Crazy Monkey New Mexico

Coaching kids is one of the great pleasures of my job. That being said, coaching kids requires a unique skill set that is developed, and many studios teaching martial arts in Rio Rancho simply do not possess this skill set. So here are some things to look for when choosing a martial art studio for your kids in Rio Rancho:

1.Classes should be dynamic: The coach needs to keep the pace constantly moving. Kids have short attention spans and tons of energy, and they need to be getting the most bang for their buck in a shorter amount of time. If there is time for little Johnny to stare around bored, wondering what he should be doing next, then the tempo isn’t high enough. There should be a lot less “monkey-see, monkey-do,” and a lot more hands-on activity for the kids, requiring critical thinking and skill development. Mimicking the instructor halfway across the class and doing repetitive motions with no clearly defined goal teaches your child nothing except how to be a copycat. Which leads to the next point….

2.The coach needs to be involved: This is the 21st century. Gone are the days when the instructor stands in front of the class of thirty little drones and does a wicked air-punch, expecting all the children to follow suit no matter how far to the back of the class they are. Keeping with the principle of kids being little bundles of energy, bundles of energy tend to find ways to amuse themselves when not being properly directed. The instructor should actively be a part of the class: guiding, coaching, demonstrating, taking part, and showing the kids how to critically think for themselves and problem solve. You’re not paying for anything less.

3.The instructor should be flexible: I understand that traditional values are a good thing. I also know that the rigid atmosphere of many traditional martial art schools simply does not activate the child’s sense of creativity. There’s nothing worse than having an instructor with a game plan that he refuses to depart from, even when the class of kids isn’t really getting with the program. Sometimes you have to be willing to shake things up, get their attention, and go in a completely different direction for the day than you originally had planned. Kids should be allowed to make mistakes, goof around a bit, and have occasional creative license. At the same time…

4.The child should be taught core values: Recognition and emphasis should be placed on skills such as leadership, respect, cooperation, etc. These values should be seamlessly integrate into the class environment while at the same time encouraging a dynamic, creative experience. The instructor doesn’t need to have a stiff, rigid, formal setting to encourage good values. It is possible to do both.

5.The school shouldn’t be teaching watered down martial arts: Kids learn just as well as adults, if not better. The difference is how you portray the same concepts. For instance, with an adult I may teach a footwork drill to focus on keeping your hips square to your opponent to prevent the takedown. With a kid, I figure out a way to make that same drill into a game that engages the child’s interest while still developing the same concept. For instance, I may stick a glove in the kids belt behind his back, and have his friend try to circle around to his back and grab the glove. Result: the kid learns to keep his hips square so his friend can’t get the glove. It is up to the instructor to be creative and know how to present his material using different methods. Kids generally aren’t afraid of contact, you don’t have to teach them a fake punch, or discourage them from sparring. What they are afraid of is negativity, of dominance and bullying. If their experience is incredible, fun, and positive, however, you will watch their mastery of the art reach new heights. Teaching watered down martial arts is a big reason why adults shy away from the stuff they learned as a kid. It seems childish, they didn’t learn anything they would realistically as an adult, and so it almost feels like they wasted their time, in a way. It doesn’t have to be like this.

6.The kid should get proper recognition: How many kids go through their entire day, and never once hear that they did a good job? In the walls of the studio, a kid should feel like superman. He or she should feel nothing but boundless potential and positive energy. The kid shouldn’t be afraid to take risks, shouldn’t be afraid to fail, and shouldn’t be afraid to try. Belt systems are great, they reward consistency and skill level, but what I am talking about is fundamentally deeper than that. Constant positive feedback by a watchful coach is what will take your child’s skill level and self-confidence to new heights. This can only be done properly by a coach is actively involved with your child on a personal level. This is the method I use in my gym, and I can attest to its effectiveness. No kid needs to be hearing how much he or she sucks all day. The last place this should be happening is the martial arts school.

For more tips, training, and coaching like this, CALL NOW for your FREE intro lesson, and find out what makes us different! (505)385-0224 www.crazymonkeynewmexico.com!

