Teaching HEMA Macro To Micro: how to manage large groups, coach during sparring, and beat burnout
How do HEMA instructors organize large groups during drills? How can you offer constructive critiques while sparring? And how do you beat the burnout to come back for more? Join…
Introduction
How do HEMA instructors organize large groups during drills? How can you offer constructive critiques while sparring? And how do you beat the burnout to come back for more? Join HEMA instructors Nicholas Allen (VCU HEMA), Kiana Shurkin (MKDF), and Julie Olson (Athena School of Arms) for three mini-lectures covering these topics and more!
Lecture
Outline
Teaching HEMA Macro to Micro: How to Organize Large Groups, Coach During Sparring and Beat Burnout
Featuring speakers Nicholas Allen, Julie Olson, and Kiana Shurkin, and moderated by Marissa Shaffer.
This outline covers the main points of the video, but be sure to watch for more details, personal stories, quick tips, and Q&As!
Organizing and Teaching HEMA in Larger Group Settings
Speaker: Nicholas Allen
Preparing Before a Lesson
Be sure to have your gear prepared and know the space you’re working with.
Plan to handle larger numbers of people than will actually attend; this will make any real problems that occur feel smaller and more manageable.
“The Four Ps”
Patience
Take your time to avoid foolish decisions
Planning
Know your plan from start to finish and stick to that path
Preparation
Be prepared to execute your plan
Persistence
If things don’t work out as intended, learn for the next time
Controlling Your Speech
Four main voices to use while teaching:
Command
A forceful way of speaking projected from the diaphragm.
This voice is best used while actively instructing or addressing a large group.
Speak somewhat rapidly to move through your points and retain attention.
Bedside
A quieter tone best used during individual instruction or when a student needs encouragement, correction, or help.
Move closer to the student, use more gestures, speak more slowly and quietly.
Formal-Friendly
An authoritative but personal way of speaking best used during general lessons
Speak more slowly than a command voice, but faster than a bedside voice.
Informal
A more friendly tone best used when personally connecting with students and other instructors.
Maintaining Authority in a Group Setting
Projecting Authority
Speak from the diaphragm
Speak in a formal register
Stand with good posture, avoid fidgeting
If a person within the group becomes disruptive, avoid the urge to speak over them and fight for control. Instead, use silence to project authority until the interruptor feels uncomfortable and cedes control back to you.
Macro Skills of Teaching
Delegation
Groups larger than 20 people should have more than one instructor to ensure adequate individual attention.
Delegating authority to assistant instructors or senior students not only benefits students, but also gives future instructors a chance to practice their teaching skills.
When visiting other clubs as a guest instructor, consider asking their senior students or assistant instructors for assistance.
Breaking the Barrier
A standard classroom forms a barrier line between teacher and students, with one person on one side and the class on the other.
Breaking this implicit barrier can increase student engagement and reinforce authority by emphasizing that you can move anywhere in the room.
Circulation
A common issue with new instructors is that they see a student having a problem and then spend 5 or more minutes trying to fix it. This tendency eats up limited time that could be spread out among all students.
When one or a few students are having a specific issue, it’s better to delegate to an assistant instructor.
Move around the group slowly enough to observe and offer brief feedback, even if it’s just a nod of approval or a quick critique.
If a student is performing especially well, consider halting the class briefly to have them demonstrate that technique.
Students often benefit from knowing they are being observed, even without active instruction.
Monitor ambient noise; over time, you should be able to discern when groups are wandering off-task or encountering problems.
Organizing Large Groups of People
In groups over 20, delegate command and issue instructions to your assistants before making a wider announcement to the group
Warmups
Depending on your lesson and group, you can divide your class into two major formations
Block
Organize the class into squad arrays (squares) with a squad leader at their front
This is best for disciplined groups
Semi-circle
Organize the class into a large semi-circle with you at its center. Large groups may need a second layer kneeling up front.
This formation gives everyone a clear line of sight, including the instructor.
Arrange yourself so that no student is outside your field of vision or cone of voice, and be sure to demonstrate things twice at right angles.
Drills
For foundational skills like footwork, staggered blocks are an ideal use of space.
In space-limited areas, it may be best to divide the class into solo and partner drills simultaneously.
Solo Drills
For safety, space students so that they can swing their swords fully without contacting another person, typically an 8-foot radius is adequate.
Partner Drills
Line students up in two rows, with attackers all on one side and defenders on the other. This makes it easier for instructors to assess students all at once. Monitor lateral spacing within the lines for safety.
