I admit, our grading day gave me a lot to think about. Unfortunately finding a good thread title wasn't part of it :thinking: This thread though, I want to be a lot more positive I'd like to hear some... stories of success you have had - not necessarily about yourself (they are welcome as well, of course!) but also about people you have had trained. My reason for this: I co-train our JJ-Kids classes and sometimes the Karate-Kids as well. Some of those kids were graded as well. Everyone of them passed (one should have failed, to be honest. She's four and got so scared, that she forgot half the program. But it was only white-yellow and with the beginning of the next year belts aren't important in her age-group anymore. She will only be graded again, when she's around 8). Anyway - I am particularly proud of one 10 year old boy. He came to us roughly half a year ago, and really had a hard time to learn how to move properly. At first it looked like he was grown too fast and wouldn't know how to coordinate wayyyy to long arms and legs; he couldn't roll at all; wouldn't look at us, touching him* was something we were told he might not like (I admit I just did it when correcting him, and it never was a problem for the two of us; otherwise I would have stopped that!) and always seperates himself from the others; hardly talks to people; ... (so, yeah, a bit like me in kid-form ). *another proud moment was, when we did Ukemi and he volunteered to go into turtle-position, so the others could roll above him; he did that for minutes, never flinched once and the patience of an angel! I asked his Mom if he had some sort of Autism (not right away, but when I got to know her better; I asked that two or three days ago), and by now I know that his sensory integration is disturbed. Which explains his "movement problem" and everything else. He always comes to training, does as he's told (which isn't necessarily normal; everyone who trains kids hopefully agrees here ), keeps trying and trying - he's my little hero, so to speak. And now he had his first grading. And I thought he did great! So much better then I dared to hope, because I know he has trouble when things change and there are strangers and such. Okay, he didn't look directly at the examiners, but he showed good techniques. Not flawless (when showing Age-Uke the block itself was good, but his body would bent a bit - typical for the disturbance of sensory integration, as I have read), but easily good enough to pass the grading. The others kids did very good as well, aside from the one girl, and I'm proud of those as well; one six year old "only" did Uke, and did very good either. And so I told them all. I felt very good though, when I congratulated that one boy and even was allowed to hug him (I asked him); he even hugged back! I bet I smiled like an idiot at that moment Now, I can't be the only one with experiences like that. So I'd like to hear some other stories like that as well. Or general stories about success, despite some odds
My opinion a 4 yr old should not be testing. But if she were I would not fail her. No would I expect anyone else to. Adults get scared and mess up. Imagine how a 4 yr olds mind would react
The best training success that I can remember is that of a student of mine who came up to me and said that he was disappointed in himself for reacting badly to violence. I asked him what he meant, and he told me this story. Apparently he, two friends (who had also done ju jutsu) and a younger female cousin (who hadn't) were returning home after a night out in London. At the bus stop, they were being harassed by a very drunk man, who was trying to hit on the cousin while trying to pick a fight with one of the two friends. Although they tried to ignore him, eventually he punched one of the friends and then lunched in and bit the other. At this point, my student froze up, and this was what he was disappointed about. When I asked what he did next, he told me that he stepped in behind and grabbed the guy's legs, then between the three of them they bundled him to the floor and pinned him there. Police were called, an arrest was made and statements were taken. No-one was seriously hurt (the bite was through a coat and only caused a bruise, the punch didn't even leave a mark afterwards. The takedown wasn't textbook, but the principles were, as was the hold he used to pin the guy while police were called. My student couldn't get over the fact that he froze for a moment, and helping him to realise all the positives he achieved by remembering his training was a genuine delight. I can't take all (or even most) of the credit for him, as many others have shaped his development, but I was still very proud to hear this outcome.
I totally agree, especially with the techniques they had to show (no way in the world, that they actually understood what they did there). That's why I'm glad, that we will change the way of training for the younger ones! I'm mainly assisting at the moment, so don't have that much to say - or so I thought. But the people who have a say, take my opinion serious enough, so it will be taken into consideration. And I really do think, our new approach will benefit the kids the most! Aegis: Thanks for sharing!
