Effective Techniques for Teaching Martial Arts Skills

1. Capture Attention Before Instruction

Before delivering any instructions, ensure you have the students' full attention. A technique to achieve this is teaching students that when the instructor begins speaking, everything stops and all eyes should be on the instructor. Reinforce this with a call-and-response like, “Eyes on who?” with the reply being, “Eyes on you!”

2. Organize for Visibility and Audibility

Organize students in a way that everyone can see and hear the instructor clearly. Arrange the class by height if needed and ensure that beginners, who might be at the back, have a clear view of the instructor(s). This setup helps maintain clarity and ensures that all students receive the same level of instruction.

3. Apply the KISS Principle

Keep your explanations and demonstrations short and simple. Spend no more than a minute explaining and demonstrating basic skills. Use the one correction per repetition rule to help students focus on one key improvement at a time, avoiding overwhelming them with too many corrections.

4. Connect to Previously Learned Skills

When introducing a new skill, remind students of a similar skill they have already mastered. For example, if teaching a spinning back kick, relate it to the back kick they already know. This helps students draw on their existing knowledge and makes learning the new skill easier.

5. Demonstrate and Explain

Always demonstrate the skill yourself or have a student demonstrate it while providing a clear explanation. This helps students see the technique in action and understand the precise movements required.

6. Show from Multiple Angles

Demonstrate the skill several times and have students observe from different viewpoints, such as from the side and front. This gives them a comprehensive understanding of the technique and helps them visualize what it should look like from various perspectives.

7. Use Cue Words

Provide students with cue words that highlight the key components of the skill. For instance, when teaching a front-leg front kick, use cue words like “lift knee, extend, re-coil, and down.” These words help students focus on the critical aspects of the technique.

8. Utilize Mirrors

Incorporate mirrors during the demonstration and explanation phase to give students visual feedback on their performance. Seeing their own movements can help them self-correct and improve their technique more effectively.

Conclusion

By implementing these techniques, you can enhance your effectiveness as a martial arts instructor. Capturing students' attention, organizing the class, applying simplicity in instruction, and using clear demonstrations and cues will lead to more efficient and successful skill development.