Across-the-Floor Drills
These are best used for fundamentals such as footwork. Arrange students in a block formation. Send the first row forward while assessing their performance. When about halfway across the space, send the second row, etc. Once the block is reformed, send each row back across. This keeps the group moving while facilitating individual critique.
Sparring
Loosely organized sparring tends to see groups clump up between friends, with some sparring and others observing or hesitating.
Three techniques to avoid this:
Line Sparring
Students line up similar to partner drills and spar for 30 seconds to a minute. Then one or both lines takes a step to the left, leading to a cycle of fresh partners. This keeps things moving and exposes students to a wide variety of partners.
This does require coordination, as one misstep can throw off the entire line.
As in partner drills, ensure lateral space is maintained for safety.
Bear Pits
A group of 5 to 10 people form a circle, with one person in the middle. Members of the circle enter the middle one at a time for a short, single exchange. Once everyone has gone, the person in the middle joins the circle and another person takes their place in the middle.
This technique allows intensive training and critique for one person at a time.
Floating Bear Pits
Similar to the previous method, but when a person wins an exchange, they take the spot in the middle.
This allows students to pick their fights and take a step back to recover.
Conditioning
Conditioning improves physical fitness, discipline, and group cohesion.
Block Conditioning
Students organized into blocks with a squad leader calling out reps
Best for experienced groups
Circle Conditioning
Students organize in a circle with the instructor. The instructor performs exercises and begins the rep count at “one.” The person to their left then counts the rep at “two,” the person to their left counts “three,” and so on. This promotes engagement and self-regulation. Be aware that larger groups will require more reps, so scale exercise difficulty to avoid overworking students.
Relay Conditioning
This exercise encourages engagement through competition.
Students organize into separate lines with three or so stations. At each station, the student must complete an exercise, such as 10 pushups at one, 10 mountain climbers at the next, and 10 oberhaus at the third. One student from each line must run through the stations, completing the exercises, and then run back. Then the next student does the same, until the line is finished. The first squad to complete their line wins.
Cooldowns
Cooldown periods help students wind down and avoid soreness the next day. This generally includes stretching and gives instructors time to assess that everyone is recovering well.
Cleanup
A final stage where students help instructors clean up the training space. It can be helpful to divide into squads and assign different tasks to keep things fresh.
Coaching During Sparring
Speaker: Julie Olson
The dynamics of 1v1 coaching vs. large group settings require different approaches
Notes to Keep in Mind:
Every individual is different, and an experienced coach will modify their methods to suit each student. This is especially important when it comes to stress management and responses.
Every match has a winner and a loser; if your student loses, it doesn’t mean you have failed as a coach, or that your student has failed as an athlete.
The Mindset of a Fighter
When a fighter enters a competition, there are many distractions that can draw their focus. A good coach’s job during competition is to keep their fighter focused and minimize stress.
Two Broad Categories of Fighters
Active, or “Warrior”
Takes the initiative, aggressive, quick to advance
Passive, or “Technician”
Defensive, responsive, and more tactical
Coaches must tailor their approach to fit their fighter’s style.
Beginning Coaching
Coaching Someone You Know
A somewhat easier task, because you are already familiar with the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and mindset, and you already have a developed rapport.
Coaching a Relative Stranger
A more difficult task that will require extra preparation to coach effectively.
Unknowns to Assess
Experience
Mindset
Injuries or other physical limitations
Coaching preference: hands-off or hands-on
Questions to Ask
“What’s your fighting background?”
“Is there anything you’re working on you want to be reminded of?”
Basic Coaching Roles
Just as fighters take different roles, you will need to adapt your coaching style to best support your student during competitions. Any one student may require each of these roles at different times.
“Cheerleader” style
Encouraging your fighter with short affirmations like “doing great,” “your feet look good,” etc.
Be aware of your environment--some audiences/judges consider too much cheerleading to be distracting
“Caregiver” style
Acting as an advocate for your fighter. That includes answering questions, fetching water, monitoring time, relaying scores, and taking concerns to the judges. Essentially, removing stressors so the fighter can focus on the competition. You are the “squire” to their “knight.”
“Strategist” style
Assessing the competition to offer small insights to your fighter.
Misc. Coaching Tips
Be a positive role model; stay calm, keep cool, and encourage similar behavior from your fighter. Be aware of how negative emotions can feed off each other.
Take satisfaction in your fighter’s progress, but leave your ego at the door. Ensure the spotlight remains on your fighter.
Always prioritize safety.
Don’t introduce new concepts or techniques right before a competition.
Keep communications short, simple, and positive during tournaments.
