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Gary Chamberlain
Gary Chamberlain's picture
Syllabus

"How to best structure a syllabus or set up a training program is a topic that seems to be coming up a lot in various places and that may be something to explore in another thread?"

Taking a cue from Iain here.

I have long believed that everyone should be able to throw their belts in a heap and a visitor should be able to tell 'who's who' by the quality of their skills, not the quantity

In my former style the syllabus grew and grew until it was one of the most comprehensive in karate.  No stone was left unturned.  The down side was people expected to test every three months, and having sharpened up to pass they immediately 'turned the page' to look what they needed to learn for their next belt ...

On joining Enshin, I asked for a copy of the syllabus from the (Japanese) chief instructor and he just gave me a curious look.  He genuinely didn't understand what I meant.  In Enshin the kihon (basics) are condensed into a routine that is repeated each session, and the difference between low grades and high grades is in the power and smoothness they can demonstrate in these key skills, not the number of variations/new techniques they know.

So I can see both sides here.  The former gives a defined and orderly ladder to climb, the latter seems at first sight to lack structure but with personal effort and dedication students get very strong. Doing the same thing every session can get 'boring' for some but coping with that and keeping focussed sets us on the road to getting mentally stronger.  Only by drilling skills repeatedly can we hope to rely on them.  In Enshin there is only one kata per grade and as they get technically more difficult more advanced moves and combinations are introduced.  (I suppose that could be counted as a syllabus of sorts)

Having tried both ways my own preference is 'no syllabus'.   It provides a real incentive to improve core skills rather than simply learning a few more moves every three months.  I look forward to debating this topic. 

Gary

Jock
Jock's picture

Hi Gary,

In order to develop a syllabus you need to start with a purpose (your training goals) these should guide your training. If you have no goals you will just wander along aimlessly. In goals I don't mean get the next belt.

If your goal is to 'practise karate as a medium for self protection/defence ' you need to look at the attributes required and develop a 'path' towards this end. The usual culprits are skill, conditioning, speed, flexibility, agility, strength................mindset. Then develop your syllabus to wards that aim.

Need to get kids off to school be back later.

Now that I have posted this, as usual it will probably kill this thread crying

Regards

Andrew Paxton

Gary Chamberlain
Gary Chamberlain's picture

Hi Jock

I understand the way they work, but not the need.  As I mentioned, when I ran a Kyokushin club there was masses to learn at each level and if I'm honest 90% of it was just filler - stuff you'd never use in a month of Sundays.  

On joining Enshin I started with a blank sheet and took my model of progression from athletics.  Frank Dick - the former head of UK athletics - broke the training process into four stages:

  1. Train to Train
  2. Train to Compete
  3. Compete to Train
  4. Compete to Win

Based around that idea we teach the skills (basics), strengthen them (pad work), practise them with compliance (partner work/sparring) then test them without compliance (tournaments).  If this progression fails at any point we move back a stage. (For example. If we lack impact in pad work more skill coaching is required)

I find this works well.  It's less complicated than a traditional syllabus but progressive. IMO Simply adding in more and more skills at each belt level doesn't build towards testing those skills.  Years ago we did basics and kata at the dojo then hit bags/pads in our own time to power up.  I prefer to bring that into the dojo where it can be properly supervised.

We don't bumble along aimlessly, there's madness in my method ...  wink

Gary

Jock
Jock's picture

Hi Gary,

In general I run my club with a very loose syllabus, there are certain core skills that we drill every session. I agree with you in that there are a lot of fillers in some 'official' whatevertheyare. I started with KUGB shotokan we started of with one punch..grade....two punches.........grade.....three punches...........grade....three punches a kick and a block..............and so on and so forth. Mostly to get the next grade and pay an examiner.

I don't earn my living through karate therefore my gradings are free. However as I am not affiliated to anybody and I am not an 'official' anything these 'grades' are probably meaningless outside our little group. I always stress this to them but hey they don't care they just want to train.

Basics

Now I drill the core skills punches kick blocks etc...combinations usually taken from a sequence in a kata not usually more than a few techniques in each combination as you say quality over quantity. I also don't drill 500 reps, I try to make the drills anaerobic in nature, work the combo one after the other for 1-2 mins in pairs one is a spotter for technique (or holds the pad) then change. The spotter has to adopt a stance (active rest).

Kata

We are a small club and I am going to trial teaching all grades the same kata. We will be learning one, solo with a few indicators of bunkai oyo for about 3-4 months (next grading) then we will study it drills, kata sparring etc for the next grading. Meantime we will be learning the next one so at any time we will be working on two kata learn one study one. 

Sparring

This one is a work in progress I have all but thrown out the usual 'karate' type sparring and am working towards kata type sparring. Early days and it is still evolving. Watch this space................

General Rule of Thumb

As a rule I am very selfish in my instruction in that whatever I am working on be it stance, kicks, bunkai, kata, sore bits (ok Kyusho) is exactly what they will be working on. That way we all get benefit.

Regards

Andrew Paxton

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