| INTRODUCTION | | | | unfortunate enough to be attacked. |
| | | | |
| There are many reasons why a person might | | | | - Physical Fitness |
| decide to turn up at your dojo and have a go | | | | |
| at the martial arts, and it is important that | | | | People are being encouraged to take more of |
| we try and identify these in order to | | | | an interest in their well-being these days, |
| establish exactly what the potential student | | | | and the martial arts provide them with the |
| is looking for, and whether or not your art | | | | opportunity of building up their levels of |
| is going to give it to them. | | | | stamina, strength, and suppleness by |
| | | | providing a good "all round" workout. |
| IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS | | | | |
| | | | - Sport |
| So, why has that particular person just come | | | | |
| into the Dojo? What is it that makes them | | | | Many martial arts such as Judo, Kickboxing |
| come to you? What is their particular | | | | and Kendo are very lively and established |
| motivation? | | | | sports offering participants the chance of |
| | | | competing at club, local, national and |
| These are all very good questions to be | | | | international levels. And this supplies a |
| asking your self, but it is even more | | | | very healthy outlet for the competitive |
| important to actually ask the learners | | | | spirit. |
| themselves rather than allowing yourself to | | | | |
| make any "knee-jerk" judgments or decisions | | | | - Philosophical |
| for them, and jumping to any conclusions. | | | | |
| | | | The martial arts have, over the period of |
| Indeed, having preconceptions about learners | | | | centuries been influenced by a great many |
| can be extremely misleading indeed, and can | | | | different religions and philosophies, and all |
| cause no end of problems later on. I remember | | | | have left their particular mark. This is |
| one particular instructor boasting proudly | | | | particularly the case with the softer, |
| that one of his students happened to be an | | | | Japanese arts of Aikido, Iaido and Kyudo, and |
| officer in the Royal Marines Reserve. "That's | | | | the internal Chinese martial arts of Tai Chi, |
| good" I said, "Why is he here?" At this | | | | Pa Kua and Hsing-Yi. |
| question, my colleague looked both shocked | | | | |
| and amused "He's here to learn how to fight, | | | | - Cultural |
| off course!" he said, rather indignantly. | | | | |
| | | | Martial arts are extremely rich in history, |
| Now, without wanting to "burst any ones | | | | tradition and customs. As such, they will |
| bubble", I think its fair to say that an | | | | tend to appeal to people who are interested |
| officer in the Royal Marines might already | | | | in these particular aspects of human |
| know something about fighting, and certainly | | | | behaviour, be that just a casual curiosity or |
| wouldn't need any advice from the local | | | | even an academic study. |
| martial arts club down the road! ("I'm off to | | | | |
| a war zone next month, and was wondering if | | | | -Psychological |
| you could help me out.....," NOT GOING TO | | | | |
| HAPPEN!!!) On closer examination, it turned | | | | Again, martial arts are superb tools for |
| out that this individual was researching | | | | building up a person's confidence and |
| certain aspects of Japanese culture as part | | | | self-esteem, and are also brilliant at |
| of his Masters degree! He had come to the | | | | controlling stress levels. Some schools even |
| class in order to learn something about | | | | include relaxation and meditation techniques, |
| classical martial arts, and the instructor | | | | and both of these have become quite |
| (thanks to him jumping to conclusions) had | | | | fashionable in recent times. |
| him in a corner doing pistol disarming! (Good | | | | |
| differentiation, but completely | | | | - Social |
| inappropriate) | | | | |
| | | | Martial artists tend to train hard and play |
| The fellow was far too polite to say | | | | hard, and some clubs have a very lively |
| anything, and was just persevering patiently | | | | social scene whereby they organize trips and |
| in the hope that they would eventually get to | | | | outings. This helps to build up the |
| practice some more traditional techniques as | | | | "camaraderie" amongst the students, as well |
| the class progressed! This happens all the | | | | as helping to break down the barriers that |
| time within the martial arts fraternity, | | | | can sometimes exist between junior and senior |
| simply because we don't bother to find out | | | | grades. |
| what the prospective learner is looking for | | | | |
| in the first place! As instructors, we should | | | | There are, off course, many more reasons why |
| never take anything for granted: Simply | | | | a person chooses to commence training in the |
| because a person happens to wonder in to your | | | | martial arts, but the above are the main |
| club on a training night doesn't necessarily | | | | ones. And it will, more often than not, be |
| mean that they know anything about what your | | | | one or more of these that is the "prime |
| doing, or even have an actual interest in | | | | motivator" for the majority of people. As |
| martial arts. (That reminds me of another | | | | well as having an initial chat with these |
| story, when a young lady entered a dojo and | | | | prospective students, you could also employ |
| was immediately told by the instructor to get | | | | other strategies to help you clarify their |
| on the mat and warm up. She took part in the | | | | ideas and needs, such as giving them a short |
| whole lesson (it was a beginners class) and, | | | | questionnaire which they could take away, |
| when asked at the end what she thought of it | | | | fill in and bring back when they officially |
| she said she had enjoyed it quite a lot, but | | | | enroll. |
| actually only came in because she thought the | | | | |
| aerobics class took place on that particular | | | | CONCLUSION |
| night!) | | | | |
| | | | Identifying student's needs and expectations |
| Take some time out to talk to them, put one | | | | as quickly and efficiently as possible |
| of your senior students in charge for a few | | | | enables the instructor to: |
| moments, walk over, and introduce yourself! | | | | |
| This will help to make both you (as one of | | | | 1- Ensure that what he/she is teaching IS |
| those creatures of legend "The Black Belt") | | | | actually what the prospective student is |
| and your club far more approachable and | | | | looking for (You will need to be brutally |
| accommodating, and will immediately impress | | | | honest here. For example, it would be |
| upon the visitor that you DO consider them to | | | | completely inappropriate for someone wanting |
| be important and DO care about them. | | | | to learn self defense to enroll in an Iaido |
| | | | class, just as a person wanting to experience |
| Usually, they will volunteer a certain amount | | | | meditation might be a bit disappointed if |
| of information regarding their background and | | | | they ended up a student in a kick boxing |
| expectations such as: "I used to do karate | | | | class, etc. It is the instructor's |
| when I was younger, and just thought I would | | | | responsibility to consider the welfare of |
| pop in an have a look" etc. | | | | this person, and to guide them in their |
| | | | choice. Rather than simply regarding them as |
| But, you should also ask them some questions | | | | yet another training fee!) |
| as well in order to clarify any important | | | | |
| points, and enable you to get some idea of | | | | 2- It will enable the instructor to gain |
| what they are after and build up a picture of | | | | valuable insight into the background and |
| their expectations. Some of the possible | | | | aspirations of the individual and, (if and |
| reasons for people wanting to learn the | | | | when appropriate) to modify their syllabus, |
| martial arts are as follows: | | | | resources and teaching methodology to |
| | | | accommodate these efficiently. |
| - Self Defense. | | | | |
| | | | Jumping to conclusions about what your |
| With crime on the increase, this is probably | | | | students want, on the other hand, is both |
| the most common reason for most people | | | | patronizing and condescending and can be an |
| considering taking up the martial arts, as | | | | extremely effective method of putting people |
| they feel it will at least give them a | | | | of studying martial arts for good! |
| "fighting chance" if they are ever | | | | |