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roger-grandnat:

cookiepie:

Now when I teach it, though, I have over 1/2 the class just stand there and not do anything, no matter how I coach. Even if I show the lower levels.  It is very frustrating.

 

How bizarre! I assume they don't stand and gawp when you do the normal side kick? Without the propulsion (which is the low option) - the ESK is identical to the normal side kick except you step away from the tarhet rather than towards  it - the ginga just helps with the step away and adds rhythm.........surely they should be able to handle the lowest option in those terms? 

I agree, it is bizarre!  I am following the footsteps of an instructor who refused to learn the ESK correctly, and that attitude has rubbed off onto the members.  Most of the time, even if I show the side kick, they take the time to grab some water.  A loooonnnnggg water break that lasts through out the whole track.  It is very frustrating, to say the least.  So when 34 came out, it was nice to see everyone back in the game.  Any suggestions to get over this phobia that has developed at my gym would be greatly appreciated.  Especially if the ESK is back to stay.

oh ok...I gotta be honest cookie pie, your first post sounded as if you were having a dig!!

Ok my advice to you would be to stick with it. Believe me when i say we have all been in the same position as you at some point in our teaching careers. I remember taking over from someone who was the same as the person you are describing and it took me about a month to win people over.

You need to stay with your own style and be confident in your own ability to win them over cus you know what…..YOU WILL!!

If I was you I would stay with the low option and just drill the participants on the simple fact that all the are doing is a sidekick but stepping away first. After a few weeks give an option with a little hop and take time to talk to members and coach members before and after your class.

You know it may not be ESK that is the problem it may well be that you are knew to them and that in itself will take time as I said before. You may even initially see numbers drop but believe me if you stay with your own belief and passion for the programme which I really do think you have then not only will the members return but you will attract far many more members in the long run.

Just keep it simple but remember….its your class, find YOUR style, make it known you are there for your members but do not be intimidated into changing YOU and you will seem them give you the respect not to just stand still when you teach!!

cookiepie:

Now when I teach it, though, I have over 1/2 the class just stand there and not do anything, no matter how I coach. Even if I show the lower levels.  It is very frustrating.

This may not be an option at all, but can you effectively cue the ESKs as, "Here are your options: 1) Stand there, or take a really long drink break or 2) Work. I don't care which you do, it's your ass that won't get a workout, and your hour that has been wasted."

May not work with your crowd, but it's an idea, to put it in the "I don't care what you do, but we're doing this track whether you like it or not!" kind of way.

Since they sound like a bunch of children ...!!

As an aside. I'm lucky, because we launched BC with BC33. So all our participants will have ever known is the ESK. They know it was there in the last one, it's not here, but they expect it to come back one day. I do think that the BC33 track scared a few folks off (couldn't get their feet right in the first class) but I was amazed at how quickly most of our class picked it up, and really took to it! Cos they didn't know it hadn't always been there, lol!

Michela002:

This may not be an option at all, but can you effectively cue the ESKs as, "Here are your options: 1) Stand there, or take a really long drink break or 2) Work. I don't care which you do, it's your ass that won't get a workout, and your hour that has been wasted."

May not work with your crowd, but it's an idea, to put it in the "I don't care what you do, but we're doing this track whether you like it or not!" kind of way.

Since they sound like a bunch of children ...!!

I like that approach - but as a new instructor to the class they may not take it the right way as they don't know you.....

You could also say - "Okay if you don't like the ESK you still gotta keep moving - you guys do 100 tricep pressups whilst the rest of us do the proper moves..........."

roger-grandnat:

I like that approach - but as a new instructor to the class they may not take it the right way as they don't know you.....

You could also say - "Okay if you don't like the ESK you still gotta keep moving - you guys do 100 tricep pressups whilst the rest of us do the proper moves..........."

