Educating martial arts

We should bear in mind that the techniques and methods of martial arts should be learned easily and quickly. We think that each PE teacher should know at least the basics of these sports. Let us examine an example: if a falling technique is taught it can be learned from books. We must not forget about the attitudes of teachers either. As long as material arts focus on age specific characteristics, psychic of learners and the level of their motor abilities very likely teaching will be effective.

Martial arts in practice:

• Teaching behaviour patterns and styles so that aggressiveness, abuse and conflicts could be avoided
• Developing motor abilities by offering special and natural techniques and exercises
• In different postures pulling, pushing, lifting, throwing, twisting and climbing exercises
• Exercises of gymnastics, such as turns of rolling backward and forward, handstand, rolling out from handstand
• Combat exercises in pairs and groups, games
• Thinking through how we can avoid dangerous situations
• Teaching self-defence techniques to develop defensive techniques
• Teaching sportsmanlike basic techniques of martial arts
• Organising wrestling competitions for classes and schools
• Teaching how to put up with failures
• Learning the basics of judo, wrestling and aikido (falling, rolling, throwing, clamping etc.)
• Competitions and combats

PE teacher have all the opportunities and chances to make martial arts interesting. It is know that there are many versatile initiative war-ups, drills and exercises (general, gymnastics and specific workouts). Specific exercises contain, for example, ground fighting, standing techniques and combats. Simple rules should be used.

The following issues must be taken into consideration when teaching:

• didactically well planned curriculum
• first using simpler exercises then gradually implement more complicated ones
• lesson plans should reflect teachers’ personalities and equipment must be appropriate for children’s age and genders
• avoiding accidents by well prepared exercises
• motivating children by praising them and supporting them to correct bad  motions