5 Discipline Drills for Little Dragons Martial Arts Classes

Discipline is a crucial aspect of martial arts training, especially for young students. Here are five effective drills to enhance discipline in your Little Dragons martial arts classes.

Drill 1: Dragon Rating Game

Goal: Help Dragons understand the difference between sloppiness and performing to the best of their ability.

Setup:

  1. Have all the Dragons sit like Black Belts.
  2. Discuss the difference between sitting like a perfect 10 and sitting like a 1.
  3. Have the Dragons demonstrate what a 1 looks like.
  4. Continue up the scale until they reach 10, the best sitting position.
  5. Use the same concept for standing at attention.
  6. Continue having the Dragons rate everything they do.

Instructor Tips: Make this drill fun by using animation. Constantly challenge them to be a 10 in everything they do.

Drill 2: Dragon Speed

Goal: Get the Dragons to follow orders and respond quickly.

Setup:

  1. Have the Dragons make a straight line side by side facing the instructor.
  2. Have the Dragons jog in place.
  3. The instructor gives the command “attention”.
  4. The Dragons must come to attention as fast as they can.
  5. Acknowledge the Dragon who is the fastest.

Instructor Tips: Ensure the Dragons stay still once they get to attention. Use animation and fake motions to add fun to the drill.

Drill 3: Dragon Pose

Goal: Teach Dragons to be still for a specific amount of time.

Setup:

  1. Start with the highest-ranking Dragon and pose them into a martial arts stance.
  2. Continue to pose each Dragon until all are in a specific martial arts pose.
  3. Have every Dragon freeze in their pose.
  4. Add variety by having the Dragons smile in their pose for 5 seconds, then look serious for 5 seconds.
  5. Allow parents to take pictures.

Instructor Tips: Ensure each Dragon has good technique when posing. Encourage discipline by pointing out the sharpest Dragons.

Drill 4: Dragon Says

Goal: Improve listening skills with specific commands.

Setup:

  1. Line up all the Dragons in a straight line facing the instructor.
  2. Explain that they must listen for the command “Dragon Says” before responding.
  3. Dragons who respond to an order without the command “Dragon says” must sit against the wall until the drill is over.
  4. A Dragon can also be ejected if they do not perform the proper technique after the command.
  5. Repeat various commands until every Dragon is out.

Drill 5: Dragon Reaction Drill

Goal: Show class discipline by having Dragons respond with loud, confident answers.

Setup:

  1. Have all the Dragons make a straight line side by side facing the mirror.
  2. Face the Dragons.
  3. Call out a specific martial arts technique and demonstrate it with full power.
  4. The Dragons must demonstrate the technique with full power and say the technique confidently, followed by “sir” or “ma’am”.

Instructor Tips: Use this drill to capture parents’ attention. The energy level of the classroom will boost their spirits.

Conclusion: Your role as the instructor is to create the vision that having good discipline is fun. Dragons like to have fun. The more you entertain them with this skill, the better discipline they will have. Try to avoid using this skill as a reason to punish them for lack of discipline. Remember, be their friend and hero, and they will follow your directions better.

At the end of this class, reward each Dragon with a white stripe showing that they have passed their discipline requirement for that belt. At testing time, you can select one or more of these drills to demonstrate in front of the judges. Each drill is designed to accommodate all ranks and styles. The higher rank the student, the more difficult techniques you should use in each drill; and the higher standards you should set for their performance.