Burn out

[md1]

Have any of you guys who run schools or teach ever experienced burn out from the teaching side of martial arts? After having taught now for 11 years in a class setting I seem to be at a cross roads and feel burnt out and wonder if it’s not time to walk away… which by the way would be EXTREMELY hard to do.

Just wondering if others have gone through this and if yes what did they / you do to get through it, without walking away.

Thanks

[sanjuro_ronin]

One word: SCOTCH !
:D

[Iron_Eagle_76]

From my experience I first started teaching in 2005, about a year after I acheived my black belt in Pai Lum. I taught up until 2007 and right around the two year mark I began to get burnt out. There were many things that contributed to this, among them were attendance lowered, I felt students were not "hardcore" enough and did not want to train like I did, the place I was renting was a sh*it hole and the landlord didn't care about us, but most of all I felt my training was missing, I felt like I had simply become "content" with where I was and that a fire inside me was burning to do more.

So I closed down shop, and started working out at a local boxing gym. During this time I felt like I did years back walking into my first Kung Fu or Karate class. I trained hard with guys who were younger than me and just as hungry for the skills and the competition. I had some fights, and enjoyed my time there.

Now it is almost a year since I opened a new place, http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Dragon-Combat-Gym/170126239699148
, (shameless plug:D), and it is a small, non-commercial gym that I own and focuses on making the few students I have competent, well rounded martial artists. I enjoy taking my knowledge and expanding it, trying different things, cross training with other like minded MA'sts, and enjoying my time on earth.

So I look at my break in between as a time of self-exploration and learning, which may be what you need as well. Good luck with your teaching and your training.;)

[Golden Arms]

Have any of you guys who run schools or teach ever experienced burn out from the teaching side of martial arts? After having taught now for 11 years in a class setting I seem to be at a cross roads and feel burnt out and wonder if it’s not time to walk away… which by the way would be EXTREMELY hard to do.

Just wondering if others have gone through this and if yes what did they / you do to get through it, without walking away.

Thanks

Been there before md1,

It can be a fine line to figure out how much you can put out and how much time you need to focus on personal training, as well as rest. One thing that made a huge difference for me was making sure what I was teaching was in line with what I believed in and wanted passed on (this was not always the case when I taught for my former teacher, but at my own school this is not an issue).

Make sure you keep up your personal training as well. If you don't then it can build up mentally and wear you down.

[TenTigers]

three things helped me:
1) Have senior students do the warm-ups and basic drills, you come on for the main meat of the class. I teach six classes a day and if I had to do the warm-ups for each class, I'd be fried. Plus, it gives the seniors a sense of pride.

2) Write out your lesson plans for each class. You will be amazed at just how much you can accomplish, and how there is zero down time. Your classes will have a higher energy and you will be more enthusiastic.

3)This is crucial- stay a student. Take classes outside of your class and system. Cross train. Do SJ or BJJ, Kali, Muay Thai,or join a boxing gym, etc
. Work with good people. Have a regular get together with martial arts buddies and train and exchange.
You will come back fired up, refreshed, motivated, if you are also learning.

oh yeah, another thing; Stay off the computer!!!! Don't hide in your office! It will suck you in and you will lose your motivation.

[EarthDragon]

I have owned and operated a kung fu school since 1996 and the most important thing is you must LOVE to be a teacher.

If you dont absolutly love it then it can burn you out over time.
I look forward everyday to teaching my students, you gott have the same drive and passion.
If you dont have that passion it will be an up hill battle all the way. Try somethign new outside classes vist another school, get other ideas, train circut to switch up, high evenry month have a weeked sleep over, field trip anything to break the montony might help.
dont give up on your students you inspire them, daily

[Iron_Eagle_76]

2) Write out your lesson plans for each class. You will be amazed at just how much you can accomplish, and how there is zero down time. Your classes will have a higher energy and you will be more enthusiastic.

I have done this every class since my new place opened and it is amazing how much better classes run when this is implemented.

[TenTigers]

I have owned and operated a kung fu school since 1996 and the most important thing is you must LOVE to be a teacher.

If you dont absolutly love it then it can burn you out over time.
I look forward everyday to teaching my students, you gott have the same drive and passion.
If you dont have that passion it will be an up hill battle all the way. Try somethign new outside classes vist another school, get other ideas, train circut to switch up, high evenry month have a weeked sleep over, field trip anything to break the montony might help.
dont give up on your students you inspire them, daily

warning=slight derail:


might want to nix the sleepovers. You don't want to do anything that can ever put you in the position, or even hint at any chance of misconduct.
Some schools have even gotten rid of their changing/locker rooms. One school owner has separate single occupancy changing rooms, like they have at clothing stores.
Another has their students come in uniform. If you absolutely need to, you can change in the bathroom.
Yeah, it's a little extreme, but read the papers.

[md1]

Let me start by saying I Love what I do and I take great satisfaction in teaching / passing down what I have learned. Great idea about writing down lesson plans, never thought about that and will defiantly start. I do keep up with my own training as hard as it can be sometimes and have toyed with taking bjj classes, lord knows since my Sifu pasted away I have missed the whole aspect of learning and being trained by someone else but with having had a hip replacement wonder if it’s something I could do. Guess there is only one way to find out, just go and try.

Even after 32 years one thing I do know is that I DON’T know everything and I am still hungry to learn and don’t want to close down.

Ummm… sanjuro…. GREAT Idea!

Thank you very much Guys.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I taught for a few years but burnt out fast simply because as much as I liked teaching I was more interested in learning and developing and felt that teaching was more of a responsibility than what it really is: a previlage.

Rik has some good suggestions about still being a student and keeping things fresh.
Remember that if you are feeling burn out, chances are so are your students.

[md1]

I taught for a few years but burnt out fast simply because as much as I liked teaching I was more interested in learning and developing and felt that teaching was more of a responsibility than what it really is: a previlage.

Rik has some good suggestions about still being a student and keeping things fresh.
Remember that if you are feeling burn out, chances are so are your students.
@ Ten Tigers, I do like the ideas about "Staying a student" and think that is something I need to do.

D**N, I never thought about that last line of yours SJ

[BakShaolinEC]

i ran a school for over 2 years and did everything. you get burned out, it happens. especially in the tough economy you ask yourself why am i doing this?

ten tigers pretty much covered it though i think.