or free sparring yet.

The point is to expose my students to other styles and get them mixing it up with other people on a regular basis. Also, as each of my students who went was very nervous, it will serve to get them comfortable doing their thing outside of our school.

We are going to do this the first Wed and Fri of every month.



I know what some poeple here will think this a good thing but I'm more curious if other teachers out there are doing this at all.

[red5angel]

I think it's a good idea. I think most instructors avoid in for fear they will lose students.

[Oso]

True.

You can't force students though. As desperate as I am for students, if one ever feels something else fits them better then more power to them for figuring it out early.

I actually feel like I have a better chance to keep students by exposing them to different things. My hope is that they'll appreciate me as an instructor better for it.

[shirkers1]

Oso, I think this is a good thing as well to mix it up with other schools and styles on a regular basis. You begin to get used to your fellow classmates movements and you with start to anticipate instead of react.

The only thing I would not agree with is having the students take the class of your opponents. They really aren't going to pick up anything that is going to stick. Just think if someone came in to take one of your classes would you expect them to leave knowing mantis, the flavor and mindset? To play around with other styles.... sticky hands, light spar, or fighting is good. But if you want to pick up say ground fighting or BJJ tactics along those lines for example you'd be better off having someone come in and show your guys those specific things a few times to get a feel for what your oppenent does and how to counter etc.

I think you probably already have this in mind being that you talk with certain groups around here, and they do this as well.... :)

[Oso]

shirkers,

We already do jujitsu/judo based grappling in my school in addition to chinese flavored throwing and locking.

I'm a blue belt under the guy we are going to and we have devised a plan to get my students the basics between the monthly trips to class and follow up training at my place.

Also, his advanced jujitsu class is on the opposite night from my advanced student class. So, in time, an advanced student of mine who wanted to take jujitsu full time could do so.

besides...there is really no difference between chinese chin na and japanese jujitsu..... ;)

[SevenStar]

I think it's a good idea, especially if none of them compete at this time. It gets them exposed to other styles and gives them the opportunity to work with people who train in a style other than their own.

[Oso]

I think it's a good idea, especially if none of them compete at this time. It gets them exposed to other styles and gives them the opportunity to work with people who train in a style other than their own.

That was another good point I made when I introduced this idea to them. Working, and lightly competing, with relative strangers on a regular basis will take the edge off of those first fight jitters.

Of my 14 or so students, I only have 3-4 who are interested in competing. Actually, that's probably not a bad %.

We are going to go to a tournament the beginning of May and this will help to get them prepped for it.

Especially the kumite class...they do some good cardio...we opened class w/ 5 minutes of jump roping...decided that I needed to get me one after that.