What should you expect when searching for martial arts in Rio Rancho? Whether you have no experience whatsoever, or maybe have some prior training under your belt, the following are some important things to look for when checking out a new gym or studio:

1. Are the instructors qualified?

Ask the instructor what his credentials are. What is his prior experience? A coach whose background is only in Tae Kwon Do, for instance, cannot very well be teaching you groundfighting or the Muay Thai head clinch, or else he is coaching out of his area of expertise. Is he licensed or certified? Certification, for instance, only requires a one-time mastering of material in the past, for instance, to gain the credential. He may let his personal skill level, fitness level, or memory of the material deteriorate over time, and yet he will still be “certified.” This isn’t necessarily the case in every instance, but you are essentially put in the position where you have to assume that the coach has kept his instruction up-to-date, since he is not required to. Licensing, by contrast, often requires continual skill development and training in order to maintain licensing, thus ensuring a higher quality of skill level and instruction on the part of the coach.

2. Does the coach have an organized curriculum?

Is there an organized method of presenting the material? You would be shocked how many schools and coaches have no day-to-day lesson plan for ensuring continual growth. You essentially have no sense of what you will be learning or what level you are at. This unorganized method of teaching can lead to your personal skill level stagnating, as there is no set game plan for getting you better. Make sure that the coach has clearly defined guidelines for determining progression, as well as an organized, methodical approach to coaching the material. While the unorganized, “mad hatter” style of coaching can sometimes be effective, it also puts you entirely at the mercy of how good the individual coach is. An organized system of teaching can often counteract any flaws or weakness in the coach’s personal style, as well as make a good coach’s presentation even better.

3. Does the school adapt itself to the client’s needs?

Whether your goals are physical fitness, self-defense, character development, or just to have fun, the facility should be able to adapt to your needs. Sparring shouldn’t be forced on anybody, and there should be enough flexibility that techniques can later be adapted to individual body types/needs.

4. Are the prices high enough to ensure quality?

You get what you pay for, and this is particularly true in the martial arts world. Schools with overly cheap prices often have inferior instruction, huge classes with a lack of individual attention, unqualified instructors, and dirty equipment. The schools, because of the cheaper rate, tend to follow a “quantity over quality” business model. Often, they make up for the extremely cheap monthly rate by charging a myriad of hidden fees costing you nearly three times as much as you originally thought! The style of martial art also plays a factor in price. Old-school, traditional martial art studios (such as Karate or Tae Kwon Do) usually are cheaper, running $60-$130, with more modern, quality martial arts facilities ranging from $80-$200 a month. With the increased price of the modern schools tends to come cleaner facilities, smaller classes, more personalized attention, qualified instructors, no hidden fees, advanced adult class options, flexible coaching style, as well as aspects not covered by the cheaper facilities such as mental game coaching or physical rehabilitation methods.

5.What is the student demographic of the school?

Some schools are mainly kids with no real options for the adults, others are focus almost entirely on the adults but don’t actually have any options for the kids. Some schools are a congregation hall for 20-25 year old wannabe-UFC tough guys, and others are more family oriented. Make sure you know what kind of client the school caters too and has options for. If your goal is to be an amateur fighter, for instance, a more competitive atmosphere is probably what you are looking for. If you want an enjoyable activity for yourself and your kid however, this may not be your cup of tea. Make sure you have an idea of the demographic being targeted by the particular school you are looking into.

6. What are the extra fees beyond the membership dues?

Most modern schools will require a purchase of some form of uniform and possibly equipment such as gloves, with the only remaining fee being the standard monthly rate. However, some of the older, more traditional schools that we discussed earlier have hidden fees to make up for the low monthly wait. These include things such as belt-testing fees (not to get the belt, just to test for the belt!), belt promotion fees, requiring (paid) monthly seminar attendance for promotion, etc. Make sure you know exactly what, if any, hidden fees you may be paying in the future.

7.What tuition options are available?

Different schools have different methods of tution payment. Fight schools, for instance, may not require a contract since fighters with previous experience often travel to schools in other areas simply to work on a specific aspect of their game. Most other gyms/schools, however, will usually have a contract lasting anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. This is often to help provide stability, a comfortable environment with familiar training partners, and ensure that only people that are actually committed to learning are the ones that sign up. Most contracts automatically deduct from a debit/or credit card, and allow you to set the date of monthly deduction. Be wary of contracts that do not allow you to set the fixed date for withdrawal, or for contracts that automatically renew without your knowledge when the year is up. Most coaches should sit down with you prior to the contract expiration and let you know ahead of time so that you can re-sign, not automatically renew it without your permission. What are the cancellation terms? Most schools will require advance notice and a cancellation fee to terminate the program.

8.what are the facilities like?

Are the facilities clean? Is there an ample amount of mat space? Do they have equipment such as pads, gloves, etc? Do they have heavier mats for things like takedowns, etc? These are the things you will not see on the website or find out via phone, so make sure you take the time to set up an appointment to drop by the facility and check it out.