Learn to pitch your voice in crowded spaces, so that your fighter can hear you but not so much your opponents.
Work up through a hierarchy of coaches to develop these skills, and then teach others.
Beating Burnout
Speaker: Kiana Shurkin
Identifying Your Role
Understand your position in the team and what others expect of you.
Are you a main or assistant instructor?
Is this a formal school or a more informal club?
Are you teaching a group or just one person?
Are you coaching over multiple sessions?
Are you familiar with your students?
What is the skill level of your class?
Does the class or person have a specific goal?
What styles/backgrounds are your class familiar with?
What role are you playing in a partner drill?
“Uke” and “Tori” Roles
Borrowed terms from Judo and other martial arts
The Tori is the person who successfully completes a technique, as demonstrated against the Uke.
The Tori is not necessarily the attacker, simply the person who fully demonstrates a technique, the mentor role.
Are you demo-ing for a large audience or a small group, and how flashy does your performance need to be?
Understanding all of these questions can reduce friction in your work and, as a result, burnout.
Reducing Friction in Teaching
Teaching is imparting new information. Coaching is refining existing information. Supervision is managing class dynamics to ensure a smooth productive flow for the class. And repetition is knowing when to be quiet and let the student’s work on the material you’re teaching.
Your first priority is always a safe and friendly environment.
You don’t need to know everything, or be able to teach everyone below you in the hierarchy. Attempting to fill every role is a quick road to burnout.
Identifying your student’s goals and your own
Do your students want to get in shape? Compete seriously? Or find like-minded friends? How does that compare with your own goals as an instructor, and how can you balance the two?
Finding a balance where both your needs and your students’ needs are being met reduces burnout.
If you encounter students whose goals are drastically different from your own, don’t hesitate to recommend another instructor.
Combating Burnout
Burnout: When your hobby becomes your job, and passion is lost to logistics
Find your own teaching style
Don’t try to mimic your own instructor
Develop a teaching style that suits your own personality
Recommend the book Quiet by Susan Cain.
Delegate responsibilities and surround yourself with a good team
Teach your students to teach and coach so they can help you and others
Bringing in other perspectives encourages a sense of mutual ownership, and they may have skills or knowledge to contribute as well
Letting students teach you promotes your own growth and reduces burnout
Allowing students to teach also helps you assess how well your lessons are being understood, and what still needs work
Pay attention to your balance of negativity and positivity: focus as much on what students are doing right as what they need to improve upon
On the same note, pay attention to how you improve as a coach and recognize that for yourself as well.
Keep your goals in sight
Why did you start teaching? Was it to build a community, to improve your own skills, to help others?
To find students whose goals align with yours, consider keeping an open group and an invitational group. New students who seem to benefit from your instruction can be invited from the open group to the more advanced one.
Foster the group culture that you want to see, and it will attract the kind of students who will most benefit from your instruction.
Keep growing as a fighter
Stagnation is a major source of burnout
Keep training journals for yourself as well as your students
Seek out mentors and participate with outside groups
Take classes, read books, and participate in other sports
Vary focus in exercises
Repetitive exercises can get boring, but you can keep them interesting by focusing on specific elements of them like footwork or edge alignment. Give individual students a different element to focus on.
In the same way, you can work on elements of your coaching with each class, such as voice projection or positive feedback.
Avoid bad habits and self-sabotage
A personal example: not wanting to strike new students, and so pulling punches. This hesitance then began to affect tournament performance and also sabotaged the students, who weren’t learning the consequences of failure or how to parry properly.
Observe how the skills of teaching and fighting can complement each other
Learning how to observe a room, assess a student’s form, and adapt to different scenarios can all help your own skill as a fighter.
Fighting Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome is a common cause of burnout that arises when an instructor feels like they aren’t really adequate to their job.
Own your mistakes, including to your students, and use them as learning opportunities.
If a student catches a mistake, praise them and recognize it as a sign that they are learning. A student surpassing his or her instructor is a success story, not a failure.
Recognize that everyone feels imposter syndrome to some degree; it’s a natural feeling that nearly everybody must overcome.
When you’re feeling inadequate, focus on your own capacity for growth and the unique skills you bring to the table. Others may be better at certain things, but your combination of abilities has value too.
“Fake it til you make it”
Projecting confidence and authority can feel silly at first, but it will help you learn and adopt those traits
Stay humble, and remember that you will always have more to learn and more mistakes to make. Simply being willing to listen and learn can make you a better instructor than most.
Be sure to watch the entire video to see these topics explored in greater depth, as well as the Q&A!
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the following groups for helping TOTA promote this webinar:
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