Teaching a Kids Class

[Chris Nagel]

Hi Sharla et al, it's been a while hasn't it.

How many kids do you have under wing now? If it's a decent sized group you can try out the mass boxing approach like the army guys would do. In the beginning it'd have the feel of an aerobics class, but you can't go wrong with the structure of it and where it leads to.

For starters you could run them through the stance/posture and on guard position. Make sure you emphasise and demonstrate the position of their hands, elbows, feet, hips and head. Good posture is so fundamental that when balance and movement is taken care of, finess and magic can grow from it.

Once they stand well enough to look like boxers, have them go to the next step by making them move like boxers. The simple idea to make them realize is that moving forward is accomplished by pushing off of their back foot, and not a step and drag motion that would put them off balance. Once they understand the "why" everything else will make sense no matter if they are stepping left/right, forward or backwards.

Just be on the look out for mistakes, and spend plenty of time to work on the mechanics of movement. There are a lot of good posts on this board that you can refer back to in order to give you a better idea.


P.S. Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to try to swim while wearing boxing gloves?