Training Instructors From a Young Age
One of the things that always impressed me about the Gracies is how they were able to turn out generation after generation of top-notch instructors. After reading a number of articles about their original belt system, etc., I started to adapt some of their methods with our own students.
Once the student reaches Green Belt, we allow them to start helping occasionally. They usually achieve this rank around 9 or 10 years of age. Both of my sons started helping out with the kid’s class at 10 years of age.
Caleb and Me Teaching at My Instructor’s Class
The key is to allow them to begin helping but in a very structured way. They will not be able to lead a station for 3 to 4 years.
My son began to lead groups around 14 or 15 years of age but it is based on the individual. My instructor has a 13 year old, who has been leading groups since she was 12. She did start helping at around 8 years old.
When they are older and are capable of running a station or a class, you can assign them a student or students to guide on their progress through the ranks. (Example: a 1st Degree Black Belt may be assigned a Yellow Belt to guide them to Blue Belt, etc.)
The original Gracie Belt System was based on completing an Instructor’s Training Program. Students, no matter how good, wore white belts. Instructors in training wore light blue belts. Instructors wore dark blue belts.
Kenneth, Caleb and me on the day we promoted Caleb to Red Rank.
When the Grandmaster, Helio Gracie, recreated the belt system in 1967, 1st degree black belt was the highest belt level for a non-instructor. Only instructors were allowed to progress past black belt. One other interesting fact that I found was that the instructor in training had to be with him for 10 years before he would give them a Professor’s certificate. This standard even applied to his sons.
I have found this system of helping to teach kids to instruct very helpful. We have about 8 students between the different schools, who have learned to instruct this way. Some students have been helping to teach for 5 to 6 years.
Who are going to be your future instructors? Who is going to take over your school? Do you have a process to develop them?
I highly encourage you to give this matter some serious thought.
