Top 5 Teamwork Drills for Little Dragons Martial Arts Classes

Building teamwork and cooperation in young martial artists is essential for their development. Here are five effective drills to enhance these skills in your Little Dragons martial arts classes.

Drill 1: Dragon Clean Up

Goal: Teach Dragons to work together and organize as a team while making cleaning fun.

Setup:

  1. Split the class into two even teams.
  2. Team 1 scatters targets, pads, boards, and other equipment around the room.
  3. Team 2 is timed to see how fast they can clean up the mess, ensuring neatness and pride in their school's appearance.
  4. Reverse roles and acknowledge the fastest team and the neatest team.

Instructor Tips: Emphasize the importance of teamwork and neatness. For example, assign specific tasks like stacking pads, putting boards on the shelf, and gathering items.

Drill 2: Bubbles in the Middle

Goal: Encourage Dragons to work together to achieve a common goal by popping bubbles using their martial arts techniques.

Setup:

  1. Pair up all Dragons and have them come to the middle of a circle one pair at a time.
  2. The instructor or a parent volunteer blows bubbles in the middle.
  3. The two Dragons must pop the bubbles using techniques required for their rank.
  4. Repeat until all pairs have had a turn.

Instructor Tips: Highlight the importance of teamwork and effort. Everyone loves popping bubbles, so this drill is naturally engaging and fun.

Drill 3: Dragon Navigator

Goal: Develop social skills, direction-giving, and following instructions.

Setup:

  1. Pair up all Dragons, designating one as the "navigator" and the other as the "locator."
  2. Navigators hide stickers while locators close their eyes.
  3. Locators open their eyes and find the stickers with the help of navigators saying "hot" or "cold."
  4. The first pair to find their sticker wins.
  5. Switch roles and repeat.

Instructor Tips: Encourage quick and clear directions from navigators. This drill should be fast-paced, allowing multiple chances for each pair.

Drill 4: Dragon Relay

Goal: Build teamwork and challenge Dragons through competitive drills.

Setup:

  1. Divide the class into two teams. Allow them to create team names and cheers.
  2. Set up a relay line for both teams and place targets at the opposite end.
  3. Dragons race to the targets, strike them with the assigned technique, run back, tag the next teammate, and sit down.
  4. The winning team performs their cheer.

Instructor Tips: Encourage cheering and support among teammates. Ensure proper technique is used when striking targets.

Drill 5: Dragon Partner Drills

Goal: Improve interaction and cooperation between Dragons.

Setup:

  1. Pair up Dragons, assigning one to hold the target and the other to strike.
  2. The striker performs the assigned technique for a specified number of reps.
  3. The target holder counts reps out loud.
  4. Switch roles and repeat with different techniques as desired.

Instructor Tips: Monitor closely to ensure proper technique and cooperation. Encourage positive interactions and teamwork.

Conclusion: Constantly encourage cooperation between your Dragons. Support them in expressing themselves and emphasize the benefits of working together. A positive environment fosters better training and talent development.

At the end of this class, reward each Dragon with a blue stripe to show they have passed their teamwork requirement for that belt. At testing time, select one or more of these drills to demonstrate in front of the judges. Each drill is designed to accommodate all ranks and styles, with higher ranks using more difficult techniques and meeting higher performance standards.