TEACHING KATA

TO A GROUP FOR THE FIRST TIME

Many of the principles used when teaching kata one-on-one will work just as well when teaching a group. There are, however, a few additional challenges that an instructor should consider.

When working one-on-one, you can stand beside the student, immediately see when they become confused, and adjust the pace of the lesson specifically for them.

In a group, everyone learns at a different speed.

Some students will understand the sequence quickly. Some will need additional repetitions. Others may appear to know what they are doing, but are really just following the person standing in front of them.

The instructor also has more to manage. You must make sure the students can see you, have enough room to move, are turning in the correct direction, and are not becoming overwhelmed.

That does not mean teaching kata to a group has to be complicated.

It simply means that the instructor needs a clear plan.

As with teaching kata one-on-one, I like to use Kanshiwa as the model. Kanshiwa is often the first kata that a newer instructor may be asked to help students learn.

Students learning Kanshiwa for the first time will usually have several things in common.

They are nervous.

They have very little knowledge of Uechiryu.

Their Sanchin will be limited at best.

Even if they are able to perform the complete Sanchin kata, their footwork, posture, hand position, balance, and focus will still be in the early stages of development.

When you are teaching Kanshiwa, you are not simply teaching a new sequence. You are continuing to reinforce the principles the students have already begun learning through Sanchin.

The group setting does not change that.

The students are still beginners. They are still processing a great deal of information, and they are still not ready for every detail.

The goal is to help the entire group take the next successful step.

BEGIN BY CONNECTING WITH THE CLASS

Start by briefly talking to the students.

Ask how they have been enjoying their training or whether they have any quick questions. Remember, people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

However, do not let this go on too long.

With one student, a conversation can get off track. With a whole group, it can get off track even faster. In most situations, a minute is more than enough.

From there, clearly explain the purpose of the lesson.

The students should know what they are learning and what they are expected to accomplish.

“So today we are going to begin working on your second kata. It is called Kanshiwa. I am going to show you the whole kata very quickly, but today we are only going to concentrate on the first six movements.”

That last sentence is important.

Learning an entire kata can sound intimidating.

Learning six movements sounds manageable.

ORGANIZE THE GROUP BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before demonstrating anything, make sure the students have enough room to move safely.

Stagger the lines whenever possible. Students should not be standing directly behind one another. Staggering the lines gives everyone a better view and helps prevent students from stepping or kicking into someone else’s space.

You should also think about where you will stand.

The first movement in Kanshiwa involves pivoting to the left. When teaching one-on-one, I recommend standing to the student’s left so you can perform the kata side-by-side and remain in their field of vision.

The same basic idea applies to a group.

Position yourself where the greatest number of students can see and follow you. In most cases, this means performing the kata in the same direction as the students rather than standing in front and attempting to demonstrate everything as a mirror image.

A beginner is trying to copy your movements, listen to your words, remember the sequence, manage their balance, and control their nerves—all at the same time.

Standing in the right place makes their job easier.

USE D-E-C-R

Now is a good time to employ one of my favorite teaching methods:

D-E-C-R.

• Demonstration

• Explanation

• Correction

• Repetition

Begin by demonstrating the complete kata once.

The demonstration should be strong enough to inspire the students, but it should not become a performance. Give a short explanation of the movements as you go, but do not turn the demonstration into a lengthy seminar.

The students do not need to understand every movement yet. They simply need to see where their training is eventually going.

Once the demonstration is complete, put their minds at ease.

“That is the whole kata. Remember, we are not trying to learn all of that today. We are only working on the beginning.”

Now you are ready to teach.

EMPLOY THE THREE TIMES RULE

Guide the students through the opening movements of Kanshiwa and stop at the third punch.

That’s right.

Stop right there.

You have already given a beginner group plenty of information.

Take a moment to look around the room. Make sure the students are generally facing the correct direction and have the correct foot forward. Answer any quick questions, then reset the class.

Begin the kata again.

Guide the students through the same opening sequence and stop at the third punch.

That’s right.

Again.

Reset the class and begin for the third time. This time, continue through the two side kicks.

The side kicks are more complicated than the punches. They create additional challenges involving balance, posture, chambering, direction, and control.

However, because the students have already practiced the punching sequence several times, their minds are better prepared for the next challenge.

Repeat the sequence another two times before continuing into the horse-stance portion of the kata.

From there, continue using the same process.

Teach a small section.

Repeat it.

Return to the beginning.

Then add a little more.

The instructor may feel that constantly returning to the beginning is slowing down the class.

It is not.

That repetition is what gives the students a chance to remember the kata.

The students who learn quickly benefit by improving movements they already understand. The students who need more time benefit from seeing, hearing, and feeling the sequence again.

Everyone continues moving together, and no one is made to feel as though they are holding the class back.

TEACHING WITHOUT SKILLED ASSISTANTS

When teaching without skilled assistants, your positioning becomes extremely important.

In the beginning, you will probably need to perform nearly every repetition with the students. Stay where most of the class can see you and avoid moving around the room unnecessarily.

There will eventually be a time to step away and observe, but beginning students need a dependable example.

They should never turn and discover that the person they were following is no longer there.

Once the class becomes more comfortable with a section, you may move to a different position and watch them perform it. You may stand in front to observe their posture and hand position, or move to the side to see their stances and direction more clearly.

