How do you teach?

Now let me first state that my long term goal with Jiu Jitsu outside of competing in No Gi Worlds and other big events is ultimately teaching this awesome art. However I noticed while showing a buddy of mine some wrestling moves and fundamentals that how I show and teach stuff needs some work.

There are lots of different ways people learn and I realized while reflecting that, that at the most basic levels abstract thinking and showing the big picture for a new grappler doesn't work. It may work for me but thats after five years wrestling and even being away for so long I still learn and think that way cause I know more or less a basic road map of what I need to do.

So my humble questions to the instructors on these forums are as follows; What do you feel works as far as teaching and learning at basic, intermediate, and top level? What do you feel doesn't work or could be considered flawed teaching?, and what are you currently trying to work on and improve in regards to teaching your students?

Much thanks for your answers and opinions! I don't post or train much at the moment but I very much feel a part of these community and it never fails to keep drawing me back! :] Can't wait for my chance to dive into Jiu Jitsu in earnest with you guys.

Modern Coaching methods dictate that we teach new techniques in series or progressions rather than teachniques in isolation. I saw imediate changes in the quality of my students when I adopted this method rather than the standard teaching of techniques in isolation. Not only did the quality of my students increase, they picked things up much faster.



Example:

Instructor A: Teaches 3 Techniques in Isolation. 1) A Mount escape 2) An American from Side Control 3)A RNC from the Back.

Instructor B: Teaches 3 Techniques in Series or Progressions: 1) An Armbar from the Mount 2) A Triangle from the same Armbar when opponent defends. 3) Taking the back from Mount as another option when opponent defends the Armbar.

Our memory likes to "relate" information for faster recall, your less likely to recall things you've learn in isolation as quickly.
I usually teach a series and have my guys drill them for 2-3 weeks depending on the complexity and number of techniques in that the series.

I ran into this problem last week....
what could be the best way to show some people who are completley new to grappling what to do??

there are just so many places to start?

Thank you Chris for the quick reply! Somehow I knew you'd get to this post! Liked the videos you showed on the Japanese neck tie! :-) But that makes sense seeing as the brain likes to chunk information together and interconnect events. Josh Waitzkin spoke of how that worked a lot in his book.

I look at it like spokes on a wheel on a bicycle. All techniques are interconnected by the axle, However having 4 spokes in isolation that will eventually (over the course of several months, if not longer) be connected, teach them in wedges or clusters and they can use and recall them almost immediately.

Originally Posted by Blaine Stevens

Thank you Chris for the quick reply! Somehow I knew you'd get to this post! Liked the videos you showed on the Japanese neck tie! :-) But that makes sense seeing as the brain likes to chunk information together and interconnect events. Josh Waitzkin spoke of how that worked a lot in his book.

No problem!

Yeah I've noticed the difference in those teaching styles and thus far have only been taught techniques in isolation which is frustrating cause it makes it that much harder to get a tap since I can't move, transition, and isolate moves quickly enough. With BJJ it almost seems like it should be mandatory that it be taught in progression because of the amount of positional change, awareness, and technique needed during rolling.

How do you handle and teach in that way in regards to a student's learning strength's? Does it change much? For example some are more auditory and need to hear something explained the right way before the light bulb goes off while others are more kinesthetic and get more out of practicing the move.

First, don't teach to show off ur knowledge; teach to connect to your audience as fast as possible. This means don't talk too much. People forget details if they get more than 4.

Second, do an 80-20 split of drilling to talking. People learn more from experience than listening to you.

Third, interrupt drilling with one extra detail every couple of minutes. This way they can slowly scaffold their learning.

Fourth, understand a groups attention span. When everyone starts talking, they are done with the move or don't understand it.

Fifth, posture is the starting point for every move. If u can't explain perfect positioning, you can't really teach the move, it's context, and how to troubleshoot.

Sixth, never shame a student. It's ur failure if they can't learn

Seventh,teach according to frequency of use. Don't spend 90% of ur time teaching a move that appears 1% of sparring time, like inverted guard triangle defense.

Eighth, don't use left or right when explaining a move. Find reference points on the opponents body. This way people learn how to be ambixtrous.

Ninth, when someone asks you about a problem they are having, start at least two steps before that move in answering. Usually the part they want help with was ruined before the reference point they gave.

Tenth, use statistics. Don't teach what you hope will work, teach what has worked for you and countless others. Theoretically aikido works, but statistically it doesn't hold up in grappling.

Finally, don't hump your female students.

Originally Posted by brent_littell

Finally, don't hump your female students.

but if there male go for it.

Originally Posted by brent_littell

First, don't teach to show off ur knowledge; teach to connect to your audience as fast as possible. This means don't talk too much. People forget details if they get more than 4.

Second, do an 80-20 split of drilling to talking. People learn more from experience than listening to you.

Third, interrupt drilling with one extra detail every couple of minutes. This way they can slowly scaffold their learning.

Fourth, understand a groups attention span. When everyone starts talking, they are done with the move or don't understand it.

Fifth, posture is the starting point for every move. If u can't explain perfect positioning, you can't really teach the move, it's context, and how to troubleshoot.

Sixth, never shame a student. It's ur failure if they can't learn

Seventh,teach according to frequency of use. Don't spend 90% of ur time teaching a move that appears 1% of sparring time, like inverted guard triangle defense.

Eighth, don't use left or right when explaining a move. Find reference points on the opponents body. This way people learn how to be ambixtrous.

Ninth, when someone asks you about a problem they are having, start at least two steps before that move in answering. Usually the part they want help with was ruined before the reference point they gave.

Tenth, use statistics. Don't teach what you hope will work, teach what has worked for you and countless others. Theoretically aikido works, but statistically it doesn't hold up in grappling.

Finally, don't hump your female students.

wow brent man that was amazing, thanks for sharing!