One of my goals for this upcoming year is to better myself as a coach / teacher / trainer.
I was wondering if anyone had some quality suggestions as far as media goes (online - books - DVD's etc.) on coaching methods, ideology, motivation etc.
I am looking less for technique or how to in terms of physical exercises, and more on the aspects that truly make certain people amazing coaches.
Over the last 7 years (yes Tim, it has been about that long. Sorry. I am here for good;) I have modeled myself, my curriculum, and my attitude after Tim my coach, and Brian my BJJ coach. Nothing wrong, nor missing, from these guys, but I am constantly looking to improve my weak areas and better myself for both my own practice and that of my students.
Any help is appreciated (especially from those of you who are coaches).
Cheers
Jake

know what you mean, Jake!
I'm in the same boat. I look at teaching/coaching methods more than anything else. As a teacher by professional, elementary and college, this is my life. I spent $$$$$$ learning the "art" of teaching and "science", it amazes me to think just because some guys can progress personally in a particular art form or sport, suddenly they understand the science of learning and how the brain and body learns best.
I commend you for your desire!

http://aliveness101.blogspot.com/
see 'I method"

You might also want to investigate some of his resources like “guard surfing” and “clinching surfing”, “Fundamental 5”.

One of the things I learned recently from him is “teaching from the finish” or “teaching in reverse”. I’ve been using it with throwing and it works great.

I’ve also learned a lot of good coaching material from Ken Chertow http://www.wearandgear.com/DVDs/products/9/
His coaching clinic DVDs are great.

Roy Harris and Roy Dean have excellent material with loads of details. They both are detail junkies. BJJ 101 and 201 are very good in learning what and how to teach fundamentals.

Gracie insider gives great fundamental coaching tips. Rener Gracie is a young prodigy when it comes to teaching fundamental BJJ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=+gracie+insider&search_type=&aq=f

I’ve gotten great coaching tips from
http://search.store.yahoo.net/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=titleboxing&query=boxing%2 0dvd

on striking. Lots of good professional trainers teaching the art of boxing.

Lots of great coaching material here: http://www.championshipproductions.com/cgi-bin/champ/c/Coaching-DVDs/Wrestling-2 9.html

As a yoga teacher also, I’ve invested in over a 100 books, videos, DVD …not to see a technique but how the teachers teach, what “cues” do they use. No one has all the answers and not everyone learns one way, so I look at as many as possible to see “how” they engage students into learning.

The more I learn…the less I realize I know!!

Good luck!

https://www.cliffkeen.com/shop.cgi?product_id=207

Be sure to watch both videos on the page. This is an excellent way to teach takedowns for beginners.

I knew you would pull through for me bro!!!!! I hear you on the cues, and on the fact that the more I learn, the less I know!!
It will take some time, but I will sift through all of your suggestions. I am not teaching BJJ right now, but will be someday in the future hopefully.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Jake

No problem, Jake. I've just rarely heard the humbleness from coaches/instructors to want to learn "how to teach" better.

Two others, is Randy Couture's "Fight to Win" series :
http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=16802&cat=&page=1

And "Ultimate Throws for Vale Tudo DVD with Darrell Gholar" : http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=21190&cat=&page=1

I'm only looking at their teaching methods. They are excellent teachers.

Good stuff Backarcher.

I liked coach Keen's teaching method and the targets on the shirt idea is very innovative.

I love teaching, and I feel it is one of the only things in life I am good at to be honest. So I really pride myself on being a student and constantly learning / studying / growing. I live an awesome life where I get to be both for a living!

many of the thoughts on the Straight Blast stuff gives you an idea of a great place to go, but no roadmap of how to get there (unless you're training with them...)

for the journey from point A to point C, look up a straight up text on motor learning. In exercise science, the most respected is Schmidt & Lee. I •••• you not, some serious contemplation on the data they share will lead you to many 'best practices'. It's called Motor Learning & Control.

The USJA publishes a whole series of Coaching Manuals. They are affordable, available, and heavily based on the information contained in the work above.

For a cultural and life lesson viewpoint, I really liked reading " Moving Towards Stillnes " by Lowry. Not about teaching, but about things you learn through martial arts. Just a good read.

Thanks Jason. I assume USJA is the US Judo Asoc? Where can I find their coaching books?
Thanks
Jake

"...many of the thoughts on the Straight Blast stuff gives you an idea of a great place to go, but no roadmap of how to get there (unless you're training with them...)..."

What does that mean?

Jake,

I dont how it works in the states, but here the Canadian wrestling association organizes clinics for coaches once in a while, same goes for boxing, judo etc. There might be similar things in your state that you can sign on, they are almost free and teach you stuff on how to coach.

Cheers

William

http://www.seattlewrestling.org/contact.htm

Matt always discusses the principles and philosophies behind how he structures his teaching and program, but never the details that might help guide you in actually applying them.

Which I understand. He's worked really hard to become probably one of the best instructors in BJJ and MMA. Why give that away?

The USJA is Judo, and check amazon. About $15.

I understand, Jason. Thanks!