Do this gradually.

A group of beginners can become confused very quickly when their visual reference suddenly changes.

When you do step away, use your voice to guide them.

Count clearly and deliberately. Give the students enough time to complete one movement before calling the next.

The count should establish the tempo of the exercise, not rush the students through it.

You can also give short reminders immediately before difficult movements.

• “Remember—left foot.”

• “Look before you turn.”

• “Hands up for the kicks.”

• “Finish in Sanchin.”

Keep these directions short.

The students cannot process a paragraph while they are trying to move.

TEACHING WITH SKILLED ASSISTANTS

Skilled assistants can make teaching kata to a group considerably easier.

For this purpose, a skilled assistant does not necessarily have to be an experienced teacher. They simply need to know the kata well enough to provide a strong and dependable example.

Of course, skilled teachers are even better.

Place your assistants strategically throughout the group.

You may have one toward the front, another toward the back, and others positioned along the sides. Because kata constantly changes direction, this gives the students a reliable person to follow regardless of which wall they are facing.

The assistants should perform the kata with the group and follow the head instructor’s count.

Their first responsibility is to provide a good example of the sequence, direction, posture, timing, and effort.

They should not begin teaching their own version of the lesson while the head instructor is speaking.

Too many voices will confuse a beginner group very quickly.

One person should control the instruction.

The assistants support that instruction through their example.

During a reset, an assistant may quietly help a student who has become lost or is facing the wrong direction. Even then, the correction should be simple.

• “Start with your left foot.”

• “Turn toward me.”

• “Your right hand punches.”

The goal is to reconnect the student with the group—not begin a private lesson in the middle of the class.

Skilled assistants also allow the head instructor to stop demonstrating and begin observing.

It is difficult to watch an entire class carefully while you are performing the kata yourself. Once the assistants are providing dependable examples, you can step away and see what the students are actually doing.

This is often when you discover which students understand the sequence and which students have simply been following the person in front of them.

CORRECT THE GROUP WITHOUT STOPPING THE GROUP

One of the greatest dangers when teaching kata is trying to correct everything.

In a group, there will always be something to correct.

One student will have the wrong foot forward. Another will have low hands. Someone will be looking at the floor, and at least one student will eventually be facing an entirely different wall.

Remember what Pope John XXIII said:

See everything. Overlook a great deal. Correct a little.

First, correct mistakes that affect the sequence.

If students are turning in the wrong direction, that needs to be addressed before you worry about the exact angle of someone’s elbow.

Next, look for mistakes that are common throughout the group.

A general correction allows everyone to improve without singling out one nervous student.

• “Let’s all make sure we finish that punch in Sanchin.”

• “Everyone check the direction of the front foot.”

• “Let’s try the kicks again without leaning backward.”

Individual corrections can be made while the class is resetting, after the group has finished a section, or quietly by an assistant.

You can also draw attention to students who are doing something well.

• “Everyone watch how Michael turns his head before he moves.”

• “Sarah is finishing in a strong Sanchin position. Let’s all try to match that.”

Students will frequently correct themselves by copying a good example.

This keeps the lesson positive and prevents the group from feeling as though everything they are doing is wrong.

DO NOT OVER-CORRECT

A beginner does not need ten corrections at once.

They need the right correction at the right time.

During the first lesson, focus primarily on:

• Sequence.

• Direction.

• Basic posture.

If the students turn the right way, step reasonably well, and remember the general order of the movements, that is a successful first lesson.

There will be plenty of time later to work on the height of the hands, the position of the elbows, the quality of the stance, the timing of the turns, the chamber of the kicks, and the details of each strike.

Trying to correct every detail during the first class will not make the students better.

It will usually make them overwhelmed.

Give them a clear path forward.

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO STOP

There is no rule saying that the group must finish the entire kata during its first lesson.

In fact, stopping early is often the better decision.

It is far more valuable for students to leave class remembering the first section than it is for them to stumble through the entire kata and remember none of it.

If the class begins to look tired, confused, or overwhelmed, return to the section they know best.

Perform it two or three more times and finish with their strongest repetition.

Depending on the situation, you may choose to guide the students through the complete kata once near the end of the lesson.

If you do, explain why.

“We are going to go through the whole kata once so you can see how the sections eventually fit together. You are not expected to remember all of it today.”

The purpose is continuity—not memorization.

Finish with a simple review.

“That was a very good start. Today we worked on the opening punches, the two kicks, and the horse-stance sequence. The most important thing is that you remember those first three punches. We will build from there next time.”

The students should leave feeling that they accomplished something—not that they survived something.

THE ADVANTAGE OF THE GROUP

When taught properly, the group itself becomes an advantage.

The students benefit from the instructor, the assistants, and the examples being set by one another.

The repetition creates confidence.

The count creates rhythm and energy.

The shared challenge helps the students feel that they are progressing together.

The beauty of teaching kata this way is that every student should be able to leave remembering something useful.

At the very least, they should remember the first three punches.

They have seen them, heard them, practiced them, corrected them, and repeated them.

That gives the students something they can practice at home. It also gives the instructor something solid to build upon during the next class.

The first time teaching a kata is not about perfection.

It is about confidence, structure, and progress.

The goal is not to see how much of the kata you can fit into one class.

The goal is to give the students a strong beginning—and make them excited to continue.