Pool Noodle Sparring

Today we did pool noodle sparring, and I was out of breath at the end of one of the sessions with  a seven or eight year old boy. So that means I am out of shape, and also that again. working with the noodles is good for me as a way to get in shape. What is also good is that it is extremely fun for the kids too.
Of course just because it is foam does not mean that it is completely safe. If you brought in more of the close fighting elements where hands and feet became a factor, then it would be as dangerous as regular hand and feet sparring, but also kind of unrealistic because you might continue to charge in with a foot or hand even after your foot or hand was hit. It wouldn't hurt with foam, but if it were wood or sharpened steel, that would be the end of you limb.
There were a good five times or so when the 8 year old student got me on the leg. A few times I was able to jump it, but obviously it is something I need to work on more.

Now, from the Martial Arts literature I have read, they usually talk about honing in ones aggression or trying to focus someone in on a drill, or learning through pain, by being hit with a kendo stick in the arm or whatever. I think that makes sense for an adult who has already fought a lot, and needs to be brought in or broken down and built back up. But there is absolutely no reason I can see for breaking a child down. They should only be built up. I can imagine someone lecturing me about false sense of confidence and all that. But what child doesn't have a false sense of confidence? And in fact, from what I see, all the successful people are the ones that seem to have never lost that false sense of confidence. If you get hit with a pool noddle you know it. One of the three year old students got hit in the face by the eight year old and was upset about it. It does hurt a little bit but it doesn't injure. I think his feelings were hurt more than anything, but what has to come next is learning how to not get hit in the face (as often) or if it is not for you, not to do that particular drill with someone who is that much better than you. But these things are difficult to explain to a three year old.

As for the eight year old, the base way to improve I suppose would be focusing on the moves that worked for him. I.e. the hit to the leg that he got me with really clearly. Working on speed and power, and then follow up. He was open to attacks a bunch of times, but I think in a real situation, it will just be who gets there first and so the best is to focus on getting there first and hard and with his best move... being a one trick pony is not bad in these situations. There was a famous pirate who used a move and strategy similar to the one I was hit with today, and he was successful for a long time (until he was defeated.)

I think some of the parents were looking for fancy disarms and that sort of thing. Not that I couldn't do that to an eight year old with a foam stick. But it wouldn't be good for him I don't think, or me for that matter. Because just because you can overpower an eight year old with a foam stick, does not mean you can do that to an adult, or even a large twelve year old, with a stick, or a machete. Frankly the way we worked out today was more realistic than drills. And it was also more natural. Lions and wolves train their young in a similar way. I think some lectures or explanation would go along well with the playtime, but then lions and wolves seem to do fine without lectures don't they? And if a kid wanted a lecture, I think they would ask a question. And if they don't want a lecture, it will go in one ear and out the other.