Steve Cunningham does a tremendous job dissecting basic throws here: http://www.usja-judo.org/judotape.htm

It's some of the best teaching I've seen of throwing.

I'm really looking forward to the day someone restructures the way Judo is taught. I think there is a better way. Most just teach like their teacher, who taught like their teacher...without stopping to question..."is there a better way". There always is, it's called "evolution".

Scott Sonnon's IOUF and Leg Fencing is another one of my favorites, for it's not about technique but tactical concepts and drills.

that's very important (fruitful drills)

the irony of the USJA literature is that since the early 90's the coaches manuals have been fabulous examples of modern sport science applied to the instruction of judo.

Yet very few adopt the methods outlined. There's no requirement to get a coaching certification to teach judo, but many do get the cert. Yet no one takes anything away...

Actually, one does need to be a certified coach to teach judo if one wants to have his/her club insured by any of the three judo orgs.

Most of the top coaches/players in judo take sports science seriously. I just got back from a coaches clinic this past weekend w/Ann Maria DeMars and Ronda Rousey, among others. Lots of useful stuff there. Eiko Shepherd, Kenji Osugi, and Kazuo Shinohara are all excellent judoka who know lots about sports science and judo. I believe Eiko Shepherd has a Ph.D. in Sports Med and teaches in Illinois.

Lastly, Tenri university offers a sports med degree in Hawaii that's specifically geared towards judo. It's a highly competitive program to apply to, but it looks like fun.

Thanks guys! Keep it coming. Great stuff.
Ab-
Are these clinics open to anyone? If so please post future events.
William-
Thanks bro. Never thought of that. Thanks for the link too!
Jake

Another great coach is Leo White: http://superjudo.tv/category/episodes/

Today there are a lot of very smart people with degrees and certificates in the combative arts, but it doesn't mean they are willing to push tradition aside and do things differently.

As an professional educator, I deal with this every day. Other than medicine, education is the most researched area...yet schools predominately look the same way they did 20, 30, 40... years ago.

Tradition is very important. Ignoring it, can corrupt an art, yet evolution is natural. From the typewriter to the PC, the Model T to the Corvette, from the 8 track to the Ipod...

The art doesn't have to change, but training methods can evolve. (warm-ups, sport specific conditioning, cool downs, drills, considering things like "what are the best techniques to teach a concept, what are the best methods to teach/train an adult living a sedentary lifestyle of the 21st century...)

Grappling arts are the most sophistocated methods of combative arts. They require great kinesthetic awareness and body intelligence, yet most adults entering these arts are severely missing this element of physical intelligence(most current instructors know this from experience), yet most only focus on teaching the "moves" opposed to first teaching the "movement".

During the period of which most of these arts were created, people lead very physical lifestyles. Just mere survival demanded a certain body intelligence. Today, people are coming to these arts who's days are dominated by "sitting in classes, sitting in vehicles, sitting in offices and sitting behind computer monitors." No fault of their own. Technology has sophistocated our world, yet diminished our bodies and it's ability to learn physical task. This is a negative aspect of evolution.
How can you use the same method to teach different bodies?

One of the things that impress me most about many of the traditional Russian and Chinese wrestling arts is their inclusion of exercises that develop body intelligence.

Take a shoulder throw for example. Think of all the things the body has to do and the coordination required. Even a "simple" armlock isn't so simple, when you look at the movement and coordination required.

One problem is that instructors/coaches say..."Well, I learned it that that way! I say, what if you could of learned it faster and better?" Isn't that what we want as coaches, for our students to learn faster and in a better way than us?

"What is the best sequence of motor learning in developing a skill?"

These are the types of things we might consider in trying to improve our coaching.

Rich Salamone Wrestling Plan for the Jiu Jitsu Man
has some incredible detailed teaching in it. Before I teach a clinic or seminar, I often review his material: http://www.wrestlingplan.com/

Jake,

NMJI is putting on a Coaches Clinic in Albuquerque on Feb 21, 2009. The clinician will be Pat Burris.

To attend the clinic, you need to be a memeber of USA Judo, which usually costs $50/year, but they're running a special right now. $100 gets you memebership for 3 years. Aside from tracking competition points, which I don't think you care about, membership in USA Judo gives you supplemental medical insurance at all sanctioned events, such as clinics, training camps, tournaments and practices.

Abdullah-

Citing three olympians as proof that Judo coaches are great is like saying 'look at Tim Cartmell' and assuming that everyone that teaches Tai Chi is like him.

Ann Maria and her daughter are obviously the ••••, and I am sure Ronda's coaching is highly influenced by Big Jim and Jimmy Pedro Jr, who are both very well educated coaches themselves. Pat Burris is the guy responsible for coach training. These are not typical coaches. And though they offer this material, how many 1st/2nd degree black belts that run their little local clubs are going to take all this info back home and really change the way they do things?

I sincerely wish they did, but my personal experience has been severely disappointing.

As BackArcher mentioned, we have a lot of research and proof about the way training variables can be manipulated to decrease learning time, improve retention or improve transfer. Yet these discoveries are simply under utilized, if not wholly ignored.