For more tips and training like this, check out our gym! Classes available for kids AND adults, CALL NOW for your FREE intro lesson! (505)385-0224 http://www.crazymonkeynewmexico.com!

I don’t get it,” he said. “I knew I didn’t have to worry about him, but I was still scared.” These were the words of an accomplished kickboxer to me in a conversation one day, regarding an altercation in a bar. As a Rio Rancho martial arts coach, it’s a feeling I have known all too well in the past…

You get in your very first fight in grade school, and get pounded. You swear never to let it happen again. You go out of your way to respond to every perceived insult, in order to make clear to everyone that you are not a victim. Every challenge is accepted, no slight goes unpunished. Inside, you’re scared. You’re scared you’ll get hurt, you’re scared you’ll get humilated, you’re scared you will lose. You go to a boxing gym to learn how to fight. At first it sucks, but after a few years you develop some skill. You can punch and fight ten times better than you ever could before. Every time it’s time to spar, you put in that mouthpiece and….you’re scared. Maybe if I get just a little bit better, you think. Maybe if I get my jab down better and can beat this next guy, I’ll know I’ve hit where I need to be…..So you get into amateur fighting. You’re good; you destroy every opponent, 13-0. Now the bell’s about to ring for number fourteen, you know you can take this guy….and you’re still scared…..

Why?

Whether you’re a a soldier going house-to-house on the battlefield, a kid getting cornered behind the school by punks, or a pro getting ready for your next fight, sometimes the fear never leaves. You never feel like you’ve learned enough, like you’re good enough, like you’re finally “safe” and nobody is trying to take the crown. Why?

Because you’re right. You never will know enough. You never will be good enough. You never will be safe, and there will always be someone trying to usurp your throne. There’s always someone better, always someone badder, and always a situation that maybe you just weren’t prepared for.

This fear comes not from a lack of skill, a lack of preparedness, or a lack of training. It comes from a lack of perspective. It comes from not recognizing the reality of life and your ultimate place in it. It comes from a misplaced desire to control what cannot be controlled: events, outcomes, and destiny.

The reality is, if you train 101 scenarios at your self-defense school, life will throw you number 102. If you are the baddest Thai kickboxer in your weight division, life will send you an equally good kickboxer that’s a few years younger. No matter how many streetfights you win, life will send you that guy’s buddies in the parking lot. No matter how slick your armbar escape is, life will send you that guy that prefers triangle chokes. No matter how good you are, there is always someone better. So who are you? Who are you in this universe? What are you really striving for? Are you really great because no one, not even life, can “beat” you?

To use a sparring analogy, I can watch a beginner while sparring. He’s starting to get flustered; he keeps getting caught through his defense with feignts. His opponent has him so worried about what he’s going to throw at him that he ends up getting caught in the chin with a self-fulfilling prophecy. I tell him to “calm down, focus on yourself, tighten everything up. Don’t worry about what he’s going to do, just suck everything in and work your defense.” He takes a deep breath, and does what he knows how to do best. His sparring improves immediately.

The main point is kind of a belabored philosophical concept. Stop worrying about the outcome and just do it. If you’re walking to the ATM, don’t worry about whether or not you are going to get mugged. And if you do get attacked on the street, just end it. Don’t think, or wonder what he is going to do if you fail. Defend yourself. If you are on the mat at your local Jiu-Jitsu gym, don’t think how you’re going to escape his triangle choke; just roll. Eventually, you will learn how to escape it, and if not, hey, maybe he’s just better than you. Or maybe he won’t even end up triangling you at all! So why worry? If you think you’re too fat, get to your target weight for health reasons, and then take a long, hard look at whether or not you have a realistic ideal of physical beauty. If you’re a fighter, perform and strive for your best, regardless of the outcome.

In all these cases, you need to take a long, hard look at why you are training, what your motivations are, and what the basis is for the fears you may possess. Self-defense is a worthy goal. Don’t be afraid of the mugging that never happens. Being a fighter is a worthy goal. Don’t base your worth as a person on a misguided desire to dominate other men. Health and weight loss is a worthy goal. Don’t base your training goals on an unrealistic standard of physical beauty.

The martial arts are a beautiful thing, with positive benefits for a variety of people. Like any vehicle for success, however, they can also feed personal demons. Find out what you are afraid of, then lose the fear. I promise your training and love for the game will reach a whole new level.

For more coaching and tips like this, CALL NOW for your FREE intro lesson! (505)385-0224 www.crazymonkeynewmexico.com!