Definitely won't work with all crowds. I have two BP classes, and one, I could pull something like that with - they would get the point, take it the way it was intended, laugh it off, and move. The other - they'd call me something nasty and never come back! So it totally depends on the group.

I do like your option though, hehe! Though I'd recommend the choice between ESK and bottom-half lunges

Really it's just about getting the point across that it's no skin off your nose if they don't do it, it's their workout and they're responsible for what they get out of it. Don't want to do a move? Fine, don't. But you're the one who is not getting the full workout. I'm doing all of them, so I'm getting what I wanted from the hour!

mrrrocket -- okay, okay.  Maybe I was getting defensive about stuff.    It is a touchy subject for me, as I have been busting my ass to take over this class and win people over.  It is hard to break down old habits that have been built through another instructor.  So far, class numbers are starting to climb and people are getting the hang of me. 

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I'll work on it and see how it goes. 

I must confess I have never been a fan of the evasive side kick.  Apart from the difficulty of the getting the rythm right, I have a pair of rather unstable ankles which had been injured with nasty twists a few times, so the angle of jumping is a bit scary if I don't pay full attention each time.

 I practice body combat in private at home these days, especially the capoeira moves were brought in, so I am not sure how they are actually executed at gyms.  However from some of the video clips I saw around the internet, majority of the participants don't include the jump bit, like this

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNXWTLGP41w  (except for the bloke in the centre-front....)

 Is it how it's done actually?  Even if that is the case, being myself I would feel like cheating or slacking if I can't manage the move just like Dan and Rachel do on the video though... (in this case, jumping)

Personally I much preferred the jinga-front jump kick combination of the release 34, I could concentrate much more on the intensity and power I put in and good form.

Just a wee bump on this one, as recently some folks who have recently done their module training in the UK have been told the ESK is out of future releases and they would not receive training on it during their module.  They were told it is out of future releases due to 'safety' reasons.

Er, if it is that unsafe, does that mean tracks from BC 30-34 are out the window?
 

Well we heard that one as well.  So hence we're confused why UK trainers would be telling new instructors that it's gone, yet we're also hearing it just happens to not be in current releases but will be back.

 I've got no problems with it and like it -- Heck we've got "This Ain't a Scene" (complete with swear words ) in the current mix.
 

LHR_Tim:

 I've got no problems with it and like it -- Heck we've got "This Ain't a Scene" (complete with sear words ) in the current mix.
 

Tim, dont start that debate again, lol

He, an old thread re-born, can we assume the ESK-question is close to us all one way or the other?

IMO the ESK is great (and occasionally difficult for the beginner) but just like a everything else you shouldn't have it each and every day, let's give it a well earned rest a few programs and we will (hopefully) have something to be happy about once it return. 

If I'm honest I think that the major problem with the ESK was the way in which it was first presented. It's clear that it can be a real show off move if you step out and jump high... being honest, I suspect that there was a little bit of showing off involved in this and that was what intimidated many instructors with the move.

 Had it been presented as a stepping side kick first rather than "look what we're building up to" then I suspect that more people would have accepted it. I still can't get the full effect of tucking the bottom leg under on one side - but I have found that the technique has grown with me and the participants. The odd person who's found it intimidating I've just taken to one side and run through the basic technique - and now they've mostly progressed to adding the jump...

 But ultimately - it is just a side kick, stepping away... 

ck1-:

If I'm honest I think that the major problem with the ESK was the way in which it was first presented. It's clear that it can be a real show off move if you step out and jump high... being honest, I suspect that there was a little bit of showing off involved in this and that was what intimidated many instructors with the move.

 Had it been presented as a stepping side kick first rather than "look what we're building up to" then I suspect that more people would have accepted it.

How do ya figure that? Rock Me Amadeus, which introduced the move, built up exactly the way you said they should have. Started with the ginga. Added the low evasive, coaching to step away. Increased the height of the kick. Added a small heel lift. THEN added the jump, at the end, as an option.

Not sure how else they could have presented it ... !