Encouraging teamwork and corrections, and being more picky

So in the past week, we've been discussing how to cultivate and encourage team bonds within the club. We've noticed for months now that the club isn't quite the same as it used to be in the sense that its members are not really close friends. Thinking back to how it was for us, the club was our social circle--it still is. But we think that this lack of team spirit is largely responsible for inconsistent motivation and a lack of excitement and passion for wushu.

During yesterday's practice, we set out with the goal of making sure that club members watched each other and give at least one comment or suggestion for improvement to the person in front of them in the line during basics. In the group of intermediate members learning first compulsory changquan, the same was implemented during form rotations.

As for some goals for my coaching in particular, I'm trying to be more picky with the advanced members. It's likely that after coaching beginners and also less than motivated intermediate members, I've grown to be more apathetic and less invested in making sure they learn everything correctly from the beginning. Thinking back, I've had to coach many members who if I had tried to be picky, they would have never moved past form 1. So there absolutely is this fine line between overloading a student versus underestimating them.

Plyometric & Running combos

plyo

1. squat jumps
2. lunge switch jumps
3. tuck jumps
4. rotational squat jump
5. zig-zag squat jump
6. power skips
7. squat jacks

running combos

1. running front slap kick, body turn slam
2. running front slap kick, body turn switch, block drop stance
3. running front slap, c-jump
4. c-jump run from 2nd compulsory
5. running inside kick, bow stance, triple punch
6. 
   

Opening movements

There are a lot of combos that just look infinitely better if you pause half a second and open up. The problem we have is rushing through these moves and making them look stunted or sloppy. For all of these combos, there should be a "tall" moment where you open your body. This helps create the illusion of acceleration! And it also gives you a breather.

Combos:

• Front slap kick to wheel arm slam
• front slap kick, circle into C-jump
• front slap kick to side kick
• front slap kick circle from 3rd CQ beginning
• outside kick to wheel arm (drop stance or standing)
• outside kick combo from my beginning
• outside kick to end pose (1st CQ)
• pounding fist
• jump front slap kick

Running Combos

Wushu running is one of the most awkward things you can do and it looks terrible if you don't do it right. Some key points I've picked up from coaches and self-experience along the way:

• Keep the knees bent, your head should stay mostly level as you run. 
• Point your toes, hips, and knees in the direction you want to go!
• Don't lose your "angry/serious" face or you have a good chance of showing how awkward you feel on your face. 
• Flavor points: make the first step a bit slow with exaggeration!

Combos:

• Running inside kick to bowstance
• Running jump inside kick (from 2nd compulsory CQ)
• Running inside kick (from 2nd compuslory JS)
• Running inside kick to sitting
• Running lotus setup

Intro

So because I'm benched due to my knee surgery, I've started coaching at TerpWushu. As opposed to just going through the motions, I'm trying to be more organized about practices since we lost our head coaches. For now, I'm just going to think of themes or goals for each practice and try to come up with combos that help the kids practice them!