Teaching Lockdown to kids

[BrandonWoolsey]

Depending on how long the class is I suggest "try" to get to double underhooks. IF they get further down the path that's awesome. If you only have a week with them I would focus on making sure they have proper lockdown to whipup by the end of your week. If it's a seminar type thing where you won't see them again show them a couple sweeps. You will want to make sure the lockdown is being done perfectly bc if not they will abandon it bc they will think it doesn't work. Basically take it as slow as you gotta.

[michael213487]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[John Mejia]

Berimbolo and De La Riva are a must...

[Jesse Bell]

I have been teaching the kids classes for the past two years. You are severely underestimating the attention span of children. They cannot be bored for a second or you will lose them completely. In my opinion one hour of technique is too much. The best way to run a class is develop games that mimic the movements you want them to make. If you are going to attempt to have them sit in one spot and focus you will be lucky if its for 15 minutes. You have to be fun and firm. It has taken me forever to create tricks to keep their attention. Mechanically some kids are way ahead of others and this usually has nothing to do with age. Take it class by class and spread the techniques out. For example, first week, just learning what half guard means, traditional and lock down. Spend 15 minutes on the lockdown, then you need to switch to fun and games for the remainder. But there are ways to make them mimic the moves within activities. Keep it simple-stupid. Next class will be, what do underhooks mean, why are they important, what does it look like, then play the hugging game. They face eachother and the first one to hug the other with both arms under the armpits wins. If you do not mask the techniques within games they will get bored and misbehave. Remember, it has little to do with the perfection of techniques and more to do with them looking up to you like a superhero. Research games, camp games, gym class games, memory games etc... then figure out how to turn those games into BJJ versions of them. Little steps at a time. Grips (Gable, S, Ball and Chain etc.), How to hold onto the back, posing in different guards (open, closed, rubber, butterfly etc.) learning how to get their knees to their ears while on their backs so they can get used to inverting for granbys, Teaching them the difference between 50% and 100%, how to be good drilling partners (don't resist, stay focused etc.), how to bridge, how to sprawl, get them used to armbarring you, taking you down with ankle picks, squeezing your neck when they are on your back and learning to let go when you tap. All of these are introductory ways to prepare the kids for the daunting experience of having them want to learn how to properly whip someone up from half guard. I have been teaching some of my students for years now and they are still not ready to do sweeps with more that 3 steps to them. Hope this helps, don't be hesitant to play instead of instruct. If they feel like you are in control of guiding them through game after game they will pay attention. But if you ask them to sit and watch you as you teach them a detail, they will challenge your patience at every chance. Good luck!

[Neil Kiernan]

My perspective on this should be taken with the understanding that I am only just now becoming familiar with BJJ. What I would like to offer though is a lot of experience in helping young kids develop critical skills as both my kids are wrestlers and I have had to help them a great deal. I would also add what I have seen other schools do and fail to do, and what I feel some of them neglect.

1. A serious advantage to the way wrestling is taught is that drills are intermixed with free wrestling. Teach the kid, drill with the kids, and then set them free to try it for a bit (under supervision). Then move on to something else. Kids retain better when they feel right away what they are learning is useful. During the free rolling part freeze the action from time to time. Tell one kid what he/she should be working on, and then ALSO tell the other kid what they should be trying to do. I have seen a lot of coaches only coach the kids on top for example to try and help them finish while not teaching the kids on the bottom how to get out.

2. Verbal explanations and demonstrations work for more mature kids and teenagers, but I have found that lengthy explanations are a great way to get them to tune out and no longer be interested. Shortly after this the goofing off starts and at that point you have lost them. What you are going to find is kids will sit and pretend to listen to your explanation and pretend to pay attention to your demonstration and then as soon as it's time to drill they are raising their hands asking you to come over there showing them physically. And THAT is because kids learn better that way. Verbally explain once, demonstrate once. Then be ready to follow up with each and every one of them. Don't just tell them what to do, sometimes you will have to physically move them through the motions. Positioning them as they go.

3. Break things down into steps. Really long sequences are not going to happen right away. But you can teach them all the parts of a chain one link at a time.

4. Get them rolling as soon as you can. Even if it's little brief contests. If you are nervous about them rolling with submissions then don't teach them any until they are mature enough. But you might be surprised at how much they can be taught to respect what they are learning. My 9 year old daughter knows the rear naked choke. (And has known since she was 6.) She has never used it on anyone in anger, she has used it once to defend herself, and in training. She understands the gravity of what she was taught. And the responsibility that comes with it.

A lot of child programs don't let kids roll. They put them through routines and lots of drills. I have a LOT more success with my severely ADD son when he gets to free wrestle in between drills because he gets to see the results right away.